Collected Responses
to Ajahn Thanissaro's and Wat Pah Pong's
Concerns on Bhikkhuni Ordination Validity
Background
On request of the Administrative Council of Wat Nong Pah Pong, Ajahn Chah's Monastery in Thailand, well-known, respected Vinaya scholar Thanissaro Bhikkhu wrote a letter in which he proposed a potential and tentative inferential theory on Vinaya for consideration of the World Abbots Meeting (WAM) at Wat Pah Pong in December 2009, regarding whether the recent full bhikkhuni ordination of four women in Australia could be determined invalid according to the Buddhist Monastic Discipline of the Pali-text Vinaya, the rendition of the Vinaya learned and practiced by Theravadan Buddhist traditions around the world. It is important to undersand that the contents of this letter were requested for the sake of discussion and consideration of the WAM and was not meant to be an absolute proclamation, verdict or declaration or any sort.
Ajahn Thanissaro's Letter
Ven Thanissaro Bhikkhu's letter, originally sent to former abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat (International Forest Monastery ) Ajahn Nyanadhammo, has been posted on the Dhammalight website. His letter on the Dhammalight site is linked to here.
Buddhist Scholars' Response
In response, a number of Theravadan Buddhist scholars and Vinaya scholars have reviewed Ajahn Thanissaro's work and, notably, have NOT found his argument valid, nor come to the same conclusion as he proposes. Rather, the conclusion of each of these scholars has been contrary to Ven Thanissaro's in this case, that is, finding no precedent in Dhamma or Vinaya to consider the new bhikkhunis' ordinations invalid.
Counter responses so far have been offered by the following Elders, bhikkhus and bhikkhunis. Ven Bhikkhu Bodhi is one of the most eminent scholars of the Pali texts in the modern world. Internationally acclaimed Buddhist teacher, author and meditation master Ven Ajahn Brahm is the Abbot of Bodhinyana, the monastery where the ordinations took place. Ven Ajahn Brahmali is the resident Vinaya expert of Bodhinyana Monastery. Ven Ayya Tathaaloka served as the Preceptor (pavattini) for the bhikkhuni ordinations and is a scholar of Comparative Bhikkhuni Vinaya and History of the Bhikkhuni Sangha. Ven Bhikkhuni Sudhamma is a former lawyer as well as a Vinaya scholar, practitioner and author on the subject.
Click on the titles below to read the responses:
- Ven Bhikkhu Bodhi: Formalities of the Law, Qualities of the Heart: A Short Comment on Ajahn Thanissaro's Letter
- Ven Ajahn Brahm: The Vinaya Rules and the Perth Bhikkhuni Ordination
- Ven Ajahn Brahmali: Response to Ajahn Thanissaro
- Ven Ayya Tathaaloka Bhikkhuni: Regarding Ajahn Thanissaro's Letter on Ordination Validity
- Ven Sudhamma Bhikkhuni: A Bhikkhuni's Response to Ven Thanissaro's Theory
- Ven Ajahn Sujato: Blog Response
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