Special day at Buddhist Centre

by Elouise Hawkey, Wellington Times, May 28, 2018

Wellington, New Zealand -- Wellington’s Buddhist community has extended an invitation to the general public to attend a special day of birth, death and enlightenment of Buddah this weekend.

Buddhism bonanza: Celebrations across Australia as religion maintains its popularity

By Samantha Turnbull, Justin Huntsdale and Anthony Scully, ABC North Coast, 7 Jul 2017

Sydney, Australia -- The 2016 census shows Australians are less religious than ever before, but one religion is maintaining its popularity, with diverse celebrations planned across the country this weekend.

Buddhism scripture teachers struggling to keep up with demand from state schools

By Samantha Turnbull, ABC North Coast, Dec 15, 2016

New South Wales, Australia -- New South Wales public schools are struggling to keep up with demand for Buddhism scripture teachers.

How violent poo-chucker turned Buddhist

by Erin Godwin, Chinchilla News, 15th Oct 2016

Brisbane, Australia -- ONE of Queensland's most violent prisoners, who threw urine and feces at correction officers, says Buddhism has saved him.

Green light for 3-storey Buddhist temple for Adelaide’s north by Playford Council’s Development Assessment Panel

by Sarah Rohweder, Northern Messenger, July 26, 2016

Adelaide, Asutralia -- THE United Vietnamese Buddhist Congregation SA will no longer have to use a small house as a makeshift temple under a new plan to build a worship centre in the north.

Tibetan Teacher visits Manjushri Buddhist Centre

Milton Ulladulla Times, June 16, 2016

Milton, Australia -- Tibetan Buddhist meditation master and respected teacher, Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe, will once more offer a weekend of teaching sessions at the Manjushri Buddhist Centre, Milton.

Queensland's Buddhist numbers swell

by Tony Moore, Brisbane Times, April 30 2016

Brisbane, Australia -- There are probably as many Buddhists in Brisbane today as Baptists, if the 2011 Australian Bureau of Statistics data can be a guide.

Buddhist cremation and burial garden opens at Enfield Memorial Park in Adelaide

ABC, April 2, 2016

Monks will plant trees and chant at the official opening of Adelaide's Buddhist cremation and burial garden on Sunday.

Adelaide, Australia -- Chief executive of the Adelaide Cemeteries Authority Robert Pitt told 891 ABC Adelaide the new spiritual site grew out of an error made during a cremation service more than two years ago.

Meditation meets maths in Melbourne's first Buddhist school in Springvale

by Timna Jacks, The Age, March 20, 2016

Hoa Nghiem Primary School is founded on environmental sustainability and wellbeing - even maths is taught in a thoughtful, compassionate manner.

Melbourne, Australia -- At the foot of a towering pagoda in Springvale, 20 primary school students wave goodbye to their parents.

Adelaide’s first dedicated Buddhist burial site at Enfield Memorial Park

by Jade Gailberger, The Advertiser, February 28, 2016

Adelaide, Australia -- AN error at a Buddhist’s funeral has led to the establishment of the first dedicated South Australian burial area for the ancient religion.

Buddhist primary school in Springvale South a first for Melbourne

The Buddhist Channel, February 22, 2016

Melbourne, Australia -- SPRINGVALE South is home to Melbourne’s first Buddhist primary school.

Second woman missing from Sakya International Buddhist retreat found in Buchan bushland

by Marissa Calligeros, The Age, January 19, 2016

Melbourne, Australia -- A woman was lost in the bush for 27 hours at Victorian Buddhist retreat, just one week after another guest was lost in the bush for five days.

Golden dome completes exterior of stunning Thai Buddhist pagoda in Lyneham

by Michael Inman, The Canberra Times, January 17, 2016

Canberra, Australia -- A sunlit golden umbrella, lowered by a crane on Sunday, has completed external construction of a stunning pagoda in Lyneham.

Finally, Buddhists to get their temple in Adelaide’s north

by Sarah Rohweder, Adelaide Now, November 11, 2015

Adelaide, Australia -- A BUDDHIST temple that will stand about as tall as a seven-storey apartment building will be built along Salisbury Highway at Parafield Gardens.

Buddhist practice given artistic edge in multi-sensory exhibition gallery

by MEGHAN LAWRENCE, Stuff, September 22 2015

Auckland, New Zealand -- Buddhism is at the heart of Tiffany Singh's latest art installations. The Auckland artist will have 12 works on display in her upcoming exhibition Mahabhuta: The Great Element'jointly presented at Uxbridge Centre for Arts and Culture and the Fo Guang Shan Temple.

