Newsletter No. 14
SUMMER 2021/2022
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In this Issue:
- The Sakyadhita International Conference took us ‘Beyond Boundaries’
- Our Bhikkuni numbers are growing – we hear about a special Nuns Ordination in the West
- We meet an inspiring Bhikkuni who founded ‘Metta in Action’ which gives support to those in need in Myanmar : Ariya B. Baumann
- The story of Ranjani de Silva who had such a large part in organising the 1996 Bhikkuni Ordination – which saw the revival of the lineage after 1,000 years.
- Could we be seeing a Kindness Revolution??
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Helen Richardson,
President, Sakyadhita Australia
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From the President
Happy New Year!
I hope you and yours are well and safe during these difficult times.
Looking back at 2021 , the second year of pandemic and lockdowns, the positive was it gave the chance for many to deepen their Dhamma practice and reflect on impermanence as situations changed around us so dramatically.
The year finished in a stimulating fashion as we joined via Zoom the 17th Sakyadhita International Conference. We were inspired by many of the speakers - from a multi-faith perspective to Himalayan nuns to Buddhist perspectives on organ donation. We enjoyed watching wonderful documentaries. We are left with have much to think about. Those who weren’t able to attend the Zoom Conference live can catch up with most sessions on Youtube.
The year was also marked by the flourishing of the Bhikkuni lineage – something for which we are most grateful.. After the ordination of four Bhikkunis in Perth, we now have flourishing Theravadan nuns’ communities in Dhammasara, Perth. Santi, NSW and Newbury in Vic.
Sadly the year saw the passing of two of our most respected and significant Bhikkunis, Ajahn Vayama who was largely responsible for the establishment of the Dhammasara Nuns monastery in WA and Ven Kusuma, who created history by becoming the first women to ordain in the Theravadan tradition after 1,000 years.
Out Vice-President, Ven Thubten Chokyi, has moved from Chenrezig to Perth where she brings teachings in the Mahayana tradition to those in Perth and Bunbury.
We are grateful to you all who continue to support Sakyadhita Australia through membership and ask that you continue this in 2022. This supports Buddhist women and Sangha everywhere
This year Sakyadhita Australia plans to bring you Webinars with inspiring teachers, support Buddhist women where needed and continue creating a network of communication and support..
I would like to thank our Committee for all their work in the past year.
I hope you enjoy this Newsletter!
Helen Richardson,
President
Photo: Helen interviews Director Małgorzata Dobrowolska after the screening of the Documentary ‘Bhikkuni’
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Membership
Memberships for 2022 are now due - Your membership is valued!
Membership is until the end of 2022. Our membership fees have not changed, $30 or $20 concession. Ordained Sangha no charge. Please encourage your dharma friends and other interested people to join and be part of our activities and support Buddhist women and Bhikkuni. It’s not just for women, men are very welcome to join!
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‘Buddhist Women Beyond Boundaries’
The 17th Sakyadhita International Conference exploring the theme ‘Buddhist Women Beyond Boundaries: Interfaith, Interdependence, and Environment’ was held via Zoom in the three days after Christmas. We missed the excitement of visiting an exotic country, meeting old friends and making new ones in person. Sitting in front of a screen at home was not quite the same experience as if we were in Sarawak. Nevertheless it was most enjoyable to see many familiar faces during the workshops.
Over 1000 women enrolled for this Conference which shows Sakaydhita’s strength and importance to Buddhist women globally.
Why the title : “Beyond Boundaries? In the opening presentation President Sharon Suh explained:
“if there is one thing this pandemic has taught us it is that we need each other, we need our Dhamma friends for support and resilience to survive Covid and its impact on all that we thought that we knew. The pandemic has shifted the ground beneath us and requires we come together and transcend whatever fixed boundaries we perceive in order to imagine the world anew. We must move beyond boundaries to deeply recognize our interdependence and work for environmental justice”.
 President Dr Sharon Suh speaking at the Conference.
She addressed the global challenges we face by saying “These are indeed unprecedented times as we face the impact of environmental and health threats that have been exacerbated by the effects of Covid-19 and the current pandemic. Despite the ever-unfolding nature of the pandemic, I have seen first-hand how we have all been able to cultivate resilience and engage in innovative methods to join together as a global organization to continue the good work of Sakyadhita”.
