Gyalwang Karmapa announced at the 3rd Arya Kshema Winter Dharma Gathering in Bodhgaya, an annual three-week event that the Karmapa established in 2013 that he plans to establish a monastic college to educate and empower female buddhist practitioners of the Himalayan region.
Karmapa said, “Nuns are future holders of the Buddhadharma. This education will help prepare you to fulfill that great responsibility.” He acknowledged the tremendous development on the part buddhist women in their studies as well as dialectic skills. The planned monastic college is also said to offer educational opportunities to laywomen as well.
Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje is the head of the 900 years old Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan buddhism. He escaped from Tibet at the age of 14 to India and since then been teaching thousands of buddhists from across the world. Today he is one of the most revered and well known Tibetan spiritual leaders besides His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Karmapa has already created an eco-monastic movement that has over 55 monasteries across the Himalayan region to work as centre for green activism. He also has plans to establish full ordination for qualified female practitioners.
His official website is kagyuoffice.org.