Bhikkhunis

Venerable Dr. Kusama Devendra, Sri Lanka’s First Female Monastic in 10 Centuries, Passes Away

She paved the way for the 3,000 bhikkhunis in Sri Lanka today. Plus, fears mount over ancient Buddhist city Mes Aynak in Afghanistan and non-profit Dharma Relief launches “Healing Race Relations” initiative. Tricycle looks back at…

By Alison Spiegel, Amanda Lim Patton, and Daniel Ilan Cohen Thin

Sep 04, 2021

Ideas Women

The Aunt with a Grandmotherly Mind

On the maternal love and power of Mahapajapati, the Buddha’s stepmother

By Pamela Weiss

Dec 04, 2020

Meditation Theravada

What Does an Alms Gatherer Eat Now?

Buddhist monks and nuns in the Theravada tradition depend entirely on others for food. Here’s how they’re coping in the age of social distancing.

By Matthew Gindin

Sep 07, 2020

IdeasMagazine | Books, Reviews

Finally Free

Celebrating Buddhism's early women masters

By Dan Zigmond

Summer 2020

IdeasMagazine | Column

Of Mara and Men

Early Buddhist nuns stand up to the demon Mara, in this context a symbol of aggression and misogyny, and face him down.

By Andrew Olendzki

Summer 2018

Women

Celebrating International Women’s Day

Five stories from Tricycle’s archives that highlight the achievements and struggles of women

By Tricycle

Mar 07, 2017

Teachings for Uncertain Times

Teachings for Uncertain Times: Being a Knower of the World

Buddhist monk Ven. Pannavati Bhikkhuni explains that to find out what the world means to us, we have to look within.

By Tricycle

Feb 22, 2017

Female Monks Ordained in California

Last Wednesday marked a historic occasion in the Thai Theravadan Buddhism. For the first time in the Western hemisphere, women were fully ordained as bhikkhunis (Buddhist nuns) in the Thai Forest tradition. Sylvia Boorstein, founder of…

By Tricycle

Sep 03, 2010