A bhikkhunī is a female monk in Buddhism. She is treated equally to a bhikkhu but they are kept separate to prevent sexual misconduct.
When a lay woman is first initiated (pabbajjā), she is called sāmaṇerī, or a novice monk. After pabbajjā she is trained and rises to the level of sikkhamānā. After two years of sikkhamānā and having achieved 20 years of age, she is considered ready for upasampadā, ordination into the sangha. When the upasampadā is finished she becomes bhikkhuni.
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