Boston, MA, USA, 31 October 2014 - Today, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was welcomed by his old friends, Richard Davidson and President of the Mind & Life Institute Arthur Zajonc as he arrived to take part in the 2nd International Symposium for Contemplative Studies (ISCS). In his introduction, Dr Davidson spoke of his feelings as he looked out at the audience of 1700 in the hall recalling how few were involved 27 years ago when he, Daniel Goleman and Francisco Varela began discussions that would become the Mind & Life Institute. Representatives of 23 countries were present today in a body of interested people twice the size of the first meeting of ISCS.

Princeton, NJ, USA, 28 October 2014 - Yesterday, on his way from Birmingham, Alabama to Princeton, His Holiness the Dalai Lama stopped in Philadelphia to visit his old friend Aaron Beck. Dr Beck is a psychiatrist regarded by many as the father of cognitive therapy. His Holiness frequently refers in his public talks to a conversation they had some years ago. Dr Beck explained then that when we are angry about something, the object of our anger seems entirely negative and yet 90% of that feeling is our own mental projection. This valuable insight corresponds to Nagarjuna’s explanation. Both Dr Beck, who is 94, and His Holiness were happy to be able to meet again.

Birmingham, Alabama, 26 October 2014 - Before leaving for his other engagements this morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama met with 350 Tibetans who came to Birmingham from Atlanta, New York, New Jersey and Minnesota to show solidarity with him. Speaking about possible change in China, he argued that while the present leadership is made up of people who remember the hardships of the Cultural Revolution, there is a new generation who have experienced freedom and democracy when studying abroad. He feels that when these people come to power there will be change. Although some democracy activists expect this to come soon, His Holiness feels that may be wishful thinking. He thinks it may take another 10-15 years. In the meantime, young Tibetans both in Tibet and elsewhere need to acquire a good education so that Tibetans will be able to stand on their own feet when the opportunity arises.

Vancouver, BC, Canada, 24 October 2014 - Before leaving Vancouver at the end of his four day visit to Canada, His Holiness the Dalai Lama met with 10 Canadian MPs from the Parliamentary Friends of Tibet.

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 23 October 2014 – In a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada, His Holiness the Dalai Lama expressed his shock at the senseless acts of violence that took place in Ottawa yesterday, including an attack on the Parliament, resulting in the loss of life and injury.

As the culmination of fifteen years of planning and preparation, the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) conducted a Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony for its Maitreya Project today in Kushinagar, India, the sacred pilgrimage site of Shakyamuni Buddha’s parinirvana.

Every year, Triratna’s European Chairs’ Assembly (ECA) awards a number of small grants from its Growth Fund. This year five grants were made, to a total of GBP 3,575. Your Centre, group or project may like to consider applying next year.

On 19 September, the Center for Buddhist Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, announced this year’s winners of the Toshihide Numata Book Prize: Erik Braun, professor of Religious Studies at the University of Oklahoma, and John K. Nelson, professor of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of San Francisco. With a value of US$10,000, the Toshihide Numata Book Prize is awarded annually to writers of outstanding books in English on any area of Buddhist Studies.

A non-profit private school in Eugene, Oregon, has taken an innovative step in educating the city’s young minds. Saraha Children's School is incorporating traditional Buddhist methods and studies into its academic curriculum. Shambhala Sun's news site reports that the school not only introduces students to meditation, but that the classroom ties in “language and practices of compassion, wisdom, and peace.”

Thekchen Chöling, Dharamsala, India, 8 October 2014 - Today, the 15th of the 8th Tibetan month, the propitious full-moon day, a Long-life Ceremony was offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It began early in the morning prior to the third day of his explanation of Nagarjuna’s ‘Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way’. The ceremony, which was based on a vision of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo focussing on a triad of longevity deities, White Tara crowned by Amitayus, who in turn is crowned by Ushnisha Vijaya, was conducted by monks of Namgyal Monastery led by their Abbot, Thamtog Rinpoche.