Category: Buddhadharma
On Taking Refuge
Lama Hun Lye explores the importance of the Three Refuges to Buddhists, and what it really means to “take refuge.”
Dancing the Dakini Chöd Cham of Machig Labdrön
Dancer and journalist Karen Greenspan takes us on her journey to learn the traditional dance of the Tibetan Buddhist Chöd practice of Machig Labdrön. The practice empowers female practitioners in Bhutan, sustains the tradition in both the Himalayas and the West, and showcases how we can preserve cultural and spiritual traditions.
Attitudes are shifting about Buddhism and Psychedelics
Matteo Pistono reports from the 2025 “Psychedelic Buddhism” conference, held in person at NYC’s New School University and streamed online. The thinking has evolved and is no longer “fringe.”
Where Concentration and Insight Meet
Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche guides us on a short meditation on the nature of breath. Also included is a helpful reflection on how we can use the breath to understand the nature of impermanence by Edwin Kelley.
The Roots of Goodness: Zen Master Dōgen’s Teaching on the Eight Qualities of a Good Person
Read a review of The Roots of Goodness: Zen Master Dogen’s Teaching on the Eight Qualities of a Good Person by y Eihei Dogen Zenji, commentary by Kosho Uchiyama Roshi, translated with an introduction by Daitsu Tom Wright, plus an excerpt courtesy of its publisher, Shambhala Publications.
Sacred Places, Sacred Teachings: Following the Footsteps of the Buddha
Read a review of Sacred Places, Sacred Teachings: Following the Footsteps of the Buddha by Khenchen Konchog Gyaltsen, plus an excerpt courtesy of its publisher, Wisdom Publications.
How USAID Cuts Will Impact Buddhist Countries and Communities
Cuts to USAID will have far-reaching consequences worldwide. Here's how Buddhist nations, communities, and refugees might be affected.
Exploring AI and Buddhism: A Conversation with Khyentse Vision Project
Buddhadharma's Mariana Restrepo interviewed KVP's Dolma Gunther, Casey Forgues, and Zack Beer about AI's impact on Buddhism and its significance for translators and practitioners.
Gyalo Thondup, brother of Dalai Lama and major voice for Tibetan freedom, dies at 97
His Holiness the Dalai Lama remembered his influential brother and advisor as "a good man who did his best for the Tibetan cause."
Readings of the Gateless Barrier
Read a review of Readings of The Gateless Barrier, the new book by of Jimmy Yu (Guo Gu), plus "What Is a Gong-an?", excerpted and shared courtesy of its publisher, Columbia University Press.
Let Us Be Brave
Rev. Blayne Higa on how to bring more light and wisdom to a world where greed, anger, and ignorance threaten to compromise, or even consume, us all.
How Buddhist Mandala Offering Practice Works – And Why
Mandala offering, an integral part of the foundation, or ngöndro, practices of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism, allows us to harness positive karmic forces through relentless generosity. Loppon Yudron Wangmo explains how these practices help create favorable conditions for spiritual growth and removes obstacles on the path to awakening.
Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village monastery loses building to fire, seeks funds to rebuild
The building was where Thich Nhat Hanh, the monastery's late founder, had his room, a "sacred space where he rested after Dharma Talks, welcomed guests for tea, guided his students, listened to chanting, signed books, and relaxed in his hammock."
Cynicism, Nihilism, and the Bodhisattva
It’s natural, says John Negru, for even a bodhisattva to be discouraged by the state of our world. Here he shares some hard-won encouragement for sticking with the dharma for the long haul and for the benefit of all beings.
Buddhism: A Journey Through History
Read a review of Donald S. Lopez, Jr.'s new book, Buddhism: A Journey Through History, plus an excerpt courtesy of its publisher, Yale University Press.
From Eternity to Eternity: Memoirs of a Korean Buddhist Nun
Read Constance Kassor's review of Bulpil Sunim's From Eternity to Eternity: Memoirs of a Korean Buddhist Nun.
Nepal’s Shechen Monastery ends affiliation with Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi
The monastery announced the news via a statement released January 8.
The Sorrow of Life is Fuel for Our Awakening
Inspired by the life and poetry of Kamo no Chōmei (1155-1216), Zen Buddhist practitioner David Chang explores the value of cultivating inner stillness while also bearing witness in times of crisis and upheaval.
Queens Without a Kingdom
In her book "Queens Without a Kingdom Worth Ruling: Buddhist Nuns and the Process of Change in Tibetan Monastic Communities," Chandra Chiara Ehm explores the often-overlooked lives of Tibetan nuns, highlighting the social and institutional challenges they encounter. Read an excerpt, courtesy of Vajra Books.
Are There Any Who Are Not Beginners?
Teachings by Master Dogen from Beyond Thinking: A Guide to Buddhist Meditation, a collection of translations edited by Kazuaki Tanahashi.