Sri Lanka Bhikkhuni Kusuma passes away 28 August 2021 The internationally acclaimed Buddhist monastic, scholar, and vocal advocate for full female monastic ordination Venerable Dr. Bhikkhuni Kusuma Devendra died of Covid complications late on Saturday in Sri Lanka. She was 92 years old. Some personal reflections on meeting Bhikkhuni Kusuma Bhikkhuni Kusuma was for me, a realContinue reading “Some bhikkhuni news from around the world”
Tag Archives: sangha
October 2016 full moon – Reinstating the Buddha’s Vision of Gender Equity
Friends of mine from IMS recently sent me information about this presentation on a little-known aspect of Buddhist history, the recent revival of full monastic ordination for women. “This presentation was developed by Friends of Aloka Vihara co-founder Mindy Zlotnick. It outlines the history of bhikkhunis (fully ordained Buddhist nuns) from the time of theContinue reading “October 2016 full moon – Reinstating the Buddha’s Vision of Gender Equity”
June 2016 full moon – Inspiration and taking refuge in sangha/community
Graduates of the Insight Meditation Society and Spirit Rock four-year teacher training programme, 10 June 2016 – photo by Ben Marshall In my last international newsletter back in April, I wrote about inspiration, an aspect of spiritual practice that surprisingly, doesn’t seem to be talked about very often. As I discovered back then, “… theContinue reading “June 2016 full moon – Inspiration and taking refuge in sangha/community”
August 2015 full moon – International Bhikkhuni Day
This month, in honour of International Bhikkhuni Day on 12 September, instead of writing my own reflections I’d like to share part of an article by two bhikkunis (fully-ordained nuns), Ayya Santacitta and Ayya Santussika, who are also climate-change activists. I’ve had the good fortune to meet Ayya Santacitta a few times, both when IContinue reading “August 2015 full moon – International Bhikkhuni Day”
April 2015 full moon – “awakening community” *
Last weekend I ran a one-day workshop in Auckland, New Zealand, on the theme of “spiritual friendship,” and just a few days ago I facilitated a small group discussion in Australia at the Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre, on the theme of “awakening community.” These two topics feel very alive for me at the moment,Continue reading “April 2015 full moon – “awakening community” *”
Welcoming the New Year
Greetings from snowy Massachusetts! I intended to write this post a few days ago, but I’ve been under the weather with a combination of jet lag, a head cold, AND a gastro bug. So I wasn’t exactly the life of the party on New Year’s Eve, but being forced to take time out has givenContinue reading “Welcoming the New Year”
Jill Shepherd: insight meditation 