Thanh Nien News May the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace bring peace to Kampuchea Krom Giant jade Buddha to start world tour in Vietnam by Giao Huong, Thanh Nien News, March 7, 2009 Courtesy The Buddhist Channel Hanoi, Vietnam -- The world’s largest jade statue of the Buddha will be displayed around Vietnam from March to May to begin its world tour. << “The Jade Buddha for Universal Peace,” the world’s largest jade Buddha statue, will tour Vietnam from this month The statue, called “The Jade Buddha for Universal Peace,” measures 3.5 meters tall, including the lotus base and fan throne, and weighs 4.65 tons. The statue is modeled on the Siddhartha Gautama Buddha inside the Mahabodhi Stupa in India’s Bodh Gaya. It is carved from an 18-ton Nephrite jade boulder called “Polar Pride,” found in Canada in 2000 and considered the world’s largest piece of pure jade. The statue’s initiator, Nepalese Lama Zopa Rinpoche, said it would illuminate the world and bring peace, happiness and solace and help prevent destruction, including war. Rinpoche, who had reportedly dreamed of a shining jade boulder in Canada before the discovery, persuaded an Australian Buddhist named Ian Green to carve the “Polar Pride” into a Buddha. The rock was transported in late 2006 from Vancouver in Canada to Bangkok in Thailand, where Thai sculptors finished the statue a full two years later. The statue will be displayed in several locations in Vietnam including Quan The Am Pagoda in Da Nang from March 13-15, Dai Tung Lam Pagoda in Ba Ria-Vung Tau [A combination of Changva Trapeang province-Barea Preah Suokea-Prey Nokor city-O Kab province] from March 21-26, Pho Quang Pagoda in [Khmer Prey Nokor city] Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Binh District from March 29 to April 5 and Van An Pagoda in Dong Thap [Khmer Phsar Dek] Province from May 1-10. After Vietnam, its first destination, the statue will travel to Australia, the US, Indonesia and other lands before being placed permanently at the Mahabodhi Stupa of the Atisha Center in Australia.
News and articlesDalai Lama completes 50 yrs in exile in IndiaNew Delhi, India -- Tibetan spiritual leader in exile, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, today called upon the Chinese government to throw open Tibet to “independent, impartial observers” immediately. Read more Monk Honored in Second-Year Funeral RiteDuring the dark period of civil war, a Cambodian monk led a campaign for peace in his nation. For years, the venerable Maha Ghosananda contributed to the cause of peace, and he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize four times. He died on March 12, 2007, and his passing will be marked in an upcoming second anniversary. Read more Buddhists understand Globalization as ongoing changeColombo, Sri Lanka -- The Buddhist view of globalization is very different from what the contemporary Western scholars profess it to be. Read more Legacy lost: Korea’s missing treasuresSeoul, South Korea -- When the National Museum of Korea recently unveiled five Buddhist treasures from the Unified Silla period on loan from national museums in Japan, one local media outlet dubbed it “the sad return home.” Read more Developments in the Study of Buddhist ArtBerkeley,
CA (USA) -- More than 10 guest professors from across the country
joined UCLA faculty for a two-day conference on recent scholarship in
the study of Buddhist art. Where Buddha Meets FreudSan Francisco, CA (USA) -- This is about this very moment. This wonderful moment. Have you noticed? This week is the solstice: Sunday, to be precise. The shortest day of the year, and the longest night. Read more Clergy in crisis? 17th monk congress starts in CambodiaPhnom Penh, Cambodia -- A RAPIDLY expanding and largely unregulated Buddhist clergy is giving the Kingdom's religion a bad name, officials say, forcing elders to address embarrassing crimes at the opening Wednesday of the 17th annual monk congress in Phnom Penh. Read more Tigers at Thai Temple Drugged Up or Loved Up?KANCHANABURI, Thailand -- Deep in the heart of Western Thailand, where the River Kwai weaves through the rich green jungle, the monks of the Wat Pa Luang Ta Bua Temple are beginning their day. Read more Shaolin takes over four Kunming templesKunming,
China -- Fourteen Shaolin monks arrived in the ancient town of Guandu,
near Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province, on December 13 to take over
the management of four temples. Their aim is to combine Shaolin Chan
Buddhism (often known in the West by its Japanese name, Zen) and
martial arts, with Yunnan's native Buddhist culture. When Jesus met BuddhaBoston, MA (USA) -- WAS THE BUDDHA a demon? While few mainline Christians would put the matter in such confrontational terms, any religion claiming exclusive access to truth has real difficulties reconciling other great faiths into its cosmic scheme. Read more The Dalai Lama blames “greed” for financial crisisAfter addressing an overflowing house of European Parliament December 4, the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, appeared at a joint press conference with Hans-Gert Poettering, the President of the only directly elected European institution, the European Parliament. Wit, humour, serenity and positive vibes were present in the packed environs of the Anna Politkovskaya European Parliament press room, named after the slain Russian journalist, as the Dalai Lama was at ease with international journalists. Read more 17 Paths to EnlightenmentZanskar, India -- Indigenous peoples are similar to our globe's flora and fauna in one key way - many of them also face extinction. The systematic suppression of Tibetan people and culture by the Chinese government has been well documented. Read more His Holiness The Dalai Lama's Address to the plenary session of the European ParliamentYour Excellency, Mr. President, Honorable Members of the Parliament, ladies and gentlemen, It is a great honour to speak before you today and I thank you for your invitation. Wherever I go, mymain interest or commitment is in the promotion of human values such as warm heartedness this is what I consider the key factor for a happy life at the individual level, family level and community level. In our modern times, it seems that insufficient attention is paid to these inner values. Promoting them is therefore my number one commitment. Read more Fear Of Death, Death Fear ReactionsNew Delhi, India -- In 1969, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross shattered the silence with 'On Death and Dying'. In it she described the progression of a patient's coping mechanisms in five stages of dying: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance. Read more Buddhist-Christian Dialogue: A Point of ViewColombo, Sri Lanka -- Recently comparison of religions has gained publicity resulting in the conclusion that all religions are the same. This theory was propounded and repeated by our politicians and even religious dignitaries. Read more Villagers place their trust in traditionSVAY RIENG -- In Kandal province's Svay Rieng village, locals have begun to call on an old Khmer tradition to protect their animals from disease and evil spirits. Read more Young Buddhist leader waits in the wingsSIDHBARI, INDIA -- Give the magnetic personality and hunky good looks of a rock star to a Tibetan Buddhist monk, and the result might be Gyalwang Karmapa, the third-highest lama in the Tibetan religious firmament. Read more Greedy world needs Tibet's compassion: Dalai LamaKITAKYUSHU, Japan -- The Dalai Lama said Tuesday that preserving Tibet's culture of compassion was more important than ever in a world that is steeped in greed and materialism. Read more Good Luck Seekers Gather at `Gatbawi Buddha`PGwanbong, South Korea -- “I prayed that my son would get a good result in the College Scholastic Aptitude Test and entering the university of his choice,” said a 47-year-old parent in Busan while making 3,000 prostrations. Read more Zopa Rinpoche to visit Penang, MalaysiaPenang, Malaysia -- The Buddhist fraternity can look forward to the four-day visit of Khenrinpoche Lama Lhundrup (pic), the abbot of Kopan Monastery in Nepal, to Penang from Oct 19, 2008. Organised by Chokyi Gyaltsen Centre (CGC), Penang, the visit will see Khenrinpoche holding dharma lessons and a healing session. Read more Three weeks after death, monk’s body still glowsBANGALORE, India -- The body of an 80-year-old Mundgod monastery monk who died three weeks ago has shown no signs of decomposition. The KLE hospital in Belgaum had declared the Buddhist spiritual leader, Trippa Lobsung Nyama, dead but his followers insist he has attained samadhi (a deep, blissful, meditative state). Read more Doctors clear Dalai Lama to resume foreign travelMumbai, India -- The Dalai Lama underwent a second medical checkup in as many months Tuesday and doctors cleared him to resume foreign travel, said a spokesman for the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader. The 73-year-old Dalai Lama was admitted to a Mumbai hospital in August and underwent tests for abdominal discomfort. Doctors advised him to cancel a planned trip to Europe and rest, saying he was suffering from exhaustion. Read more Taking a leap of faithNew Delhi, India -- He was born a Hindu. But despite belonging to an educated family, Bhavan Nath Paswan had to live a life of shame and ridicule. He was a chamar, lowest of the low according to the Hindu caste system. Paswan remembers the years of suffering. Read more Buddhist Tours – 7 Places You Should Visit on Buddha TrailNew Delhi, India -- India is the country where the seeds of Buddhism were first sown. It was here that Lord Buddha first propagated the doctrines of this noble religion. Read more Learning to liveBangkok, Thailand -- In a pavilion at the Sathira-Dhammasathan Buddhist centre, a group of some 30 people, mostly lay women and nuns, are lying perfectly still on the floor, their eyes closed - like dead bodies. Read more Winds of change fail to stir MyanmarNew
York, USA -- LAST September, peaceful demonstrations let the world know
that the people of Myanmar had enough of the crushing oppression of the
military junta, yet, today, exactly one year later, Myanmar still
