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Monastic crackdown in Vietnam
The Buddhist Channel reports that the recent expulsion of 379 monks and nuns from a Buddhist monastery in Northern Vietnam has sparked debate about the Vietnamese government's testy relationship to Vietnamese Buddhism. Since Thich Nhat Hanh's 2005 visit to the country—his first in nearly forty years—the monastic residents of Bat Nha Monastery, affiliated with Thich Nhat Hanh, have lived free of government interference. More » -
No Obama for Dalai Lama
As previously mentioned here, the Dalai Lama will visit Washington DC without meeting with the President for the first time since 1991. This has surprised many, but Clinton never officially received the Dalai Lama in Washington either. His Holiness had to wait until the George W. Bush era to get an official reception. About Dubya, the Dalai Lama famously said just last year, "I love President Bush, because he is very frank, very straightforward. More » -
Is it OK to fist bump the Dalai Lama?
Yesterday the Mayor of Memphis, Tennessee, Myron Lowery, made headlines when he chose to greet the Dalai Lama with a fist bump. Though the Dalai Lama appeared to take the gesture in stride, laughing and offering his own fist, Lowery has received a flurry of criticism. In response Mayor Lowery fired back with an open letter defending the actions that his critics have deemed "inappropriate" and "disrespectful": I had been told by his representatives that the Dalai Lama had a wonderful sense of humor, and would enjoy the exchange. Indeed, he did. More » -
Is it a problem that Obama won't meet with the Dalai Lama?
"A White House delegation" met with the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala yesterday and conveyed the President's respect for the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, but when the Dalai Lama comes to Washington in October, the President is not scheduled to meet with him. Every President since George H. W. Bush has met with the Dalai Lama while in office. Is it a problem that won't be? He'll certainly have more chances. Obama is going to Beijing in November, and some say he will meet with the Dalai Lama immediately after that. Does this political dance say anything new about the state of the world today, or is it just politics as usual? [Image: Copyright © 2009 AFP] More » -
Dalai Lama to visit region at heart of Sino-Indian conflict
As previously mentioned on this blog, the region of Tawang, near Bhutan, is located in disputed territory: both China and India claim it, though India currently contorls it. Birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama and home to a large Tibetan Buddhist monastery, the region's Tibetan flavor and culture makes it a particular thorn in China's side. Now comes the news, that, hard on the heels of his visit to Taiwan, the current (14th) Dalai Lama is preparing to visit Tawang in November. China objects. "China doesn't need to worry about the trip. More » -
Chan Tea Ceremony
Tea and Chan (Japanese: Zen) Buddhism go back a long ways. Tea leaves are said to have sprung from Bodhidharma's eyelids when he cut them off to remain awake, and the tea ceremony has been an integral part of Japanese culture and religion ever since. In fact, it was a Buddhist monk, Eichu, who brought tea to Japan after a visit to China. Now Chinese Chan Buddhists are working to rediscover the place of tea in their practice. A two-month long Chan-tea culture Festival just wrapped up at Tanzhe Monastery in Beijing: Tea drinking has always been part of the history of Tanzhe Temple and can be traced back to the Western Jin Dynasty (265-316) when the temple was first built. More »