The Keynote address by Dr. Malia Dominica Wong was inspiring as she wove stories and gave examples of the view from the other side, as a Christian sister. This presentation is worth listening to as she offers personal experiences and reflections how we can practice more awareness and understanding of other religions, beliefs and cultures.
on Keynote speaker Dr Malia Dominca Wong
She revealed her breadth of understanding in the first moments of her address when she shared a greeting in different languages and then listed the important days, including the Christian tradition of Christmas, that have occurred in December. She took an interfaith view, yet saw one thing in common: “The meeting of the heart is key in all traditions – because we are here to love, we are here to transcend boundaries . . . . if we really want to alleviate the suffering of the world we need to love all sentient beings till the point where there is no longer duality between you and I”
Journey to Zangskar
Ven Karma Lekshe supports young Himalayan nuns.
Ven Karma Lekshe presented a stunning documentary about the Himalayan nuns titled “Journey to Zangskar - Changing Perceptions of Women’s Potential” taking us on an extraordinary journey into the heart of the Himalayas. You can catch up with this here and you can also make donations to the Jamyang Foundation at this site.
The only Australian to present a paper, Dr Diana Cousens, spoke on attitudes to organ donation in the various Buddhist traditions and a new protocol that has been developed by the Buddhist Council of Victoria. This was one of three papers under the topic of Environment and Bioethics . Diana addressed the issues from differing Buddhist perspectives and included the act of generosity though organ donation to the issue of involuntary human organ traffic-ing. The presentation looked at the complexity of organ removal in relation to the actual death, People may be hesitant about disturbing the body immediately following death and Diana discussed the benefits of corneal and skin donations. The Buddhist Council of Victoria has developed a protocol about organ donation that enables an informed discussion between donors, recipients and their family that is user friendly.
The sessions were well spaced and there was much to think about - from the sex workers of Thailand and their relationship to the Dhamma to Buddhism as a saviour to the women of India and whether life in a Buddhist centre could be an alternative for those who have left their jobs during the pandemic – the so-called ‘big quit’. We heard about the plight of nuns in Asia and participated in small group discussions on women in leadership. There was so much to take in!
We were most pleased that President Sharon Suh publicly mentioned Sakyadhita Australia’s donation to the Conference!
It was announced that the next Conference will be held in Korea in 2023 and after that in Sarawak in 2025. These events are something to look forward to and hopefully we can meet in person.
Recordings of the Conference sessions will be available on Youtube : you can watch here
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2021 : Webinars and Events
If you missed any of the three talks in our Spring Webinar series you can catch up on our YouTube channel.
If want to find the words from a particular part you found inspiring? We’re very pleased to also provide transcripts of these talks which you can find here
 1 ) “Believing Women”
Why have women so often played a secondary role in Buddhism and what can be done to rectify this? Are times changing? Catch up with this inspiring Webinar with Bhante Sujato who said “Spiritual communities should be leading, setting an example, aspiring to be better, calling out people to be better”. Click here to watch
 2 ) “Set Free!”
Talk about dramatic life changes! Emma Slade was successful in the world of international finance – but her life changed dramatically and she became a Buddhist Nun, ordaining in Bhutan She joined us to tell her fascinating story.
 3) Bhikkuni
We were delighted to host a Zoom screening of the award-winning documentary It told the story of the first Theravadan Bhikkuni Ordination in 1,00 years. The Director, Małgorzata Dobrowolska joined the Zoom for Q and A where we heard about the inspiration for the project and how it was made. You can watch that here
Walking in Sunshine
‘Walking in the Sunshine of the Bhikkhunis: A Biography of Ranjani de Silva, the Woman Behind the Bhikkuni Revival
 ‘We vowed to resurrect the Bhikkuni order and now that is a reality’ You can now read the remarkable story of Ranjani de Silva, described as the person most responsible for making the revival of the Bhikkuni tradition happen.
December 2021marked the 25th anniversary of the 1996 Sarnath Bhikkhuni ordination, which saw ten Sri Lankan nuns ordain as bhikkhunis.. This was a pivotal ordination which changed the course of history for Theravada women, the flow-on effects of which are still being felt today.
Among the key figures responsible for the 1996 ordination, Ranjani de Silva’s contributions are noteworthy. She supported countless nuns and the Sakyadhita Centre which she founded was a key contributor to the growth of the local Sri Lankan and international bhikkhuni sanghas.