languishes in a haze of terror and deprivation. Death and rebirth for paying customers of Thai templeNAKHON NAYOK, Thailand -- It is the ultimate in second chances: A Buddhist temple here offers, for a small fee, anopportunity to die, rise up again newborn and make a fresh start in life. Read more Army rescues Karmapa, 400 still strandedChandigarh, India -- Indian Army helicopters carried out sustained air operations to rescue Ugyen Trinley Dorji, the 17th Karmapa and incarnate spiritual leader of the Karma Kagyu, the most prosperous of the four Tibetan Buddhist sects. Read more Thubten Norbu cremated in outdoor ceremonyBLOOMINGTON, Ind. (USA) -- Mourners from around the country filed through the Tibetan Buddhist temple here Wednesday to bid farewell to a man they described as a friend, a freedom fighter and a high lama. Read more Buddhists find Lee’s expression of regret lackingSeoul, South Korea -- President Lee Myung-bak expressed regret on September 9 over the “religious bias” shown by government officials. Buddhists praised Lee’s statement for its sincerity, but are still strongly demanding that Korea National Police Chief Eo Cheong-soo be sacked, focusing attention on whether Buddhists will hold regional rallies after the Chuseok holiday. Read more Thubten Norbu, eldest brother of Dalai Lama, diesThubten J. Norbu, the eldest brother of the Dalai Lama and himself regarded as a reincarnated saint, died Friday in Bloomington, Indiana. He had split with his pacifist brother to demand complete independence of Tibet from China, going so far as to help the U.S. government in covert guerrilla warfare. Read more Buddhists Urge Korean President to ApologizeSeoul, South Korea -- Tens of thousands of Buddhist monks and followers from around the country flocked to central Seoul to protest what they call the administration's discrimination against one of the country's largest religion. Read more The survivors of Qingzhou unearthedAt the Art Gallery of NSW a 150-kilogram sixth-century limestone Buddha dangles from a forklift, almost two metres above the ground. Its feet supported by five riggers, the statue descends slowly into a plinth. Read more Dalai Lama, battling exhaustion, cancels tripsDHARMSALA, India (AP) — The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, was suffering from exhaustion and has canceled two planned international trips to undergo medical tests, his office said Wednesday. Read more Tens of thousands of monks rally in Seoul against alleged discriminationSEOUL: Tens of thousands of South Korean Buddhists rallied Wednesday against what they said was religious discrimination by the government of President Lee Myung Bak, the latest setback for his protest-plagued administration. Read more A fighting chanceBangkok, Thailand -- How could a man who was a devout Buddhist, who regularly visited temples and was ever ready to give and help out the monks, treat his wife and children so violently? Read more A New Breed of Monk Rises in MyanmarSAGAING, Myanmar -- Sitagu Sayadaw sits on a raised platform, three visitors kneeling below him, and explains the source of his power as a Buddhist monk. "I don't have any guns but I have very strong weapons: love, kindness and compassion," he says, as two novice monks massage his feet. Read more Dalai Lama: China mistreating Tibetans during GamesPARIS, Aug 16 - The Dalai Lama said on Saturday China was mistreating and torturing civilians in Tibet while the Olympic Games were going on. Read more YouTube stands up to IOC over Free Tibet video
Women's KingdomWestern China -- Deep in the hills of south western China lives a Buddhist community of 60,000 people called Mwa-Swa. Read more Voices from the caveDunhuang, China -- A traveler falls into a river and calls for help. A huge stag with a fur of nine colors saves the drowning man. The queen of a nearby kingdom dreams about the stag and longs for its fur. Read more South Korea: Religion Continues to Haunt the Lee AdministrationSeoul, South Korea -- The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism has demanded an apology and an answer from the government for leaving out Buddhist temples, including major ones such as Bulguk, Baekyang and Bongeun temples, on a website called the Educational Geographic Information System, operated by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, which shows the locations of schools and surrounding areas. Read more The Dalai Lama's demonsParis, France -- Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, is revered as a hero by his people and respected world-wide for his peaceful philosophy. Today, however, there are cracks at the heart of his community. Read more Contempt ruling delayed in fight over Long Beach templeLONG BEACH, CA (USA) -- The 70 or so protesters from the Cambodian community who gathered in front of the Long Beach courthouse Monday and the 50 who crammed into Judge Joseph DiLoreto's courtroom will have to wait for the latest chapter to be played out in a dispute for control of the local Buddhist temple they attend. Read more Photo exhibit captures Buddhist philosophyHo
Chi Minh City, Vietnam -- Some photographers strive to capture the
beauty of nature and human life, but 12 professional photographers and
monks in the Ha Noi-based Que Huong Photography Club are out to show
the Buddhist philosophy of everyday life. His Holiness the Dalai Lama express concern for Tibet's fragile environmentNOTTINGHAM, UK -- Answering a question relating to Tibet’s environment from the well-known British TV presenter Jonathan Dimbleby, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said the eminent danger facing Tibet’s fragile environment cannot wait. Read more A Buddhist shrine grows off Highway 395Adelanto, CA (USA) -- It doesn't take long to get acquainted with the rhythm of things at a new Buddhist shrine in this high desert community presided over by a monk nicknamed "Tom" and a 24-foot-tall statue of a saint said to have miraculous powers. Read more Karmapa draws 1,600 to countySHAMONG, New Jersey (USA) -- More than 1,600 people from all over the country gathered here yesterday to listen to the teachings of a Tibetan Buddhist leader. Read more Buddhism and humanism: A reflectionDhakka,
Bangladesh -- Today is the Sacred Buddha Purnima, the full-moon day of
Vesakha blessed by the birth, Enlightenment and Passing way of the
Buddha. The day in very significant and important to the Buddhist
world. It brings peace, integrity brotherhood, non-hatred, universal
love, compassion and full humanism of the mankind of the world. Unravelling meaning of life through BuddhismKuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- Today, Buddhism continues to gain ever-wider acceptance in many lands far beyond its original home. The Buddhist Teaching of the Law of Kamma offers our society a just and incorruptible foundation and reason for the practice of a moral life. It is easy to see how a wider embracing of the Law of Kamma would lead any country towards a stronger, more caring and virtuous society. Read more Tallest Buddha Statue Undamaged by Sichuan EarthquakeSichuan, China -- The 1,200-year-old Leshan Buddha in China's southwestern Sichuan Province, the world's tallest ancient statue of the deity, was undamaged by the nation's strongest earthquake in 58 years. Read more Monks' Relief Aims ThwartedRANGOON, Burma -- After the devastation of Cyclone Nargis, the military junta has forcibly relocated tens of thousands of survivors from the Irrawaddy Delta, including many who had sought shelter in Buddhist monasteries, the centre of unrest during protests against the generals last year. Read more Taliban prison break exposes security vulnerability in Afghan cityKANDAHAR,
Afghanistan: The Taliban bomber calmly parked a white fuel tanker near
the prison gates of this city one evening in June, then jumped down
from the cab and let out a laugh. Prison guards fired on the bomber as
he ran off, but they missed, instead killing the son of a local
shopkeeper, who watched the scene unfold from across the street. The real heroes of Myanmar's cyclone disasterRangoon, Burma -- As the urgency intensifies to get food, water and medicine into the worst-affected areas of Burma 11 days after the country was hit by Cyclone Nargis, the country's military government continues to baffle the world by stonewalling international disaster relief. Read more Bombs in ‘terrorist plot’ kill at least 60 in IndiaJAIPUR, India - Bombs ripped through crowded parts of this ancient city in western India on Tuesday, killing 60 people and wounding 150, police said. The seven explosions in Jaipur took place in markets and several other areas of the city in Rajasthan, a region dotted with palaces and temples that draws hundreds of thousands of tourists every year, said A.S. Gill, the state's police chief. Read more Monks back on front lines to aid cyclone victimsKYI BUI KHAW, Myanmar -- The saffron-robed monks who spearheaded a bloody uprising last fall against Myanmar's military rulers are back on the front lines, this time providing food, shelter and spiritual solace to cyclone victims. Read more Master Tsin Tao calls for international aid to MyanmarTAIPEI,
Taiwan -- People of kindness around the world should join in efforts to
help the Burmese people suffering from the May 2 cyclone that
devastated the region, the Burma-born Buddhist Master Hsin Tao said
Friday following his visit to the disaster areas. More aid, and heavy rain, on way to MyanmarYANGON, Myanmar - More aid is on the way to cyclone-ravaged Myanmar — but so is the heavy rain. Read more 'A nightmare to make this operation run'GENEVA - No helicopters. Almost no boats. Floods and fallen trees on the roads. Myanmar's top temple source of comfortYANGON,
Myanmar -- As the steady rain that had been falling all day Monday
eased off, the monks at the Shwedagon Pagoda began to chant and the
worshippers prayed. Many brought their children, some of whom laughed
