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On 8 April, Buddhist temples across Japan commemorate the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, founder of Buddhism. The festival features small shrines called hanamidō (花御堂) or flowers pavilion, which worshipers decorate with flowers, typically peonies and Japanese irises. The hanamido shelters a statuette standing in a large shallow bowl and is covered and surrounded with flowers.

It's a strange fact that those who live closest to wonders of the world, like the Great Barrier Reef of Australia or the Taj Mahal of India, often take no notice of them at all. These incredible places become too familiar; they seem too accessible and their magic is somehow lost. People seem to think they can learn about the wonders so close to them at any time, but so often never get around to making a start.

The precise origins of Mahayana Buddhism are something of a mystery

In the world of Theravada Buddhism, a solemn and reflective period known as Vassa marks a three-month annual retreat observed by devout practitioners. This sacred tradition unfolds during the wet season, spanning from July to October. As the end of Vassa approaches, Buddhists prepare to mark a significant day known as Pavarana Day, which carries the purpose of atonement and renewal.

In the Alagaddupama Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya 22), the Buddha uses the metaphor of a raft to represent the Dharma. The raft is a tool to help us cross the river of suffering and reach the other shore, which symbolises Nirvana or liberation.

The monastic orders of Buddhism in North East India have always been renowned for their peaceful serenity and spiritual doctrines. However, in recent times, they have evolved into environmental custodians, merging their religious values with a deep-rooted obligation towards the environment.

The Dalai Lama on April 21 participated in a global Buddhist conference hosted by India. The Tibetan spiritual leader attended the second day of the event here and addressed delegates from 30 countries which include monks, Buddhist scholars and practitioners and heads of Buddhist organisations from across the globe.

The International Buddhist Confederation, (IBC) supported by the Indian Ministry of culture, will be hosting the Global Buddhist Summit (GBS) on 20-21 April at the Ashok Hotel. The aim of the conference is to focus on a Buddhist response for dealing with the most pressing challenges the world is facing.

One of the most interesting processes of transformation concerns Buddhist nationalism, which has gone through at least three periods, this according to Professor David Moe, of Yale University, who hails from Chin State, a mostly Christian state.

Buddhism Is Losing Its Voice in Asia

Buddhism was imported to Japan via China and Korea in form of a present from the friendly Korean kingdom of Kudara (Paikche) in the 6th century. While Buddhism was welcomed by the ruling nobles as Japan's new state religion, it did not initially spread among the common people due to its complex theories.

Lumbini, Nepal -- As is well-known, Lumbini is the first of the four major holy places of Buddhism, it being where the person who was to become the Buddha was born.

Seoul, Korea -- BTN launched an English YouTube channel to further propagate Korean Buddhism (K-Buddhism) to the globe. BTN has been a pioneer in propagating K-Buddhist content globally and has taken the initiatives in planning and development, classifying various contents, translations, and securing multiple translation supervisors.

How can Buddhism disappear in Asia? The Chinese government was not able to destroy Tibetan Buddhism from the outside. 

The history of Buddhism in Tibet begins with Bon. The Bon religion of Tibet was animistic and shamanistic, and elements of it live on today, to one degree or another, in Tibetan Buddhism.

Chief prelates believe they have a historical responsibility to guide the nation out of its economic crisis

​(CNN) Thich Nhat Hanh, a prominent Vietnamese Buddhist monk, peace activist and leading voice in opposition to the Vietnam War, has died at Tu Hieu Temple in Hue, Vietnam. He was 95.

Vesak is the most sacred holy day of Theravada Buddhism. Also called Visakha Puja or Wesak, Vesak is an observation of the birth, enlightenment, and death (parinirvana) of the historical Buddha.

The Huayan or Flower Garland school of Mahayana Buddhism is respected to this day for the quality of its scholarship and teaching. 

Theravada is the dominant form of Buddhism in most of southeast Asia, including Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. It claims about 100 million adherents worldwide. 

For nearly two millennia, Buddhism has been divided into two major schools, Theravada and Mahayana. Scholars have viewed Theravada Buddhism as "original" and Mahayana as a divergent school that split away, but modern scholarship questions this perspective.

Buddhism first reached Tibet in the 7th century. By the 8th-century teachers such as Padmasambhava were traveling to Tibet to teach the dharma. In time Tibetans developed their own perspectives and approaches to the Buddhist path.

WASHINGTON, D.C., December 24, 2020 (Religion News Service): Among the hodgepodge of legislative loose ends that made their way into the $900 billion spending bill passed by Congress on Monday night (Dec. 21) was a significant update to the 18-year-old Tibetan Policy Act, strengthening U.S. support for Tibetan autonomy and religious freedom for followers of Tibetan Buddhism around the globe.

As we approach our next retreat on “Sustainability, Mindfulness and Community Life” at the European Institute of Applied Buddhism (EIAB) in Germany from March 31st to April 3rd...

Buddhist teachings like any other religions, tries to influence its followers to do good and be morally and ethically correct according to the interpretation of its teachings. In many other countries, over time, some of these religious rules and teachings are interpreted and incorporated into the nation secular laws or becomes laws in themselves.