Category: Dharma & Society
Watch – New Videos and Resources on Reckoning With Abuse in Buddhist Communities
Confronting systemic abuse within spiritual communities is important for individual and community alike. That's why Damchö Diana Finnegan, co-founder of the Dharmadatta Community, has launched a series of interviews that aim to help us face and understand abuse and how to promote community accountability and justice for survivors. Freshly updated with new videos
When Refuge in Another Sangha on MLK Day Was No Longer Enough
Tanya Marie Bonner shares the journey of creating an annual program to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day at her home sangha.
The King We Need: Martin Luther King Jr., Moral Philosopher
He was even more than the civil rights leader he is remembered as today. Charles R. Johnson looks at how Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of America's greatest moral philosophers.
How Buddhism Met Science: A Monastic Scholar’s Journey
Dhondup T. Rekjong shares the journey of Geshe Thabkhe, a Tibetan monastic scholar at the intersection of the ongoing dialogue between Buddhism and modern science.
Buddhas and bodhisattvas inspire at Norton Simon Museum’s “Benevolent Beings”
Lion’s Roar associate editors Mihiri Tillakaratne and Noel Alumit visit the “Benevolent Beings” exhibition at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California.
Sexual Ethics and Healthy Boundaries in the Wake of Teacher Abuse
Scholars Ann Gleig and Amy Langenberg look at how Buddhist sanghas have responded and evolved in response to the ethical breaches of the past few decades.
Daisaku Ikeda, President of Soka Gakkai International, dies at 95
Daisaku Ikeda, the president of Soka Gakkai International, a global Buddhist association that practices the teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, died November 15 at the age of 95.
How Learning Tibetan Changed the Way I Think
Translator Estefania Duque shares her journey studying Tibetan, revealing how language shapes the mind, influences perspective, and offers spiritual inspiration.
Through the Digital Veil: Inside the World of VR Meditation
Can virtual reality deepen contemplative practice? Ross Nervig dons a headset and explores the promise and peril of mesmerizing worldscapes.
Kazuaki Tanahashi: Painting Peace
Explore this selection of art and Buddhist wisdom to give hope in a time of global crisis by artist, peace and environmental worker, and renowned calligrapher, Kazuaki Tanahashi.
The Zen of Jane Hirshfield
When we live in the liminal state, the place of listening, of not-knowing, then everything draws near to us, becomes kin. Noelle Oxenhandler on the words and wordlessness of the renowned American poet Jane Hirshfield.
Wandering…But Not Lost: Director Paul MacGowan on Capturing Mingyur Rinpoche’s Wandering Retreat
Martine Panzica talks to director Paul MacGowan about the making of the documentary film “Wandering...But Not Lost,” which chronicles Mingyur Rinpoche's remarkable four-and-a-half year wandering retreat.
Dharma Relief announces “Healing Racial Trauma Through Buddhist Communities” Fellowship recipients
The fellowship aims to provide Black dharma teachers and leaders with resources to “carry on their profound work of offering healing and support through a Buddhist lens for African-descendant communities in the U.S.”
Hip-hop artist and meditation teacher Born I releases new album “AMIDA”
Born I’s September release, “AMIDA,” is an “introspective blend of Buddhist philosophy, Lofi elements, and Eastern modalities.”
Barbie’s Journey to Enlightenment
In the Greta Gerwig-directed "Barbie," the iconic doll embarks on a pink-hued journey toward enlightenment not unlike the historical Buddha’s. Jennifer Keishin Armstrong explores how "Barbie" serves as a meditation on consciousness, impermanence, and the true nature of reality.
The Dharma of Barbie
Karen Maezen Miller was torn when her daughter entered the Barbie stage. But what was worse—the doll’s commercialism or Mom’s grownup judgments?
Psychedelics and Spirituality: Exploring the Intersection at Psychedelic Science 2023
In June, the largest psychedelic conference in history, Psychedelic Science 2023, brought together a diverse group of experts to explore the scientific, therapeutic, and spiritual potential of psychedelics. Jason Moscow reports.
Liberation for All Women
What are the challenges for today’s Buddhist women, and how can they be overcome? Mihiri Tillakaratne discusses these pressing questions with Lama Karma Chotso, Arisika Razak, Sharon Suh, and Brooke Schedneck.
Why Buddhists Should Celebrate Juneteenth
Pamela Ayo Yetunde reflects on why Buddhists of all backgrounds should celebrate Juneteenth, a US federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.
The Capacity to Care About More Than Ourselves
Susan Bauer-Wu explains that in order to find solutions to the climate crisis, we must first prioritize compassion.