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Larung Gar, in Serthar, northern Tibet Now online: Britain's Daily Mail treats us to an extensive image gallery of Larung Gar , a remote settlement in northern Tibet that has mushroomed into one of the largest Buddhist institutions in the world. Shot by Japanese photographer Shinya Itahana during several visits in both summer and winter, the photos are both sweeping and intimate. Larung Gar was founded in 1980 by one of the most influential lamas who chose to stay in Tibet, Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok, and at its height, his teachings would draw upwards of 100,000 people. In 2001 the Chinese government bulldozed 70% of the structures, but as these photographs show, Larung Gar has been rebuilt and is even more vast than before. After Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok's passing in 2004, manny of Larung Gar's leadership duties fell to his niece, Ani Mumtso. Her presence has drawn thousands of Buddhist nuns to take up residence there. Click here to view all the images. Photo by Shiny

Rabkar Wangchuk, "Spiritual Mind and Modern Technology," 2013. Image courtesy Samuel Dorsky Museum. A rare exhibit of contemporary Tibetan art will be on display later this year at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at the State University of New York, New Paltz. The show, entitled Anonymous , features more 50 works of painting, sculpture, installation, and video art by 27 artists living in Tibet and in diaspora. These will include many works from the private collection of Shelley and Donald Rubin (founders of New York's Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art) never before exhibited. The show opens July 20 and runs through December 15. According to curator Rachel Perera Weingeist, "It is only roughly in the last ten years that a contemporary Tibetan visual culture has galvanized." The museum's press material further explains: "Anonymity and self-expression are commonly polarized values and artistic goals within the global art market. In traditional Tibetan

PBS is again offering appointment TV revolving around the Buddha. (You may recall director David Grubin's 2010 epic, Richard Gere-narrated documentary, The Buddha , which traced the journey of Prince Siddhartha from opulent palace life to full spiritual awakening.) On Tuesday, July 23, a new episode in the series Secrets of the Dead, entitled "Bones of the Buddha," will air from 10 to 11 p.m. EST (check your local listings), preceded by a rebroadcast of The Buddha from 8 to 10 p.m. EST. "Bones of the Buddha" tells the tale of rival archaeologists and whether a casket they unearthed contains some of the actual remains of Shakyamuni Buddha as enshrined in a stupa in India nearly 2,600 years ago. Historian Charles Allen (who penned a fascinating book on amateur British Orientalists of the Raj, The Buddha and the Sahibs: The Men Who Uncovered India's Lost Religion ) leads viewers deep into the mystery of whether these relics are an elaborate hoax or an aut

New from The Under 35 Project: A practitioner's thoughts on grief, death, and the loss of a parent. By Christa Joy . In her last days of life, we tended to Mom as though she were able to feel us, hear us, and experience the sensory world with us. Hospice had told us to continue on as though she could hear what we were saying. We sat with her, cleaned her, spoke to her, but she was in her own internal world. We'd already had our last meal together, our last shared conversation, our last laugh. Time had shifted from things we did together to things we were forced to do apart. And that separation widened. Just two weeks earlier, the hospice nurse reminisced with Mom about their earliest meetings in our living room. "Remember Jen, when I asked you if you had any goals for your end of life? And you said, 'Do I have to?'" They both laughed. Knowing Mom for only a short while, the nurse knew that she was speaking with someone who was done with her life's wo

Teaching in Dharamsala , HP, India on July 1 & 2: His Holiness will give a two day teaching on Tsongkhapa's The Three Principal Aspects of the Path (lamtso namsum) and confer a Medicine Buddha Empowerment (menlha jenang) at the request of a group of Vietnamese at the Main Tibetan Temple. There will be only one morning session per day from 0800 am to 1200 noon and no afternoon session. Contact Website: www.phaphoi2013dharamsala.com Teaching in Hunsur, Karnataka, India on July 13 & 14: His Holiness will confer a two day Yamantaka Initiation (dranak chusum wang) at Dzongar Chodhe Monastery. Teaching in Dharamsala , HP, India from August 25 to 27: His Holiness will give a two and a half-day teachings on Tsongkhapa's Concise Treatises on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment ( lamrim dudon) and An Overview of Tantra from Tsongkhapa's Stages of the Path of Mantrayana (ngakrim chenmo chishe) at the request of a group of Koreans at the Main Tibetan Te

