ABSTRACT
In the “feminization” of Buddhism in its American setting, one of the important developments is the growth in the number of Buddhist nuns who have sought the traditional full ordination of the To date, the ordination of has been an individual matter, sought by novices on a case-by-case basis. This chapter will survey the prospects for an actual order of fully ordained nuns, especially for women practicing in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Special attention will be paid to a systematic treatment of the concerns arising from the original design of the order, the authenticity of the vows and ordination according to the integrity of their transmission, and concerns arising uniquely in contemporary Tibetan Buddhism in exile. What steps may be necessary to establish a complete order within Tibetan Buddhism?
