Ayya Tathaaloka
Encyclopedia
[זהו זה] Ayya
Tathaaloka Bhikkhuni
is an American-born Theravada
n nun
, scholar and Buddhist teacher. She is also the founder of Dhammadharini Vihara
, co-founder of Aranya Bodhi Hermitage, recipient of the 2006 Outstanding Women in Buddhism Award, a presenting scholar at the 2007 International Congress on Buddhist Women's Role in the Sangha
and appointed Preceptor for the historically significant 2009 Bhikkhuni Ordination held in Perth, Australia.
, 1968, Ayya Tathaaloka Theri's parents encouraged her to develop the skills necessary to look for what is true. She began pursuing monastic life at age 19. And at age 20, she left college after the sudden death of a friend, to take anagarika
ordination.
ordination in 1997, at a gathering of Bhikkhu
and Bhikkhuni Sangha
s in Southern California. As of the 2006 Vassa
, her 10th "rain" (a traditional Pali
term for the annual three-month retreat during rainy season) after taking higher ordination, she is eligible to be called Ajahn
, the Thai veneration for senior monastics who teach. But, she still prefers "Ayya." She has studied in South Korea
, Thailand
and other countries, and has taught around the world, including at Bhikkhuni Sangha University in South Korea
.
Ayya Tathaaloka's mentor, Ajahn Maha Prasert of the Thai Forest Tradition
, and many others encouraged her to open the first Theravadan women monastics' retreat in Northern California. In 2005, with community support, she opened Dhammadharini Vihara
(a monastic residence) in the Niles District of Fremont, California, United States, and served as Abbess. She was honored with the 2006 Outstanding Women in Buddhism award, at the United Nations
in Bangkok, Thailand. Ayya Tathaaloka Theri was also a presenter at the International Congress on Buddhist Women's Role in the Sangha
, in Hamburg, Germany, August 2007.
Ayya
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 Theravadan tradition in southeast Asia...
Tathaaloka 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...
is an American-born 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 nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
, scholar and Buddhist teacher. She is also the founder of Dhammadharini Vihara
Dhammadharini Vihara
Dhammadharini Vihara was a Buddhist monastic retreat for women in the Niles District of Fremont, California. Dhammadharini opened its doors in August 2005, with room for three resident nuns. In 2009, it was replaced by the permanent Aranya Bodhi in Jenner, CA and a part-time "urban" residence...
, co-founder of Aranya Bodhi Hermitage, recipient of the 2006 Outstanding Women in Buddhism Award, a presenting scholar at the 2007 International Congress on Buddhist Women's Role in the Sangha
International Congress on Buddhist Women's Role in the Sangha
The International Congress on Buddhist Women's Role in the Sangha: Bhikshuni Vinaya and Ordination Lineages, took place on July 18–20, 2007, was an historic event. It was a meeting of internationally recognized Buddhist scholars specializing in monastic discipline and history, as well as...
and appointed Preceptor for the historically significant 2009 Bhikkhuni Ordination held in Perth, Australia.
Early life
Born "Heather Buske" in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, 1968, Ayya Tathaaloka Theri's parents encouraged her to develop the skills necessary to look for what is true. She began pursuing monastic life at age 19. And at age 20, she left college after the sudden death of a friend, to take 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...
ordination.
Monastic life
Ayya Tathaaloka received the full bhikkhuniBhikkhuni
A bhikkhuni or bhikṣuṇī is a fully ordained female Buddhist monastic. Male monastics are called bhikkhus. Both bhikkhunis and bhikkhus live by the vinaya...
ordination in 1997, at a gathering of Bhikkhu
Bhikkhu
A Bhikkhu or Bhikṣu is an ordained male Buddhist monastic. A female monastic is called a Bhikkhuni Nepali: ). The life of Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis is governed by a set of rules called the patimokkha within the vinaya's framework of monastic discipline...
and Bhikkhuni Sangha
Sangha
Sangha is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as "association" or "assembly," "company" or "community" with common goal, vision or purpose...
s in Southern California. As of the 2006 Vassa
Vassa
Vassa , also called Rains Retreat, or Buddhist Lent, is the three-month annual retreat observed by Theravada practitioners...
, her 10th "rain" (a traditional Pali
Páli
- External links :* *...
term for the annual three-month retreat during rainy season) after taking higher ordination, she is eligible to be called Ajahn
Ajahn
Ajahn is a Thai language term which translates as teacher. It is derived from the Pali word , and is a term of respect, similar in meaning to the Japanese sensei, and is used as a title of address for high-school and university teachers, and for Buddhist monks who have passed ten vassa.This...
, the Thai veneration for senior monastics who teach. But, she still prefers "Ayya." She has studied in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, 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...
and other countries, and has taught around the world, including at Bhikkhuni Sangha University in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
Ayya Tathaaloka's mentor, Ajahn Maha Prasert of the Thai Forest Tradition
Thai Forest Tradition
The Thai Forest Tradition is a tradition of Buddhist monasticism within Thai Theravada Buddhism. Practitioners inhabit remote wilderness and forest dwellings as spiritual practice training grounds. Maha Nikaya and Dhammayuttika Nikaya are the two major monastic orders in Thailand that have forest...
, and many others encouraged her to open the first Theravadan women monastics' retreat in Northern California. In 2005, with community support, she opened Dhammadharini 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....
(a monastic residence) in the Niles District of Fremont, California, United States, and served as Abbess. She was honored with the 2006 Outstanding Women in Buddhism award, at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in Bangkok, Thailand. Ayya Tathaaloka Theri was also a presenter at the International Congress on Buddhist Women's Role in the Sangha
International Congress on Buddhist Women's Role in the Sangha
The International Congress on Buddhist Women's Role in the Sangha: Bhikshuni Vinaya and Ordination Lineages, took place on July 18–20, 2007, was an historic event. It was a meeting of internationally recognized Buddhist scholars specializing in monastic discipline and history, as well as...
, in Hamburg, Germany, August 2007.