Video evidence belies 'secret' Bhikkhuni ordination in Australia

In response to the accusations that the Buddhist Society of Western Australia were secretive about the ordination, here is a small sample of the video evidence that the ordination ceremony was planned publicly a substantial amount of time before it was actually performed.

Moreover, there seems to be a culture present within the sangha of pressure and 'chauvinistic behavior, as revealed by various members of the sangha, such as former nun Thanissara. A poster naming himself only as 'Voiceless' on Bhante Sujato's blog. The very fact that this person felt it necessary to conceal his identity affirms the unwholesome atmosphere present in the sangha over this issue.

Voiceless had this to say: "There is a genuine male chauvinist atmosphere in the vihara that I as a junior thought I wouldn’t find when I left worldly life behind. Are not my companions in the holy life supposed to have gone beyond such things? Where is the metta and karuna…are they mere hollow words?"

It's a sentiment that most of us share, but it's unclear how to help this issue to the best possible solution.

Here in the democratic countries of the world, we know well that opportunities to affect the 'tipping point' of these circumstances don't come along every day. There is tremendous support  for change in the sangha in regards to the equal treatment of women and men, attention which will wane with time and render possible action less effective.

What action is possible? There is the Bhikkhuni petition, which is only valuable if many many people sign it. Even then, a very public presentation of this petition is necessary, ideally by a very well-known and respected monk. Even better would be a large, publically recognizable group of respected monks, nuns, and laypeople.

None of us wants this situation any more unpleasant than it already is, but change is by definition uncomfortable. Childbirth, for instance, heralds a new life at the cost of pain and anguish of the child's parents. This does not mean that we should stop having children. In the same way, we must bear the discomfort and lovingly and compassionately bring our Buddhist sangha into the 21st century.

Many things that were cultural norms have been done away with in the last two hundred years. Slavery and child labor were also cultural norms of the Buddha's time, but that doesn't mean that the sangha must continue that 'tradition'. The Buddha spoke about working within the system in place, and doing everything one could to relieve suffering as society changed. He never endorsed continuing the system of control that kept women and the lower caste subordinate.

What is happening now in the Theravadan sangha is akin to if the government here in the U.S. decided to revoke the vote for women and minorities because it hadn't been written in the original Constitution or Bill of Rights. The Vinaya is not a set of rules carved into stone as these monks would have us believe, handed down from high. It was written by men, and as such cannot be regarded as Dhamma.

Dhamma is what is, and in our culture, at this moment sexual discrimination is unacceptable. The Buddha said to obey the law and social customs of the land. According to the Dhamma, committing a socially unacceptable act that breaks the laws of the society is unwholesome and pollutes the mind of the person committing the act, as well as instigating future acts of unwholesome kamma.

Please make your voice heard! Comment below and write emails and letters to the monasteries involved. Contact info below.

Contact page for the Forest Monasteries associated with the offending 'Five Points' statement recently released.

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