She now resides in Australia, in recent years spending many months at the Newbury Buddhist Monastery.
Sakyadhita International President, the University of Seattle’s Dr. Sharon Suh says this book is a “must-read” for those interested in women and Buddhism.
We congratulate Ayya Suvira who after more than two years of research has written the story which needed to be told. It is now available as a free download. See here
Donations for the book welcome to the Newbury Monastery
Print copies will be available at a later date.
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An Ordination Ceremony at Dharmasara, Perth, Australia
By Jenny Hetherington
Newly Ordained: Paramitā Bhikkuni, Selā Bhikkhuni, Sankappā Bhikkhuni, Pasannā Bhikkhuni
Perth was lashed with wind and heavy rain throughout July. Would 1 August bring more? It was a very cold morning and it was even colder in beautiful Gidgegannup. I wondered if the wind and rain would make the ordination ceremony impossible. I pondered causes and conditions but also knew that the nuns were never in the least deterred by wild weather. As soon as we drove through the valley where Dhammasara stands peace washed through me. It always does when entering this impressive community of women who, having gone forth, sit and work and sit and work again.
I came with a dear friend to observe the ordination of four nuns, two who live here and two who travelled from interstate. Joy filled me as I saw faces smiling in greeting, both monastics and lay people. There was levity too. Dhammasara rings with the sound of laughter, as well as chatter, bird song, and profound silence as trees breathe, we breathe, and life in this world unfurls.
Entering the hall there is always another moment of profound peace, and on this day the hall filled with people, warmth, and light. The shutters had been opened, and the crowd bubbled with excitement. Two Anagarikas sat smiling in the front row of the ‘audience’. In front of us was the magnificent white Buddha statue. On the right of the hall, with a backdrop of the hillside thickly forested with glorious eucalypt trees, sat the four nuns waiting to become fully ordained bhikkhunīs in the Theravadin tradition.
There was a moment of humor when Ajahn Brahm popped in, asking if he was late, why we were all there, only to disappear again, to much laughter. Then, at the appointed time, or shortly after, back he came with the procession of monastics. The first ever in-house preceptor at Dhammasara, Ajahn Hasapanna Theri, led the ceremony supported by Ayya Munissara Theri and Ayya Pasada Theri, witnesssed by the Dhammasara bhikkhuni sangha, and bhikkhu sangha led by Ajahn Brahm and Ajahn Brahmali.
Each bhikkhuni made her vows to the bhikkhuni sangha, their voices clear and beautiful. They were composed and confident. At times Ajahn Brahm would give an explanation, his sometimes comic yet wise words helped us all to appreciate the majesty of the ritual. I was and am in awe at what these women have achieved. Their determination, focus, memory, and equanimity shone out.
Sheets of rain washed the hillside, yet there was the glorious silver light when the clouds lifted, and that moment seemed a sign and seal of all that passed as the four bhikkhunis made their vows and would now go forth. The sound of the combined voices in the chanting at the end of the ceremony is something I will never forget.
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The story of an extraordinary woman: Ariya B. Baumann
by Sky Dawson
I first met Ariya briefly during a Vipassana retreat in the beautiful Sagaing Hills of Myanmar in the 1990s. Sagaing is famous for the many hundreds of monasteries and pagodas that are spread across its hills. It is located on the western banks of the Irrawaddy River, twenty kilometres southwest of Mandalay.
Ariya had been living in Burma since 1992, practicing meditation under Sayadaw U Janaka. She came from Switzerland, was a nun known as Daw Ariya Ñani and seemed to be comfortable with her life in Asia. She was quite unusual and inspiring to me at that time and her journey has continued to intrigue and inspire me ever since.
Connection with Ladakh
Ariya grew up in Switzerland and was training as a music and dance teacher at the conservatory in Zürich when she began to meditate. In 1991, she was hiking through Ladakh for many days over high mountains when she came across a small remote village. Ladakh constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region, which has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. It is a region administered by India as a union territory.
