JUDITH HERTOG 83
frustrated by the limitations women faced in Buddhism, and together
they decided to organize a conference. In February 1987, Buddhists
from all over the world, including over one hundred nuns and
monks, arrived in Bodhgaya for the First International Conference
on Buddhist Nuns. More than 1,500 people attended the open-
ing ceremony and the Dalai Lama’s inaugural address, in which he
spoke about the importance of women’s contributions in Buddhism
and said he would welcome a bhikshuni lineage in the Tibetan tra-
dition. During the final session of the conference, the decision was
made to establish an international Buddhist association dedicated to
encouraging a more active role for women in the dharma. The name
chosen for this new association was Sakyadhita, meaning “daughters
of the Buddha.” This was the beginning of a new Buddhist feminist
movement. Every two years since 1987, each time in a different
country, Sakyadhita International Association of Buddhist Womenphoto Olivier Adam³