Please forgive me from the very outset of raising this question, as I have somewhat limited knowledge of the topic, and would like to illuminate this subject for myself. I appreciate all comments and feedback in advance, and welcome a thorough examination of the matter.
Below are several bullet points that I would like to bring into the fold of this discussion, and offer some surface knowledge of the historical and contemporary context pertaining to it, in which I may be inaccurate at times:
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List item The Vinaya contains a separate set of rules & regulations for the bhikkhus and for the bhikkhunis. Some of them overlap, but others are completely distinct based on the different physical & biological characteristics of the two sexes. The bhikkhunis follow an extensively larger set of rules than their male counterparts, although majority of these additional rules pertain to the differences in hygiene, and all bhikkhunis join the order with the same initial precepts as the bhikkhus.
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List item The male order was often charged with supervisory or protective duties over the female order, primarily for reasons of safety and security.
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List item The ordination of a bhikkhuni (possibly of senior rank) requires the approval and ceremony by a senior Bhikkhu.
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List item The historical reference to the origination of the Bhikkhuni order in Buddhist India occurred after the permission was given by Gautama Buddha to his step mother (if I remember this reference accurately) to ordain, after several initial attempts that were denied to her.
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List item Bhikkhuni Sanghamitta, a high ranking bhikkhuni and daughter of Emperor Asoka, delivered the sampling of the Bodhi tree to Anuradhapura, thus establishing the female order in Sri Lanka, and enlisting some of the leading craftsmen of the day to produce incredible works of Buddhist art that are unique to the cultural heritage of Sri Lanka.
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List item This nun order later vanished, just as the male order dwindled in Sri Lanka due to continuous invasions and instability in the Buddhist population. The male order was later revived, with continued hurdles for the female order to reemerge.
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List item More recently, through the efforts of the late Bhikkhuni Kusuma, a former molecular biologist, the female order was revived, and the ordination of the nuns began to take place once again, but it continues to receive opposition from some factions of senior monk leadership and the re-establishment of the nun order continues to be under-subsidized by the governing authorities in Sri Lanka, presenting at times insurmountable challenges to an already rigorous endeavor of going-forth.
In addition yo these general points, I would like to make a few remarks that pertain to the existing context today:
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List item I have had the great privilege to meet and interact with Bhikkhuni Kusuma within the framework of an organized pilgrimage in Sri Lanka, where we were able to create an interactive talk with the late Bhikkhuni and learn of her struggles to enter the order, firstly for her own keen desire to enter the path, as well as her growing wish to broaden this narrow trail for other female followers seeking liberation. What was clear from her efforts is that women were once again seeking a meaning to their lives beyond the mere domestic role they’ve occupied for 10 centuries since the last Buddhist nun lived on the sacred island, and they wished to reclaim their rightful place in the Buddhist affairs of the island as they once had occupied before the modern opposition from the conservative male order had prevented them from doing so, presenting all sorts of arguments that were easily debunked by the historical events of the origins of Bhikkhuni ordination dating back to the days of Gautama himself.
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List item Bhikkhuni Kusuma has become an inspiration, trailblazing the way for so many women seeking liberation across the entire world, and leading many into the direction of wholesome discipline and holy life — something our modern world desperately needs on all fronts— she has become a beacon of light shining brightly on the resplendent shores of the Buddha’s island for females all over the world seeking salvation from a world of predatory degradation and darkening perversity, a woman’s last hope of spiritual purification. Can this really be denied to a desperately seeking human being on the basis of their sex?
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List item Today, the 3rd woman in history of the island, Mme Harini Amarasuriya, has been named the 16th Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. A highly educated, non-pedigree politician, a self-made leader and inspiration to many women and men on the island, who so desperately want a government and socio-political stability that reflects the ingenuity, intelligence and insightfulness of a people whose cultural and historical legacy dates back to the days of an ethical kingdom rooted in the Buddhist precepts— can we still offer arguments contrary to the re-flourishing of the Bhikkhuni order and deny it its rightful existence in Sri Lanka?
My post is not an attempt at a political manifesto or some plea for justice, it is an attempt to understand the true causes of tension on this subject matter in the specific context of the island of Sri Lanka. I am greatly appreciative to anyone who can contribute thoughtful commentary which may enlighten some gaps in my understanding of the matter, and illuminate flaws in my argument.
I thank you all for that in advance 