Since the 14th century, merchants have plied the waters between the ports of Singapore and Calcutta (now Kolkata) in India. In 1818, Sir Thomas Stamford
The exciting and thought-provoking new book “Shifting Stones, Shaping the Past: Sculpture from the Buddhist Stupas of Andhra Pradesh,” by University of Illinois assistant professor
(First published on May 23) A gentleman of culture is ideally one well travelled. But a government official who facilitates friendship between two countries has
“When a revelation is communicated by a supernatural entity that is reported as present during the communication, it is called a vision.” – Michael Freze, Voices, Visions, and
There are a number of important Buddhist archeological sites located in what is present-day Bangladesh. Historically, Bangladesh was once part of greater India and known
Behind the daily activities of the world’s Buddhist communities, a quiet milestone is being reached. This inconspicuous revolution will reach a climax on September the
Glimpses of living history often surprise us with their suddenness, their whimsical appearance in the hands of an unsuspecting discoverer. And it often requires many
One of the mysteries of Buddhist history is the 400-year absence of an anthropomorphic image of the Buddha. Early scholars argued for a period of
Editor’s note: Eisel Mazard is a P?li scholar who has travelled extensively through Southeast Asia. In this interview, he shared with me his personal struggles
Perhaps no religious icon is as widely used and well-known as the image of the Buddha seated in meditation. Yet one of the curiosities of
Who doesn’t recognize the Buddha? His image appears these days on watches, tennis shoes, t-shirts – nearly any kind of manufactured product you might think
The gentle face of the Buddha is respected and loved across the world. However, this famous image has mysterious origins, and didn’t appear as an
