Women who are interested in full bhikkhuni ordination often ask how to do it? FIrst of all, one must be a Buddhist for at least 6 months.
After that a woman can seek ordination which means she can ask for lower ordination as samaneri for a certain period of time to make sure she is suitable for monastic lifestyle. This is necessary both for the woman and for the monastic community with whom she will live. If she is suitable then her Pavattini (bhikkhuni teacher) can arrange for her to ask for the next level, that of sikkhamana.
Sikkhamana is still a samaneri, but her training becomes more intensive. She needs to make an announcement of her commitment to the bhikkhuni sangha and the bhikkhu sangha within a proper sima (boundary proper for sanghakamma). She has to take the 6 Anudhammas which are the first six of her ten precepts without a break for 2 full vassas (rainy season retreat). Should she transgress anyone of them she has to start counting her 2 vassas anew. During sikkhamana training, she will learn more about the Vinaya and the Dhamma.
The Vinaya states that a woman should first train as a sikkhamana before requesting bhikkhuni ordination. There are at least 15 sikkhapadas which can be found in the bhikkhuni Patimokkha which clearly mention this stage.
The arrangement of full ordination as a bhikkhuni for the candidate should be carried out by her bhikkhuni teacher. The full ordination takes place in a sima during which the candidate purifies herself from the 24 antarayikadhammas (dangerous aspects for ordained life). When she is freed from them, the bhikkhuni teacher will take her to the bhikkhu sangha where the final ordination process, proclaiming her as a bhikkhuni is performed by the bhikkhu sangha.
After bhikkhuni ordination, the newly ordained bhikkhuni must stay under the guidance of her teacher (Pavattini) or a senior bhikkhuni assigned by her Pavattini, for the next 2 years.
Since bhikkhuni ordination is still not allowed in Thailand, the pavattini will send her sikkhamana to Sri Lanka for full ordination.
In 2019, the Maha Bodhi Society of India hosted the first ordination for Theravada bhikkhunis. In 2022, the Maha Bodhi Society hosted another ordination for bhikkhunis with the UTBSI (United Theravada Bhikkhuni Sangha International). Now there are two countries in Asia where women can obtain full monastic ordination in the Theravada tradition.
It is important that a newly ordained bhikkhuni remain in a bhikkhuni sangha at least for two years, probably better for at least 5 vassas before venturing out on her own to form a sangha.
Take a look at this free PDF
The Revival of Bhikkhuni Ordination
