The two most senior surviving leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia were found guilty of genocide in court Friday, BBC reports. This guilty verdict marks the first ruling given by the UN-backed tribunal, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, that what the regime did was genocide as defined by international law. The main Khmer Rouge ideologist Nuon [...]
Buddhist teachers respond to American Zen pioneer Bernie Glassman’s death
The influential Zen teacher Bernie Glassman died Sunday morning in Massachusetts. He was 79 years old. A number of Buddhist teachers have taken to social media to share their appreciation for and memories of Glassman, a vibrant character who had a significant influence on American dharma. Read their words below, and a selection of his teachings on Lion's Roar. Roshi [...]
Kuan Yin’s Compassion
Each Friday, we share three topical longreads in our Weekend Reader newsletter. This week, LionsRoar.com's associate editor Lilly Greenblatt looks at the bodhisattva of compassion, Kuan Yin. Sign up here to receive the Weekend Reader in your inbox. Last year, before going on a week-long retreat in a foreign country, a friend of mine was particularly nervous about the journey [...]
Buddhist leaders pen open letter encouraging Americans to vote
The letter urges Buddhists across America to "express your commitment and respect for the innate dignity and worth of all" by voting in the midterm elections on November 6. Nearly 130 Buddhists teachers and leaders have signed an open letter to Buddhists across America in an effort to increase voter turnout at polling stations this election season. The effort, Mindful [...]
Largest collection of Tibetan Buddhist literature now available on Internet Archive
The world’s largest collection of Tibetan Buddhist literature is now available on the Internet Archive. The Buddhist Digital Resource Center (BDRC) and Internet Archive (IA) announced the collection last week, which they say is the "most complete record of the words of the Buddha available in any language." Since its founding in 1999, BDRC has located, digitized, and [...]
New York Zendo Shobo-ji celebrates 50th anniversary
New York Zendo Shobo-ji (NYZ), one of the first Zen Buddhist temples established in the West, will mark its 50th anniversary with a three-day celebration this weekend, September 14 to 16. NYZ, located in Manhattan, was opened by the Zen Studies Society (ZSS) in 1968. ZSS, which also includes the Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-Ji monastery in the Catskill mountains, was founded to [...]
Independent investigation confirms “physical, sexual, emotional abuse” by Sogyal Rinpoche
An independent investigation into allegations against the Tibetan Buddhist teacher Sogyal Lakar (known widely as Sogyal Rinpoche), founder of the Rigpa community, has found that he committed acts of “serious physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.” The report by law firm Lewis Silkin details multiple allegations of physical, sexual, emotional and psychological abuse, as well [...]
Karmapa planning return to India after year-long stay in United States
In an interview with Radio Free Asia's (RFA) Tibet Service, the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje said he plans to return to India following his year-long stay in the United States. In October of last year, canceled a trip home to India following a general health check-up in New York that revealed medical issues. He addressed his extended stay in the United States via a live [...]
Ohio Buddhist temple destroyed by fire
A Buddhist temple in Hancock County, Ohio was destroyed by fire on Friday night, reports The Courier. The fire was reported by a passing motorist shortly after 11 p.m. A Buddhist monk who lives on the property unlocked the temple for firefighters, who reported that flames were shooting through the roof when they arrived. A total of 37 firefighters from four departments [...]
Philip Glass, Wayne Shorter to receive Kennedy Center Honors
“Right here in this group of five, you have the whole picture," said Glass of this year's group of honorees. Two artists influenced by Buddhism, composer Philip Glass and jazz legend Wayne Shorter, will receive the 2018 Kennedy Center Honors, Rolling Stone reports. As the Kennedy Center's website reads, the honors recognize exceptional artists who have made enduring [...]
