Welcome

to Sakyadhita in Europe, the European branches and members of the groundbreaking International Association of Buddhist Women, known as Sakyadhita International.

Through this trilingual website we would like to introduce you to the aims and activities of Sakyadhita. For further information please read about the 21 year old history of Sakyadhita International that began in 1987 in Bodhgaya.

In Germany, the co-founder of Sakyadhita International, Bhikshuni Jampa Tsedroen (Carola Roloff), represented Sakyadhita for the whole of Europe, from 1987 to 1995, followed by Dr Rotraut Wurst, during the years 1995 - 1997. Gabriele Küstermann took over the representation of Sakyadhita Int. in Europe in 1998, and has been holding the post of information officer and coordinator since then up to July 2008. Sakyadhita International is not planning to have a successor elected for this post.

Sakyadhita France was founded as a registered charity (84Reg.No.262) in Strasbourg, October 2006 by Gabriela Reichert (Frey), together with men and women of different Buddhist traditions.

Sakyadhita UK was founded as a non-profit making Organisation in November 2007. Its founder members are Beatrice Jutta Gassner, Wendy Barzetovic and Susan Anne Bloy.

This website aims to serve a variety of objectives. One is to make the aims and activities of Sakyadhita more widely known - especially through information about social projects in support of necessary education for women and nuns in countries like India and Sri Lanka – as well as supporting Sakyadhita International in holding conferences all over the world as a means of public education and networking.

It also aims to further Buddhist women as teachers and to help them in all their varied and important contributions – as well as making books and texts more easily accessible to as many people as possible.

Since the time of the Buddha women have been deeply inspired by and gained strength in Buddhist practice. And although full ordination of women was introduced by the Buddha himself, it unfortunately has not been accepted everywhere as a matter of course. In their development towards full enlightenment, women have often passed on their experiences by unconventional means.

Sakyadhita Europe would like to provide a forum where these experiences can be collected and preserved and to be passed on to as many people as possible, so that they too can draw inspiration and courage to find their way.

There are many texts to be translated, information to be collected and much social assistance is needed. This is a mammoth task, and needs the support of many people. The representatives are looking forward to an active membership and/or any other form of support you can give.