The nunnery established by Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo is grounded in a vision of full spiritual equality, where women are regarded as fully capable of the highest realizations and thus deserving of the same depth of training traditionally offered to monks. Its guiding philosophy is to raise the status of nuns by providing them with rigorous education in Buddhist philosophy, debate, and scriptural study, alongside disciplined monastic conduct. This is not merely a matter of institutional reform, but an affirmation that genuine awakening is not conditioned by gender, and that women can become authentic lineage holders and teachers. In this way, the nunnery functions as a deliberate challenge to historical limitations placed on female practitioners, while remaining rooted in traditional Buddhist principles.

At the same time, the nunnery emphasizes a balanced integration of study, meditation, and ethical discipline. Intellectual understanding is paired with deep contemplative practice, including retreat, so that the Dharma is not confined to the mind alone but is embodied in lived experience. The training aims to produce serious practitioners whose learning is tested and refined through meditation, rather than creating mere ritual specialists or scholars detached from practice. This balance reflects a commitment to both the analytical clarity of Buddhist philosophy and the transformative power of direct meditative insight.

Another central strand of its philosophy is the preservation and authentic transmission of Tibetan Buddhist teachings within the female monastic community. The nunnery seeks to maintain traditional discipline, ritual, and doctrinal integrity, while at the same time addressing long-standing gender imbalances by offering nuns opportunities that parallel those of monks. In doing so, it holds together preservation and a kind of principled innovation: the forms of the tradition are maintained, yet their application is broadened so that women can fully participate as students, practitioners, and future teachers. This reflects a confidence that the Dharma itself supports such equality.

Finally, the nunnery’s vision extends beyond individual attainment to compassionate service. Training is oriented toward producing nuns who can benefit others through teaching, guidance, and example, embodying the bodhisattva ideal in practical ways. Modern forms of education and personal development are encouraged insofar as they equip nuns to serve their communities more effectively, while remaining grounded in core Buddhist values. Spiritual realization is thus understood not as a private achievement, but as something that naturally expresses itself in compassionate action for the welfare of all beings.