+1 vote
by (460 points)
I have a few questions

1.) Why do bhikkhunis have more rules than bhikkhus?

2.) Is the Pali Canon 100% accurate about what the Buddha is saying?

3.) Do some Theravada monastery reject the idea of ordaining women to become bhikkhunis?
by (1.9k points)
Your title isn't the same as the questions in the body. Could you try to ask one question per post and keep the title consistent with the body?

1 Answer

0 votes
by (3.0k points)

Some ideas....

1. Don't know.

2. Imho. the Pali Canon can't be 100% accurate. We're talking about ideas that are orally transmitted for 500 years or so. Then written down and copied time after time. Lost, recovered, translated, interpreted, re-interpreted and so on. 

Best way is to look for things that are consistent, I'd say. But, I'm not a Buddhist scholar. Maybe put these questions to Bhikkhu Bodhi or Bhikkhu Anālayo. The last one also does a lot of comparisons between Theravada and Chinese traditions. Could be interesting.

3. I think so. On the other hand, there is also a lot of support for women in Theravada. Ajahn Sujato and Ajahn Brahm are examples of monks doing a lot in support of bhikkhunis. Also the list of monasteries for nuns worldwide is growing. F.i.: https://bhikkhuni.org/beispiel-seite (Unfortunately, the rest of the site is in German.) Progress can't be stopped. ;)

But, yes. Some monasteries still seem to be/act quite patriarchal. Guess, some changes take longer.

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