Amanda Atwood of Harare, Zimbabwe is seen in a Buddhist hair-cutting ceremony, part of her ordination.

Pema Chödrön confers novice nun’s vows — for the first time

The subject of the ceremony was longtime Vajra Vidya Retreat Center resident, Amanda Atwood of Harare, Zimbabwe.

By Rod Meade Sperry

Amanda Atwood of Harare, Zimbabwe is seen having her hair cut away, part of her Buddhist ordination ceremony. Her preceptor, Pema Chödrön, is seen observing in the background.

On August 19, the monastics of Pema Chöling, in Crestone, Colorado — which describes itself as “a new kind of monastic community — one based on the Vinaya that acknowledges the challenges and choices that living as a Buddhist monastic in the West can bring” — helped Pema Chödrön confer lifetime novice nun’s vows to an aspirant at Vajra Vidya Retreat Center (VVRC). This was the first time she’d done so in her 50 years as a nun.

The subject of the ceremony was longtime VVRC resident Amanda Atwood of Harare, Zimbabwe. According to a release from Pema Chöling, Pema Chödrön agreed to lead the ceremony, as long as a liturgy in English could be provided. Then, “Ven. Konchog Norbu initiated a search and discovered that the monastics at Nalanda Monastery in France had produced a nearly complete translation of the rite” and created a liturgy from that, which was met with approval. 

Amanda Atwood was given a new name as per tradition: Karma Pema Jinpa. As Pema Chöling explains: “ ‘Karma’ is given to all monastics in the Karma Kagyu lineage; ‘Pema’ was chosen to connect her to Ani Pema as her preceptor, and ‘Jinpa’, which means ‘generosity,’ was given as her uniquely personal name.”

Lion’s Roar offers congratulations to Karma Pema Jinpa and the Pema Chöling community.  

See more photos from the ceremony via Pema Chöling; credit: Karma Choying.

Rod Meade Sperry. Photo by Megumi Yoshida, 2024

Rod Meade Sperry

Rod Meade Sperry is the editor of Buddhadharma, Lion’s Roar’s online source for committed Buddhists, and the book A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation: Practical Advice and Inspiration from Contemporary Buddhist Teachers. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with his partner and their tiny pup, Sid.