Binara Poya and the Bhikkhuni Sasana
Binara Poya which falls on September 17, is an important Poya as the Bhikkhuni Sasana (nuns order) was established in India by the Buddha, on a Binara Poya.
On Esala Poya in July the, upasampada (higher ordination) bhikkhus decide to stay indoors during vassana (rainy season) for three months. Binara Poya falls during this period.
During the Buddha’s time, women had a low status in Indian society. The establishment of the Bhikkhuni Sasana was the first step to release women from the fetters that bound them to their family and home. The Buddha changed this situation by permitting women to be ordained as bhikkhunis. The first to be ordained was Maha Prahapathi Gothami, Buddha’s foster mother, sister of Siddhartha Gauthama’s mother Mahamaya Devi, who passed away seven days after the birth of the prince. His father King Suddhodhana married Prajapathi Gothami.
After the death of King Suddhodana, Prajapathi Gothami had a desire to renounce lay life and become a bhikkhuni (nun). She met the Buddha and expressed her wish but on three occasions the Buddha refused her as he was concerned for the safety and security of women. The Buddha’s Chief Attendant, Ven. Ananda MahaThera intervened and requested the Buddha to reconsider Prajapathi Gothami’s request.
Ven. Ananda posed many questions to the Buddha asking why the Buddha refused to ordain women. Are women incapable of attaining margapala (sovan, sakadagami, anagami and rahat)? Buddha said that women can achieve these states. Finally, Buddha permitted ordination for women but they had to observe very strict vinaya (discipline) rules – of eight Ashta Garu Dharma: to be of good conduct and to have no conflict with the bhikkhus.
Prajapathi Gothami agreed to observe these rules and she, with 500 Sakyan ladies were ordained as bhikkhunis on a Binara Poya. Thus the Buddha Sasana was complete with bhikkhu. Bhikkhuni (Buddhist monastic disciples, monks and nuns), Upasaka, Upasika (Buddhist lay disciples – males and females).
When the need arose to establish the Bhikkhuni Sasana in Sri Lanka, Emperor Dharmashoka of India sent his daughter, Sangamittha Maha Theri with a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhi tree to Lanka, during the reign of King Devanam Piyatissa. Queen Anula and around 500 ladies were ordained as bhikkhunis in Anuradhapura.
The Bhikkhuni Sasana flourished for about 1000 years but thereafter it declined, mainly due to foreign invasions. The invaders destroyed aramas and burnt Buddhist books. Hundreds of years passed without any sign of the Bhikkhuni Sasana being revived.
Anagarika Dharmapala founder of the Mahabodhi Society was one of many in favour of reviving the Bhikkhuni Sasana. At present the ordained nuns are called ‘Dasa Sil Mathas’ (follow ten precepts) and not bhikkhunis.
There are two groups of monks, one against the ordination of women as bhikkhunis and the other in favour of revival. There are many debates and arguments on this subject by monks as well as lay Buddhists. The question many ‘Dasa Sil Mathas’ ask is, “will women have to wait for the arrival of the next Buddha- Maithri Buddha to be ordained as bhikkhunis?”
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