Large wooden Buddhist temple model goes on display in Wyong

By Emma Simkin, ABC, Aug 20, 2015

Warnervale, Australia -- A $100, 000 model of the Buddhist temple planned for the Central Coast goes on public display.

Australia’s second-largest religion is being ‘ignored’

by Jackson Stiles, The News Daily, Jul 6, 2015

This faith is larger than Islam, Judaism and Hinduism, yet receives far less attention from governments and the media.

Sydney, Australia -- Australia’s half-a-million Buddhists are largely ignored, its adherents have claimed.

Tibetan Buddhist teacher in exile from homeland

Bay of Plenty Times, Jun 28, 2015

Bay of Plenty, New Zealand -- It has been almost 30 years since Geshe Jamyang Sherab was last home.

Buddhism, Australia’s second largest religion

by Jake Mitra, The Buddhist Channel, April 14, 2015

Perth, Australia -- The spotlight will fall on Perth’s growing role as a cultural and tourism hub for the Australasian region over the August 8–9 weekend this year, when more than 1,000 international and Australian delegates will gather for a unique conference hosted at Perth’s Convention & Exhibition Centre: the 9th Global Conference on Buddhism, themed on Resolving Conflict with Mindfulness.

Construction of RM1.1bil Buddhist retreat and kung fu school to start soon

Xinhua, March 27, 2015

SYDNEY, Australia -- After more than 1,500 years in existence, Dengfeng’s revered Shaolin Temple is to soon start building its first international outpost in Australia.

Tony Abbott opens Nan Tien Buddhist Institute at Wollongong as leadership tensions continue

by Emma Partridge, Sydney Morning Herald, March 2, 2015

Wollongong, Australia -- If you don't know whether you'll be prime minister next week – put on your best Sunday shoes, laugh with monks and clean.

Nan Tien Institute to open $40 million campus on March 1

By AGRON LATIFI, The Illawarra Mercury, Feb. 23, 2015

Unanderra, Australia -- It has been 15 years in the making but the wait will be over this Sunday when Australia's first government-accredited Buddhist tertiary institution is officially opened before many guests.

Phoney Buddhist monks scam Victorians and tourists

by Louise Almeida, The Age, January 9, 2015

Melbourne, Australia -- Fake Buddhist monks are scamming well-meaning Melburnians and tourists, Consumer Affairs has warned.

In search of a wandering Buddhist monk

by Kerry Stewart, ABC, 31 October 2014

A Buddhist monk on a country road

Sydney, Australia -- Buddhist monk Jason Chan has been wandering the east coast of Australia since 2011 barefoot and carrying nothing but his robe and alms bowl. Keeping a diary of efforts to locate Jason in Sydney, Kerry Stewart made some spiritual discoveries of her own.

Australia’s First Buddhist-run Institution Blooms

by Angela Fedele, http://sourceable.net, 7 October, 2014

Wollongong, Australia -- Wollongong’s Nan Tien Temple has opened Australia’s first Buddhist-run tertiary institution with architecture that is as spiritual as its teachings.

Circle of Wisdom: A Tibetan Buddhist Mandala

The Buddhist Channel, Oct 6, 2014

Perth, Australia -- The Phen Dhe Ling Tibetan Buddhist Association will be hosting the creation of a Buddhist Mandala from October 11 to 18, 2014 at its centre in Perth.

Plans move forward for Buddhist cafe in Brighton East despite two objections

by Jon Andrews, Bayside Leader, August 18, 2014

Melbourne, Australia -- ALONG with the soothing oms of meditation, a Brighton East Buddhist centre will soon be humming with the gentle sounds of sipping coffee.

Nicole, Keith and the incensed Buddhist

by JIMMY THOMSON, Stuff.com, July 30, 2014

Sydney, Australia -- Residents of the exclusive high rise where Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban own three units, have been dragged into a smouldering row over incense burning.

Walking Buddhist Monk surprises Northmead teacher

Hillnews.com.au, June 12, 2014

Northmead, Australia -- A Northmead high school teacher had a surprise visit from the walking Buddhist Monk on Wednesday.

