Mahapajapati Theri Buddhist College was established in 1999 and is the first college for nuns and lay women in Thailand.  It has now been open for 6 years and in all respects they have been ground-breaking years.

The purpose of this paper is to describe Mahapajapati Theri’s first six years of existence.  The land where the college is situated was an area without electricity and other facilities that are necessary for running a college.  The paper will describe the process, starting with a vision of a well-functioning college for women, and then the hard work of realizing that dream.  The paper will explain how it has been possible for the Thai Buddhist nuns who are outside the Thai Sangha to develop the college.  In 2005 three groups of students graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Buddhism and Philosophy.  The paper will explore who the students at the College are and what their education menas to them.

It is well known that the bhikkhuni order never spread to Thailand and the Theravada bhikkhunis and samaneris who ;live in Thailand today are new to the Thai religious realm.  However, the mae chis have a long history in Thailand and have lived at the temples for centuries.  During this long time there has been silence about the mae chi, their lives and their roles in the temples.  The mae chis’ lack of educational opportunities and guidance in their Buddhist training have been well known obstacles for Thai nuns.  The nuns need education both in secular and in religious subjects.  That makes the Mahapajapati Their College of great importance!