The United Nations (UN) Day of Vesak, commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, was celebrated in Melbourne at the Melbourne Town Hall on 23 May and in Sydney at the Bryan Brown Theatre in Bankstown, west of Sydney, on 30 May.

Choyu Otani, a former physicist, has been named the new head priest (monshu) of the Jodo Shinshu tradition’s Otani denomination.

The Dalai Lama has appealed to fellow Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to speak out on behalf of the Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar. “The Lady,” as the former pro-democracy activist is respectfully called, has yet to comment on one of Myanmar’s most serious human rights and humanitarian crises in recent memory.

KATHMANDU, Nepal -- Around 200 Buddhist monks and nuns were killed when about 1,000 monasteries collapsed in the massive April 25 earthquake and subsequent aftershocks in Nepal, according to authorities.

Our Voices and Green Faith are inviting young Buddhists across the world to participate in the upcoming “Emerging Leaders Multi-faith Climate Convergence” in Rome from 27 June to 1 July. This will be a unique opportunity to train emerging Buddhist leaders in a faith-based approach to facilitating positive environmental change. 

Panel looks at challenges of training Buddhist ministers to meet the needs of todayCambridge, MA (USA) -- Harvard University was founded in 1636 to establish “a learned ministry.” Nearly four centuries later, Harvard Divinity School (HDS) works to produce a learned ministry for modern times.

On Saturday 30 May, The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, located near Bendigo to the northwest of Melbourne, will hold their third annual “Festival of Light.” 

The Dalai Lama has argued that interfaith dialogue is necessary to neutralize extreme or intolerant expressions of faith. The remarks were made in an interview with a round table of journalists during a visit to Japan on 8 April.

On Sunday 26 April, Buddha Bodhivana Monastery (BBM) celebrated the opening of its newly completed Dhammacakka Hall with a ceremony and the installation of Buddha relics inside the main statue. The ceremony was presided over by Venerable Phra Thep Pariyattimangala (Luang Por Opart), who came to Australia from Thailand especially for the event.

Refugee, healer, author, meditation teacher, Buddhist nun, bodhisattva—these are just some of the descriptions of Venerable Dr. Kimle Kalsang. Born into a family of traditional Chinese doctors in Vietnam, Ven. Kalsang fled the communist regime in 1975. She survived a perilous journey on a fishing boat and landed in America in 1979. The new land was a culture shock for the young woman from a poor Vietnamese village, with no money, no family, no friends, and no English skills. To top it all, she found that with no proper documentation, her skills as a doctor were not recognized. Overcoming her initial depression, the fiercely determined Ven. Kalsang set out to earn her accreditation afresh. Refusing government handouts, she took various menial jobs to support herself, and after five years of hardship, was once again able to practice as a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Embodying the true bodhisattva spirit of Tibetan Buddhism, Ven. Kalsang has touched and healed many with her deep compassion and medical skills. She has written several books on spiritual development and holistic healing, and has appeared on many television and radio shows. Moreover, on International Women's Day 2014, she was presented with the Outstanding Women in Buddhism Award. Amidst her busy schedule on a recent visit to Singapore, Ven. Kalsang recently shared some of her insights with Shuyin on behalf of Buddhistdoor.