Although planning to only stop briefly in that village, Ariya stayed for 3 weeks and lost her heart to the people, some of whom were very poor. Feeling a strong connection and care for the villagers, she asked the local monks how she could offer support. They hoped to build a school for novices. When Ariya returned to Switzerland, she raised money for this project. She returned to the village with funds to build a school. Another project was to establish a nunnery for approximately 20 women and girls as young as aged 5. In 2009, she returned to offer these nuns a Vipassana meditation retreat as they had never learned to meditate. In 2011, she planned to return to offer another retreat and some friends of mine planned to travel with Ariya on this visit. They asked if I was interested in joining them. Unfortunately, I did not feel capable of hiking for many days in Ladakh - across 5000-meter mountain passes. Over 30 years, Ariya has returned to the village 10 times, and on 6 of those visits she was a Buddhist nun in the Burmese tradition.
Guidance from Sayadaw U Janaka
In 1991, Ariya joined a retreat with Sayadaw U Janaka while visiting friends in Sydney. He encouraged her to slow down in all her activities to deepen mindful attention. Eventually she followed his directions (after he continually said to her “please slow down”) and found her practice deepened. She then did a longer retreat with Sayadaw in Canberra, and was invited to Myanmar (Burma) where it is possible to take temporary ordination for 3 months or any length of time. She remained there for many years practicing vipassana and metta meditation under his guidance. Initially she thought she could not live without music and dance, yet she found much happiness and contentment.
Sayadaw U Janaka, or 'Chanmyay Sayadaw' as he is popularly named, is a renowned Burmese master of Vipassana meditation, one of the last remaining of Mahasi Sayadaw's direct disciples and the abbot of Chanmyaya Yeiktha in Yangon, Myanmar (Rangoon, Burma). http://www.buddhanet.net/janaka.htm
Ariya learned the Burmese language and became a translator for Sayadaw U Indaka as well as teaching foreign meditators. She has translated and edited a number of Dhamma books from Burmese to English and German. These books include Mahasi Sayadaw’s ‘Manual of Insight’ with Steve Armstrong, Kamala Masters, Deborah Ratner-Helzer and Venerable Vīranāṇī and the Vipassanā Mettā Foundation Translation Committee. Also Sayadaw U Janaka’s book ‘The Buddha’s Ways to Peace and Happiness’, and Sayadaw U Indaka’s books on ‘Metta’ and ‘The Factors of Enlightenment’.
Physical challenge
Ariya remained a nun for 21 years, and during this time in (2006) she discovered a melanoma (an aggressive skin cancer) on her right shoulder. When teaching retreats in Australia and Switzerland, there were medical checks after the removal of the melanoma and all seemed to be fine. However, the cancer had spread to her shin bone and this resulted in the amputation of her leg below the knee. There was a long period of rehabilitation and at the same time her mother was diagnosed with lymphoma. She died in 2014. Her father developed Alzheimers and Ariya became his carer for 6 months each year. This enabled her to continue teaching internationally until he passed away in 2019.
During her recovery and rehabilitation, Ariya reflected deeply on life and death as her prognosis was not positive. When exploring her priorities she understood that being in robes was no longer necessary as her outer appearance as a nun complicated daily life. She disrobed in 2013, and continues to live her life dedicated to the Dharma. While based in Switzerland, she continues to teach vipassana and metta meditation courses worldwide.
Metta In Action
Ariya is a co-founder and the president of ‘Metta In Action’ which supports a variety of social and medical initiatives throughout Myanmar, especially nunneries. This project evolved after Cyclone Nargis swept over the southern part of the country in May 2008, causing major destruction. The government refused all external aid and assistance. Ariya was teaching a 3-month retreat in the Blue Mountains, NSW, and people contacted her asking how to help. During a short break following that retreat, before she was due to teach in Perth, WA, she went back to Myanmar with donations that people had sent in from all over the world. The generous dana went to assist with rebuilding projects as well as setting up free medical clinics at the Meditation Centre. One hundred percent of the donations went directly to the communities in need. This project continues today.
Buddhist communities have historically consisted of monks and nuns, as well as men and women who live a worldly existence. Much attention is often given to the monks but often less attention is given to the nuns or lay women. Daw Ariya Ñani was an inspiring monastic teacher for over twenty years and then was able to make a transition to a lay teacher as well as a carer of both parents, while dealing with her own health challenges. My observations of Ariya and her dedicated work reveal her strength in adapting to changing life conditions. I am aware of her deep connection with the Buddhist teachings and her ability to offer her compassion and wisdom with balance and insight across vastly different cultures and communities.
Ariya continues to teach - – this month she is conducting an online meditiation retreat. I feel blessed to know her and to benefit from her friendship and guidance.
