85
the lineage they once received from
the Theravada tradition.
For women from these coun-
tries, taking bhikshuni ordination
means facing controversy, condem-
nation, and sometimes even legal
consequences at home. Women
in Myanmar face imprisonment ifthey defy the religious establish-
ment by taking bhikshuni vows, and
even in Sri Lanka, which now has a
bhikshuni community of over two
thousand bhikshunis, in addition to
over two thousand dasa sil matas,
many monks still reject full ordina-
tion for women.photo Vandana Kohli