The first Western bhikshuni in the Tibetan tradition

Freda Bedi was the first Western woman to be ordained as a bhikshuni in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. On July 31, 1972, Venerable Kechog Palmo (Freda Bedi, 1911–1977) from the UK received her bhikshuni ordination after having been given novice ordination by His Holiness the 16th Karmapa on August 1, 1966. The Karmapa encouraged her to pursue the higher ordination in Hong Kong.

References

• The first Western bhikshuni in the Tibetan tradition