Considering the changes in the lifestyle of the people of the Unified Shilla Period, the consolidation and general spread of Buddhism to all parts of society, the Bhikkuni Sangha of Koguryo and Paekje seems to have been absorbed into the Shilla Bhikkuni Sangha without much conflict. This probably happened with unification. As the Bhikku Sangha developed rapidly, the Bhikkuni Sangha must have done likewise. Thus the simple chanting and praying of the early days could not have sufficed the new extended demands. Five doctrinal schools emerged and these developed separately, therefore it seems logical to suppose that the bhikkunis probably belonged to different schools and pursued different courses of study.

Still, aristocratic women formed the majority of bhikkunis, as far as we know. The royal family even donated relatives to the temples to be servants.

>From the fact that most bhikkunis were from aristocratic families, we can guess at the high status and authority which the Bhikkuni Sangha probably held in Shilla society. When the Meditation Schools started to flourish, there must have been a bhikkuni sect which was mainly concerned with practicing meditation.