The Central Tibetan Administration’s Department of Religion and Culture and the Dalai Lama Trust concluded a two-day conference on women’s empowerment in Tibetan Buddhism on 21 May at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala, India. The gathering focused on the advancement of women’s education, ordination, and leadership roles within Tibetan Buddhist traditions.
The conference, titled “Conference on Women’s Empowerment in Tibetan Buddhism,” opened on 20 May under the inauguration of Kyabje Kundeling Tatsak Jedrung Rinpoche and concluded with Sikyong Penpa Tsering serving as chief guest at the closing ceremony.
Organizers said the event was held in recognition of the lifelong efforts of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to support gender equality and expand opportunities for women within Tibetan Buddhism. The conference aimed to examine “His Holiness’s vision and concrete contributions toward strengthening the education, ordination, and recognition of Buddhist women.” (Central Tibetan Administration)
Among those attending were former Kalon Rinchen Khando; Youdon Aukatsang; Department of Religion and Culture Secretary Dhondul Dorjee; Dalai Lama Trust Secretary Jamphel Lhundup; scholar and translator Thupten Jinpa; Library of Tibetan Works and Archives Director Geshe Lhakdor; and Tibetan Women’s Association President Tsering Dolma.
The conference centered on three primary themes. The first focused on the institutionalization of the geshema degree, the highest academic qualification available to Tibetan Buddhist nuns. Organizers described the conferment of the geshema degree as “a historic milestone in Tibetan Buddhism,” noting that it had opened the path for nuns to pursue advanced monastic education comparable to the geshe degree traditionally awarded to monks. (Central Tibetan Administration)
More than a hundred geshemas have graduated during the past two decades and now serve as teachers, scholars, and administrators in nunneries and Buddhist institutions. During the conference, seven geshemas presented papers and reflections related to education, leadership, and monastic scholarship.
The second major theme examined the recognition of 21 female mahasiddhas identified by the Dalai Lama. Participants discussed the spiritual achievements of these prominent Indian and Tibetan Buddhist yoginis and emphasized the need to restore greater awareness of women’s contributions to Buddhist history and practice.
A third focus of the conference concerned the possible establishment of bhikshuni ordination within the Tibetan Mulasarvastivada Vinaya tradition. Full ordination for women has long been a subject of discussion within Tibetan Buddhism, where the bhikshuni lineage historically did not survive. The Dalai Lama has repeatedly expressed support for exploring ways to revive or establish full ordination for women in cooperation with Buddhist scholars and monastic institutions.
Conference participants discussed possible legal and doctrinal frameworks for implementing bhikshuni ordination within the Mulasarvastivada Vinaya system. Discussions also addressed curriculum development, institutional support for nuns, international collaboration, and the future role of Geshemas in Tibetan Buddhist society.
According to organizers, the conference brought together 86 participants from 13 nunneries in India and Nepal, including 69 geshemas and 17 nuns representing all schools of Tibetan Buddhism as well as the Yungdrung Bon tradition.
The event was convened with three principal objectives: to reflect on the Dalai Lama’s commitment to women’s empowerment in Tibetan Buddhism, review ongoing developments in women’s education and recognition, and strengthen collaboration among monastic institutions, educational centers, and lay communities.
“Within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has long been an advocate for the empowerment and equal rights of women, particularly nuns. He has given numerous teachings on the importance of equality and has taken significant steps to re-establish the lineage of women’s monastic ordination.” said secretary of the Dalai Lama Trust Jamphel Lhundup. “In 1987, at the first International Conference of Nuns held in Bodhgaya, His Holiness presided over the event and provided guidance on the restoration of the female monastic lineage. Over time, he also reintroduced the historic title of geshema, and in 2016, the first Geshema degrees were conferred by him at Drepung Monastery in southern India.” (The Tibet Post)
Women’s access to advanced Buddhist education has continued to expand in recent decades within Tibetan Buddhism. In 2012, the first group of Tibetan Buddhist nuns completed the rigorous examinations necessary to receive the Geshema degree after years of reforms supported by senior religious leaders, educators, and the Dalai Lama himself. This year 265 nuns were ordained by Bhutan’s Je Khenpo during the country’s inaugural Global Peace Prayer Festival.*
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Department of Religion and Culture and Dalai Lama Trust Organise Conference on Women’s Empowerment in Tibetan Buddhism (Central Tibetan Administration)
Women’s Empowerment in Tibetan Buddhism conference held in Dharamshala (The Tibet Post)
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