Latest Buddhism News
Buddha's birthday: When is it and how is it celebrated in different countries?
The birthday of the historical Buddha or Shakyamuni Buddha, known as Vesak in several countries, celebrates the birth of the child who became Prince Siddhartha around the end of the 4th century B.C. This is a holy occasion for all Buddhists, but is celebrated on different dates depending on the...
AP PHOTOS: Lotus Lantern Festival draws thousands in Seoul to celebrate upcoming Buddha's birthday
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Holding umbrellas and pink paper lotus flowers, thousands of South Koreans joyously filled the wet streets of Seoul in an annual festival anticipating Buddha’s birthday the coming week. Despite the rain, organizers expected a turnout of around 50,000...
Lama Rod describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. He wants to free you from suffering
ROME, Ga (AP) — Instead of traditional maroon and gold Tibetan Buddhist robes, Lama Rod Owens wore a white animal print cardigan over a bright yellow T-shirt with an image of singer Sade, an Africa-shaped medallion and mala beads — the most recognizable sign of his Buddhism. ...
Rohingya who moved to island in Bangladesh are learning job skills, says Japanese charity chief
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Japan's Nippon Foundation will spend $2 million to help move tens of thousands more Rohingya refugees to a remote island in Bangladesh and provide them with skills training, the charity's chairman said. Speaking to The Associated Press on Sunday after a...
AP Week in Pictures: Asia
March 22-28, 2024 Lawyers file a lawsuit against the presidential election results in Indonesia, Thailand tries to help displaced people in Myanmar, and the Myanmar military holds the annual Armed Forces Day parade. Christian, Muslim and Buddhist devotees participate...
Buddhists use karmic healing against one US city's anti-Asian legacy and nationwide prejudice today
ANTIOCH, Calif. (AP) — For one afternoon, on Antioch’s main street and tranquil riverbank, the fragrance of burning incense was paired with the sound of Buddhist and Tao chants. Their cumulative calming energy was meant to be a balm of sorts to soothe the racial and religious hate that cast a...
A California city wrestles with its history of discrimination against early Chinese immigrants
ANTIOCH, Calif. (AP) — In 1939, after attending the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco, Alfred Chan and his friends were headed back home to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. “They got really hungry and decided to stop halfway in Antioch for a meal,” his son...
Tep Vong, the leader of Cambodia's Buddhist community, dies at 93
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Tep Vong, the senior monk who headed Cambodia’s Buddhist community and was vital for its rejuvenation in the wake of the Khmer Rouge genocide in the late 70s, has died. He was 93. Cambodia's Ministry of Cult and Religion said Tep Vong died Monday...
Solemn monument to Japanese American WWII detainees lists more than 125,000 names
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Samantha Sumiko Pinedo and her grandparents file into a dimly lit enclosure at the Japanese American National Museum and approach a massive book splayed open to reveal columns of names. Pinedo is hoping the list includes her great-grandparents, who were detained in Japanese...
