Bhikkhuni Gautami

Bangladesh

Bhikkhuni Gautami

Bangladesh

Bhikkhuni Gautami is the Chief Preceptor of the Bangladesh Bhikkhuni Sangha and the Abbess of Bhikkhuni Vihar and Meditation Center. Bhikkhuni Gautami is the head of the Bhikkhuni Sangha of Bangladesh.

She has led 10-day Vipassana meditation retreats for 25 years, and has taught more than 300 retreats.

In 2011 in Bodhagaya, India, the Bangladesh Samaneri Sangha, BSS, began with 5 women. By 2013, it had 13 female monastics. In 2016, five of these women traveled to ordain in Sri Lanka. Thus, the Bangladesh Bhikkhuni Sangha arose along with a Meditation Center.

Currently, there are 20 female monastics, 10 Bhikkhunis and 10 Samaneris, who are quite happy to be monastics.

Bhikkhuni Gautami has a dream of creating a women's dormitory so that other women may ordain.

Bhikkhuni Gautami helps neglected women develop themselves, maintains Buddhism as an option for Bangladeshis, employs Buddhism to improve women's lives, and assists poor girls with academic and meditation training.