On the 55th anniversary of Thich Quang Duc's self-immolation, Edward Tick shares what he has learned from his pilgrimages to the site of the monk's famous protest. Fifty-five years ago, on June 11, 1963, in a heavily trafficked intersection in downtown Sai Gon, the 67-year-old Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc self-immolated. Thich means “most revered” — a title given only [...]
Study suggests Tibetan Buddhist monastics have an above-average fear of death
In a study, researchers were surprised to find that Tibetan monks and nuns in showed much more fear of death than other participants. On January 22, the journal Cognitive Science published a paper comparing attitudes toward self and the fear of death between different groups. Participants in the studies included non-religious Westerners, Hindus, Christians, lay Tibetans, [...]
Chinese officials taking over administration of Tibetan Buddhist institute Larung Gar
Human Rights Watch says the Chinese government is imposing control and surveillance throughout religious communities, to "micromanage" religious institutions. Chinese officials are taking over the administration of one of the world's largest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, with a plan to put Communist Party officials in charge of the institute, [...]
First-of-its-kind nuns’ training to take place in Washington State
On January 22, Fifty Buddhist nuns from nine countries will meet at Sravasti Abbey, near Newport, Washington, for a 16-day training program on the Vinaya, the code of Buddhist monastic discipline. Living Vinaya in the West is the first training program offered in the U.S. for Western nuns with English translations and resources. Ven. Master Wuyin, founder and abbess of [...]
Why Forms are Fundamental to Buddhist Practice
Embrace the ritual forms of Buddhist practice, says Buddhadharma deputy editor Koun Franz — you can't escape them anyway. A friend and I were discussing a retreat she’d recently attended at a large monastery when she sighed and said, “I just love monks and nuns.” I asked why. I don’t know what answer I expected, but it wasn’t the one I got: “They’re the only ones,” she [...]
Pema Chödrön on how to enjoy life
In an exclusive interview with Pema, conducted at her home, Gampo Abbey, in Nova Scotia, she talks about what it means — and why it’s important — to enjoy our lives. From Lion’s Roar’s Pema Chödrön: A Special Collector’s Edition. I notice there's a sign in the entrance to Gampo Abbey that says "Enjoy Your Life." We don't usually think of that as a spiritual [...]
Buddhists bring meditation to the streets and subways of NYC
A new organization called Buddhist Insights is helping New Yorkers meditate in all manner of surprising places — and to make friends with their surroundings. And they're garnering attention, too. New Yorkers may not think of the city's gritty streets as a place to find inner peace, but a new group called Buddhist Insights is aiming to change that. “There’s this idea [...]
Why Larung Gar, the Buddhist institute in eastern Tibet, is important
There is nothing quite like ascending the slope into Larung Buddhist Academy from the rough road to remote Serta. After rounding a narrow bend, the valley opens out and red log cabins, housing monastics, line the surrounding hills on all sides. Two large assembly halls, one for nuns and one for monks, tower above the modest and sometimes makeshift cabins built along winding [...]
Twenty Tibetan Buddhist nuns are first ever to earn Geshema degrees
Equivalent to a Doctorate in Buddhist Philosophy, the Geshema degree represents the highest level of training in the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism -- a level of training previously only available to men (in whose case the degree would be a Geshe degree). But that's changed now that twenty Tibetan Buddhist nuns have become the first to pass all the exams necessary to earn [...]
Demolition of half of world’s largest Tibetan Buddhist institute to begin July 25th
As previously reported by Lion's Roar, Larung Gar, the largest Tibetan Buddhist institute in the world, situated in southwestern China’s Sichuan province, was recently threatened with demolitions by the Chinese government. Now, a date has been set. Demolitions at Larung Gar Buddhist Academy will reportedly begin July 25th following China's demands to demolish 50 [...]
