The order of the Buddhist nuns, also known as theris, established by the Buddha is a landmark in women's history as the first and the only women's order to strive toward the most noble kind of freedom. It was in the 6th century B.C.E. when Buddhist nuns established an ideal of sisterhood, becoming the first feminist order. Buddha's mother, Mahapajapati Gotami, was the first Buddhist nun ordained into the Dhamma, after much reluctance on Buddha's part. It was at the insistence of Gotami that Buddha gave his consent to the bhikkuni order.

Buddha prescribed eight special rules (gurudhamma) that the bhikkunis had to agree to before they were ordained. Compiled in Bhikkuni Vinaya, these rules establish male superiority over ...