and played marbles in the pavilion. Was Burma's cyclone predicted?US First Lady Laura Bush has accused the military government of failing to act to protect its people. Read more Mangrove loss 'left Burma exposed'ASEAN secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan said coastal developments had resulted in mangroves, which act as a natural defence against storms, being lost. Read more UK pledges £5m for Burma relief effortBritain today pledged an immediate £5m to help the relief effort in Burma and warned the ruling military junta to allow aid agencies proper access to the country. Read more Banned Vietnam Buddhist group claims repression before UN meetHANOI, Vietnam -- A Buddhist group banned in Vietnam has said police in the communist country have tried to evict its monks from a pagoda to use it for a UN-sponsored international Buddhist meeting this month. Read more China agrees to second round of talks with Dalai Lama's envoysBeijing, China -- Chinese officials and envoys of the Dalai Lama have agreed to a second round of talks, China's state-run media said Monday, in an apparent sign of progress in easing tensions raised by violent anti-government riots in Tibet. Read more Buddhism and its place in Tibetan protestsDharamshala, Himachal Pradesh (India) -- Buddhism is often seen as a religion that does not have place for politics. A faith that many believe shuns the power play of everyday life. But do these notions about Buddhism hold true in contemporary India? How are Buddhism and its followers changing? Read more Buddhist monk jailed for life over Tibet riotsBeijing, China -- Six Buddhist monks are among the first people to be jailed for a riot in which Tibetans rampaged through the capital of the Himalayan region six weeks ago, receiving sentences ranging from life to 15 years in prison. Read more Saffron Revolution renewedRangoon, Burma -- Sporadic street protests erupted in several Burmese cities over the weekend, as people prepare to go to the polls in May to vote on a new constitution. More than 50 demonstrators, led by some 20 saffron-clad monks, tried to make their way to the country's famous Shwegadon Pagoda in Rangoon on Saturday. Police prevented them for entering the temple and quickly herded them away. Read more Unholy goings-on at Buddha GayaBodhgaya, India -- I am in Buddha Gaya, India, for an extended stay. I arrived earlier this month, and I am attempting to meditate in what is possibly the holiest place in the universe. Read more Colour of PeaceKashmir, India -- The First Great Diffusion of Buddhism in the trans-Himalayas was in the 8th century. Guru Padmasambhava established the religion in the entire mountainous region, from Ladakh in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east. He had studied at Nalanda University in eastern India. Read more Paying homage to our only home in the universeToday,
together with millions all over the world, the Buddhist Channel will
lay down its regular routine and bow towards its spiritual home, our
venerable mother Earth. As we breathe in, we pay homage to the only
place we know that allows us to practice the Buddha-Dharma. As we
breathe out, we pay our gratitude to this hallowed planet, for allowing
us to savor a bit of what it means to be Enlightenend, for allowing us
to hope. Read on, and we hope you will enjoy this special edition just
as we have enjoyed putting it together. We would like to dedicate this
Earth Day special to all sentient beings. Living Lightly on EarthAlthough the interdependence of all things lies at the heart of Buddhist teaching, ecology as such is a modern formulation. We might certainly plead that it is a much needed restatement of the Buddhist vision in modern times, we might side with the poets (among them, the Buddha himself) and agree that truth gets lost in the words and therefore needs restating anew from age to age. It is still up to us, however, to prove our claim from traditional sources in order to carry everyone with us. Read more Japanese Buddhist temple withdrawn from Olympic torch routeNagano,
Japan -- A famous Buddhist temple in Japan has been withdrawn from the
Olympic flame relay over security concerns and anger at China's
crackdown on Tibetans. "Watching the sun" - Hyangiram HermitageDolsan-eup, Yeosu (South Korea) -- After passing narrow paths between rocks and climbing the narrow stairs for 30 minutes, the South Sea appears, spread right before your eyes. Read more Ven. S Mahinda and the Dalai LamaColombo, Sri Lanka -- In the early 1900s Tibetan Ven. S Mahinda visited Sri Lanka during the time Sri Lankan patriots were launching the freedom struggle to gain independence for Sri Lanka from the British rule. Read more In Tibetan Monasteries, the Heavy Hand of the PartyBEIJING,
China -- Arjia Rinpoche was 47 years old and a senior Tibetan abbot
when he first signed a document denouncing the Dalai Lama, Tibetan
Buddhism's spiritual leader. Is the temple of Buddha’s footprints the temple of doom?It’s a Buddhist temple that cares for dying Aids patients. It’s also a hugely successful money-making operation, attracting thousands of tourists with its displays of mummified corpses. So where does all that money go?. Read more Dalai Lama avoids talk of Tibet woesSEATTLE–In contrast to the chaotic reception of the Olympic torch relay in San Francisco earlier this week, it was all peace and compassion in Seattle yesterday as the Dalai Lama arrived to welcoming crowds and no protesters in sight. Read more Eye to eye with the Dalai LamaSeattle, WA (USA) -- "The eyes are the windows to the soul," says an old English proverb. I am about to look into a pair of eyes that will change my life. Read more An exercise in futility to denounce Dalai LamaKuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- DESPITE the seeming sophistication of the present generation of the country's leaders, China's heavy-handed denunciation of the Dalai Lama since the Lhasa riots of mid-March, blaming everything on him and his "clique", shows that the Communist Party has not changed some of its basic characteristics, such as seeking to depict its opponents as evil beyond compare. Read more Gaya shrine suffers civic delayBodh Gaya, India -- Plan to demolish illegal constructions around Maha Bodhi Temple has suffered a setback, yet again. Read more Buddha leadsBangkok, Thailand -- Can the ancient teachings of the Buddha, which date back more than 2,500 years, cure the modern angst of globalisation? Ask Seksan Prasertkul, and the answer from the former Marxist revolutionary is a firm "yes". Read more Buddha's birthday 'for all cultures'Auckland, New Zealand -- BUDDHA’S birthday celebrations at the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist temple in Botany on Sunday will be a day for all cultures and religions to come together, the organisers say. Read more Buddhism fastest growing religion in WestColombo, Sri Lanka -- Buddhism is being recognized as the fastest growing religion in Western societies both in terms of new converts and more so in terms of friends of Buddhism, who seek to study and practice various aspects of Buddhism. Read more Monk RamboKaren State, Myanmar -- In a jungle encampment in eastern Myanmar, 67-year-old monk Saw Wizana sits meditating in orange robes. Behind him, hundreds of men with semi-automatic weapons line up in military formation and march in circles around a field. They are preparing for another battle against Myanmar’s military government. Read more Hanamatsuri celebrates Buddha’s birthHonolulu, Hawaii (USA) -- The story of Buddha's birth is rich in symbolism and suggestions of meaning, appealing to the imagination and feelings. It is a question for us whether we can draw any meaning for ourselves out of such ancient stories. Read more In Malaysia's Muslim ruled state, the Buddhist Trinity is completeKota Bharu, Kelantan (Malaysia) -- At 8pm on Aug 8 this year, the tallest Standing Buddha in South-East Asia will be opened to the public, thus completing the three stances of the Buddha in Kelantan. Read more Did Dalai get the wrong picture on Tibet riots?HONG KONG, China -- Chinese internet users have gone to extraordinary lengths to disprove the Dalai Lama’s claim that the riots in Lhasa on March 14, which claimed several lives, were instigated by Chinese soldiers disguised as Buddhist monks. Read more From Shangri-La to Angry-LaToronto, Canada -- The conundrum of Tibet baffles and defies not only its Chinese rulers, but the region's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. That's not Beijing's view. It comes from Pico Iyer, author and lifelong friend of the popular Buddhist monk. Read more Last master of Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism shares insights at age 101LOS ANGELES, USA -- Anyone who lives more than a century and maintains sharpness of mind is likely to have a great deal of wisdom and experience to share. Read more An American monk in CharlestonCharleston, West Virginia (USA) -- Over the telephone, Buddhist monk Bhante Yogavacara Rahula sounds a little like a stranger in a strange land. There's a faint accent that suggests he learned English later in life and, of course, there's his name. Read more Mental MigrationIn
what he calls one of the high points in his life, Andy Fort got
arrested on charges of disturbing the peace in 1972 in front of
Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Mass., when he joined the 400
people protesting the Vietnam War. Colgate prepares for Dalai LamaUtica,
NY (USA) -- The Dalai Lama will speak April 22 as part of Colgate
University’s Global Leaders Lecture Series sponsored by the Colgate
Parents Fund. The Observer-Dispatch recently interviewed Colgate
