Our special issues report on unique themes and trends in the Buddhist world. Featuring insightful contributions from our regular and guest writers, each issue showcases a series of articles covering an aspect of our broader subject.
Below you can find the articles for the special issues from the current and previous issues, themed:
Special Issue 2023 – Digital Dharma – Buddhism in a Changing World
Special Issue 2022 – Buddhism in a Divided World
Special Issue 2021 – Humanity in Transition
Special Issue 2020 – Buddhism and Conflict Resolution
Special Issue 2019 – Buddhism and Tech
Special Issue 2018 – Women of Buddhism
Special Issue 2017 – Planetary Healing: Buddhism and World Ecology
Special Issue 2016 – Tradition and Innovation: Chinese Buddhism Beyond Asia
Special Issue 2015 – Buddhist Frontiers: At the Edges of the Buddhist World
Our world is changing, our societies are evolving, and our day-to-day lives are adapting and adjusting to an unfamiliar new virtual reality that is unfolding before us. This technological sea change, led by increasingly pervasive digital technologies and online media platforms, the powerful currency of raw data, and advances in decentralized data management and artificial intelligence, has drawn comparisons to the invention of the printing press and the industrial revolution. Read more…
The Buddha warned against mistaking appearances for truth. In today’s AI age, that teaching may be more important than ever
A college student in the United States considers how AI de-biasing, reframed through Buddhist concepts of collective intention, might offer a path toward more equitable outcomes.
Anam Thubten Rinpoche reflects on the imminent revolution heralded by the advent of artificial intelligence—and its Dharmic implications
Ven. Tanmyeong explores a contemporary analogy for the storehouse consciousness—one of the most profound and subtle teachings in Yogacara philosophy.
Rev. Hondaku, ordained minister in the Higashi Honganji, reveals his ambitious plans for Buddhist dissemination in the AI age
As we enter the age of AI, Adam Dietz reflects on a Buddhist emphasis on clarity so our new tools may serve our humanity
Meditation, an expansive and accessible human technology, remains our truest guide through life, death, and the coming digital unknown
What happens when the Dharma meets AI? In the final installment of his series on Buddhist publishing, John Negru explores the irreplaceable role of living teachers in transmitting wisdom beyond words
Even as AI helps with digitization and innovation, should Buddhist voices speak out about AI’s dangers: surveillance, inequality, and erosion of compassion
Living in an increasingly digital world, mindfulness practitioner and teacher Ratnadevi guides us through some ways to stay grounded and use technology wisely
Buddhist publishing faces a perfect storm of forces that push against existing practices, but interest is still alive as Buddhists rethink how the Dharma is transmitted
Asa Hershoff offers a critical view of the challenges and opportunities for Buddhism in the 21st century
Our world, our communities, and our very survival as a species are being challenged by imminent crises on multiple fronts: environmental collapse, societal and economic inequality, the rise of nationalism and authoritarianism, warfare and conflict, and the ongoing pandemic, to name a few. Read more…
Taking refuge in impermanence in an unstable world
Inviting each of us to check in with our hearts and ask what we can do in these perilous times
The philosophy of Buddhist economics and the path to a sustainable civilization
The Korean Seon master Ven. Pomnyun Sunim shares his perspective on engaged Buddhist in the recent 20th Biennial Conference of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists
Harsha Navaratne, chair of the executive committee of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists, presents a vision for compassionate social change
The International Network of Engaged Buddhists and Jungto Society hold a prayer for a compassionate and united world for all beings at the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)
An examination of the need for solidarity and compassion on the path to fundamental change
Looking at how Buddhism has treated nationalism, from ancient empires to modern countries and contemporary movements
Applying the Buddhist wisdom of the vastness of time and the importance of refuge to the reality of our current climate crisis
A conversation on the Buddhist view on biodiversity, respect for wildlife, and ecological conservation
A dialogue on renewable energy and sustainable living from the perspective of engaged Buddhism
Relying on the noble truths of socially engaged Buddhism amid this tangled karma
Lighting a beacon of hope to illuminate the darkness of inequality and environmental crises
Can Buddhists and others wake up to the reality of our collective self-destruction before it is too late?
A conversation on Buddhism in contemporary society and the role of engaged Buddhism in the face of human-made global crises.
In a world fraught with division, the immigration crisis allows us to recognize our connections and practice our deepest values
Tracing the maturation of the Dharma in himself and in the West, John Harvey Negru points us into the future with his hopes for the growth of Buddhist chaplaincy
A meditation on the dilemma of engaged Buddhism
Relying on Buddhist wisdom to work through the complex emotions stirred up by the climate crisis and war
A wrathful emanation of Tara, who protects from war and other obstacles with or without form
Exploring the intersection of peace, justice, and loving-kindness
Facing the formidable demons of our time.
