Convert To Buddhism— U.S. Woman Now A Nun

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28359, 19 August 1957, Page 8

Convert To Buddhism— U.S. Woman Now A Nun

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, August 18. An attempt to bring the Buddhist faith to New Zealand may soon be made by an elderly American-born Buddhist nUn the Rev. Dhammadinna. Sister Dhammadinna, the only American woman to become a Buddhist nun and the first person to take the teachings of Buddha to Australia, arrived in Auckland on the Oronsay. -She is bound for Sydney where she established a Buddhirt group six years ago. Brought up as a Christian, Sister Dhammadinna became interested in Buddhism 30 years ago in Paris, and went to Ceylon for study and meditation. Eventually, she renounced her past life to' become a nun, adopted the shaven head and saffron robes of renunciation and her present name, which means “giver of the Spiritual law.” She said she had had little success in her attempts to bring Buddhism to America. She has spent the last year in Honolulu

and the previous two years in California but found few Americans "ready for Buddhism.” But, when she was sent to Australia dlx years ago, she found a number of Australians ready to follow Buddhist teachings. Because of her success in Australia, she hoped to visit New Zealand also to carry out a lecture tour. Her pupils in Australia invited her back to Sydney where she will help to establish a Buddhist temple with a monk from Burma qr Ceylon.