Abstract
Acouple of weeks after the tsunami struck the Thai shores in December 2004, I traveled together with two mae chiis (Thai Buddhist nuns) to the areas in the south of Thailand that were hit by the disaster. One of the mae chiis had relatives in Phuket who were affected by the tsunami and both of the mae chiis volunteered to help the survivors. Many of those who survived the giant tidal waves had taken refuge at the small temples along the coastline, and temporary shelters had been set up in the temple grounds. The temples in Phuket and Phang Nga were crowded with survivors. We met monks who had traveled from Bangkok and from other places in Thailand to help the local monks to take care of the survivors. We met very few mae chiis. However, the need to talk with ordained women was great. Women came with pictures of missing or dead children, family members, and relatives; they wanted to talk with the two mae chiis about their loss and suffering, and wanted to receive advice about how to deal with their situation.
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© 2013 John Whalen-Bridge and Pattana Kitiarsa
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Falk, M.L. (2013). Do Buddhist “Nuns” Need the Thai Sangha?. In: Whalen-Bridge, J., Kitiarsa, P. (eds) Buddhism, Modernity, and the State in Asia. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137326171_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137326171_10
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