Bhutan is poised to make history once again as it prepares to confer the highest monastic vows upon Buddhist nuns—an ancient tradition long absent from much of the Buddhist world. The country will host a major Gelongma ordination ceremony this weekend, marking a significant step toward restoring full female ordination within the Buddhist monastic order.
The event, which follows the Global Peace Prayer Festival, will take place at the Bhutan Nuns Foundation’s training centre in Tshalumaphey. His Holiness the Je Khenpo is set to preside over the ceremony, considered one of the most spiritually momentous gatherings in recent years.
A Sacred Revival
Over the course of five days, nearly 270 nuns from Bhutan and 13 other nations will receive full ordination. His Holiness will confer vows in groups of three, allowing around sixty women to be ordained each day. This rare opportunity grants the Gelongmai Dhompa—the highest monastic commitment in Buddhism—traditionally reserved for monks.
Preparations at the Tshalumaphey centre are well underway. The temple is being refurbished, and temporary facilities have been added to accommodate the large influx of participants, volunteers, and well-wishers. While the ordination rituals themselves will be conducted privately inside the temple, the public is welcome to visit the centre to offer donations, volunteer, or assist with meal services.
“A Meaningful Platform for Women”
Dr. Tashi Zangmo, Executive Director of the Bhutan Nuns Foundation, described the ceremony as an essential milestone for women’s spiritual leadership.
“Finally, we are recognising women’s participation not only on the global stage but also in the spiritual journey,” she said. “A meaningful platform for women’s involvement has been created. The inclusion of nuns’ ordination in the Global Peace Prayer is especially significant because I believe women inherently bring peace. They have never been the creators of war throughout history.”
According to Dr. Zangmo, receiving full ordination is often regarded as the fulfilment of a lifelong spiritual aspiration. “From now on, their lives take on deeper meaning,” she explained. “They have committed themselves fully to spirituality and a life of celibacy. Without this ordination, their spiritual journey would remain incomplete.”
Continuing a Transformative Movement
This ceremony follows Bhutan’s first full ordination of women in 2022, marking a gradual but profound revival of a tradition that had faded centuries ago. By re-establishing the Gelongma lineage, Bhutan is helping restore a vital element of Buddhist practice and setting an example for the wider Buddhist world.
The ordination stands not only as a religious milestone but also as a symbol of compassion, harmony, and women’s empowerment—values increasingly central to contemporary Buddhist discourse.
As Bhutan once again opens the doors to an ancient spiritual path, the nation’s commitment to equality in monastic life signals a hopeful chapter for Buddhist women across the globe.
