My Journey to Thailand
A few months ago, I made a decision that would change my life. I decided to leave Tibet on a new adventure. I left for Thailand to study more on their Buddhist Traditions, and to work with the women and children there. As a scholar, I wanted to share my knowledge with others, and this opportunity presented an incredible opportunity. This was something I had always wanted to do, but it never felt like the right time. Having been a member of the monastic community in Tibet for over eighteen years now, I have been very fortunate in my studies and education, and I felt that it was time for me to pass on my knowledge, and to learn and grow from a new culture and their traditions.
In Tibet, the dominant school of practise is Mahayana Buddhism which means the “great vehicle”. In Thailand, the dominant school of Buddhism that more than 90% of the Thai’s follow is Theravada Buddhism (Mitchel, 2002, p. 95). Theravada is one of the most ancient schools of Buddhism, and in this traditions, the teachings of the Buddha were passed down orally between teachers and disciples (Kapur-Fic, 1998, p. 89). As a scholar, I am curious to know what the Buddha’s teachings really were; having his teachings passed down orally would naturally result in some form of mis-interpretation, and loss of many of his teachings along the way. **** Reluctantly, the Buddha accepted women into the Bhikkhunis, this was opposed after his death (Kapur-Fic, 1998, p. 299), and over time, the female sangha gradually grew smaller and smaller, and now today, the existence of female nuns is only in Tibet and Taiwan (Kapur-Fic, 1998, p. 175).
Just as in most countries, Buddhist institutions in Thailand are very male dominant (Falk, 2007, p. 23). Outside of religion and politics, gender carries low levels of significance in Thailand, but inside religion and politics, women are highly discriminated against, and men are seen as superior (Falk, 2007, p.23).
From the very beginning of Buddhism, women have been involved in Buddhism. The Buddha, convinced by Ananda, to invite women into the Sangha, reluctantly did so five years after he had established the bhikku (monks order) (Falk, 2007, p.26). A condition for all women being part of the Sangha, was that they must take upon themselves eight chief rules known as the Gurudhamma (Falk, 2007, p. 26). Nuns were never to be independent of the monks, they were to rely on them for all things, for example ceremonies and rituals (Falk, 2007, p. 26).
The first rule of the Gurudhamma was that regardless of seniority as a monk or nun, all nuns are to pay respects and bow down to the bhikkhu. The second rule was that nuns (female monks) are not allowed to spend the rainy season in a district where there are no male monks. The Uposatha ceremony takes place twice a month, and it is a time for the monks and nuns to make confessions. The third rule, is that the female monks must wait for the time, date, and teachings of the Upasatha to be delivered by the male monks, as they are the only ones who could read the mysteries of the moon. The fourth rule was that once the rainy season had passed, the female monks were to inquire to the fellow monks and nuns whether they had committed any omissions. The fifth rule declared that if a female monk had committed a serious offence, they must go through a Manatta, which is a disciplinary procedure in front of both the female and male sanghas. The sixth rule stated that after two years of study, a female novice who has learned the six precepts should ask for ordination from both the male and female sangha. The seventh rule was that no female monk is to abuse a male monk in any way, shape, or form, and under no circumstances. This rule could be very unfortunate for the female monks, if the male monks are not acting under proper conduct. The eighth and final rule of the Gurudhamma is that council, advice, or caution to male monks by female monks is forbidden; however, admonition from male monks towards female monks is not forbidden [all eight rules come from this citation] (Kapur-Fic, 1998, p. 304–308).
In Thailand, they have very distinct gender roles and expectations. This is quite different from where I come from in Tibet. Although women are very active in the economics and politics of Thailand, when it comes to public functions endorsed by the government, the women’s roles are almost non-existent (Falk, 2007, p. 31). In Thai culture, men’s maturity is recognized through celibacy and ordination as a monk; whereas, women receive their female identity and maturity through marriage and motherhood, and those who abandon this and become a mae chii, violate the cultural and social norms (Falk, 2007, p.34).
Thai culture and the norms have perpetuated up until today (Kapur-Fic, 1998, p.315). Women are consistently reminded that their position, being born a women, is a direct result of their bad karma (Kapur-Fic, 1998, p.315). Woman are considered “unclean”, and this uncleanliness is associated with a women’s menstruation, and taboos against blood; since it would be difficult to establish when a women is menstruating, a general rule was made that all women are forbidden from coming in contact with sacred texts (Kapur-Fic, 1998, p.35). The idea of ordination of Thai women becoming bhukkhunis, has adamantly been rejected by the bhikkhu (male monks) sangha, and this is in part why the Bhukkhuni Sangha never became a part of the religious Buddhist culture in Thailand (Kapur-Fic, 1998, p. 315). I personally feel so fortunate to live in Tibet, one of the few countries, where the opportunity to become an ordained nun is possible. Women in Thailand are viewed as inferior to men, as it is believed they were born as women because of their bad karma. In the Theravada traditions, women aim towards living the best life they can as a women, gaining as much merit as they can, in hopes that in the next life they will be reborn a man, and able to then attain Nirvana (Kapur-Fic, 1998, p. 315). This idea of Buddhahood and the treatment of women is a little different in Tibet. In my culture, women can enter the path of a Bodhisattva, and can attain Buddhahood (Havnevik, 1957, p. 29). It is argued in Tibet, that women are not bound from attaining enlightenment, but that the physical and social sufferings that women endure makes it preferable and desirable to be reborn as men, but not necessary (Havbevik, 1957, p.29).
