New Books Network Chandra Chiara Ehm, "Queens Without a Kingdom Worth Ruling: Buddhist Nuns and the Process of Change in Tibetan Monastic Communities" (Vajra Books, 2024)
Oct 15, 2025
Chandra Chiara Ehm, a talented postdoctoral researcher and former resident of the Khachoe Ghakyil Ling nunnery, dives deep into the lives of Tibetan Buddhist nuns. She shares insights on how young women become nuns and what daily life entails, from early prayers to rigorous debate practices. Ehm discusses the evolving social roles of nuns amidst a male-dominated hierarchy, the challenges of modern recruitment, and the impact of contemporary education. Her work shines a light on nuns’ aspirations and contributions, raising pertinent questions about gender and reform in Buddhism.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
How Her Research Path Began
- Chandra Chiara Ehm first considered academic study after interpreting at a UNESCO conference and speaking with Charles Ramble.
- She joined a double-degree program blending her monastic life with formal research training.
Kopan Nunnery's Origins
- Kajokageling (Kopan Nunnery) is the sister nunnery of Kopan Monastery near Boudhanath in Kathmandu and opened in 1994.
- By 2008 it had grown rapidly and offered the full Gelug (Geshima) curriculum, graduating its first Geshimas in 2012.
Gendered Hierarchies Override Doctrinal Equality
- Nuns occupy low social status despite doctrinal equality because monastic institutions remain male-led.
- Convents function as female spaces but are administered and decided by men in practice.