Head buddhist visits Whitsundays

Whitsunday Times, 29 May 2014

Queensland, Australia -- ONE of China's holiest men, Abbot Daoci, was officially welcomed to the Whitsundays last week, ahead of a free community seminar about the Guan Yin Buddhist faith at the PCYC on Thursday afternoon.

Fake Buddhist monks scamming people in Melbourne, says Consumer Affairs

by Tammy Mills, The Age, May 26, 2014

Melbourne, Australia -- Dodgy Buddhist monks wearing robes that hide tracksuit pants and runners are scamming Melburnians and visitors to the CBD, Consumer Affairs says.

Community combines for Vesak Day celebrations

The Buddhist Channel, 13 May 2014

Queensland, Australia -- The University of Queensland community celebrated the birth, enlightenment and death of Budda at Vesak Day celebrations on Tuesday 13 May.

Public invited to check out Buddhist centre

by JANINE RANKIN, Stuff, Matrch 5, 2014

Manawatu, New Zealand -- After years of work and a tortuous path through resource consent processes, Palmerston North's Amitabha Buddhist centre is ready to settle into peaceful meditation.

Tibetan Buddhist Society celebrates New Year with Yuroke festival

by Natalie Savino, Derald Sun, February 23, 2014

Yuroke, Australia -- IT MIGHT almost be March, but this weekend will be a celebration of the Tibetan New Year.

New hub for Canberra's burgeoning Buddhist community

by Emma Kelly, Canberra Times, February 11, 2014

Canberra, Australia -- One of Canberra’s largest residents will be housed in a striking new hub that will cater for the territory’s growing Buddhist population.

NSW Fair Trading issues warning over bogus Buddhist monk scam

Sydney Morning Herald, January 8, 2014

Sydney, Australia -- NSW Fair Trading has warned people to be on the look-out for con artists dressed as Buddhist monks after dozens of smh.com.au readers said they had been approached by men in orange garb asking for money.

Bid to build 22m-high Buddhist temple on Salisbury Highway is in doubt

by Duane Schultz, Northern Messenger, January 9, 2014

Adelaide, Australia -- A PLAN to build Australia's tallest Buddhist temple in Parafield Gardens is in doubt after the Federal Government cut a $150,000 grant to the SA Khmer Buddhist Association.

Buddhanet launches Buddhist eLibrary

By Justin Whitaker , Patheos, December 27, 2013

Sydney, Australia -- This week, the well-known Buddhist web resource Buddhanet launched a mobile site: Buddhist eLibrary.

Buddhist monk beaten unconscious

3News, 17 Aug 2013

Auckland, New Zealand -- A 58-year-old Buddhist monk has been beaten unconscious and left tied up on the floor of the Quan Am Buddhist Monastery south of Auckland.

Plans lodged for 22m high Buddhist temple on Salisbury Highway

by Duane Schultz, News Review Messenger, June 19, 2013

Salisbury, Australia -- A PLAN to build the tallest Buddhist temple in Australia has been lodged with Salisbury Council.

Buddhist festival helps keep culture alive

by HANNAH FLEMING, Stuff.co.nz, May 20, 2013

New Plymouth, New Zealand -- New Plymouth's Sri Lankan community brought its culture alive on Saturday in celebration of religious and cultural festival Vesak.

Work begins on new Buddhist temple in Canberra

ABC, March 17, 2013

Canberra, Australia -- Construction of a new Chinese Buddhist temple is underway in Canberra's north.

Investigators suspect arson at Buddhist temple

by LEESHA MCKENNY, SMH, December 31, 2012

Sydney, Australia -- A BUDDHA statue stood out among the charred wreckage of a temple mysteriously damaged by fire in Sydney's west at the weekend while its residents were overseas.

Local Buddhist community mark four years since the planting of the Bonnyrigg Bodhi Tree

BY LAUREN MCMAH, Fairfield Advance, Dec 18, 2012

Fairfield, Australia -- MEMBERS of the local Buddhist community have held a ceremony to mark four years since the planting of the Bonnyrigg Bodhi Tree.

Blessing ceremony to mark start of construction of Woods Bagot-designed Buddhist Campus in Wollongong

The Buddhist Channel, Nov 17, 2012

Wollongong, Australia -- A “piling and blessing ceremony” is to be held this Sunday 18 November at the site of the new Nan Tien University and Cultural Centre, with architecture by Woods Bagot.