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A Kindness Revolution
 Can there ever be enough kindness in the world? Has the pandemic made us realise the benefits of kindness towards others, if only in our immediate community? It’s interesting to see books such as Hugh Mackay’s “The Kindness Revolution: How we can restore hope, rebuild trust and inspire optimism’ appearing in the mainstream press. In the article below Ven Juewei reflects on this and other publications and her path to cultivating kindness.On Living Kindly
Ven. Juewei Shi
Coming to Buddhism has opened my eyes to the human condition by removing blinkers and filters. Buddhist practice has also taught me that we can create space for one another. Listening to the stories of my students, volunteers, and teachers not only humbled me but also helped me to realise how much my family and friends did to shelter me from life’s suffering. Perhaps living kindly is a little that I can do to repay their dedication.
To understand what kindness may mean beyond “being nice,” I turn to a persona in the Lotus Sūtra. He is Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta or Bodhisattva Never Disparaging. He respects everyone even when mocked and attacked. He has faith that all sentient beings possess the Buddha nature and will one day be enlightened. This power to be able to see the goodness in everyone, despite troubling encounters, honours our journey on the Bodhisattva path. Inspired by the Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta, Josh Bartok wrote a “story in playful rhyme” called I See You, Buddha! in which he named this bodhisattva “The Kind One.” This kind bodhisattva sees the world gently and bows to all, including sickness, sadness, anger, or disappointment, and thoughtfully encourages everyone who needs a little nudge.
Is kindness an admission of weakness? Hugh Mackay in his 2021 The Kindness Revolution: How we can restore hope, rebuild trust, and inspire optimism argues that the defining characteristics of an interconnected homo sapiens species are kindness, altruism, neighbourliness, mutual respect, and tolerance of differences. Hence, kindness is essential to our survival and not a failing. The good news is that kindness is contagious and teachable. Jamil Zaki published an article in the July 2016 issue of Scientific American. One person’s kindness can inspire others to spread positivity. Hence, it will be beneficial for us to surround ourselves with kind “good men and good women.” When the Covid-19 pandemic first struck, I created a Novel KarunaVirus meditation to counter the spread of the CoronaVirus. This meditation reminds me to rise above the ordinary by surmounting the hardest hardships, and still wishing that every being be free from suffering.
A life size model of kindness is my teacher, Venerable Master Hsing Yun, founder of Fo Guang Shan. In his book, How I Practice Humanistic Buddhism, I am moved by how he nursed a little chick back to health, patiently taught his recalcitrant disciples, and always provided for his volunteers. “The True Meaning of Love” in Between Ignorance and Enlightenment identifies love as a sacrifice, using kindness to help others accomplish their goals. In both theory and practice, my teacher encourages all to give the gift of kindness to resolve problems.
I am learning to use kindness to guide what I eat and what I use. Even just holding space for a stranger after a friendly exchange of gazes, waving to a passing vehicle, or bowing to the animals, trees, and clouds that catch my attention are little acts of kindness to others but more importantly, to ourselves. Research shows that kindness releases oxytocin which in turn reduces stress and anxiety. Hence, kindness to others brings about positive karmic consequences to the self. In other words, kindness to others can be a form of self-care.
In my quest for ways to reduce the messiness of life, the Triple Gem has taught me to live kindly. I can emulate the example of Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta to be the Kind One. I can follow the advice of Venerable Master Hsing Yun to offer the gift of kindness to relieve ourselves and others of any negative results in this intricate karmic web of existence. Evidence has proven that caring for one another is integral for our survival. Indeed, the pandemic has opened our eyes to the truth of interconnectedness – so why do we not enrich humanity with kindness?
Venerable Dr Juewei teaches at the Nan Tien Institute.
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Sakyadhita Australia
Aims and Objectives
To create a network of communication and support for Buddhist nuns and lay women in Australia, regardless of cultural and language background.
To function as a noticeboard to promote all Buddhist activity, with particular attention to female participation.
To promote harmony and dialogue among the Buddhist traditions.
To work for gender equity in Buddhist education, training, institutional structures, and ordination.
To foster compassionate social action for the benefit of humanity.
To promote awareness of the Sakyadhita conferences and to support attendance at the conferences.
To act as advocates for the protection of the natural environment and the protection of the planet from global warming.
To build relationships with faith traditions in the wider community.
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Sakyadhita Australia
