# Ep344: Nepali Buddhist Nun - Guruma Dhamma Vijaya

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/guru-viking-podcast-1161340/ep344-nepali-buddhist-nun-guruma-dhamma-vijaya
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/guru-viking-podcast-1161340/ep344-nepali-buddhist-nun-guruma-dhamma-vijaya.md
Podcast: [Guru Viking Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/guru-viking-podcast-1161340)
Published: 2026-01-16T14:00:34+00:00
Episode link: https://soundcloud.com/guruviking/ep344-nepali-buddhist-nun-guruma-dhamma-vijaya
Audio file: https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/2248613945-guruviking-ep344-nepali-buddhist-nun-guruma-dhamma-vijaya.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/guru-viking-podcast-1161340/episodes/ep344-nepali-buddhist-nun-guruma-dhamma-vijaya
Duration seconds: 4562

## Resource

In this episode, filmed on location in Kathmandu, Nepal, I am joined by Buddhist nun Guruma Dhamma Vijaya. Guruma recalls her childhood in Kathmandu Valley, the religious life of her Newar Vajrayāna family, and why she turned to Theravāda Buddhism and took ordination as a nun. Guruma recounts her extensive training in Mahasi and Goenka meditation styles, compares tantric techniques to ānāpānassati, and offers her understanding of the essence of Buddhist teaching. Guruma details her educational journey, describes her life-changing encounter with feminism while studying in the USA, and tells the story of obtaining a PhD on the subject of Buddhist Feminism. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep344-nepali-buddhist-nun-guruma-dhamma-vijaya Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 00:50 - Homage to Buddha, Dhamma, Saṅgha 01:54 - Blessing and welcome 02:33 - Question etiquette in different cultures 03:17 - Guruma’s Newar childhood in Kathmandu Valley 06:11 - Guruma’s education pathway to PhD 06:36 - Family dynamics 07:30 - First meeting with Buddhist nuns 09:46 - From Vajrayāna to Theravāda 11:12 - Desire to be a nun 12:48 - Attending a teaching by the Dalai Lama in Bodhgaya 13:54 - The loss of the bhikkhunī ordination lineage 14:28 - Becoming a nun 17:54 - 4 years of study in Taiwan 19:20 - Meditation and further studies in Burma and India 20:02 - Studying meditation under Mahasi Sayadaw and S.N. Goenka 26:37 - Mahasi vs Goenka 27:37 - 4 points of Goenka meditation 29:10 - Ānāpānassati meditation is the Buddha’s teaching 29:55 - Guruma’s practie 30:51 - Vajrayāna vs Theravāda 36:27 - Body mantras and Vajrayāna threats 39:15 - Choosing Ānāpānassati over Vajrayāna 43:23 - Freedom from sufferin…

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## Transcript

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