bhik·shuni
| \ ˈbik-ˌshə-nē
\
\
plural bhikshunis
Definition of bhikshuni
: a woman belonging to a Hindu or Buddhist monastic order : a Hindu or Buddhist nun
Other precepts, such as the one requiring bhikshunis to receive instructions from a bhikshu twice a month (but not vice versa), clearly reflect gender inequalities in Indian society at that time.— Bhikshuni Karma Lekshe Tsomo, Blossoms of the Dharma: Living as a Buddhist Nun, 1999 The number of vows varies among different Buddhist lineages, and within each lineage, the bhikshus and bhikshunis have different numbers of vows.— Thubten Chodron, Taming The Mind, 2004
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“Bhikshuni.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bhikshuni. Accessed 12 May. 2021.
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The first known use of bhikshuni was in 1831
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