Buddhist Women in Nepal Practice Kung Fu for Self-Defense, Strength

Buddhist Women in Nepal Practice Kung Fu for Self-Defense, Strength

Buddhist nuns in Nepal are once again performing martial arts for the public after a five-year break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The women recently put on a show for onlookers at their religious community, called a monastery, outside the capital Kathmandu. The performance was attended by reporters from Reuters news agency.

Members of the hilltop Druk Amitabha Monastery are part of the 1,000-year-old Drukpa religious organization. The group gives nuns equal status to male community members called monks.

The Drukpa lineage includes the only female order in the male-led Buddhist monastery system. The nun community was established in 2009 and now has 300 members between the ages of six and 54.

Kung Fu nuns, who practice the martial art for self-defense and meditation, demonstrate their skills at Druk Amitabha Mountain Nunnery in Kathmandu, Nepal December 30, 2024.

The nuns come from Bhutan, India and Nepal. They are all trained in kung fu, the ancient Chinese style martial art that promotes self-defense and strength.

In their recent performance, the nuns were seen moving their hands quickly and kicking their legs high, with some holding swords. Hundreds of people gathered to watch the performance and cheered the group on.

Usually, such religious organizations expect nuns to cook and clean and not practice any form of martial arts. But one monk, Gyalwang Drukpa, decided to train women in kung fu to improve their health and spiritual well-being. He has a position just slightly below the Dalai Lama in the Tibetan Buddhist leadership.

A Kung Fu nun prepares to demonstrate her skills at Druk Amitabha Mountain Nunnery in Kathmandu, Nepal December 30, 2024.

Jigme Jangchub Chosdon is a 23-year-old nun who came from Ladakh in India. She told Reuters, “We do kung fu to keep ourselves mentally and physically fit, and our aim is to promote women's empowerment and gender equality."

A Kung Fu nun practises as she waits for her performance at Druk Amitabha Mountain Nunnery in Kathmandu, Nepal December 30, 2024.

Another performer was 24-year-old Jigme Yangchen Gamo, a nun from Ramechhap in Nepal. She said, "With the confidence from kung fu, I really want to help the community, young girls to build their own strength."

The nuns’ website explains that the combination of gender equality, physical strength and respect for all living things represents the order's return to its "true spiritual roots."

In the past, the nuns have traveled long distances on foot and by bike in the Himalayas to raise money for disaster relief and to promote environment-friendly living.

A Kung Fu nun practices before her performance at Druk Amitabha Mountain Nunnery in Kathmandu, Nepal December 30, 2024.

Another member of the group is Jigme Konchok Lhamo, a 30-year-old nun from India. She said her main goal for the future is to reach enlightenment like Lord Buddha, who founded Buddhism 2,600 years ago.

She added, "But for now as I am a normal person... I think I will be focusing more on helping others. Helping others is our religion."

I’m Jill Robbins.

Gopal Sharma reported this story for Reuters. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English.

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Words in This Story

nun – n. a woman who is a member of a religious community

order - n. a religious organization whose members usually live together and promise to follow special rules and traditions

confidence – n. a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something

enlightenment - n. Buddhism. a final spiritual state marked by the absence of desire or suffering

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