..续本文上一页 from the religious authorities of Sri Lanka. However as an outgrowth of that conference, and from the exposure the dasa sil matas have had to fully ordain nuns from other traditions, the aspiration to revive the Theravāda bhikkhunī lineage was born. With careful negotiations over several years and the eventual support of prominent members of the (male) monastic community, the situation changed completely. Much of the vision and energy for the project has come from Mrs. Ranjani de Silva, who attended the first Sakyadhitaconference in Bodh Gaya, has been its President since 1995, and who conceived and organized the 3rd conference in Colombo.

　　During my visit to Sri Lanka I stayed at the Sakyadhita Training Centre established at Panadura, south ofColombo. At the Centre regular programmes are organized for the nuns on such topics as community health care, counseling skills and social development. Nuns come from small nunneries all over the island to attend these training sessions; they seem to be motivated by a strong desire to be of practical benefit in their communities. There are also young nuns attending university where they are studying Pāli language, Buddhist philosophy, Buddhist history and other related topics.

　　In addition to providing the facilities for these training programmes, the Centre is “home” to seven nuns, and I felt privileged to have the opportunity to spend time with them. Some of them are doing university studies and the older, educated nuns teach. Neighbourhood children come for Dhamma classes; local people, often women, come to talk, to receive advice, or to participate in the evening pῡja.

　　On three occasions during my brief stay we were invited out to family homes for the daily meal. Two of these were anniversaries of family deaths, and the senior nuns conducted the necessary ceremonies with confidence and dignity. In the past it would have been monks fulfilling these functions, so it is significant that some families are now choosing to invite nuns to officiate instead.

　　For me, however, it is the third invitation that is the most memorable. It came from a rather poor family living just down the lane near the Sakyadhita Centre. When the Centre was first built and the nuns began living there, the husband, an abusive drunkard who terrorized his family, was deeply hostile to the presence of the nuns. I was told that if he discovered his wife or three daughters had visited the nuns, they were beaten. And there we were, two years later, being offered a meal by the whole family, sober husband included, in their living room. The reverence and delight and the quiet pride were palpable.

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