Teaching in Dharamsala , HP, India on July 1 & 2: His Holiness will give a two day teaching on Tsongkhapa's The Three Principal Aspects of the Path (lamtso namsum) and confer a Medicine Buddha Empowerment (menlha jenang) at the request of a group of Vietnamese at the Main Tibetan Temple. There will be only one morning session per day from 0800 am to 1200 noon and no afternoon session. Contact Website: www.phaphoi2013dharamsala.com Teaching in Hunsur, Karnataka, India on July 13 & 14: His Holiness will confer a two day Yamantaka Initiation (dranak chusum wang) at Dzongar Chodhe Monastery. Teaching in Dharamsala , HP, India from August 25 to 27: His Holiness will give a two and a half-day teachings on Tsongkhapa's Concise Treatises on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment ( lamrim dudon) and An Overview of Tantra from Tsongkhapa's Stages of the Path of Mantrayana (ngakrim chenmo chishe) at the request of a group of Koreans at the Main Tibetan Te

News is emerging that China, just three months after the swearing in of new president Xi Jinping, is in the initial stages in Tibet of tentatively loosening long-standing bans on Tibetans displaying and venerating images of HH the Dalai Lama. Citing British rights group Free Tibet, Reuters reports that the 1996 ban has been lifted at one of Tibet's largest monasteries, Ganden, located in Tibet's capital of Lhasa. At the same time, Bloomberg says that Radio Free Asia has broadcast that such restrictions on display of the Dalai Lama's image are being eased throughout the eastern provinces of Sichuan and Qinghai. According to the Bloomberg piece, Radio Free Asia also quotes a Qinghai resident that officials there are no longer under standing orders to denounce the Dalai Lama. Robbie Barnett, director of the Modern Tibet Studies Program at Columbia University, underlined the importance of this step: "Denigrating the Dalai Lama, insulting him, attacking him, basin

(Poster for 969 movement in Burma) A recent Time magazine article reported on the radical, anti-Muslim views being preached by the Burmese monk, U Wirathu. A vocal minority, however, still supports this man masquerading as a peaceful, Buddhist monk. There are those who say that U Wirathu isn't personally involved in any violence but he certainly is stoking hatred among some in the 969 movement with his speeches and sermons. The 969 movement is a Buddhist-nationalist movement that promotes sectarianism by encouraging Buddhists to avoid Muslim-owned shops. This extremist group is being blamed for burning Muslims businesses and even mosques leaving their "969" symbol painted on the burned-out buildings. To be sure, not all Buddhists, nor members of the 969 movement are engaging in violence, but to think Wirathu's Muslim hate-speech has no influence on fueling hateful violence against Islamic communities is to live in denial. So, what do I mean by "

Photo credit: Jeekc Earlier this month on our Facebook page , we shared some news that anthropologist and primatologist Jane Goodall , our current-issue Q&A subject, would be happy about — that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service had proposed that "all chimpanzees, those in the wild and in captivity, be listed as endangered species — a move that could end the use of chimps in medical research." Now, just a couple of weeks later, the National Institutes of Health has issued a statement announcing that they will in fact  "substantially reduce the use of chimpanzees in NIH-funded biomedical research and designate for retirement most of the chimpanzees it currently owns or supports." Additionally, the NIH will seek to minimize the impact of research upon remaining chimpanzees. This is, at least, a step in a positive direction. Read the full NIH statement here . (You can read an excerpt of "For Love of Nature," Andrea Miller's Q&A with Go

