Ajahn Vayama

The abbess of Dhammasara Nuns Monastery is Ajahn Sister Vayama, an Australian Ten Precept nun, who was ordained in Shi Lanka in 1985, and who spent the first ten years of her monastic life there. She afterwards spent a year with the community of Venerable Ajahn Sumedho, a disciple of Ajahn Chah, at Amaravati Monastery in England, before returning to live in Australia.

In 1998 the Buddhist Society of Western Australia invited her to take up the position of Abbot of the Dhammasara Nuns Monastery. She has been living on the land since December 1998. The life of the monastery, the daily offering of the meal by devoted lay supporters, and teaching of the Dhamma by Ajahn Vayama, has been continuing since that time.

The first trainee nun, Anagarikaa Elisabeth, upon completing her two years training, became ordained as sister Nirodha in May 2003. She thereby became the first Ten Precept Theravada nun to be ordained in Western Australia. Sister Seri was ordained in July 2004. And Sister Hasapanna was ordained in May 2006.