VOA文化艺术2025--Buddhist Women in Nepal Practice Kung Fu for Self-Defense, Strength

Buddhist¹ nuns³ in Nepal are once again performing martial⁴ arts for the public after a five-year break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The women recently put on a show for onlookers⁵ at their religious community, called a monastery⁶, 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 monks⁸.

The Drukpa lineage includes the only female order in the male-led Buddhist monastery system. The nun² community was established in 2009 and now has 300 members between the ages of six and 54.

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 monk⁷, Gyalwang Drukpa, decided⁹ to train women in kung fu to improve their health and spiritual well-being¹⁰. He has a position just slightly below the Dalai Lama in the Tibetan Buddhist leadership.

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 physically¹¹ fit, and our aim is to promote women's empowerment and gender¹² equality."

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.

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 Buddha¹³, who founded Buddhism¹⁴ 2,600 years ago.

She added, "But for now as I am a normal person... I think I will be focusing more on helping¹⁵ 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

1 Buddhist   

adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒

参考例句：

• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
• In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。

2 nun   

n.修女，尼姑

参考例句：

• I can't believe that the famous singer has become a nun.我无法相信那个著名的歌星已做了修女。
• She shaved her head and became a nun.她削发为尼。

3 nuns   

n.（通常指基督教的）修女， （佛教的）尼姑( nun的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Ah Q had always had the greatest contempt for such people as little nuns. 小尼姑之流是阿Q本来视如草芥的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Nuns are under vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. 修女须立誓保持清贫、贞洁、顺从。 来自辞典例句

4 martial   

adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的

参考例句：

• The sound of martial music is always inspiring.军乐声总是鼓舞人心的。
• The officer was convicted of desertion at a court martial.这名军官在军事法庭上被判犯了擅离职守罪。

5 onlookers   

n.旁观者，观看者( onlooker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene of the crash. 在撞车地点聚集了一大群围观者。
• The onlookers stood at a respectful distance. 旁观者站在一定的距离之外，以示尊敬。

6 monastery   

n.修道院，僧院，寺院

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• She was appointed the superior of the monastery two years ago.两年前她被任命为这个修道院的院长。

7 monk   

n.和尚，僧侣，修道士

参考例句：

• The man was a monk from Emei Mountain.那人是峨眉山下来的和尚。
• Buddhist monk sat with folded palms.和尚合掌打坐。

8 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

11 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

12 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

13 Buddha   

n.佛；佛像；佛陀

参考例句：

• Several women knelt down before the statue of Buddha and prayed.几个妇女跪在佛像前祈祷。
• He has kept the figure of Buddha for luck.为了图吉利他一直保存着这尊佛像。

14 Buddhism   

n.佛教（教义）

参考例句：

• Buddhism was introduced into China about 67 AD.佛教是在公元67年左右传入中国的。
• Many people willingly converted to Buddhism.很多人情愿皈依佛教。

15 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。