Our special issue for 2021 seeks to address these and the many other urgent issues that matter to Buddhists and to all sentient beings in today’s uncertain times. With COVID-19, climate change, and societal upheavals pushing humanity to recognize the need for a profound transformation of our way of life—the ways in which we perceive and engage with the world around us. Read more…
Can Buddhist individuals and institutions brace for a quickly changing future in the face of COVID-19, the climate crisis, and more?
Using Buddhist principles to examine how COVID and technology could permanently alter how we work
Saving land from consumption for the benefit of community and reimagining our relationship with the Earth and all living beings
What can Buddhists contribute to the coming social and ecological transformations ahead of us?
Celebrating and strengthening our transformative interconnection with each other and with nature
Loving-kindness, compassion, vicarious joy, and equanimity: the path to collective transformation
Buddhist wisdom for our world’s most pressing needs
Walking the bodhisattva path toward peace and liberation for all
Moving toward a higher level of consciousness through right action for the benefit of all
Interdependence and the path toward social equality
Expanding our vision of practice to include our interdependence with the soil
How Buddhist ideals helped weather personal and professional crises
Introducing our Special Issue 2021: Humanity in Transition
Our world is suffering from significant multi-dimensional conflict. With our interconnected suffering in mind, our special issue for 2020 explores some of the most complex conflicts now unfolding. We analyze potential root causes and propose ways forward that, while keeping feasibility in mind, does not become attached to a technocratic vision of managing conflict, instead allowing the Buddhist heart of compassion and wisdom to challenge all parties to envision greater possibilities. Read more…
Healing conflict through openness, honesty, and care
The union of inner and outer development
A humorous take on looking tough with loving-kindness
A reflection on the roots of our conflict-prone minds
India’s social turmoil as the culmination of an oppressive…
How Buddhism engages with religious differences
The beneficial potential of today’s evolving technology
Living: Explorations in…
Ron Epstein discusses a life in lived scientific ethics and..
Exploring the intellectual union of AI and Buddhist thought
Investigating the enhancement of human well-being
Ensuring that technological advancement is of benefit to…
Considering evolutionary versus exponential…
Discussing fear and responsibility in our…
A conversation on being human in a technological world
On the future of Buddhism and technology
To support women on the Buddhist path and to inspire others to open their hearts and minds to their voices, we attribute our special issue for 2018 to the Women of Buddhism. We have asked women from various Buddhist traditions, of different ethnicities, ages, and backgrounds to share their own stories from their own perspective. Women of Buddhism is about their journey, their struggle, and their insights, told in their own voices. Read more…
The journey of a Buddhist artist and creator
Liu Yingzhao reflects on a life of spiritual alchemy
A couple’s work for the Diamond Vehicle
The role of gender in monastery governance
Bearing the Dharma from Korea to North America
Sharing the Dharma in the West
Empowerment and engagement in Bhutan’s…
Manjula Pradeep shares her life story as a Dalit women…
Ayya Adhimutti describes her ordination as a samaneri in…
Environmental issues are the most significant and pressing matters for our present and future generations. Over the past few years the Buddhistdoor Global team has covered the extensive involvement of Buddhist leaders and communities in ecological causes. In this issue we draw from the ideas, experience, and research of diverse contributors, bringing a Buddhist perspective to enironmental issues like the animal trade, pollution and waste, and sustainable living. Read more..
Buddhist teachings on the environment
A perspective that focuses on interconnectedness, or…
The story of Metta garden in Colombo, Sri Lanka
How biophilia can help heal planetary biodiversity
China’s renaissance in ecological ethics
Addressing animal poaching and trafficking in South Africa
This special issue discusses how Chinese Buddhism, one of the oldest and most influential East Asian expressions of the universal Dharma, has found a home in countries such as Australia, Canada, and the UK. Featuring contributions from Western-born Chinese Buddhists, Chinese-born residents of Western countries, and venerable nuns, the issue brings an East-West dialogue through Chinese Buddhist eyes to the forefront. Read more…
The story of the founder of Dharma Drum Mountain
Eric Johns discusses how to propagate the Chan tradition…
Translating Pure Land Buddhism into an…
Humanistic Buddhism comes to Madagascar, Malawi…
How to bring Chinese Buddhism and culture to…
Establishing the Po Lam nunnery in Chilliwack
Why Pure Land is an ideal school of Buddhism to be…
What are some of the pioneering Buddhist projects and groups around the world? This special issue showcases Dharma communities in far-flung areas of the Buddhist world, from Finland to Russia to Uganda. We explore the individuals and societies playing important roles in supporting the resurgence and propagation of Buddhist teachings in locales where one might not always expect a Buddhist presence. Yet here they are, and this special issue is dedicated to their stories. Read more…
Sean Mós talks to Ven. Uganda Buddharakkitha…
The Shakya clan, to which the historical Buddha…
The Siikainen Stupa, named after its location in the…
Brazil’s Zu Lai Temple is the first branch of Fo Guang…
Celtic Buddhism, a little-known permutation of the Buddhist…
Tara Frances takes us to the Blue Mountains Insight…
Raymond Lam travels to the windswept steppes of…
