Western Theravāda Bhikkhunī ordination in the lineage of Ajahn Chah III

Despite political, ideological, and legal forces in Thailand, particularly legal requirements from the Garudharma, the Western Sangha negotiates these issues by two strategies: textual interpretations and the claim of monarchical support.

First, international Buddhist scholars suspect the historicity of the eight Garudhamma. These scholars include Western monastics ordained in the lineage of Ajahn Chah and their networks. I have interviewed Western Bhikkhunīs in these groups and found that they, whole-heartedly, contributed to conducting recherches on the history of Thai Buddhism and Theravāda Bhikkhunī orders. The aim is to negotiate with the Thai Elders Councils, and other administrations in Theravāda countries that reject the Theravāda Bhikkhunī ordination. These Western Bhikkhunī scholars also presented researches at the Hamburg Congress on Buddhist Women in July 2007. In March 2009, they participated in the seminar about Bhikkhunī ordination in Australia in a monastery of Ajahn Brahm's student, Ajahn Sujato.

All of the Western Bhikkhunīs I interviewed strongly believed that the eight Garudhamma were not instituted by the Buddha. This is backed up by their scholarly researches and the textual interpretations. For example on the basis of the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, Therigatha, etc. Many of Western monastics believe that Buddhism enhances human rights and equality. Besides, they also find ways to compromise the legal requirements from the eight Garudharma.

Bhikkhu Bodhi argues, backed up by scholarly researches and textual interpretations, that Bikkhus alone can make the Bhikkhunī ordination valid, “in a necessity”. The real authority to admit candidates to be Bhikkhunīs belongs to the Bhikkhus. This argument is significant because Ajahn Brahm wants to ordain Bhikkhunīs in Australia this way.

Alternatively, Theravāda traditions should allow Mahayana Bhikkhunī to give an ordination in the Dual-Sangha requirement. A number of Thai scholars agree to these alternatives. Still, Mahatherasamakhom does not accept the cross-sects ordination.

In this situation, a Western monastic, JWF38, comments that it is essential to have clear legal points for people “who have given legalistic reasons for not ordaining [Theravāda Bhikkhunīs]”
Both Theravāda Bhikkhunī supporters and opponents refer to their textual interpretations.

Second, Western monastics refer to the Thai monarchical support to negotiate with the Thai Elders Council. A Western monastic, HWF40, argues that the Thai royal family support Theravāda Bhikkhunī ordination. Informant HWF40 adds that the master, KAF52, through the intervention of the Thai Royal Family, overcame obstacles from the Thai Elders Council when she established the Mahayana Bhikkhunī order in Thailand. HWF40 mentions that in May 2007, HWF40 and KAF52, were invited to be a part of the officiation at the royal funeral of Princess Galayani.

The Theravada Bhikkhuni in Thailand, and the first Majayana Bhikkhuni are presented with robes by Tan Phuying Tasanavali, the daughter of the princess Galayani, on May,25, 2007 at the Emerald Buddha temple, in Bangkok, Thailand.

However, the nature of the royal sponsorship for the Bhikkhunī Sangha is suspicious. It is unclear for what reasons the monarchy, who has controlled the Thai Elders Council for many decades through the Sangha Acts, support Bhikkhunīs whom the Thai Elders Council oppose.

Overall, the Western Sangha order negotiates with the Thai cultural and political influences by Vinaya textual interpretations from scholarly researches and the claim to have monarchical supporters. This aim is to initiate a Theravāda Bhikkhunī order in the lineage of Ajahn Chah. There are differences between the original Buddhism, form textual interpretations, and the Thai traditions; the Buddhist organisation that has parallel male and female Sangha versus the absence of the ‘Theravāda’ Bhikkhunī order.