A Buddhist Prayer for Peace in Kyiv

Shortly before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a small group of Buddhists, affiliated with the Nipponzan-Myōhōji-Daisanga, gathered in Kyiv’s majestic Mikhailovska Square to pray for peace, chant the Lotus Sutra in the Nichiren tradition of “Namo myoho-renge-kyo,” and call for an end to Russo-Ukrainian hostilities. The Nipponzan-Myōhōji-Daisanga is a Nichiren-aligned movement founded in 1917, consisting […]

Kumarajiva Project: A 60-year Tibetan-Chinese Translation Initiative from Khyentse Foundation

Statue of Kumarajiva outside the Kizil Caves. From China Discovery There are two “buzzwords” in the Buddhist world today. One is obviously mindfulness and has dominated contemporary discourse for decades. The other is translation, and despite being overshadowed by mindfulness to some extent actually remains one of the most important activities of the global Buddhist […]

Resolutions of Character

“Resolution” has several meanings. The commonly held definition, particularly at the turn of each New Year, is the idea of committing to doing something differently, to improve oneself. Yet people often forget the other definition that needs to accompany this kind of resolution: the resolution denoting a strong will, the idea of perseverance and tenacity. […]

Is Pure Land Buddhism a “Mystic” Tradition?

A groundbreaking conference between Teresian sisters and priests and Buddhist scholars and monastics has just concluded at the University of Mysticism in Avila, Spain. During our time here among new friends and Carmelite masters, I had the chance to visit many churches in the Old City (the UNESCO-listed complex behind the grand walled fortifications) and […]