The Castor Bay Presbyterian Church and hall will become a place of Buddhist worship and meditation

Stuff, Nov 8, 2012

Castor Bay, New Zealand -- A Buddhist organisation has bought the Castor Bay Presbyterian Church.

Lama Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche passes away in Australia

The Age, Sept 26, 2012

Melbourne, Australia -- TRALEG Kyabgon Rinpoche drew thousands of Australians to the considered life of contemplation on the nature of mind. A pioneer of ''integrated Buddhism'', he exemplified the tradition that meditation is a path not only to calming the mind but to inner transformation of the self.

Meditation marathon in Brunswick

BY TESSA HOFFMAN, Moreland Leader, Aug 8, 2012

Melbourne, Australia -- IT'S a 12-hour marathon with a difference - the participants don't move.

For Belgrave Buddhist monks, it's the rite way to celebrate

BY CLAIRE THWAITES, Jul 3, 2012

Maroondah, Australia -- It's not every day you get offered the chance to celebrate the Dalai Lama's birthday - and certainly not an invitation you'd expect in the outer east of Melbourne.

Christianity Steadily Declining in Australia, Buddhism, Hinduism Growing

by Stoyan Zaimov, Christian Post, Jun. 22, 2012

Sydney, Australia -- A national census has revealed that while most Australians profess Christianity as a belief, the religion as a whole in the country has been on a steady decline, while the number adherents of Eastern faiths like Buddhism and Hinduism has grown.

Auckland: Buddha's Day out

By Farida Master, NZ Herald, Apr 14, 2012

A day at the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist temple provides much-needed nourishment for the soul, writes Farida Master.

Auckland, New Zealand -- You may be forgiven for thinking you've travelled into another dynasty. Though the busy Botany Town Centre is only minutes away, the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist temple that stands tall at Flat Bush, has changed the skyline of the suburb.

Conference on "Buddhism & Australia"

The Buddhist Channel, April 5, 2012

Perth, Australia -- The International Conference ”Buddhism & Australia 2013” will be held in 7 - 9th of August, 2013 in Perth, Western Australia.The conference acknowledges Buddhism in Austral-Asian region, its' history and knowledge, involving Buddhism and notable people in its' religious history.

Calming influence of Tibetan Buddhism

by Shireen Khalil, Inner West Courier, 25 Mar, 2012

Balmain, Australia -- CHODEN Rinpoche never left his room for 19 years. Rather than escaping his country during the Chinese invasion, Rinpoche, one of the highest lamas of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, decided to not leave his small, dark room in Lhasa until 1985.

Buddhist retreats growth plans

by Terra Sword, Northern Rivers Echo, 19th January 2012

Northern Rivers, Australia -- The Buddha Dharma Education Association has lodged a DA with Lismore Council for a $2.8 million expansion of the Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery in Tullera.

Spreading Buddha: new temple boosts community

by Barney Zwartz, The Age, October 31, 2011

Melbourne, Australia -- Buddhists from Melbourne and around the world take part in the stone-laying ceremony at Linh Son Temple in Reservoir.

Vietnamese leader mourned

by Jessica Willoughby, Guardian Express, Jul 26, 2011

Le Tan Kiet acted from his heart. Le Tan Kiet acted from his heart

Northbridge, NSW (Australia) -- Western Australia’s multicultural community is mourning the loss of Le Tan Kiet, president of the Vietnamese Buddhist Association.

Buddhists give away $100,000 of goods

Stuff, Jul 18, 2011

Christchurch, New Zealand -- The Tzu Chi Buddhist community gave more than $100,000 worth of food, blankets and torches to Linwood College's school community on Saturday.

Why I'm imperfect, the Dalai tells

Sunshine Coast Daily, 17 June 2011

The Dalai Lama shared some light-hearted moments during his address to a crowd of 4000 at the Chenrezig Buddhist Institute, Eudlo.
Eudlo, Australia -- A CHARMING, chuckling, sometimes cheeky Dalai Lama reminded a crowd of 4000 people that happiness was found on the inside rather than the outside when he visited the Chenrezig Buddhist instititute at Eudlo
yesterday.

WHAT do you cook when the Dalai Lama comes to dinner?

by Geoff Shearer, The Courier-Mail, June 11, 2011

Melbourne, Australia -- MasterChef Australia contestants have been thinking about that all night after being told late yesterday they would be cooking for His Holiness today in Melbourne.

Special prayers for Christchurch

ONE News, June 8, 2011

Christchurch, New Zealand -- The power of prayer was felt in Christchurch today as thousands of people turned out for a service with the Dalai Lama.

