Shinto: The Way of, to, and with the Gods!
Gereon Kopf
19 June 2015
Travelers to Japan notice the impressive gates that mark Shinto shrines, in Japanese, torii, as well as the shimenawa, referring to a type of rope made from
Losar around Dharamsala
Dominique Butet
10 April 2015
On 19 February, my partner Olivier Adam and I took part in the ceremonies for the Tibetan New Year, or Losar, at Geden Choeling Nunnery
Wise Resolutions for the New Year
Luisa (Lulu) Cook
23 January 2015
The New Year is a time when many of us naturally reflect on our hopes and intentions for the year to come. It is a
The Significance of the Kathina Robe Offering Ceremony
BD Dipananda
1 November 2013
The three-month rains-retreat seclusion of Buddhist Saṅgha concludes with the pavāraṇā (invitation) ceremony, which is in turn followed by Kaṭhina robe offering festival. It is a traditional
The amplification of Buddhist monastic rules during the rains-retreat vassavasa
BD Dipananda
16 October 2013
This article is the second in a series of three that explains more about the practice of rains-retreat (vassāvāsa), which is then followed by the Kathina ceremony.
Buddhist Rains-retreat (vassavasa): a courtesy of monasticism
BD Dipananda
4 October 2013
“When the rainy season has come and it is raining, many living beings are originated and many seed just spring up. … Knowing this one
Hemis Festival: the Masked Dance of Ladakh
Stella Peters
28 September 2013
Editor’s note: Stella Peters is a writer/photographer from Amsterdam who focuses on inequality and human interest stories. She is currently studying anthropology in an Advanced master’s programme
The Story behind the Kaṭhina Robe
Ven. Dr. Beligalle Dhammajoti
1 October 2012
Ka?hina and Ka?hina kusala What is meant by Ka?hina? The Pali term ‘Ka?hina’ means: strong, strength, hard, solid, rigid, powerful, firm, inflexible, and stiff. Therefore, Ka?hina kusala means: ‘very strong