Mahapajapati : college for women and nuns

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Mahapajapati : college for women and nuns
By Wannapa Khaopa
The Nation 2011-04-11
Nakhon Ratchasima

Tranquil campus in Nakhon Ratchasima welcomes the rich, poor

It was around 10pm and dark when three vans of visitors passed an entrance to the college out in the Northeast. Headlights from the cars shone towards two women who were smiling and did a wai to welcome the visitors.

Dressing like female hermits, their unique uniform caught our attention, as they looked very different from other students. But, yes, they were also students at the college.

We were on a media visit to Mahapajapati Buddhist College, where students wear light blue Thaistyle wraparound skirts with white longsleeve blouses and a white breast cloth (or shawl).

The 57rai college is located in a mountain range in Pak Thongchai district in the northeast province of Nakhon Ratchasima - three to four hours from Bangkok. It is a place with plenty of trees, fresh air and tranquility - a fine site for somewhere to study.

This college provides education with Buddhist practice to general women - Buddhist laywomen, and nuns. It is part of Mahamakut Buddhist University (MBU). At present, there are 80 students: 42 laywomen and 38 nuns.

MBU is one of the two public Buddhist universities in Thailand that provide education to monks, nuns and general people. Another is Maha Chulalongkorn Rajavidyalaya University (MCU), which takes care of Savika Sikalaya, an academic institute that teaches a Master of Arts course in Buddhism and Arts of Life at Sathira Dhammasathan, which has the wellknown nun Sansanee Sathirasuta.

Yuparak Chanabawonwat, a 19yearold thirdyear student, said she decided to become a nun after three months studying at Mahapajapati.

"Our initiation ritual is far more different from one done by other general academic institutions. Rather than doing recreational activities, we practice meditation for 10 days, which is considered our initiation ritual. This helps adjust our different behaviour before starting studying here," Yuparak said.

Sophea Roumrathana, 26, is a Cambodian policewoman, now in her fourth year at the college. She decided to be a nun in 2007.

"I have had a calmer manner than ever since I became a nun and studied here. My mind is more peaceful," she explained.

Sophea said she would quit her job as a police officer and be a nun, to try to instil morality based on Buddhist teachings to Thai and Cambodian children.

The college has two faculties that give students a bachelor's degree. The Faculty of Religion and Philosophy offers a Buddhism programme, while the Faculty of Education offers courses on teaching English language and Buddhism.

Nun Thanyamart Netnoi, the head of academic affairs, said: "Our target is to produce graduates with a basic level of professional knowledge and a high emotional quotient. Although, they are not outstanding graduates with excellent work skills like others who graduate from top universities, they are good people who can work and live happily."

The students get up early to attend daily prayers at 5am every morning, and have further prayers at 6pm each evening.

Living together at the college, they have to divide into five groups that are responsible for managing water resources, cooking, recreation, garbage and going out for food offerings. Doing these chores together helped students to work together and to rely on themselves, Thanyamart said.

The college's curricula meets the standards of the Office of the Higher Education Commission, but what the students get most from the college is studying Buddhism deeply and continuously - practising with proper guidelines with nuns as teachers.

"So, they learn lifeskills and how to do many things by themselves here," Thanyamart said. "They are graduates who know how to control themselves to do the right things and how to handle problems carefully and properly."

Not surprisingly, many journalists on the visit said the students were very courteous.

The college has provided education to students for 13 years. It has also provided financial support to young women from poor or split families, giving opportunities to people who are underprivileged. While there are 200 seats available each academic year, it usually only recruits about 80 students on average, as few people know about the college.

So, Thanyamart said the college welcomed any students who have finished secondary school to pursue a bachelor's degree there, even if were underprivileged students.

Interested students can submit applications for the coming year up till May 15.