Rev. Jay Rinsen Weik of Great Heartland Buddhist Temple of Toledo reports on the Gen X Dharma Teacher Gathering held earlier this month in Escondido, California. Recently, a historic gathering of Gen X teachers of the Buddhadharma occurred at Deer Park Monastery in California. This retreat and conference was for western teachers — of any recognized Buddhist lineage that offers refuge in the Buddha, dharma, and sangha — born between 1960 and 1980, and for whom teaching is a major life direction. The mornings began with silent meditation practice followed by a practice led by representatives from the different lineages. The rest of the day was designed to offer opportunities for safe and candid conversation among the participants around topics that they found compelling. These conversations were about diversity, holding teachers accountable, dealing with difficult dharma topics, sustaining ourselves, different views about the increasing prevalence of secular mindfulness, dealing

The Gyalwang Karmapa's office has announced a major initiative to radically improve the education of Buddhist nuns, particularly those in his own Karma Kagyu tradition, following a two-day meeting he convened with the leaders of eight nunneries from across Himalayan Asia. While the nuns' study curriculum is being brought up to the high standards enjoyed by the monks, Gyalwang Karmapa will establish the Arya Kshema Winter Debates, named for the female disciple of Shakyamuni Buddha "foremost…in wisdom and confident eloquence." "'Women and men are equally responsible for upholding the Buddhadharma,' the Gyalwang Karmapa said, explaining his reason for undertaking this initiative. 'It is very clear within the Dharma taught by Lord Buddha that women and men were given equal opportunities and equal responsibilities for practicing and transmitting his teachings.'" Read More @ Source

Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche Mangala Shri Bhuti has no small ambition for this year's Nyingma Summer Seminar in Ward, Colorado. From July 13-21 they're offering "A Celebration of the Entire Buddhist Path," with live teaching from Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, Dungse Jampal Norbu, Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel and, on July 18, Ven. Pema Chodron. Attendees will receive two teachings daily, integrating them through meditation and small group discussion. Those unable to attend can register for live video or audio streams. Click here for complete info. Read More @ Source

Photo by Kaboo Vang. Naima Mora , a former contender on TV's "America's Next Top Model," will be delivering a talk called "Everyone is a Buddha" during tomorrow's TEDxSacramento event, taking place from 8am to 5pm at Sacramento City College's Performing Arts Center. And while "Buddha" is a word many feel free to use lightly, Mora doesn't seem to be so cavalier. In this interview , Ms. Mora says, "I'm a Buddhist and I am always working everyday bringing forth the best part of myself." She also shares messages of positivity ( "Perception: What We Think is What We Believe," "Life and Death: What Matters Most," ) on her website and on the Huffington Post . Maybe she'll reveal more about her practice in her upcoming book, Model Behavior , due out in August, or in the lyrics of the band she fronts, Galaxy of Tar, whose progressive and complex music you can hear via this link, this link . Read Mo

Via seeingfresh.com comes our Contemplative Photo of the Week: About this week's pick, shot by user Angelique, Seeing Fresh's curator Andy Karr writes, "It evokes a Rutger Hauer line from Blade Runner , 'All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.' It's a wonderful example of fresh seeing." For more about the practice of contemplative photography — a method for working with the contemplative state of mind, seeing the world in fresh ways, and expressing this experience photographically — visit Seeing Fresh . Read More @ Source

Photo: William Struhs You may know and love Damon Albarn's rough lilt as former frontman for Britpop sensations Blur. But did you know he composed a Buddhist-themed opera based on a classic 16th c. Chinese novel? Monkey: Journey to the West , follows the surreal, allegory-rich adventure of the Monkey King and his companions—gluttonous Pigsy and the repentant, formerly murderous General Sandy—as they accompany the virtuous monk Tripitaka on a quest for the Buddhist scriptures in India that will save China.  (More, with a Monkey trailer, after the jump.) This elaborate production, with live sets and animation backdrops designed by Albarn's Gorillaz collaborator Jamie Hewlett, features Chinese acrobats, contortionists, and martial artists romping through heavenly worlds, the White Skeleton Demon's lair, volcanic cities, and a fateful encounter with the Buddha himself. Set to Albarn's score, it all adds up, according to The Guardian , to "a high-octane, 90-minut

