Buddhism Basics

Senior Dharma Teachers are experienced guides who embody the teachings, offering insight and support to those walking the Buddhist path.

The Chief Monk leads the Sangha with experience and integrity, guiding both monastics and laypeople on the Buddhist path.

The Sangharaja is the spiritual head of the monastic Sangha, guiding the community with wisdom, discipline, and national moral leadership.

The Supreme Patriarch is the highest monastic leader, symbolizing moral clarity and guiding Buddhist communities with wisdom and peace.

A Patriarch in Buddhism embodies the Dharma and preserves its lineage, holding a role of deep wisdom and spiritual responsibility.

The Abbess is a spiritual leader who guides nuns, upholds teachings, and fosters harmony in Buddhist monastic life.

Elder Nuns embody decades of mindful practice, offering quiet strength, wisdom, and guidance within the Buddhist monastic community.

Novice nuns, or sāmaṇerīs, take the first steps on the Buddhist path, embracing a life of mindfulness, simplicity, and inner search.

Bhikkhunis are fully ordained Buddhist women who live with discipline and wisdom, embodying the path of awakening and service.

Buddhist nuns walk the path of compassion and awakening, showing that women have a vital place in the spiritual tradition.