University President Rebecca Chopp about the lecture. Tibet Isn't a Buddhist Litmus TestSan Francisco, USA -- As the violence in Tibet has continued, the Dalai Lama issued a stern statement that he could not align himself with insurrection in his home country. Buddhism rests on several pillars, one of which is nonviolence. Tibet quickly became a kind of Buddhist litmus test. Read more Silk Mountain, King MountainYellow Springs, Ohio (USA) -- As a girl growing up in Nepal, Sister Dhamma Vijaya saw few opportunities. Most girls were not educated. She was expected to marry by 15, then leave her parents’ home for the home of her husband’s family, where she would have little power. Should her husband die, she would lose her status and support — in most ways, her life would end too. Read more Visiting Buddhist nuns seek help for Nepali girls at riskYellow Springs, Ohio (USA) -- As a girl growing up in Nepal, Sister Dhamma Vijaya saw few opportunities. Most girls were not educated. She was expected to marry by 15, then leave her parents’ home for the home of her husband’s family, where she would have little power. Should her husband die, she would lose her status and support — in most ways, her life would end too. Read more Saffron revolutionariesNEW YORK, USA -- Westerners tend to think of Buddhism as a passive religion, focused on silent meditation and personal spiritual growth. The image of the Buddha seated with a smile sums it up. Read more Helping the helplessMumbai, India -- A SRI Lankan monk was in a crowded train travelling from Mumbai to Ulhasnagar in India, in 1982. A couple of superior caste members were seated comfortably, while several labourers were standing nearby. When a labourer accidentally brushed against a woman’s shoulders, the husband took offence and beat him up. Read more Buddha made unforgettableNew Delhi, India -- Once in a while you come across a book that you know will remain in your mind, turning and curing well after you have finished reading it. Read more Fight violence with nonviolenceAtlanta, Georgia (USA) -- Legends relate that Buddha stopped a war between two kings who were quarreling over rights to a river by asking them, "Which is more precious, blood or water?" Read more Fitting home planned for Golden BuddhaBANGKOK, Thailand -- It's a ho-hum temple in the midst of Chinatown, one of the most popular draws for tourists visiting Thailand's bustling capital city, and many visitors walk straight past it. Yet the temple contains one of the city's most beautiful attractions – a maginficent golden Buddha worth about $14 million. Read more Monks in tears cry out against lies while Beijing instructs foreign journalistsLhasa,
Tibet (China) -- A group of Buddhist monks blocked a tour of 26 foreign
journalists in Lhasa, led by the Chinese government, crying out that
there is no freedom in Tibet and that the Dalai Lama is not responsible
for the recent violence there. Some of them after having cried “Tibet
is not free! Tibet is not free!”, broke down in tears. World to Watch Vesak in VietnamHanoi, Vietnam -- Vietnamese Buddhist master Thich Nhat Tu sits with a group of monks in a temple room at 2am, planning meticulously for the Buddha's Big Day celebrations - the United Nations Day of Vesak 2008 (UNDV) in Vietnam. Read more Buddhist monk dies of starvationBeijing, China -- A 12-day blockade of food and water to major monasteries in Lhasa by Chinese forces has killed a Buddhist monk of starvation, reported Tibetans in exile yesterday. Read more Kushok Bakula Rinponche born again in LadakhLadakh, India -- A two-year-old boy, Thubstan Nawang has been identified as the reincarnation of the Indian Buddhist saint, Kushok Bakula Rinpoche. Read more Thai temples flooded with pets after viral outbreakBANGKOK, Thailand -- Buddhist temples in central Thailand have been flooded with abandoned cats and dogs after an outbreak of feline and canine distemper killed hundreds of pets in the past month, newspapers reported on Wednesday. Read more The United Nations Has Failed to Take Responsibility to Protect The People of Burma, Who Are Prepared for the WorstYangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma) -- We paid serious attention to the briefing by the UN Special Envoy Mr. Ibrahim Gambari to the United Nations Security Council on March 18, 2008 on Burma. Read more Uttar Pradesh to boast of world's tallest Buddha statueLucknow, India -- Decks are being cleared for the installation of the world's tallest Buddha statue in Kushinagar town of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Read more 130 killed in Chinese crackdown in Tibet: reportAround 130 people have been confirmed killed in a Chinese crackdown on protests and unrest in Tibet, the prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile told AFP on Monday. Read more China accuses Dalai Lama of taking Olympics "hostage"BEIJING
-- China accused the Dalai Lama on Sunday of using unrest in Tibet to
back demands for Tibetan independence ahead of the August Olympic Games
in Beijing. NGOs come out in support of Tibetans, Dalai LamaDHARAMSALA:
Two NGOs here have come out in support of the Tibetans and their
spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and condemned alleged human rights
violations in Tibet. Olympics will be 'taken hostage': ChinaChina has accused the Dalai Lama of using unrest in Tibet to back demands for Tibetan independence ahead of the August Olympic Games in Beijing. Read more Tibetan revolt has China's empire fraying at the edgeFor all its overwhelming force in the lonely mountain passes, where military convoys toil towards the clouds, or in the dark alleys of Chengdu’s Tibetan quarter, where soldiers stand watch, the sour tang of a debacle for China is in the air. Read more Tibetans expect little help from worldDHARMSALA, India—Nearly six decades of struggle against the might of China has taught the Tibetans one thing: Ask the world for little, expect less. Read more Dalai Lama Calls for End to Violence against TibetansDeaths are mounting in Tibet and neighboring provinces in China and there is no end to the bloodshed in sight. In a meeting with international journalists, including SPIEGEL reporters, the Dalai Lama calls on the world to pressure China to stop using violence against Tibetan protesters. Read more China Issues "Most Wanted" List Of Rioters(CBS/AP)
China issued a "Most Wanted" list of 21 rioters Friday - shown in
grainy photos waving knives and fighting during last week's violence
over Chinese rule in Tibet. Thousands of troops continued to push into
western China to contain unrest. Divine authority over fear in TibetThe weekly "Free Tibet" demonstrations along the river in downtown Chicago used to be about a block long. This past Tuesday they were over five blocks long with 50 police walking along to safeguard their crossings at the intersections. Read more Who is the Dalai Lama, and why is he the focus of protests over Tibet?Dozens
of people have died in mass protests against Chinese rule in Tibet.
Protestors on the streets of Lhasa set fire to Chinese businesses and
smashed government buildings. The demonstrations began whenBuddhist
monks marched from their monasteries on 10 March, to mark the 49th
anniversary of a failed uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet which in
1959 tried to restore the Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama, as the
political leader of Tibet. A Monk's Struggle"Since China wants to join the world community," the 14th Dalai Lama said as I was traveling across Japan with him for a week last November, "the world community has a real responsibility to bring China into the mainstream." The whole world stands to gain, he pointed out, from a peaceful and unified China—not least the 6 million Tibetans in China and Chinese-occupied Tibet. "But," he added, "genuine harmony must come from the heart. It cannot come from the barrel of a gun." Read more Free Tibet parties meet Dalai LamaDHARAMSALA, India (CNN) -- Tibetan Youth Congress president Tsewang Rigzin and other "Free Tibet" party representatives met with the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala on Tuesday morning, representatives from both sides said. Read more Young Tibetans reject Dalai Lama's lead(CNN) -- While the Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibet, many younger Tibetans do not follow him on a crucial question -- whether Tibet should have genuine autonomy or independence from China. Read more Protests in Tibet: Day by Day AccountThe authorities in Tibet gave people involved in anti-China protests a deadline of midnight to give themselves up, encouraging people to inform on protest organisers. A large buildup of troops is reported in the provinces bordering Nepal. Read more Fresh Protests Reported, School Children Turn Latest VictimsLhasa, Tibet -- As the protests in Tibet's capital city Lhasa spread like wild fire monks from Thangkor Soktsang Monastery, Zoegey County, Ngaba Tibet Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, are demonstrating in front of Chinese government office 8kms from the monastery. At the time of this report going online slogans of free Tibet and Dalai Lama's long life could be heard in the background as a protester tries to reach the outside world through his phone. Read more Anti-China protest shadows trade dealTrade Minister Phil Goff yesterday said he was "concerned" about the worst riots in the Tibetan region in almost 20 years and by at least 10 deaths in the protests during the weekend. Read more Monks leading cry for a free landHERE in the biggest and most important monastery town outside Tibet, hundreds of monks, locals and visitors from the countryside, here for a religious festival, have staged a series of protests in support of the protesting monks in Lhasa, chanting "Free Tibet" and waving Tibetan flags and scarves. Read more Tibetan monks defy police with prayer protestRebkong, Tibet (China) -- Defiant Tibetan monks burned incense today despite orders from Chinese police. Police break up Tibetan protest in Nepal's capital, arresting at least 20KATHMANDU, Nepal — Police have broken up a protest by 200 Tibetans in the Nepalese capital, beating them with bamboo batons and arresting at least 20 of them. Read more Human rights could end council prayersCambridge, UK -- THE tradition of prayers before council meetings faces the axe - under the banner of political correctness. Read more Buddhist Temple invites people of all faiths to 26.2-hour walking meditation marathonOntario, Oregon (USA) -- In 13th century Japan, a Buddhist monk named Shinran Shonin undertook a 100-day walking meditation, hoping to achieve enlightenment. Read more Taiwan: A nun's storyTaipei,
Taiwan -- It's a magical, if slightly surreal, moment. We're standing
in the courtyard of the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan,
surrounded by 480 identical gold statues of Buddha, listening
attentively to the softly spoken words of one of the nuns, the
Venerable Yi Jih. The early evening light is starting to fade and
there's not a breath of wind. New Christian President Rattles Korea's Buddhist NervesSEOUL,
South Korea -- The anonymous monk makes his way through downtown Seoul
towards the presidential palace, prostrating face down in supplication
with each step. Troops 'seal Tibet monasteries'Lhasa,
Tibet (China) -- Campaigners say several hundred monks have joined
protests Security forces have sealed off three monasteries in the
Tibetan city of Lhasa after protests earlier this week, witnesses and a