Light shines on festival

by Michael Randall, Pakenham Cardinal Leader, 29 May, 2011

BERWICK, Australia -- BERWICK Buddhist Temple has come alive with colour as part of the traditional celebration of Wesak.

Lama Choedak Rinpoche apologises

by FRANCES STEWART, Canberra Times, 1 May, 2011

Canberra, Australia -- THE HEAD of Canberra's Tibetan Buddhist community has apologised to members of the society after allegations he had sexual relationships with several women from the group emerged late last year.

Plea for carpark for Springvale South temples

by Nicole Precel, Dandenon-Leader, Apr 18, 2011

Melbourne, Australia -- TWO BUDDHIST groups are calling for the council to build a carpark near their Springvale South temples.

A Buddhist tradition takes root in Bendigo

by S. MUTHIAH, The Hindu, Apr 17, 2011

The fastest growing religion in Australia is Buddhism, and its roots have been traced back to Sri Lanka. But the question is will it sustain?

Bendigo, Australia -- The biggest stupa outside the countries with a significant Buddhist presence is being built in Bendigo, not far from Melbourne.

Oz Buddhist leader complains of Christian biasness in Victorian schools

ANI, Apr 10, 2011

Canberra, Australia -- Buddhist community leader Dr Sue Smith has complained of "Christian bias" in religious education in Victoria, Australia, saying that her group could have expanded to hundreds of schools if it had access to government funding.

Prayers for peace and strength

The Westender, Jan 14, 2010

Priestdale, Australia -- World Buddhist Leader donates $ 100,000 to Queensland Flood Appeal Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the founding Master of Fo Guang Shun, one of the largest Buddhist organisations in the world, shares a close empathy with the people of Queensland.

Fairfield temple gets green light for worship

by Melanie Darmody, Fairfield Advance, 28 Oct 2010

Fairfield, Australia -- A FAIRFIELD Heights residential site that was found to be operating illegally as a place of worship will now be allowed to be used as a Buddhist temple.

Buddhist temple has community blessing

by Sarah Garvis, Southern Times Messenger, Oct 5, 2010

Sellicks Hill, South Australia -- PLANS to build a $15 million Buddhist temple at Sellicks Hill have been backed by local tourism and community groups, who say it will attract residents from all over the world.

Buddhist temple plans a step closer

by SHERADYN HOLDERHEAD, The Advertiser, September 29, 2010

Adelaide, Australia -- AN imposing 35m high pagoda and 18m bronze Buddha statue are one step closer to being built on an idyllic beach setting at Sellicks Hill.

Box Hill blessed by Buddhist spirits

WHite Horse Leader, 21 Sep 2010

Box Hill, Australia -- BOX Hill was blessed recently as a Tibetan master trekked to the town hall.

Man who beat meditating Buddhist monk to death is jailed

By PerthNow, AFP, September 1, 2010

Perth, Australia -- A MAN who beat a Buddhist monk to death in a suburban park was sentenced to five and a half years in jail, PerthNow reports.

Temple a super school 'detraction'

by Jewel Topsfield, The Age, August 30, 2010

Victoria, Australia -- A BUDDHIST temple next to Lakeside Secondary College in Reservoir detracted from the school's image, according to an Education Department report into the preferred location of the controversial school merger.

Buddhist Insights for a New World Economy

The Buddhist Channel, August 25, 2010

Brisbane, Australia -- “Buddhist Insights for a New World Economy”, the 3rd Conference of the Buddhist Economics Research Platform will be held on January 18-19, 2011 in Brisbane, Australia.

Buddhist uni to teach karma and commerce

by NICOLE HASHAM, Illawarra Mercury, 17 Jun, 2010

Illawarra, Australia -- Spiritual wisdom will be fused with studies in accounting and commerce, when Australia's first Buddhist university opens its doors.

Woman wants Buddha statues banned from Hope Valley nursing home

News.com.au, April 07, 2010

Vista, Australia -- A CHRISTIAN woman is demanding a nursing home in South Australia remove decorative Buddhist statues, saying they are "stressful" for Christian residents including her 89-year-old father-in-law.

Buddhist temple in Nerang gets go-ahead under strict conditions

by Greg Stolz, The Courier-Mail, March 23, 2010

Nerang, Australia -- BUDDHISTS are feeling a little less than serene after the Gold Coast City Council imposed tough conditions on a planned temple to pacify locals.

