About Sakyadhita International
‘Sakyadhita’ means ‘daughters of the Buddha.’ The Sakyadhita International Association of Buddist Women was founded in 1987 in Bodh Gaya, India, with the aim of creating an environment in which female Buddhists around the world could learn and practice without discrimination. As the Association continues to gain prominence, its goals and areas of interest have expanded significantly. To discuss issues of common interest, Sakyadhita hosts an international conference every two years in a different country.
History of Past Conferences
| 1st Conference | “Buddhist Nuns” Bodh Gaya, India (1987) |
|---|---|
| 2nd Conference | “Buddhist Women in the Modern World”Bangkok, Thailand (1991) |
| 3rd Conference | “Buddhist Women in Modern Society”Colombo, Sri Lanka (1993) |
| 4th Conference | “Women & the Power of Compassion: Survival in the 21st CenturyLeh, Ladakh, India (1995) |
| 5th Conference | “Women in Buddhism: Unity & Diversity”Phnom Penh, Cambodia (1997) |
| 6th Conference | “Women as Peacemakers: Self, Family, Community, World”Lumbini, Nepal (2000) |
| 7th Conference | “Bridging Worlds”Taipei, Taiwan (2002) |
| 8th Conference | “Discipline & Practice of Buddhist Women: Present & Past”Seoul, South Korea (2004) |
| 9th Conference | “Buddhist Women in a Global Multicultural Community”Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2006) |
| 10th Conference | “Buddhism in Transition: Tradition, Changes, & Challenges”Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (2008) |
| 11th Conference | “Eminent Buddhist Women”Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2009) |
| 12th Conference | “Leading to Liberation”Bangkok, Thailand (2011) |
| 13th Conference | “Buddhism at the Grassroots”Vaishali, India (2013) |
| 14th Conference | “Compassion & Social Justice”Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2015) |
| 15th Conference | “Contemporary Buddhist Women: Contemplation, Cultural Exchange & Social Action”Hong Kong (2017) |
| 16th Conference | “New Horizons in Buddhism”Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia (2019) |
| 17th Conference | “Buddhist Women Beyond Boundaries: Interfaith, Interdependence, and Environment”Online (2021) |
Videos of Previous Conferences
14th Sakyadhita International Conference, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
15th Sakyadhita International Conference, Hong Kong
16th Sakyadhita International Conference, New South Wales, Australia
About Sakyadhita Korea
Sakyadhita Korea is the Korean branch of Sakyadhita International established on July 17, 2013. It strives to realize a gender-equal Buddhism by fostering communication among female Buddhists around the world and enhancing female Buddhists’ international leadership capabilities. It is currently run by co-presidents Bongak Sunim, president of the Korean Bhiksuni Association, and Eun-su Cho, Professor of Philosophy at Seoul National University. Sakyadhita Korea actively engages in various activities, such as participating in international conferences, organizing the Global Empowerment Program (G.E.P.), and hosting the Sakyadhita Korea Forum.