13th c. wooden deity sculpture, artist unknown Bill and Libby Clark, California cattle and almond magnates, have bequeathed a massive Japanese art collection, valued at $ 25 million, to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. According to Buddhist Art News , "Nearly 1,700 objects spanning 1,000 years — paintings, sculpture, ceramics, woodblock prints, bamboo baskets — represent the biggest gift ever to the museum, and will transform it into one of the country's largest and most comprehensive centers of Japanese art." MIA will display 120 selected objects from the Clark collection from Oct. 6, 2013, to Jan. 12, 2014, in " The Audacious Eye ," offering "unusually rich and personal insights into the scope of Japanese art and the nature of connoisseurship." To explore further, visit the Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture . Read More @ Source

-- "The bodhisattva vow is the commitment to put others before oneself. It is a statement of willingness to give up one's own well-being, even one's own enlightenment, for the sake of others."  The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa, Volume Three , edited by Carolyn Rose Gimian. © 2003 by Diana J. Mukpo. Published by Shambhala Publications. Published in the November 2006 Shambhala Sun magazine ( click here for link to the full Shambhala article ). Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva [Jizo] famously said, "Not until the hells are emptied will I become a Buddha; not until all beings are saved will I certify to Bodhi [enlightenment]." According to an excellent article in The New Yorker magazine, by Larissa MacFarquhar titled, Last Call: A Buddhist Confronts Japan's Suicide Culture , a Japanese, Buddhist priest, of the name, Ittetsu Nemoto has become the embodiment of that bodhisattva vow by offering refuge to the suicidal in Japan. In order to

by Aarti Dhar, The Hindu, June 23, 2013 Leh, Ladakh (India) -- Buddhist spiritual leader Kyabje Thuksey Rinpoche has said the government should give more attention to Buddhist as its followers are along the international borders and are crucial for national security. << Kyabje Thuksey Rinpoche was receiving the trophy of Green Hero from the Honourable 12th President of India, Pratibha Patil in Hong Kong, 2010 (File pic) "I feel the (Indian) government pays less attention to Buddhist as compared to others. We always pray for the country and its borders are protected by the followers of Drukpa Order of Buddhist, who are settled along the international boundaries," the Rinpoche said during an interaction with a group of visiting reporters. Rinpoche is ranked second in the Drukpa lineage hierarchy of Tibetan Buddhist, which is the most predominant Order of Buddhist in India and has a large number of followers in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and

Today, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was officially struck down as unconstitutional. As The New York Times reports , "The Supreme Court issued a pair of rulings Wednesday expanding gay rights, ruling unconstitutional a 1996 law denying federal benefits to legally married same-sex couples and clearing the way for California to legalize same-sex marriage." That state, of course, remains under the controversial Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage there, but as the Times goes on to say, "many legal analysts say that same-sex marriages are likely to resume there in a matter of weeks." To that end, we want to point you to "Happily Ever After," a beautiful piece that our friend, the great (and California-based) writer Steve Silberman , honored us with back in 2009. As Steve writes, "Keith and I weren't planning on starting a gay marriage revolution, outraging the religious right, or even committing a noble act of civil disobedience

Shambhala Sun and Buddhadharma online contributor Konchog Norbu takes a look at reactions to the ongoing news of anti-Muslim violence and other negative acts attributed to Asian monks. It's been a tough couple of weeks for the image of Asia's Buddhist monks. In addition to a video that went viral seeming to show some Thai monks living a jetset lifestyle (Asian Correspondent insists that's just the " tip of the iceberg "), Time Int'l 's July 1 cover story, mentioned here last week , depicts the somber face of Burmese monk U Wirathu under the blaring headline, "The Face of Buddhist Terror." The Burmese government deemed the cover, and Hannah Beech's attendant story about how a growing nationalist element within Burma's monastic sangha is stoking anti-Muslim resentment and violence, enough of a national security threat that it has now banned the issue's sale within Burma . Nonetheless, the story has quickly spread, provoking th

