Revival of Theravada Bhikkhuni Sasana in Cambodia

Ayya Sudinna visited Cambodia in December 2019. Cambodia is predominantly a Buddhist country with Buddhist Temples & Pagodas common throughout. The people are friendly & hardworking. It’s a country that has faced many hardships and is now emerging out of the gloom to take its due place in the international community.

A primary aim of the trip was to stimulate the revival of the Theravada Bhikkhuni Sasana in Cambodia. Ayya Sudinna arrived in Cambodia on the 18th of December, and returned to the Vihara on January 10, 2020. Her program in Cambodia included Fourfold Sangha participation in inaugurating a new Cetiya which contains a Buddha’s relic and commemorative art of ancient Bhikkhunis (the first to feature Bhikkhunis in Cambodia), meeting with the Sangharaja about supporting Bhikkhuni Sangha revival at his invitation, attending a Bhikkhuni Seminar, meeting with nuns, and a visit to the ancient temples in Siem Reap including Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat

The beauty & grandeur of Angkor Wat draws many people from all over the world to Cambodia.

Angkor was the capital city of the Khmer empire, which flourished from approximately the 9th to the 15th centuries. Angkor was a megacity supporting at least 6.1 % of the global population during 1010-1220. In addition to the palace, the living quarters of the king & his family,  there were many Buddhist temples & cells for Monks built in the 12th & 13th  centuries. Some are built entirely of sandstone. There are also ruins of temples dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.

Below are some pictures from the trip.