In Thailand, it is common practise among the people to use their religious practises to acquire merit (Mitchell, 2002, p. 99). Merit making can consist of many different day to day activities such as, donating to the monasteries, putting food in the alms bowls of the monks, free caged birds, or going to the local temple to offer things such as lotus buds, candles, and incent sticks (Mitchell, 2002, p. 99). Also, in Thailand, in Theravada Buddhism, another way to gain merit is to become an ordained monk; however, women are not allowed to become ordained, as they are viewed as more attached to worldly possessions, such as their children, and therefore are not meeting the conditions that are required in order to become an ordained monk (Kapur-Fic, 1998, p. 432). The highest merit a women can attain is the act of birthing a son to give to the ordination of the Sangha, but if she does not have a son, she can sponsor the ordination of another young man (Kapur-Fic, 1998, p. 436). Due to a women’s gender, it is believed that they need to participate in Merit making more than men do (Kapur-Fic, 1998, p. 436). The women do this by serving the most important men in their life and different periods throughout their life, starting with their father, than husband, and then their sons that they will give over to the ordination of the Sangha (Kapur-Fic, 1998, p. 437). A women who does not bare any sons, would be seen as deprived of this honour due to her bad Karma, and would be reminded of this frequently (Kapur-Fic, 1998, p. 437–438).
The role a women is expected to play in Thailand, is that of a mother and wife, and those who abandon this role are breaking the social norms (Falk, 2007, p. 37). Women throughout Thailand have joined an organization that was founded in 1969 called mae chii( Falk, 2007, p. 37). Mae chii’s have very low social status die to a few factors, first, their low self-esteem, second, negative social attitudes towards them in part, for abandoning their social roles as women, and lastly, they are marginalized, uneducated, and isolated from the Thai community (Falk, 2007, p. 41).
The mae chii ordination is not a very big lavish event (Falk, 2007, p. 92). Usually a few monks will come to officiate the ceremony, and only a small group of people will attend (Falk, 2007, p. 92). The mae chii ordination rituals have many of the same phases that are part of the novice initiation; however, in the mae chii rituals, they are not as elaborate (Falk, 2007, p. 92). As part of the ceremony, the women shave their heads, and recite different important phrases including the precepts and different Buddhist texts, following this, flower offerings are given to the monks and to the mae chiis in conclusion of the ceremony (Falk, 2007, p. 95).
In Tibet, women like myself who want to become ordained nuns usually take the lay vows and then wait several years before deciding if this is something they really want to do (Havnevik, 1957, p. 99). The nuns undergo the novice ordination which I observed as being very similar in some aspects to the mae chii ceremony. In order for nuns to be admitted into the nunneries in Tibet, they must first take the lay vows, actively participate in the head shaving ceremony, and take upon themselves the robes (Havnevik, 1957, p. 98).
After returning to Tibet from my travels to Thailand to learn more about the role women play in the Theravada Buddhist religion, I have had some time to reflect upon my experiences and the things I had learned. Many of their traditions and customs differ from ours, but ultimately I witnessed that the people there are all trying to achieve the same goal, and that is liberation from suffering, which is caused by our desires and attachments to worldly possessions. In my culture, one exercises their wisdom when motivated to escape the cyclical existence, and to attain Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings (Hopkins, 1980, p. 51). This differed in Thailand when everyone was interested mostly in their own gain of merit in order to override their bad karma. Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism is largely revolved around the bodhisattva ideal of assisting all sentient beings in attaining enlightenment. Although in this process, the “right view” may not always be recognized by individuals, it is said that when altruistic aspirations is combined with the intentions to attain and train in wisdom, the benefit is much significantly greater (Hopkins, 1980, p. 52). As a scholar I was able to learn a lot and to engage in the religious practises in Thailand. What a wonderful opportunity I was given to travel to another country. My heart is with the women in Thailand, and I wish them happiness, peace and love.
Works Cited
Falk M.L. (2007). Making Fields of Merit: Buddhist Female Ascetics and Gendered Orders in Thailand. Seattle: University of Washington Press.
Havnevik, H. (1957- ). Tibetan Buddhist Nuns: History, Culture Norms and Social Reality. Norway: A.s Verbum, Staranger.
Hopkins, J. (Eds.). (1980). Compassion in Tibetan Buddhism. London,, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Johannesburg: Rider & Company.
Kapur-Fic, A.R. (1998). Thailand Buddhism, Society and Women. India: AbhiNav Publications.
Mitchell, D.W. (2002). Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience. New York: Oxford University Press.