Australian elephant blessed by Buddhist monks

AP, Feb 26, 2010

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Mali the baby elephant played with a red rubber ball as three Buddhist monks splashed her face with water Thursday in blessing ceremony for the Melbourne Zoo's newest star.

Monks bashed in monastery raid

ABC News, Feb 17, 2010

Police investigate bashings and robbery

Adelaide, Australia -- Two monks have been assaulted at a Buddhist monastery on Adelaide's northern fringe.

Buddhists turn their minds to happiness

by MEAGAN ROOTH, The Warrnambool Standard, Feb 11, 2010

Warrnambool, Australia -- THE Warrnambool Buddhist community will welcome a revered monk this weekend for a two-day seminar on tranquility.

Man remanded over fatal bashing of monk

AAP, January 29, 2010

Perth, Australia -- A 37-year-old Perth man has been remanded in custody over the bashing murder of a Buddhist monk who died two weeks after he was found bloody and unconscious.

Buddhist monk bashed to death in carpark

PerthNow, January 26, 2010

Perth, Australia -- A 48-YEAR-OLD Buddhist monk who was savagely attacked in a public car park in Perth's south has died.

The Rise Of Buddhism In New Zealand

Voxy News Engine, 18 January, 2010

Auckland, New Zealand -- What happens when two religions and two world views collide?

Buddhists welcome visit from top Tibetan lama

Hornsby Advocate, 16 Dec, 2009

Hornsby, Australia -- MEMBERS of a local Buddhist group have welcomed a visit by their spiritual director Choje Ayang Rinpoche.

Dalai Lama speaks in Auckland

TVNZ, Dec 5, 2009

Auckland, New Zealand -- Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has addressed more than 1000 people at Auckland's Vector Arena on the subject of A Peaceful Mind.

Young people can change the world: Dalai Lama

by STEPHANIE GARDINER, AAP, November 30, 2009

Sydney, Australia -- The Dalai Lama has called on young people to work to make the world a better place. All individuals can make a change, he says.

Temple gives to tsunami victims

By JO TUAPAWA, Howick and Botany Times, 18 November 2009

Auckland, New Zealand -- GENEROSITY continues for those who suffered in the recent tsunami in Samoa.

Spirit of openness - tour Waitara’s Buddhist headquarters

by TRACEY FINDLAY, Hornsby Advocate, Nov 4, 2009

Waitara, Australia -- MEMBERS of a Buddhist group are inviting the community to take a look at their newly-renovated premises.

Buddhist Tipitaka presented to Otago University

By John Lewis, University of Otago, Aug 29 2009

Dunedin, New Zealand -- To give the teachings of the Buddha is the most precious gift a Buddhist can offer.

Resource consent row over Buddhist monastery

By NICHOLAS BOYACK, Hutt News, Aug 11, 2009

Wainuiomata, New Zealand -- Four monks living in a house in Wainuiomata have been forced to apply for resource consent on what appears to be an obscure technicality.

Uninhibited Monastic Life for Nuns

by NISSARA HORAYANGURA, The Bangkok Post, July 28, 2009

A forest monastery for Buddhist nuns in Perth, Australia, offers a sanctuary for women seeking monastic life

Perth, Australia -- Two little girls, sisters aged around four and six, perch quietly on the special kiddie-sized meditation cushions provided for visitors. Leaning forward, they listen intently as Ajahn Sister Vayama, the abbot of the Dhammasara Nuns Monastery in Perth, Australia, tells them the tale of how the place came to be.

A blessing on the animals

By Kath Gannaway, Star News Group, June 30, 2009

His Holiness The 41st Sakya Trizin and the monks invokes blessing on the Australian Wildlife Health Centre and its staff and wildlife that perished in the bushfires

Healesville, Australia -- FOR more than 20 minutes last week the hustle and bustle of Healesville Sanctuary stopped as prayers were offered for the millions of animals that perished in the February bushfires.

Please explain, Buddhist temple backers told

Independent Weekly, June 25, 2009

Adelaide, Australia -- Proponents of a $15 million Buddhist temple in Adelaide's south have been ordered to detail the spiritual rationale of the project.

Tibetan Buddhist temple answers 5 million prayers

by Tiffany Fox, TheWest.com.au, 29th May 2009

Perth, Australia -- The golden statue gracing a new Tibetan Buddhist temple in the Swan Valley took Indian craftsmen more than four years to complete and its unveiling next week will mark the realisation of a 30-year dream.

