In 2009, DNBF’s spiritual leader Ajahn Nitho, who was then a young monastic with the Buddhist Society of Australia (BSWA ), was excommunicated by his group. This happened because the society also wanted to stand for women’s rights and a standard given by Buddha, when four women completed a full bhikkhuni ordination in Australia. More info on this page. In Europe, it is Amaravati in Great Britain that still stands for this regime, and DNBF is therefore outside that group.

Unlike Japan and Sri Lanka and other countries, it is not allowed for a woman in Thailand to take a full ordination as a bhikkhuni. Bhikkhuni ordination is the standard given to women, and bhikkhu is the standard given to men – but neither Thailand nor traditions from Tibet are willing to respect this standard given by Buddha.

Remember, a bhikkhuni ordination is not just a title, but a system that ensures women a place of their own, economic freedom, freedom to make their own democratic choices, and creates female teachers and leaders – so that opportunities are equal for men and women, and women are not just servants of men who have secured all the power.

Buddhism started 2,500 years ago based on both democratic principles and equal opportunities for men and women – showing respect, empathy, compassion and kindness for all.

Bhikkhuni Dhammananda from Thailand chose to travel to Sri Lanka in 2003 in order to carry out a full ordination, and we wanted to meet such a tough woman who is able to stand up to a power hierarchy that does not want to. She now has her temple west of Bangkok, and trains both men and women towards full ordination.

On the outside of a discriminatory regime, DNBF can be genuine and help new exciting projects such as Anukampa – and of course we want to be on the right side of history!