If there is one man alive today who is arguably the most universally recognized symbol of Buddhism it is Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama.
Travelers to Japan notice the impressive gates that mark Shinto shrines, in Japanese, torii, as well as the shimenawa, referring to a type of rope made from
On 19 February, my partner Olivier Adam and I took part in the ceremonies for the Tibetan New Year, or Losar, at Geden Choeling Nunnery
The New Year is a time when many of us naturally reflect on our hopes and intentions for the year to come. It is a
The three-month rains-retreat seclusion of Buddhist Saṅgha concludes with the pavāraṇā (invitation) ceremony, which is in turn followed by Kaṭhina robe offering festival. It is a traditional
This article is the second in a series of three that explains more about the practice of rains-retreat (vassāvāsa), which is then followed by the Kathina ceremony.
“When the rainy season has come and it is raining, many living beings are originated and many seed just spring up. … Knowing this one
Editor’s note: Stella Peters is a writer/photographer from Amsterdam who focuses on inequality and human interest stories. She is currently studying anthropology in an Advanced master’s programme
Ka?hina and Ka?hina kusala What is meant by Ka?hina? The Pali term ‘Ka?hina’ means: strong, strength, hard, solid, rigid, powerful, firm, inflexible, and stiff. Therefore, Ka?hina kusala means: ‘very strong
