Biographies of Buddhist Nuns (比丘尼傳)

About 比丘尼傳

Liang · by 寶唱撰

18,390 · about 61 min

The *Biographies of Bhikṣuṇīs* was compiled by the monastic official Baochang of the Liang dynasty in the early sixth century. The work consists of four volumes, recording the biographies of sixty-five bhikṣuṇīs from the Western Jin through the Liang dynasty. It details the cultivation experiences, Dharma propagation activities, and miraculous responses of these eminent nuns, serving as an important primary source for the study of early Chinese Buddhist history, particularly the development of female practitioners. As the earliest extant collection of bhikṣuṇī biographies in China and indeed the world, this text not only fills a gap in Buddhist historical literature but also illuminates the significant role and contributions of the bhikṣuṇī saṅgha in the development of Buddhism, possessing immense historical and religious value.