"According to the Buddha's teaching, it is as wrong to hold the view 'I have no self' (which is the annihilationist theory) as to hold the opinion 'I have self' (which is the eternalist theory), because both are fetters, both arising out of the false idea 'I AM.' The correct position with regard to the question of Anatta is not to take hold of any opinions or views, but to see things objectively as they are without mental projections, to see what we call 'I,' or 'being,' is only a combination of physical and mental aggregates, which are working together interdependently in a flux of momentary change within the law of cause and effect, and that there is nothing permanent, everlasting, unchanging and eternal in the whole of existence." The above extract is from a wonderful book by the Venerable Doctor Walpola Rahula. To download a free pdf copy of the book, click here:  What the Buddha Taught For another quote from the book, click

Photo: Jessica Sledge, 2013 Last February, we encouraged Buddhadharma readers to consider supporting the Koans and Performance Project in raising the funds necessary to mount an interdisciplinary theater work. Looks like the investment paid off: We Are Still Here , a contemporary "music-theater essay" riffing off the Perceval legend, and incorporating the zen koan methods employed by John Tarrant at Pacific Zen Institute, will premiere at San Francisco's CounterPULSE this July 5 and 6. Full info and tickets here . Read More @ Source

Amanda Palmer performing in 2008. Photo by Mykal Burns! In a new piece for The Quietus, Amanda Palmer — she of the "Cabaret Punk" act Dresden Dolls, and more recently a solo artist — talks about mindfulness meditation and also one of her favorite books, Only Don't Know , the first collection of letters between Korean Zen master Sung Sahn and some of his students: "I've probably bought that book a dozen times and gifted it to people who were in need. I don't give them [a copy of] How To Understand The Music Business ; I give them the Seung Sahn letters. [...] These are kids in the sixties and seventies. The problems are all the same.  It takes no intellectual stretch to read these letters that these kids wrote to their Zen teacher, or a teacher they saw at a talk. And he writes back these beautiful, considered, really great, no-bullshit answers about what's important." Palmer also addresses her former employment as a stripper. She wasn't ju

Homepage » News » Moved by Tragedy in Uttarakhand, His Holiness the Dalai Lama Expresses Sympathy and Contributes to Relief Funds » June 24th 2013 Dharamsala, HP, India, June 24, 2013 - In letters to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna His Holiness the Dalai Lama expressed his sadness at the loss of life and property as a result of unprecedented flooding and landslides during heavy monsoon rains in Uttarakhand. His Holiness, having just returned to India from an extended visit to New Zealand and Australia, expressed his deep condolences to the families who have lost loved ones in this calamity. As a token of sympathy, The Dalai Lama Trust is making contributions to the relief efforts of both the state and central governments. Read More @ Source

It's easy to get frustrated with ourselves when we have difficulty practicing the   Dharma. I sometimes remark how it is easier to fall into bad habits than good ones. Why, is this? Well, personally, I believe a lot of it involves our primitive brains. Despite our advanced level of evolution and consciousness, the human brain is still a product of samsara . It is, therefore, flawed like any other aspect of samsara . According to neuropsychologist, Dr. Rick Hanson , the brain is like "velcro for negative experiences but Teflon for positive ones." The scientific analysis is that this evolved from the days when we lived a primitive existence that depended upon recognizing dangers, and threats to survival. He gives the example of "carrots and sticks." We have two options, risk reward (carrots) or avoid dangers (sticks) The brain evolved to realize that missing a reward (food) doesn't necessarily portend  immediate disaster. There will be more carrots (food

Author ( The Buddha Walks into a Bar ) and Shambhala Sun contributor Lodro Rinzler is set to launch his latest venture: the Institute for Compassionate Leadership . Designed for those in their early 20's, the ILC will integrate executive coaching, mentorship, "authenticity training," and job-placement networking under one umbrella, with the aim that those completing the training will be part of a new generation "empowered with tools to create lasting positive change in the world." Rinzler drew the inspiration to found the ILC from his best college friend Alex Orent, described as a compassionate advocate for social change who channeled that energy into Barack Obama's senatorial and presidential campaigns before his life came to an untimely end in 2012. Applications for the ILC's first round of trainees are being sought and, according to recent communication from ILC staff, "The institute is committed to supporting every qualified applicant who

