Women of Wisdom
Celebrating the living legacy of buddhist women
For Women of Wisdom: Celebrating the Living Legacy of Buddhist Women, Tse Chen Ling is proud to have partnered with key organizations whose work aligns with the aims of the series. We heartily encourage all those attending events in the series to explore the work of these great organizations and their crucial work to highlight and support the role of women in Buddhism and Buddhist communities.
Affiliate Partner
Sravasti Abbey is among the first of its kind—an American Buddhist monastic community where nuns and monks and lay students learn, practice, and live the Buddha’s teachings. The Abbey seeks to preserve Buddha’s teachings, to root them deeply in Western soil, to share them with others, to build an enduring sangha, and to serve sentient beings for as long as space remains.
Ven. Thubten Chodron, a Buddhist nun since 1977, dreamed of creating a monastic community in the US for many years. With the blessing of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the advice of many of her teachers and senior monastics of several Buddhist traditions, she founded Sravasti Abbey in 2003.
The Abbey ordained their first novice nun in 2006, who went on to become our first fully ordained nun (bhikshuni) in 2008. By 2011, the Abbey community included five ordained nuns, surpassing the requisite number that allowed us to begin our bi-monthly posadha confession and restoration of monastic precepts, which has continued ever since.
In 2014, Sravasti Abbey instituted their first annual varsa (rains retreat) and pravarana ceremony to end the retreat, thus fulfilling all the monastic rites that the Buddha prescribed for a fully functioning sangha community. While monastic training is the focus, lay guests are also welcome to experience community life, offer service, and experience the kindness of others.
Sravasti Abbey offers a multitude of in-person and online programs to those interested in all levels of Buddhist philosophy and practice. Tse Chen Ling is grateful to have Ven. Thubten Chodron and Ven Sangye Khadro teaching as part of the Women of Wisdom: Celebrating the Living Legacy of Buddhist Women.
Ven. Thubten Chodron, a Buddhist nun since 1977, dreamed of creating a monastic community in the US for many years. With the blessing of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the advice of many of her teachers and senior monastics of several Buddhist traditions, she founded Sravasti Abbey in 2003.
The Abbey ordained their first novice nun in 2006, who went on to become our first fully ordained nun (bhikshuni) in 2008. By 2011, the Abbey community included five ordained nuns, surpassing the requisite number that allowed us to begin our bi-monthly posadha confession and restoration of monastic precepts, which has continued ever since.
In 2014, Sravasti Abbey instituted their first annual varsa (rains retreat) and pravarana ceremony to end the retreat, thus fulfilling all the monastic rites that the Buddha prescribed for a fully functioning sangha community. While monastic training is the focus, lay guests are also welcome to experience community life, offer service, and experience the kindness of others.
Sravasti Abbey offers a multitude of in-person and online programs to those interested in all levels of Buddhist philosophy and practice. Tse Chen Ling is grateful to have Ven. Thubten Chodron and Ven Sangye Khadro teaching as part of the Women of Wisdom: Celebrating the Living Legacy of Buddhist Women.