@protector_of_dhamma: Devasārā Therī was a Sri Lankan Buddhist nun remembered for her pivotal role in preserving and transmitting the Bhikkhunī (fully ordained nuns') lineage from Sri Lanka to China during the 5th century CE. Although relatively little is known about her personal life, she occupies an important place in Buddhist history because her mission helped establish the Dharmaguptaka Bhikkhunī ordination lineage in East Asia a lineage that continues uninterrupted today. Devasārā lived during a period when was one of the greatest centers of Buddhist learning in the world. Sri Lanka possessed a flourishing Bhikkhunī Saṅgha whose lineage traced back to bhikkuni Sanghamitta , who had introduced the order of Buddhist nuns to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BCE. By the early 5th century CE, Buddhism had spread widely across China, but the Chinese Bhikkhunī Saṅgha had not yet received a complete and fully valid ordination according to the Vinaya. In 429 CE, Devasārā led a group of Sri Lankan bhikkhunīs on a sea voyage to China at the invitation of Chinese Buddhists seeking proper ordination. They arrived at (modern Nanjing), where they were welcomed by the Buddhist community. A few years later, because Vinaya regulations required a sufficient number of fully ordained bhikkhunīs for the ceremony, another delegation of Sri Lankan nuns arrived. In 433 CE, Devasārā and the combined community of Sri Lankan and Chinese bhikkhunīs conducted the first complete dual ordination for Chinese women at under the supervision of the Indian monk Gunavarman. This event established the Dharmaguptaka Bhikkhunī lineage in China. The importance of Devasārā's mission cannot be overstated. While the Theravāda Bhikkhunī lineage later disappeared in Sri Lanka because of invasions and political upheaval, the lineage she helped establish in East Asia survived for more than 1,500 years. In the modern era, that preserved lineage has played a crucial role in the revival of full bhikkhunī ordination in Sri Lanka and other Theravāda countries. Although historical records preserve only a few details about Devasārā herself, her legacy endures through the millions of Buddhist nuns who have received ordination in East Asia over the centuries. She is remembered as one of the most influential Sri Lankan Buddhist women in history, whose dedication ensured that the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha would continue across Asia long after it had disappeared from its original homeland. #srilanka #sinhalese #buddhism #china #bhikkuni

☸PROTECTOR OF DHAMMA☸

Open In TikTok:

Region: LK

Saturday 27 June 2026 05:40:02 GMT