rights group said. Monastery set ablaze after bulldozingKyauktaw, Burma -- A monastery in Kyauktaw Township was set on fire after being bulldozed by army authorities because the abbot of the monastery was involved in the recent Saffron Revolution. Read more China admits Tibet monk protestsLhasa, Tibet -- Chinese officials have admitted that Buddhist monks have been protesting in the Tibetan city of Lhasa this week. Read more Myanmar's monks still seething, but lack leadersMANDALAY, Myanmar -- Beneath the veneer of serenity and religious devotion, Myanmar's maroon-robed Buddhist monks, the engine of the protests six months ago against the ruling junta, are seething with rage. Read more Buddhist blessings for new Hindu temple site in BerlinBerlin, Germany -- Sri Lankan Buddhist monks on Mahasivarathri Day March 7 blessed a site situated in Berlin, Germany, on which is planned the construction of Europe's second largest Hindu temple. Read more Leshan: Exploring Sichuan's Buddhist heritageBEIJING, China -- Listed as a World Heritage site in 1996, Leshan Giant Buddha and Mount Emei in Southwest China's Sichuan Province draw tourists and Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world. Read more China crushes protest by monks in TibetLhasa, Tibet (China) -- China admitted today that it had quashed a protest by Buddhist monks in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, underscoring the opposition Beijing still faces to its rule in the remote Himalayan region. Read more Malaysia a model for the world, says Buddhist leaderKUANTAN, Pahang (Malaysia) -- Malaysia is a fine example of a global human family and can be a model to the world, adviser to the Pahang Buddhist Association (PBA) Venerable Sik Ji Xing said. Read more Buddhist Monk Calls for Arms Embargo Against BurmaJakarta, Indonesia -- A Buddhist monk involved in the September protests in Burma has called on the world community to stop supporting, recognizing and selling arms to the military-run Burmese government. As VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins reports, U Awbata made his appeal at an international human rights conference on Burma in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. Read more The Pure Truth and Benevolence Is Really GoodKAOHSIUNG,
Taiwan -- At the Divine Performing Arts' premiere in Kaohsiung on March
4, there were some Buddhist monks and nuns wearing yellowish frocks in
attendance. They were from the Baoding Buddhist Monastery at Bingdong
County in southern Taiwan. The abbot of the monastery Shi Faguang took
twelve of them to see the Spectacular. Rural Winchester area home to Buddhist templeWINCHESTER, CA (USA) -- It's an unlikely setting for Buddhist monks native to Southeast Asia. In a rural neighborhood near Leon and Scott roads - between a recreational vehicle storage lot, horse corrals and an empty field - two monks live a devotional existence, their days full of meditation, study and prayer. Read more Burmese monks in Thailand pace, pray and waitMae Sot, Thailand -- Wrapped in orange robes, Oh Bah Seh, a Buddhist monk, shows a visitor a scar on his head - compliments of a police baton. Read more Investiture of Ven W. Kassapa (OBE) at Buckingham PalaceLondon, UK -- Ven. Kassapa as always emphasised that the Order of the British Empire (OBE) he received was not only due to his own hard work but of team and the Buddhist community in the world. In turn he presented the award to his hard working team who has dedicated their service to the world community regardless of their nationality, creed, cast or geographical differences. Read more Are Buddhist monks flirting online?BANGKOK, Thailand -- The Thai government said Tuesday it was investigating claims that supposedly celibate Buddhist monks have been using a U.S.-based social networking website to flirt with women. Read more Suffer the little childrenTokyo, Japan -- One of the most endearing and recurrent images of Japan, found on temple grounds, country roads and in cemeteries, is that of Jizo, the stone-carved, baby-faced monk. Read more Tzu Chi Foundation Approved To Open Branch In Mainland ChinaTaipei, Taiwan -- Fan Liqing, a spokesperson from the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, has disclosed at a press conference that Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation has been approved to set up a branch in mainland China. Read more Dalai Lama might be the area's hottest ticketBethlehem, Pennsylvania (USA) -- The Dalai Lama's first-ever visit to the Lehigh Valley this July has taken years to plan, but tickets to see the exiled Tibetan leader and Nobel laureate might sell out in just a few minutes Monday morning. Read more Serving the PeopleMandalay, Burma -- When Burmese monks protested in September 2007, the disciples and monks at Sayadaw Nyanissara’s monastery in the Sagaing hills near Mandalay exercised restraint and stayed away from the demonstrations, largely because of their respect for the work the activist monks were accomplishing throughout the country. Read more CIHTS to confer Honorary Degree on Dr Abdul KalamDharamsala, India -- The Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies will confer an honorary degree on Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, former President of India. Read more Thai community in Miami struggles to complete Buddhist templeMiami, FL (USA) -- Not far from tomato fields, surrounded by litchi, longan and avocado groves, an unlikely collection of concrete and clay-tiled buildings presides over a quiet corner of the Redland. Read more Shining light on depopulation problemSado Island, Japan -- The recent trend toward the mergers of villages and towns, known as "Heisei no Daigappei," has drastically reduced the number of municipalities in the nation, from 3,231 to 1,821 as of March 2006. Read more Jordan's Prince El Hassan bin Talal wins 2008 Niwano Peace PrizeTokyo, Japan -- Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan has been named as the 2008 winner of the Niwano Peace Prize for efforts at building peace with justice in the Middle East, especially with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Read more Survey: US Religious Landscape in FluxNew York, USA -- The U.S. religious marketplace is extremely volatile, with nearly half of American adults leaving the faith tradition of their upbringing to either switch allegiances or abandon religious affiliation altogether, a new survey finds. Read more Devotees unable to save Buddhist temple, but tree will be preservedSingapore -- The Singapore High Court dismissed a bid to save a 65-year-old Buddhist temple site from government acquisition, but a Bodhi tree regarded as sacred will not be chopped down, news reports said Tuesday. Read more Tibetan Buddhists celebrate as a new year marches inMelbourne, Australia -- IT MAY seem odd to celebrate the New Year in March but for the Tibetan Buddhist Society it’s the most significant date of the year. Read more Burning brightKanchanaburi, Thailand -- Either she likes it or I'm dead. I'm crouched next to a magnificent Indo-Chinese tiger at the Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno Forest Monastery in Thailand. Try saying that three times quickly; not surprisingly, it's better known as the "Tiger Temple". Read more Fording the Stream: An Affirmation of the Bodhisattva Way of LifeLos Angeles, CA (USA) -- There are few expressions which capture the essence of Madhyamika Buddhism better than "fording the stream and returning to it with equal measure". Read more Tzu Chi relief report in Philippines for Year 2007Taipei, Taiwan -- Taiwan Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines held charity activities and medical services to provide help for the victims and the poor in the year of 2007. The global warming has caused many calamities in recent years. The environmental protection is one of the efforts made by Tzu Chi volunteers. Read more Adding a little harmonyWhangarei, New Zealand -- A BUDDHIST Stupa which aims to emit special energy bringing peace and harmony to the surrounding community was opened on top of a hill overlooking Whangarei yesterday. Read more Runaway lawnmower kills Buddhist monkLondon, UK -- A Buddhist monk was killed when he was run over by a lawnmower as he cut the grass at his temple, an inquest has been told. Read more Inner peace in a conflict zoneTel Aviv, Israel -- One of the leading teachers of meditation in the Western world has recently concluded his first visit to Israel. Jack Kornfield, a 62-year-old American Jew, is one of a handful of spiritual teachers who have brought Buddhist philosophy and Vipassana meditation techniques to the West. Read more The path to bliss and wisdomBangkok, Thailand -- 'Teach what you know," says the old adage. Perhaps a more powerful directive would be to teach what you love. For Ajahn Brahm, the two come together in teaching meditation. Read more May peace and tranquility prevailOntario, Idaho (USA) -- This year in March, the Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple, Ontario, is going to host a special event March 16 to commemorate the 750th Memorial for Shinran Shonin, the founder of Jodo-Shinshu Buddhism. Read more Peace found in relics of the BuddhaKAHULUI, Hawaii (USA) -- Charmaine Rugg felt a sense of serenity as she viewed the display of the pearl-like crystal relics of the Buddha and Buddhist masters. Read more South Korean Buddhist team visits NepalKATHMANDU, Nepal -- A South Korean Buddhist team has arrived in Nepal for five-day visit, the National News Agency RSS reported on Sunday. Read more Governor inaugurates Buddhist Deepa CentreJammu, India -- Governor Lt. General (Retd) S K Sinha today said that the philosophy of Buddhism continues to be dear to most people of India and a source of inspiration to them, irrespective of their religion. Read more Fording the Stream: An Affirmation of the Bodhisattva Way of LifeLos Angeles, CA (USA) -- There are few expressions which capture the essence of Madhyamika Buddhism better than "fording the stream and returning to it with equal measure". Read more World religions for World PeaceThe principles discussed so far are in accordance with the ethical teachings of all world religions. I maintain that every major religion of the world - Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism, Taosim, Zoroastrianism - has similar ideals of love, the same goal of benefiting humanity through spiritual practice and the same effect of making their followers into better human beings. Read more Buddhism defying religion's slide in WollongongWollongong, Australia -- Wollongong people are becoming less religious, according to the 2006 Census, but Buddhism is defying the trend. Read more “Tibetan non-violent struggle must have to triumph”Dharamsala, India -- A group from Thailand led by Ajahn Sulak Sivaraksa, founder and president of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists, are currently in Dharamsala, the seat of the Dalai Lama led Tibetan Government-in-Exile, to express their solidarity with the Tibetan cause and encourage preservation and promotion of the “unique and peaceful Tibetan Buddhist culture". Read more Trading the World for a Cabin in the WoodsNew York, USA -- IT’S my first night in the cabin, and I can’t sleep. The quiet is too loud, as if I were holding a conch shell tight over each ear, and any sounds that do seep through - a wet bulge of snow sliding off a fir tree, the pop of a log in our blazing wood stove - send me tossing and turning, a skittish city mouse in the country. Read more Total alcohol ban sought for religious daysBangkok, Thailand -- All sales of alcohol should be banned on religious holidays, according to Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Suebwonglee. Mr Surapong, also finance minister, came up with the proposal during merit-making to mark Makha Bucha Day at Wat Suan Kaew in Nonthaburi. Read more Fire leaves Buddhist temple ruinedLondon,
Canada -- A blaze that sent worshippers fleeing out the back door of a
Northeast London Buddhist temple has left many elderly Cambodians with
no place to gather. Sri Lanka: A buddhist encyclopedia soonColombo, Sri Lanka -- An international English medium encyclopedia on Buddhism, covering a vast range of subjects including doctrine, philosophy, culture and diverse Buddhist activities, will be completed shortly. Read more The Buddha and the WorldColombo, Sri Lanka -- There has been a pervasive sense of anxiety in the world, since 9/11 and at the same time a search for spiritual answers. Is violence an aspect of human nature that can be cured, or are we caught in an endless cycle of violence that will never end? One of the most optimistic answers to that dilemma came from the Buddha more than two thousand years ago. Read more Love makes the world go roundBangkok, Thailand -- Love is a force in the human heart that is so influential it creates various contradicting emotions such as happiness, sorrow, gladness, depression, passiveness and eagerness. Some poets say love makes the world go round, turns a bad man into a good person and that love is a great inspiration. Read more Arkansas University’s Outstanding Faculty Award goes to Tibetan Geshe professorFayetteville, Arkansas (USA) -- Geshe Thupten Dorjee from the University of Arkansas will receive the "The Outstanding Faculty Award" which is sponsored by the Student Government and the Arkansas Alumni Association. Read more Mandala's path of colored sand grows at Chico StateChico, California (USA) -- Three weeks into a five-week art residency at Chico State University, Tibetan-born Losang Samten continues to construct a vibrantly colored mandala, or sand painting, in the lobby of the Bell Memorial Union. Read more Non-Violence And The Self-Cherishing MindGroningen,
Netherlands -- To understand why non-violence in this sense is so
powerful, I think we need to look more closely at the whole issue of
altruism and self-restraint. Thai Prime Minister marks Maka Bucha DayBangkok, Thailand -- Prime minister Samak Sundaravej began his morning by making merit on Maka Bucha Day, the day the Lord Buddha gave his first sermon to 1,250 of his disciples who gathered before him without any prior arrangement. Read more Monlam Chenmo - The Great Prayer Festival
The temple that changed a townJenjarom, Malaysia -- About two decades ago, no one messed with Jenjarom new village - better known as a gangster hot spot rather than as the producer of quality ginger that is in demand nationwide. Read more Nepal to recognise Buddhist and Muslim religious schoolsKathmandu, Nepal -- Hundreds of Muslim and Buddhist schools want to join the public school system after the government signalled its intention of recognising religious schools, but has set some conditions to do so, namely that such schools also use non-religious textbooks recommended by the government’s Education Board rather than rely exclusively on their own religious texts. Read more Upwey class promotes peaceful poiseAnita and Frank Carter of the Upwey Buddhist Discussion Centre share their knowledge of Buddhism teachings with hills residents. Read more Inspired by Buddha, Admired as ArtNew
York, USA -- The stars of the show arrived in wooden crates at Kennedy
Airport on New Year’s Eve. They had already enjoyed a hugely popular
run in Japan and were now embarking on a world tour. Nalanda University: It's time Asia paid back the 'knowledge' debtNew Delhi, India -- IT is payback time for the world community, especially East and Southeast Asia, for what it received by way of knowledge from an ancient Indian university that is in the throes of revival as an international seat of learning. Read more Gift of natureHo Chi Minh City, Vietnam -- Huyen Dieu, an overseas Vietnamese monk who now lives in Nepal, says in his recently-published book Khi Hong Hac Bay Ve (When the Sarus Cranes Came Back) that 2 Sarus Cranes, one of the world’s most endangered species, suddenly flew into his monastery grounds to take up residence. Read more Yen Tu festival opens in Quang Ninh, VietnamQuang
Ninh Province, Vietnam -- About 50,000 visitors flocked to Yen Tu
Mountain in northern coastal Quang Ninh Province for the opening day of
the Yen Tu Pagoda Festival Saturday, the tenth day of the first lunar
month. Three Buddhist Viharayas constructed in IndiaChennai, India -- The three Buddhist Viharayas named, Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha constructed at Thiruthanni, Trichy and Chennai in India will be opened on March 1, 2008. Read more ISU students take part, explore Buddhist philosophyTerre
Haute, Ind. (USA) -- April Tucker, a sophomore pre-law major and
explorer of the Buddhist doctrine, grew up as a Jehovah's Witness. Her
mother married a Muslim; her best friend is an atheist, and her
boyfriend is a Catholic. Tukwila teen a monk no moreSeattle, WA (USA) -- Michael Sa-Ngoun is no longer a monk. Silicon Valley Tibetan Buddhists find a new homeCampbell, CA (USA) -- For 10 years, followers of Gyalwa Gyatso Buddhist Center did not have a home, shuttling from living room to living room, libraries and community centers. Read more Advert showing Indian President, Chief Minister 'above' Buddha irks monksPatna, India -- Hundreds of Buddhist monks in Bodh Gaya are protesting a Bihar government advertisement showing photographs of President Pratibha Patil and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar placed above a picture of Gautam Buddha. Read more Love your country not the lady, preach Lankan monksColombo, Sri Lanka -- Sri Lankan Buddhist monks countered Valentine's Day celebrations in the island yesterday with programmes to lure the youth away from romantic love which they denounce as an undesirable Western concept. Read more Buddhist temple fate undecidedBUXTON, Maine (USA) -- The Buxton Planning Board once again declined to vote Monday on approving a permit request by a Buddhist temple. Read more One student's path to enlightenmentBoston, MA (USA) -- Brian Hanrahan leaves the hustle and bustle of Boston University each week and retreats to the Won Buddhism of Boston temple in Somerville, where the resonating sound of a gong indicates the start of meditation services. Read more Sands of Peace and HarmonyPerth, Australia -- THEY say that just to gaze upon a sacred mandala enhances enlightenment. Start the year with some spiritual growth. Read more Ancient teachings get modern twistThousand Oaks, CA (USA) -- The fourth reincarnation of a Buddhist lama sat in a chair on wheels at the front of a university lecture hall, at one point spinning 360 degrees, trying to lend balance to a world he pronounced out of sync. Read more Burma: The Heartbeat Is Still Alive UndergroundWashington,
USA -- Lest we forget in the ruts many of us seem somewhat lost in
these days, that of the dirt track race of tired horses we’re
following, a/k/a the Presidential nomination process… meanwhile there
are others in many parts of the world, who are striving just to speak
aloud without being ‘disappeared’ by government thugs. Buddhist monks begin praying for world peaceBodh
Gaya, India -- Thousands of Buddhist monks and devotees, many of them
from abroad, are participating in a 10-day chanting ceremony for world
peace here. Meditating on shifting sandsBrisbane, Australia -- AS far as sandcastles go it probably won't impress too many youngsters handy with a bucket and spade. Read more Monks to kick of Roseville visit Wednesday with sand mandalaRoseville, CA (USA) -- Roseville is readying for a Tibetan invasion. Monks
from the Gaden Shartse Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery exiled
to southern India, will be in Roseville for as part of their Northern
