Buddhism
Happy birthday, Buddha! Why the founder of Buddhism has so many different birthdays around the world
By Megan Bryson — May 24, 2023
(The Conversation) — Buddha’s birthday has not always been a major holiday for Buddhists, but is now celebrated in diverse ways throughout Asia.
For 25th year, State Department reports on threats, triumphs in religious freedom
By Adelle M. Banks — May 16, 2023
(RNS) — The report, which assesses conditions in 199 countries, also looks at policies and laws, including those about blasphemy and apostasy, that ‘criminalize religious expression.’
Meditative mothering? How Buddhism honors both compassionate caregiving and celibate monks and nuns
By Liz Wilson — May 12, 2023
(The Conversation) — The lines between family life and Buddhist monasticism are not so ‘either/or’ as they might seem.
White House to host its third-ever Vesak ceremony
By Jack Jenkins — May 4, 2023
(RNS) — This year ambassadors from nations such as Cambodia, India and Nepal are slated to participate.
Faith leaders ask Biden to mark Mother’s Day with prayer day against gun violence
By Adelle M. Banks — May 3, 2023
(RNS) — Fellowship of Reconciliation leaders, who organized the letter, also pointed out ties that have been found between Christian nationalism and opposition to gun control legislation.
Repression of women points to worsening religious freedom trends abroad
By Nury Turkel and Abraham Cooper — May 3, 2023
(RNS) — Denying religious freedom and women’s rights go hand-in-hand.
Tibetan Buddhist monastery, once all nuns, makes room for monks
By Tracy Simmons — April 26, 2023
Coed Tibetan Buddhist monasteries are rare, and the abbey’s newest senior teacher said the mix has taken some getting used to.
A grain farmer applies Buddhist principles to preserve the land — and maximize taste
By Shaina Shealy — April 12, 2023
(RNS) — Food and farming have always served as outlets for Mai Nguyen’s Buddhist practice. But a decade ago the Californian applied the faith's teachings of interconnectedness to a holistic approach to farming.
This holy season in six faiths is a rebuke to Christian nationalism
By Paul Brandeis Raushenbush — April 10, 2023
(RNS) — If this nation does not provide full rights for believers of all faiths, I don’t want any part of it.
Dalai Lama apologizes after video shows him kissing boy
By Associated Press — April 10, 2023
DHARAMSALA, India (AP) — Social media users condemned his behavior, but a statement from the Buddhist leader said, “His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras."
Dalai Lama identifies the reincarnation of Mongolia’s spiritual leader – a preview of tensions around finding his own replacement
By Brooke Schedneck — April 5, 2023
(The Conversation) — Beijing is eager for more control over the selection of Tibetan Buddhist leaders like the Dalai Lama.
Faith leaders and religious groups voice opposition to Biden’s plan to restrict asylum
By Alejandra Molina — March 29, 2023
(RNS) — The new rules mirror restrictions set forth by the Trump administration that were eventually blocked in court by migrant activist groups.
It’s Lord Ram’s birthday this week. Here’s why he’ll be remembered in six faiths.
By Murali Balaji — March 28, 2023
(RNS) — This week, millions will mark the birth of one of the most iconic figures in global lore.
Report: LGBTQ Americans tend to be younger and have no religion
By Bob Smietana — March 23, 2023
(RNS) — The new report from PRRI also found that many religious Americans support LGBTQ nondiscrimination rights, even those who oppose same sex-marriage.
Discrimination based on caste is pervasive in South Asian communities around the world – now Seattle has banned it
By Aseem Hasnain and Abhilasha Srivastava — March 8, 2023
(The Conversation) — Two social scientists explain how caste-identities are pervasive in not just Hinduism but other South Asian faith groups as well.
