Yeshi Dhonden, a Tibetan monk who earned renown after working for some 20 years as personal physician to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, today continues draws visitors from the Tibetan diaspora and all over the world seeking alternative treatments for a variety of health conditions ranging from back pain to cancer and degenerative diseases. “If the sick come to me, I will take care of them,” says Dhonden from his private clinic in McLeod Ganj, a suburb of Dharamsala in the far northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. (France 24)

Sri Lanka has long attracted Buddhist monastics and scholars from around the world with its rich Buddhist heritage and resources. While the nation’s monastic centers and universities are renowned hubs of Buddhist education, the island’s forest hermitages are also high on the list of attractions for those seeking to practice and study Buddhism. Recently, two Western monks have taken to social media to express the spiritual joy of living in the beautiful wild hills of the island’s Central Province. 

The recent death of a student leader from Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) has drawn widespread condemnation from across the country. According to local media reports, 20-year-old Romel Chakma was arrested on 5 April by army personnel and subsequently died on 19 April while in police custody at a hospital in the port city of Chittagong. News of Chakma’s arrest and subsequent death emerged two weeks after the incident, following numerous reports on social media. Protestors allege that Chakma, who was visually impaired, was tortured to death by the army and his body subsequently burned to destroy the evidence, although the army refutes these allegations.

HELENA, Montana—The University of Utah held a conference titled “Buddhism’s Engagement with the World” On 21–22 April, supported by the university’s Asia Center, the Department of Philosophy, the Tanner Humanities Center, the Religious Studies Program, and the Environmental Humanities Program.

The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID) of the Roman Curia released message on 22 April on the occasion of the Buddhist celebration of Vesak. The message calls on Buddhists and Christians to walk together to promote peace and nonviolence. The Vatican’s letter, titled “Christians and Buddhists: Walking Together on the Path of Nonviolence,” starts with the salutation “Dear Buddhist Friends,”.and is signed by PCID president Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran and secretary Fr. Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixo. (Vatican Radio)

In preparation for celebrations in South Korea to mark the birth of the Buddha—this year observed on 3 May—eight boys, aged 5–7, were temporarily ordained in a traditional Buddhist ceremony at Jogye Temple in Seoul.

While many people in South and Southeast Asia last week welcomed the Buddhist New Year by spraying copious amounts of water over each other, for Buddhists in Myanmar the festival is also a time for spiritual enrichment as many women spend the week-long holiday as temporarily ordained nuns.

Tibetan meditation master Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche has long been a vocal advocate for the benefits of meditation, and in a recent interview he underscored the growing scientific evidence that supports his teachings.

Americans are eating significantly less beef than they were 10 years ago and the environment is benefitting, according to a recently published study, which pointed to the corresponding decline in the carbon footprint of the average American diet.

SOFIA—Buddhist communities across Russia have united to express their condolences and offer prayers for the victims of Monday’s tragic suicide bombing in the northwestern city of St. Petersburg.