California Tour this week. Planning Board Delays Decision On Buddhist Temple ExpansionBUXTON, Maine (USA) -- The debate over the proposed expansion of a Buddhist temple in Buxton continues, with no decision from town leaders as to whether it can move forward. Read more Boat capsize kills 10 in MyanmarYANGON, Myanmar -- A boat carrying Buddhist pilgrims capsized in southern Myanmar, killing ten people, state-media reported Monday. Read more Planning Board Delays Decision On Buddhist Temple ExpansionBUXTON, Maine (USA) -- The debate over the proposed expansion of a Buddhist temple in Buxton continues, with no decision from town leaders as to whether it can move forward. Read more Meditating For HealthBismark, ND (USA) -- There are lots of things you can do to lower your blood pressure. We all know you can start eating healthy, become active, or even take certain medication, but not everyone is aware of another way to lower their bp. Read more Love Advice for "The Heartbreak Kid"Singapore -- "The Heartbreak Kid" presents an interesting dilemma about the nature of commitment. What should you do, if the person you married turns out not to be the person you thought? What if this person turns out much worse than you could even dream of? Worse still, what if you meet another person shortly after your marriage - a "dream lover", who seems so much better than the one you married? Read more Lhosar: Mahayana Buddhism's New YearKathmandu, Nepal -- Situated in the lap of the Himalayas sandwiched between two giant nations Nepal is a home to 70 ethnic groups having their own religion, culture, language and life-style. It is the land of heady mixture of unique culture proudly preserved; mind boggling adventure and remarkable nature beauty. Read more Buddhist relics on display in HawaiiHonolulu, Hawaii (USA) -- The "Maitreya Project Relic Tour" will open at 10 a.m. next Saturday at Kapiolani Community College, Lama Library, 4304 Diamond Head Road. It will be open until 8 p.m. and continue on display from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 17 and 18. The exhibit is free and campus parking is free. Read more At Buddhist Temple, Cleansing Rituals to Ring in the New YearNew York, USA -- Ha Tran was applying the final swipes on Saturday to a 20-foot Buddhist statue inside a Chinatown temple. It took two days, but Mrs. Tran, a 62-year-old Vietnamese immigrant, lovingly washed every one of the deity’s thousand arms and did the same for its 10 heads. Balanced on scaffolding, she painstakingly removed 12 months of accumulated dust and incense in time for the Chinese New Year on Thursday, her yearly rite for 22 years. Read more Czech Republic first Buddhist temple opensVarnsdorf, Czech Republic -- At the edge of a town on the edge of the country, across the street from the ruins of a squat stone building, sits an average house where the spirit of a vibrant minority community lives. Read more Students find peace at Zen CenterUtah, USA -- Dozens of people arrive at the Kanzeon Zen Center just before 10 a.m. on Sunday, the largest crowd of the week, for meditation and a lesson on applying Buddhist teachings. Read more BURMA: 'How Many Monks Must Die Before The UN Moves?'MAE SOT, Thailand -- For one Buddhist monk from Burma, the brutal crackdown of peaceful street protests in the country last September was anything but a victory for the military regime. Read more Newtown court case: Abusing their ReligionNewtown, CT (USA) -- Last week, the Connecticut Supreme Court issued a ruling that could be a "fatal blow" to the religious freedom of the Cambodian Buddhist Society of Connecticut, according to Yale Buddhist chaplain Bruce Blair. Read more Monastery stops free education serviceRangoon, Burma -- A free tuition service at Ngway Kyar Yan monastery in South Okkalapa township, Rangoon, that provided extra classes to students from 10 townships in the surrounding area, has been suspended. Read more Buddhist Monk case: Bail applications rejectedMUMBAI, India -- A local court on Monday rejected the bail applications of four persons who have been arrested in connection with the suspected murder of a Buddhist monk here on January 6. Read more China jails Tibetan monk for "inciting masses"BEIJING, China -- The abbot of a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in southwest China has been jailed for three years on charges of endangering national security by inciting the masses, a group monitoring human rights in the Himalayan region said. Read more A ritual ingrained in Buddhist monksEWING, New Jersey (USA) -- A Tibetan Buddhist sand ritual, rare to New Jersey, will be performed by Buddhist monks during a week-long demonstration starting Saturday at The College of New Jersey Library. Read more Scandal gnaws at Buddha's holy tree in IndiaBODH GAYA, India -- Tales of corruption, looting and religious rivalry are swirling around the spot where Buddha is said to have gained enlightenment in eastern India some 2,500 years ago, sullying one of Buddhism's holiest sites. Read more New Year event in Tibet draws 100,000 Buddhist followersLHASA, Tibet (China) -- More than 100,000 Buddhist followers have converged at a Tibetan monastery to celebrate a local religious festival in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Read more Buddhist immersion
Berkeley, Calif. (USA) -- Waking up in the peaceful stillness of the
California wilderness, he remembers that it is his turn to cook
breakfast. After a few inventive attempts at waking his roommate, they
work together to cook pancakes for the rest of the volunteers. Sand mandala for centre in Petaling JayaPetaling Jaya, Malaysia -- For the first time, four nuns from the Kopan Nunnery in Nepal will come over to Losang Dragpa Centre (LDC) here to recreate a sand mandala from Feb 8 to Feb 20. Read more Subdued but UnbowedPakokku, Burma -- A 35-year-old, slender, dark man with a long face wearing a white shirt and longyi is sitting in a teashop opposite a A-Nauk Taik, a famous monastery in western Pakokku. Read more Chinese New Year cheer at Jenjarom’s Dong Zen TempleBANTING, Selangor (Malaysia) -- With Chinese New Year just 10 days away, the festive cheer at Dong Zen Temple in Sungai Jenjarom, Selangor, is in full swing. Read more A Chaitya to be built in Birmingham Maha Vihara, UKBirmingham, UK -- For the first time in the history of England a full scale Sri Lankan style Chaitya is to be built at the Birmingham Maha Vihara in the Midlands. Read more Thai institute invents mosquito-repellent robe for monksBangkok, Thailand -- A Thai research institute has developed mosquito-repellent robes targeting the kingdom's 400,000 Buddhist monks, who are prohibited from killing all animals including pesky insects, insect, media reports said Wednesday. Read more First board meeting of Nalanda university set for FebruaryPatna, India -- A plan of action for setting up the ambitious Nalanda International University modelled after the famed ancient seat of Buddhist learning in Bihar is set to be chalked out during the first board meeting in February, an official said on Wednesday. Read more Tibetan Buddhist Mandala In Process At CathedralPhiladelphia, Penn. (USA) -- It's not a typical artwork. It doesn't fit into contemporary models of abstraction, representation or self-expression, drawing instead on 2,500-year-old traditions and symbolism. It contains no paint, no paper, no clay, just careful layers of brightly colored sand. The highly trained artist did not attend a top-tier art school, but studied at a monastery in India. And no conservationist will ever worry about the artwork's longevity; in another week it won't exist. Read more Which Temple Follows The Way?Beijing, China -- In recent years, Shaolin monks from China have gained an international reputation for their physical endurance and feats of kung fu skill. Shaolin monk troupes have toured the world, and Shaolin temples have become a common destination for foreign travelers, with some staying for extended periods. Read more Buddhist blessings in South FloridaHOMESTEAD,
Florida (USA) -- Between the alligator-infested Florida Everglades and
the craziness of Miami Beach lies a peaceful center surrounded by
tomato and fruit farms. Lessons beyond the templeBangkok's Mahachulalongkorn-rajavidayalaya University (MCU) has launched an undergraduate programme in Buddhist art to ensure the survival of temple murals and sculpture. Read more Buddhists offered a home: Mansfield Zen Center's founder 'here to support'MANSFIELD, OH (USA) -- Michael Minock, founder of the Mansfield Zen Center, is reaching out to other Zen Buddhists who would like to practice with him. Read more China Cracks Down on Tibetan Buddhism Ahead of OlympicsBeijing, China -- Chinese authorities in Tibet have recruited more than 140 Tibetan youths to perform traditional dances at the forthcoming Beijing Olympics, even as they impose new curbs on Buddhist culture in the Himalayan region, sources there say. Read more How to establish Peace and Security in BurmaParis, France -- Two venerable Buddhist abbots, U Pannya Vamsa, from Penang and U Uttara from London, are journeying on a worldwide tour, which includes Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, India, Europe and the United States to gain support from leaders around the world for political change urgently needed in urma. Read more Malaysian Buddhist Buried As Muslim After DisputeKUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- An ethnic Chinese man received a Muslim burial after a court ruled against the wishes of most of his family members, who maintained Friday he never converted to Islam. Read more Quest for enlightenmentRoanoke, Virginia (USA) -- Michael Love admits that his practice of Zen Buddhism isn't something he's likely to mention in casual conversation. The 27-year-old Virginia Tech graduate student isn't shy about his beliefs; it's simply hard to find others who share an interest. Read more Buddhist monks walk through Fairfield County to promote peaceWILTON, CT (USA) -- Standing in a circle holding hands, about a dozen people silently prayed before chanting a Buddhist prayer at the Quaker Meeting House in Wilton on Wednesday night. Read more Cambodian History Writ Large At AngkorSIEM REAP, Cambodia -- This country's most famous temple may be 900 years old, but the message it sets out to convey is timeless: Angkor Wat is all about glory. The temple is one of hundreds built by kings of the Khmer Empire to commemorate themselves and their empire, as well as to worship their gods. But Angkor Wat stands out from the rest -- in artistry, in scale and in popular imagery. Read more Dharamsala Diary: The Right to Be Reborn DeniedLhasa,
Tibet (China) -- There’s a new law in force in China these days that
says the Chinese authorities in future would choose reincarnating
Tibetan lamas. Partly in anticipation of such a move and mostly to keep
pace with the changing times, the Dalai Lama said he has been toying
with different methods to choose his successor. Monks in town to size up the soleGrass Valley, Nevada (USA) -- For the eighth straight year, monks from the Gaden Shartse monastery in southern India are visiting Grass Valley as part of their annual U.S. tour. Read more Taipei
Taiwan -- It's a magical, if slightly surreal, moment. We're standing
in the courtyard of the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan,
