Bhikkhuni lineage from Sri Lanka to India.

There was a doubt whether the bhikkhuni lineage from India to Sri Lanka was correct. Some expressed a misunderstanding that may be Ven.Sanghamitta Theri went to Sri Lanka alone. This is not logical as the invitation was precisely for the bhikkhuni lineage, therefore Ven.Sanghamitta, herself was 31 years old with at least 10 years standing as a bhikkhuni and in her group which were selected by King Asoka himself, consisted of all learned bhikkhunis. Their names were given below:

Uttraa. Taamaa, Pasaadapaasa, Aggi, Mittaa, Daasikaa, Pheggu, Pabbataa, Mattaa, Mallaa, Dhammadiyaa, Mahaadevii, padumaa, Hemaasaa, Unnalaa, Anjalaa, And Summa. There were at least 18 of them (Ref. Dipavamsa 18.24, is Sri Lankan earliest Chronicle of 4th century A.D. The better known Mahavamsa is a later chronicle of 5th Century, part of the material taken from Dipavamsa)

My argument in support of single ordination.

Acc. To Cullavagga, Vinaya Pitaka the Buddha first allowed the bhikkhus to give ordination to the bhikkhunis. This went on for sometimes, then there was a case of a woman who felt too shy to answer all the antarayikadhammas (dangerous points for ordained life i.e, whether she has 2 sexual organs etc.) to the bhikkhu sangha, the ordination procedure could not be continued. So the monks reported this to the Buddha. The Buddha suggested to the monks that they should allow the bhikkhunis to first clarify the lady of the antarayikadhammas first before she ask for ordination from the bhikkhu sangha.

From that time on ward the ordination for women has been conducted first by bhikkhuni sangha then bhikkhu sangha.

But in case of Mulasarvastivada, (also Theravada) when there is no bhikkhuni sangha, if the woman who seeks ordination can answer to all the antarayika dhammas directly to the bhikkhu sangha, in this case she should be given ordination by the bhikkhu sangha only as of old.

In this case the Tibetan bhikkhus who follow Mulasarvastivada vinaya can start their own upasampada ordination for bhikkhunis without taking the assistance of bhikkhunis from other sangha. This is to avoid the problem of Nanasamvasa (mixed sangha) as some senior monks might object to it.

I think it is important to keep in mind that it was the Buddha who gave the lineage to both the bhikkhu and bhikkhuni sanghas. And it is the bhikkhu sangha responsibility to see to it that both the sanghas prosper so that Buddhism will be strengthened. As the Buddha trusted the responsibility on the four groups of Buddhists namely the bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen equally.

With three bows to the bhikkhu sangha.

Dhammananda bhikkhuni