German Dharmaduta Society

Vietnamese Bhiksuni Dr. Bich Lien greets

 President Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Bhiksuni Dr. Bich Lien  also known as Ven Bhikkhuni Elizabeth Sujata

The American Vietnamese Bhiksuni Dr. Bich Lien  also known as Ven Bhikkhuni Elizabeth Sujata is seen greeting President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Conference Hall in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) where President Anura Kumara Dissanayake delivered the key note address reaffirming longstanding Buddhist ties between the two countries. He was the Chief Guest honouring a joint invitation extended by the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha and the Government of Vietnam  on the occasion of the celebrations of UN Day of Vesak 2025 in Vietnam on May 06, 2025.

Biographical sketch
Bhiksuni Dr. Bich Lien is a dedicated and entrepreneurial Buddhist . She was born in Phu Quoc Island,  Vietnam and entered the USA with her parents as a child. She succeeded in life with dignity and beauty. She commenced demonstrating her cultural pride in 1986 in Kansas and won the Traditional Vietnamese Dress Award. In 2012 she won the USA Miss Asia International Competition honoring the beauty, talent, wisdom and traditional cultural values of thousands of competitors from 58 countries.

Furthermore, during this period, she displayed her amazing creativity and enterprise by founding international cosmetics companies like EV Princess, BL Miracle, and Herbs EV, that distributed products to 15 nations, as well as, beauty salons. Her success as a Woman Entrepreneur earned her the respect of American Presidents namely George W. Bush and Barack Obama who both invited her to events at the White House.

Additionally, she established the Bich Lien Charity Foundation to empower the Vietnamese people in both the USA and Vietnam who are facing a multitude of problems such as hunger, poverty, and other difficulties.

in the midst of her glittering success it dawned on her to see the wisdom of the Buddha’s teachings and the three characteristics (ti-lakkhaṇa) that apply to all existence in Samsāra.

In February of 2015  Bhikkhuni Elizabeth Sujata made a bold and courageous decision in the tradition of the great Buddhist Nuns beginning with Mahapajapati Gotami (foster mother and aunt of the Buddha), to go forth (Pabajja ) as a Buddhist Bhikkhuni. She made a profound statement that day: 

“All the glories of the world cannot compare to the wonderful Dharma which uniquely brings true happiness to our lives.”

Bhiksuni Bich Lien visited Sri Lanka to pursue her education in the Dhamma and after 4 years of persevering research and writing she obtained her Ph. D. in Buddhist Studies from the University of Kelaniya, and thus becoming  first Vietnamese-American and the first Bhikkhuni on the island of Sri Lanka to do so.

She has served Buddhism notably by founding the Lotus International Meditation Center in southern California and acting as the Senior Advisor and Director of International Affairs at Minh Dang Quang Temple in Los Angeles, California.

She established and serves as the President and Director of the International Buddhist Bhikkhuni Congregation. Irrespective of consideration of race or nationality, she promoted connectivity using the digital option to connect young nuns around the world with each other, so that they may speak to each other and share their knowledge and experience about monastic life. It held its first meeting in 2020.

Her resolve is to have the proceeds of the continued business success applied’ to non-profit community events. Bhiksuni Dr. Bich Lien walks with vision and determination on the path to enlightenment – along the Bodhisattva Path.

Supporter of the Berlin Vihara
Bhikkhuni Elizabeth Sujata ( also known by her Vietnamese name Bhiksuni Dr. Bich Lien) is a strong supporter of the  Berlin Vihara in Germany. She financed the publication of the Book ‘ 100 years – Das Buddhistiche Haus ‘ published by the German Dharmaduta Society ( Vijitha Yapa bookshop) and which was launched at the ‘ Temple Trees’ on August 3rd, 2024 under the patronage of Prime Minister Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena and in the presence of the German Ambassador Dr. Felix Neumann and a large gathering of 600 invited guests. She also attended the 100 anniversary celebrations held in Berlin ( Das Buddhistische Haus and Zehlendorf Community Centre in Berlin) on August 3 – 4, 2024.

Recently Ven. Elizabeth Sujata Bhikkhuni donated a sum of US Dollars 5, 000 to the fund organized by the Europe based Sri Lanka Bhikshu Sangamaya for the purpose of rehabilitation and reconstruction of Myanmar devastated by the recent earthquake.

Here is the full report of the event

A sum of Rs. 3.1 million collected by the Sri Lanka Bhikkshu Sangamaya in Europe for the rehabilitation of the victims of the recent Earthquake in Myanmar was handed over on behalf of the Sri Lanka Bhikkshu Sangamaya in Europe by Ven. Pelane Dhamma Kusala Thero, Resident Monk of the Berlin Buddhist Vihara ( Das Buddhistiche Haus in Berlin – Frohnau),  to Ven. Kumarasiddhi Thero (Burmese monk) representing the Myanmar ( Burmese) Bhikkshu fraternity living in Sri Lanka, at a new Buddhist Temple (in formation) in Madapatha under the watch of Ven Dhamma Kusala. This money will be utilized for the rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in Myanmar, which is one of the oldest Theravada Buddhist countries in the world alongside Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. Members of the Myanmar Embassy in Sri Lanka and Representatives of the German Dharmaduta Society were present on this occasion to witness this meritorious deed.

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