Ayya
Encyclopedia
Ayya is a Pali
word, translated as "honourable" or "worthy."
It is most commonly used as a veneration in addressing or referring to an ordained
female Buddhist monk, most often of the Theravada
n tradition in southeast Asia
. It is sometimes mistaken as equivalent to Christian use of the word, "sister." Ayya can refer to either a bhikkhuni
(fully ordained and usually wearing orange or yellow robes in southeast Asia) or a samaneri
(shramanerika) ten-precept novice renunciant or a sikkhamana
(wearing white, brown or sometimes pink), but not to non-ordained precept-holders.
Generally for bhikkhunis, robes would be maroon with yellow in Tibet
; gray (for Mahayana
ns) or orange/yellow (for Theravadans) in Vietnam
; gray in Korea
; gray or black in China
and Taiwan
; black in Japan
; orange or yellow in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Nepal
, Laos
, Cambodia
and Burma. The colour of robes distinguishes both level of ordination and tradition, with white (usually worn by a male renunciant before ordination) or pink symbolising a state of ambiguity, being on the threshold of a decision, no longer secular and not yet monastic. A key exception to this is in the countries where women are not allowed to wear robes that signify full ordination, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and (Theravadans in) Vietnam. So, the majority of Ayyas wear orange/yellow or white/pink.
dasa sil mata
nuns took full bhikkhuni ordaination in that ceremony, reviving the Theravada Bhikkhuni Order after 980 years of decline and dissipation. Theravadan ordination is available for women (as of 2006) in Sri Lanka
, where many of the current bhikkhunis have been ordained. The ordination process has several stages, which can begin with anagarika
(non-ordained) precepts and wearing white robes, but is as far as many women are allowed to take their practice. In Thailand
, where it is illegal for women to take ordination, nearly all female monastics are known as mae chees (also spelled "Mae ji
)," regardless of their level of attainment.
As awareness of the need for ordained women to study and practice grows, so does the support for female monks. There are very few places for an Ayya to reside, once she ordains. The number of monasteries and vihara
s for women is still very small but beginning to increase.
Páli
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word, translated as "honourable" or "worthy."
It is most commonly used as a veneration in addressing or referring to an ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
female Buddhist monk, most often of the Theravada
Theravada
Theravada ; literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. It was founded in India...
n tradition in southeast Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. It is sometimes mistaken as equivalent to Christian use of the word, "sister." Ayya can refer to either a bhikkhuni
Bhikkhuni
A bhikkhuni or bhikṣuṇī is a fully ordained female Buddhist monastic. Male monastics are called bhikkhus. Both bhikkhunis and bhikkhus live by the vinaya...
(fully ordained and usually wearing orange or yellow robes in southeast Asia) or a samaneri
Samaneri
A samaneri is a novice Buddhist nun, who lives according to the ten precepts. Male novices are called samaneras. A woman is to be ordained, according to Theravada tradition, by both a monk and a nun, first as a samaneri. After a year or at the age of 20, she will be ordained as a full bhikkhuni....
(shramanerika) ten-precept novice renunciant or a sikkhamana
Sikkhamana
In Buddhism, a sikkhamānā is a female novice training to become a nun . In the Vinaya Pitaka's Cullavagga X.1.4, the Buddha prescribed that this training period is to be two years long, supervised by both a monk and a nun.A young woman should be ordained, according to Theravada tradition, by both...
(wearing white, brown or sometimes pink), but not to non-ordained precept-holders.
Generally for bhikkhunis, robes would be maroon with yellow in Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
; gray (for Mahayana
Mahayana
Mahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
ns) or orange/yellow (for Theravadans) in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
; gray in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
; gray or black in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
; black in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
; orange or yellow in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
and Burma. The colour of robes distinguishes both level of ordination and tradition, with white (usually worn by a male renunciant before ordination) or pink symbolising a state of ambiguity, being on the threshold of a decision, no longer secular and not yet monastic. A key exception to this is in the countries where women are not allowed to wear robes that signify full ordination, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and (Theravadans in) Vietnam. So, the majority of Ayyas wear orange/yellow or white/pink.
Re-establishment of Bhikkhuni Lineage
There are very few fully ordained (bhikkhuni) Ayyas in the 21st century because the Theravadan nuns' lineage was lost in most of southeast Asia, over the last 1,000 years. The Theravadan bhikkhuni lineage was reinstated in 1996 at Sarnath, India, by a quorum of Theravada monks and Korean nuns. Eleven SinhaleseSinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
dasa sil mata
Dasa sil mata
A dasa sil mata is a Buddhist eight or ten precept-holder laywoman in Sri Lanka, where the newly re-established bhikkhuni lineage is not officially recognized yet. Dasa sil matas' status is between an ordinary lay follower and a fully ordained bhikkhuni...
nuns took full bhikkhuni ordaination in that ceremony, reviving the Theravada Bhikkhuni Order after 980 years of decline and dissipation. Theravadan ordination is available for women (as of 2006) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, where many of the current bhikkhunis have been ordained. The ordination process has several stages, which can begin with anagarika
Anagarika
In Theravada Buddhism, an anagarika is a person who has given up most or all of his worldly possessions and responsibilities to commit fulltime to Buddhist practice. It is a midway status between monk and layperson where one takes on the Eight Precepts for the entire anagarika period, which could...
(non-ordained) precepts and wearing white robes, but is as far as many women are allowed to take their practice. In Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, where it is illegal for women to take ordination, nearly all female monastics are known as mae chees (also spelled "Mae ji
Mae ji
Mae ji are Buddhist laywomen in Thailand occupying a position somewhere between that of an ordinary lay follower and an ordained monk. It is illegal for women to take ordination in Thailand. And they are expected to work essentially as maids to ordained monks, rather than receiving training and...
)," regardless of their level of attainment.
As awareness of the need for ordained women to study and practice grows, so does the support for female monks. There are very few places for an Ayya to reside, once she ordains. The number of monasteries and vihara
Vihara
Vihara is the Sanskrit and Pali term for a Buddhist monastery. It originally meant "a secluded place in which to walk", and referred to "dwellings" or "refuges" used by wandering monks during the rainy season....
s for women is still very small but beginning to increase.