White Robes, Saffron Dreams looks at the discriminatory treatment of women in Theravada Buddhism in Thailand. Through the life of a young monk and a Mae Chi (Thai nun who takes 8-10 percepts) the film explores how Buddhist institutions provide a social security network to boys, in a country where a large percent of the population are poor, but fail to give girls access to these facilities - which include not just board and lodging but free education up to the PhD level, considered on par with government institutions. However, a small institute run for nuns provides girls with an opportunity to pursue their education... The film interviews the first Thai woman to be ordained a full nun in the Theravada tradition - Nun D.