surrounded by 480 identical gold statues of Buddha, listening
attentively to the softly spoken words of one of the monks, the
Venerable Yi Jih. The early evening light is just starting to fade and
there's not a breath of wind. Venerable companyTaipei
Taiwan -- It's a magical, if slightly surreal, moment. We're standing
in the courtyard of the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan,
surrounded by 480 identical gold statues of Buddha, listening
attentively to the softly spoken words of one of the monks, the
Venerable Yi Jih. The early evening light is just starting to fade and
there's not a breath of wind. Bangladesh: The Army attacks Buddhism to facilitate illegal settlement in the Chittagong Hill TractsChittagong
Hill Tracts, Bangladesh -- On 25 January 2008, indigenous Jumma peoples
are scheduled to hold a large religious gathering at Sarnath Arannyo
Kuthir, a Buddhist temple at Karallyachari in Khagrachari Hill district
of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs). Bhikkus battle tobacco, alcohol lobbiesColombo, Sri Lanka -- Sri Lanka's Buddhist monks see their fight against tobacco and alcohol abuse as more urgent than the war that the Government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa is prosecuting against the LTTE. Read more German FM says ties with China will improve, strained over Dalai Lama visitBERLIN (AP) - Germany's foreign minister on Tuesday welcomed what he called a return to "normalization" of relations with China, following several strained months triggered by Chancellor Angela Merkel's reception of the Dalai Lama. Read more We are India's first line of defence but Han influx a grave threat: Dalai LamaNEW DELHI, JANUARY 21: The Dalai Lama, the spiritual head of the Tibetans, today said he was open to the idea of his successor being a female as the “very purpose of the reincarnation, male or female, is to carry out the unfinished tasks of the previous life.” The unfinished task, he later said, was seeking “meaningful autonomy” for the Tibetan people from the Chinese government. Read more Shaolin monks bring schools to Bay AreaFREMONT, CA (USA) -- All it took was one Jet Li kung fu movie for Shi Yanran to know what he wanted to do, way before he was all grown up. Read more Newly democratic Bhutan in a tight spotMADRAS, India — Bhutan is now a democracy. Its transition from a monarchy to a democracy has been smooth. The tiny country, where Buddhism is the state religion, has been applauded by the world for changing with the times, and not waiting to be pushed like Pakistan, which has stubbornly refused to adopt democratic ideals despite enormous pressure from the United States. Read more G.S.UNNIKRISHNAN, The HinduNew Delhi, India -- Amherstia nobilis, locally known as Simsapa, is one of the sacred trees of India. It belongs to the family Caesalpiniaceae. Read more The public face of BuddhismCasper, Wyoming (USA) -- When most of us in North America think about Buddhist monks, we are likely to conjure an image of ochre-robed contemplatives engaged in quiet meditation. Read more Walking For PeacePORTLAND, Oregon -- Hannah Kluger has noticed that demonstrations of peace are not always met in kind. Ladakh: Faith in numbersLeh, Ladakh (India) -- Buddhists of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir are having trouble making matrimonial choices. Read more Another monk found dead in DeonarMUMBAI, India -- A Buddhist monk from Gautam Nagar in Deonar committed suicide by consuming pesticide on Friday evening. The suicide note left behind by him did not blame anyone, however, the police have deployed more officials in the vicinity and other sensitive Dalit areas because Friday’s incident came only a days after the death of another Buddhist monk. Read more Buddha Mahotsava endsGAYA, India -- The three-day Buddha Mahotsava, aimed at attracting foreign tourists/pilgrims and market Bodh Gaya as an important international tourist destination, ended around midnight on Thursday. The Mahotsava was jointly organised by the tourism department of the state government and Gaya district administration. Read more Official: Video Destroyed in Shock CaseBOSTON (AP) — A special education school destroyed videotape showing two of its students being wrongly given electric shock treatments despite being ordered to preserve the tape, according to an investigator's report. Read more Couple could hold clues to Buddhist monk's deathA couple who tried to save a Buddhist monk from dying under a lawn mower could hold valuable information about what happened. Read more What happened to Buddhism in India?The fact that Buddhism disappeared from India over a period of about 800 years is not in doubt. Starting right from the great days of Buddhism after Emperor Ashoka gave the most almighty push, a combination of incorporation within Hinduism, emergence of Jainism, the invasions of the Muslims, the sectarian splits between various Buddhists sects, etc. all meant that we do not see Buddhism in India as seen in other countries. But this theory that Brahmins and/or Hinduism eradicated Buddhism does not quite hold. Read more Foreign monks distribute blankets among the poor in Bodh GayaBodh
Gaya, Bihar (India) -- A group of foreign monks distributed nearly two
thousand blankets among the poor and the needy during the ongoing
‘Buddha Mahotsava’ here. Hundreds protest facelift for Buddhist holy townPatna, India -- Fearing displacement and loss of livelihood if the government's master plan for Bihar's Buddhist holy town of Bodh Gaya is implemented, hundreds took out a silent march to protest the proposed facelift of the town that is visited by thousands of tourists every year. Read more Ayutthaya under threat of delisting by UnescoAyutthaya, Thailand -- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) will soon send experts to evaluate the status of the world heritage sites in Thailand. Read more South Korean President-elect seeks reconciliation among religionsSeoul, South Korea -- President-elect Lee Myung-bak pledged Wednesday that he would help preserve Buddhist cultural heritage with policy measures during his presidential tenure. Read more Burma: Monks Call for Unity and StrengthBangkok,
Thailand -- “The year 2008 must be the year for change in Burma,” said
U Uttara, secretary abbot of the International Burmese Monks
Organization, at a meeting with civil society groups at the Student
Christian Centre in Bangkok in Thailand on January 15. Monks honor Everest conqueror Sir Edmund HillaryBlowing brass pipes and hitting cymbals, Lamas, the holymen from Nepal's Sherpa climbing community, braved the morning mist and gathered in an ancient monastery in a Kathmandu suburb to pray for Hillary's rebirth. Read more Monk's words stir the spirit of Myanmar's resistanceSagaing, Myanmar -- In one of his most talked-about lectures, Buddhist monk Ashin Nyanissara tells the legend of a king who ruled more than 2,500 years ago. The king believed that spitting on a hermit brought him good fortune. Read more Venerable Van Ly Obituary and Funeral ServiceVan Ly Lowell, Buddhist Monk for two decades; 90 LOWELL Buddhism forced to turn trendy to attract a new generation in JapanTokyo, Japan -- Dressed in dark cotton robes, a bracelet of prayer beads hanging from his wrist, Gugan Taguchi certainly looks the part. But as he kneels to chant a sutra before an altar in the corner of the room, the people around him continue to chat, and his rhythmic prayers can only just be heard above a Blue Note jazz track. Read more China's Spiritual AwakeningIn early December, Beijing's in-crowd converged on the central business district for the opening of the Kunlun gallery. Sipping Veuve Clicquot and Mumm champagne, the real estate tycoons, stock market warriors, and Prada-clad celebrities gawked at Ming Dynasty Buddhist statuary and 15th century scroll paintings. Read more Bon, Buddhism or both - What do we Bhutanese believe?11 January, 2008 - While we in Bhutan may be Buddhists in faith, it seems that we are more Bon in our daily rituals. In the past, because of our lack of understanding of Bon, we simply relegated it to the villages (cf earlier Kuensel article written by Rinzin Wangchuk), where animals were sacrificed and Yul lhas worshipped. But Bon actually constitutes more than that. Read more Buddhist abbot is face behind Ask a Monk online serviceCLEVELAND, Ohio (USA) -- When the Ven. Shih Ying-Fa parks his 5-foot-10-inch frame before the computer in his home office, he never knows who will be seeking his help. Read more Thai monk collects skulls in homage to buffaloBANGKOK, Thailand -- The grounds of the 260-year-old Hua Krabeu temple on the outskirts of Bangkok look like a place where water buffalo go to die. Read more Growing calls for South Korean priests to pay taxesSEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean authorities Monday faced growing calls to force religious leaders to pay income tax following TV reports publicising the luxurious lifestyles of some of them. Read more What does Alms mean?Alms or almsgiving exists in a number of religions. In general, it involves giving materially to another as an act of religious virtue. In Abrahamic religions, alms are given as charity to benefit the poor. In Buddhism, alms are given by lay people to monks to nurture laic virtue, merit and blessings and to ensure monastic continuity. The word comes from Old English ælmesse, ælmes, from Late Latin eleemosyna, from Greek eleEmosynE pity, alms, from eleEmOn merciful, from eleos pity. Read more Thai monks blocking ordination of women
Bangkok, Thailand -- Theravada Buddhism in Sri Lanka has stepped
forward. Tibetan Buddhism is ready to take the plunge. But the Thai
Buddhist clergy still prefer to live in the Dark Ages when it comes to
female ordination. Cambodian religious officials dismayed at theft of ancient statuePhnom Penh- The daring theft of a 13th-century bronze Buddha statue from one of Cambodia's most important pagodas was an attack on the nation's culture of Khmer Rouge proportions, the nation's most venerable Buddhist monk said Wednesday. Supreme Patriach Tep Vong said by telephone that the theft had robbed the country of an important piece of its heritage and was a direct attack on the Buddhist religion by the perpetrators. Read more
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