thilashin

Name for Burmese women who live according to the precepts of a novice nun (śrāmaṇerī). In many respects their lifestyle resembles that of a nun, even to the extent of making a daily alms-round, but they cannot obtain full ordination since the lineage died out in Burma and elsewhere in south-east Asia many centuries ago. In certain respects they resemble the dasa-silmātā of Sri Lanka, and the sikkhamat of Thailand, although with a somewhat higher social status.