Sumi Loundon Kim, author of "Why I Quit Facebook" (from our July magazine ) starts your week with a lighthearted moment, reflecting on two surprising little dharma teachers who've come into her life. Kittens, like children, alternate between being little monsters of destruction and adorable bundles of cuteness. In one moment our two kittens can be tearing around the house, knocking down ornaments from the Christmas tree or clawing their way up curtains. In the next, they can be cuddling up on my chest, begging for love, and purring their warmth into my heart. Thus, in one moment I am irritated as all hell and regretting we ever adopted these damn cats for our children, and in the next I am a puddle of gushy coos. But the greatest test of finding equanimity with these demon-angels has come during my daily meditation. Every day, around 2:00pm, I sit for about 20 minutes, trying to follow my breath and watching my mind. This is also the hour that the most sunlight c

Eleven Myanmar, 21 June 2013 Yangon, Myanmar -- July issue of Time Magazine has portrayed Myanmar Buddhist monk U Wirathu as a cover and labeled as "the face of the Buddhist terror" . It has been criticized by all level of facebook users with their point of views. Most of the people have felt that it was an insult to Buddhist. Based on public opinions, the comments have been made as follow: << Buddhist monk U Wirathu. Is he the face of "Buddhist terror"? Kyaw Min Swe, Chief Editor of the Voice Daily    I am not happy with Time's cover story. It is inappropriate to label a person for religion. How much evidence do they have to prove that U Wirathu has been involved in violence? I do not agree with this matter. It doesn't matter wherther I like him or not. It could impact on Myanmar and its religion how the Time's represent that news. I think there is something behind the story. Neither does it meet journalistic ethic because it is using rel

AP June 21, 2013 Yangon, Myanmar -- UPON seeing his photo on Time magazine's cover with the words "Face of Buddhist Terror," Burma's most-talked-about monk was said it wouldn't hurt him. << Wirathu, a Buddhist monk from Mandalay, whose anti-Muslim remarks have come under recent scrutiny The 46-year-old is accustomed to - even flattered by - the foreign reporters who steadily parade through his monastery in the city of Mandalay to ask about religious violence that has swept his predominantly Buddhist nation in the last year - fuelled in no small part by his anti-Muslim rhetoric. Nearly 250 people have died and tens of thousands have fled their homes, threatening to destabilise the quasi-civilian government that came to power just two years ago after five decades of military rule. "A genuine ruby will shine," said Wirathu, "even if you try to sink it in mud." New freedoms of speech have made it easier to disseminate radical views,

by Ven, S. Dhammika, http://sdhammika.blogspot.com/2013/06/dhamma-or-ethnic-buddhism.html?m=1, June 22, 2013 Singapore -- Buddhism is my religion and has been for nearly 43 years. I consider the Buddha to have been the greatest mind in human history. I believe that the Dhamma is the closest humanity has come to ethical and spiritual perfection. I have been teaching Dhamma for about 25 years and  I have never got tired of it, and I still discover aspects of  it that I had not noticed before. As an outgrowth of all this I have also developed a deep interest in Buddhist societies and cultures and have been fortunate enough to visit nearly every region where Buddhism prevails. During my travels I have generally found Buddhists to be open, gentle, generous and kindly folk. But I am not blind. As samsaric beings Buddhists have their defilements just as people of other faiths do. They are capable of being stupid and greedy, prejudiced and uncaring, provoked and provoking, self-cent

Editorial, The Buddhist Channel, June 24, 2013 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- Many never saw this coming, especially for those professing a faith which advocate teachings such that killing even a mosquito brings bad karma. Buddhists the world over can only gasp with astonishment when Time Magazine decided to "honor" a Buddhist by plastering him on its hallowed cover. U Wirathu, a monk from Burma became that face, and together with it a headline that says "The face of Buddhist terror". "Buddhist" above "terror". When and how did it come to this? Many will decry this as a sweeping statement. Isn't this merely a Burmese issue? Why tarnish all Buddhists when the problem is specifically Burmese and its perpetrator a twisted monk – who labels himself Burmese Bin laden - with mind engulfed in narrow nationalism? And yet the crass labeling by Time magazine is sweeping. With its global outreach, that stigma will stay, whether Buddhists of Bu