Buddhist nun and monk at the Bayon, Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia, Indochina, Asia

Buddhist monks and nuns gather for a ceremony for peace, Bayon temple, Angkor, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Shwemawdaw Pagoda, Bago (Pegu), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Buddhist nuns in pink robes at sunrise at Shwedagon Pagoda (Golden Pagoda), Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Buddhist Nuns praying at Shwedagon Pagoda (Shwedagon Zedi Daw) (Golden Pagoda), Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Nun in front of the 46m hemispherical dome at Kaunghmudaw Paya (Rajamanisula pagoda), Sagaing, Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Buddhist nuns in traditional robes, Sagaing, Myanmar (Burma), Southeast Asia

Nun, Shwemawdaw Pagoda, Bago (Pegu), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Nuns, Shwemawdaw Pagoda, Bago (Pegu), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Nun in front of reclining Buddha statue, Shwethalyaung, Bago (Pegu), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Buddhist nuns in traditional robes with the stupas of Sagaing in the distance, Sagaing, Myanmar (Burma), Southeast Asia

Buddhist nun meditating in the Bayon Temple, at Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Long line of Buddhist nuns dressed in pink robes, heads covered, alms bowls on their heads, crossing main road in Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Nun and statue of the Buddha, Shwedagon Paya (Shwe Dagon pagoda), Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Nun at Buddhist ceremony sounding Buddhist brass bell, Tu An Buddhist temple, Saint Pierre en Faucigny, Haute-Savoie, France, Europe

Young Burmese girl during ritual for becoming a nun, Paya Mahamuni, Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

A Buddhist nun in her temple in Siem Reap, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Elderly nun walks past paya with aid of walking stick, Mingun Paya, Mingun, Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Tibetan Buddhist nun and prayer wheel, Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Novice Buddhist nuns queueing for a meal at Mahagandayon Monastery, where some 2000 monks and nuns are fed daily, Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Buddhist nuns collecting alms in the early morning near Hsipaw, Shan State, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Buddhist nuns in traditional robes, Mandalay, Myanmar, Southeast Asia

Woman and nun walk past paya damaged by earthquakes, Mingun Paya, Mingun, Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Young Burmese girl during ritual for becoming a nun, Paya Mahamuni, Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Nuns on pilgrimage, Kyaiktiyo Golden Rock, Mon State, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Nun with Novice Monks holding alms bowls at Mingun Paya, Mingun, Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Buddhist nuns meditating, La Defense, Hauts-de-Seine, France, Europe

Young female monk, Phaung Daw Oo pagoda, Inle Lake, Shan State, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Vietnamese Buddhist nun using a giant singing bowl, Vung Tau, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Buddhist nuns in traditional robes, Monywa, Sagaing, Myanmar, Southeast Asia

Nuns at lunch, Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Young novice nuns having their breakfast in the streets of Yangon, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Female monk, temple, Yushu, Qinghai, China, Asia

Nun with novice monks holding alms bowls at Mingun Paya, Mingun, Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Nuns at lunch, Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Betel offering to a revered nun, Wat Rakang, Bangkok, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

A procession of Buddhist nuns file through the temples of Angkor, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Religious rites, Pha That Luang, Vientiane, Laos, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

A procession of Buddhist nuns make their way through the temples of Angkor, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Buddhist nun in traditional robes, Monywa, Sagaing, Myanmar, Southeast Asia

Young female monks waiting to receive rice from donors, Pyay, Myanmar, Asia

Woman on pilgrimage, Ganden Monastery, Tibet, China, Asia

Fire ritual at chiwang monastery during the mani rimdu festival. these monks circumambulate the pyre after its ignition. one holds a long book wrapped in a felicitous scarf. the purifying fire takes the offering and raises them towards the sky in smoke. the circumambulatory ritual also recalls the way disciples showed respect for the buddhas body. solu khumbu, nepal

Monk beating traditional drum called gong, int he courtyard of chiwang monastery during mani rimdu festival. chiwang monastery, solu khumbu, nepal

A solitary mask dancer appears wearing a frightening mask and silk brocade. they circle the courtyard with sprightly leaps. called protectors of faith, or dharmapdla, the origins of figures like these can be traced back to the pre-aryan peoples of india. originally known as yaksas (literally, a wondrous thing), they were tree spirits, who were accepted by the buddhists as defenders of the faith. in nepal and tibet, as in india, local deities were converted into protectors. a devotee of an alien sect devised a means to humiliate the buddha and his disciples. the buddha discovered it and succeeded in converting him to his teaching. due to lack of wisdom, the buddha remarked, some could not realize the goodness of his disciples and he compared the ignorant to the blind and the wise to those who have eyes.nobody is condemned in buddhism, for greatness is latent even in the seemingly lowliest just as lotuses spring from muddy ponds. -the dhammapada. solu khumbu, nepal

Sang sang rimpoche uses the dorje, a sacred ritual object to make the first decisive cut into the sand mandala on the last day of the mani rimdu festival. chiwang monastery, solu khumbu, nepal. solu khumbu, nepal

Buddhist nuns collecting morning alms, Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Thupten choeling nuns prepare butter-salt tea at nunnery-kitchen. solu khumbu, nepal

Nuns collecting morning alms, Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Nuns collecting morning alms, Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Buddhist nuns in front of tergar monastery in maha bodhi temple. Kalachakra initiation in bodhgaya, india

The Paya Shwedagon temple in Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Nuns praying before eating their meals, Sakyadhita Thilashin Nunnery School, Sagaing, near Mandalay, Myanmar, (Burma)

Nuns queuing for a meal, Sakyadhita Thilashin Nunnery School, Sagaing, near Mandalay, Myanmar, (Burma)

A young nun studying, Sakyadhita Thilashin Nunnery School, Sagaing, near Mandalay, Myanmar, (Burma)

Nuns queuing for a meal, Sakyadhita Thilashin Nunnery School, Sagaing, near Mandalay, Myanmar, (Burma)

Nuns praying before eating, Sakyadhita Thilashin Nunnery School, Sagaing, near Mandalay, Myanmar, (Burma)

Nuns eating their meals, Sakyadhita Thilashin Nunnery School, Sagaing, near Mandalay, Myanmar, (Burma)

A young nun at the Sakyadhita Thilashin Nunnery School, Sagaing, near Mandalay, Myanmar, (Burma)

Nuns sitting in front of the Shwedagon pagoda, Shwedagon Paya, morning light, Yangon, Myanmar, Asia

Buddhist nun enjoying the view from the ruins of the fortress on the Lion Rock, Sigiriya, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sigiriya, Central Province, Sri Lanka, Asia

Young nuns of Kopan Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Myanmar, Mingun, Mandalay Division, Buddhist nun standing on white arches of Hsinbyume Pagoda

Myanmar, Mingun, Mandalay Division, Buddhist nun in front of old Buddhist temple ruined by earthquake