Monks offer insight into Buddhist lifestyle

by HOWARD JONES, The Border Mail, May 21, 2009

Albury, Australia -- TIBETAN monk Geshe Sonam Thargye smiled in Albury yesterday as he recalled fleeing his country across the Himalayas, just as his leader, the Dalai Lama, had done years before.

NZ Buddhists celebrate key festival

By KIRSTY JOHNSTON, Taranaki Daily News, May 10, 2009

New Plymouth, New Zealand -- An influx of young Sri Lankan families has re-kindled the community's Buddhist culture in New Plymouth.

Peace and happiness to all

Westender, May 10, 2009

Australia's Buddhist community taking part in colourful celebration for United Nations Day of Vesak

Sydney, Australia -- Australia’s Buddhist temples come alive with colour this week as celebrations are under way for the United Nations Day of Vesak, with the best wishes of the Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, Laurie Ferguson.

Prophet of peace

by Nick Galvin, Sydney Morning Herald, May 3, 2009

Sydney, Australia -- It's not until about halfway through our interview that Steve Killelea's demeanour of calm, self-effacement slips - just a little - and he allows himself to show what might be pride.

Council rejects Buddhist retreat plan

ABC News, Apr 30, 2009

Yarrowyck. Australia -- The Uralla Shire Council has rejected plans for a Buddhist retreat at Yarrowyck.

Buddhist fest of enlightenment

by Koren Helbig, Albert & Logan News, May 1, 2009

Brisbane, Australia -- AN internationally renowned three-day festival with strong links to Logan begins at South Bank today.

Temple’s new shrine opens

By Kelly Yates, Star News, April 16, 2009

Narre Warren North, Australia -- BUDDHISM followers are celebrating the completion of the new main shrine at the Yun Yang Temple in Narre Warren North.

Buddhism a spiritual awakening

Weekly Times Now, April 9, 2009

Bendigo, Australia -- ADRIAN Feldman was a successful Melbourne GP living with his girlfriend when he decided to become a celibate Tibetan Buddhist monk. That was back in the '70s.

Honu seeks help to feed homeless

Byron News, March 19, 2009

Byron Bay, Australia -- HONU Dawson is a Buddhist nun, but admits she’s not very good at sitting on a cushion and meditating.

Between Buddhism and the hard yards of police work

by PAUL BIBBY, Manning River Times, March 12, 2009

New South Wales, Australia -- BUDDHISM and law enforcement are unusual bedfellows. Adhering to the principles of non-violence, calmness and love for all human beings is not easy when your day job involves investigating and locking up potentially violent criminals.

Paget’s road to true happiness

Thesenior.com.au, March 13, 2009

Sydney, Australia -- Doing something useful for other people – that’s the ultimate anti-depressant. If that philosophy is true, then Paget Sayers would have to be one of the happiest people in Australia.

Hundreds at Buddhist retreat

by STAN GORTON, Narooma News, Feb 25, 2009

Tilba, Australia -- HUNDREDS of visitors from around Australia and the world are seeking spiritual enlightenment at the Namgyalgar Buddhist community on the slopes of Gulaga Mountain.

Monks 'pulling teeth as they pass through town'

GAAPWeb, February 13, 2009

Bedourie, Australia -- A team of Buddhist monks have caused a commotion in Australia by launching a dentist practise, according to reports.

Bonnyrigg Temple prepares for the crowds

BY SHERY DEMIAN, Liverpool Champion, Jan 21, 2009

Bonnyrigg, Australia -- ABOUT 2000 worshippers and community members will be at the Australian Chinese Buddhist Society Temple in Bonnyrigg at midnight on Monday.

Temple celebrates new year

By JO TUAPAWA, Howick and Botany Times, Jan 21, 2009

East Tamaki, New Zealand -- THREE, two, one, Happy New Year once again - the Chinese new year is fast becoming a highlight on the calendar for all Kiwis, with magical firework displays, music and a riot of colour.

Buddhist monk enters hallowed halls of academe

by Miki Perkins, The Age, January 7, 2009

Melbourne, Australia -- ON THE dry plains north of Melbourne Airport sit the whitewashed buildings of the Tibetan Buddhist Society.

Negotiations continue over Buddhist temple plan

ABC News, Dec 19, 2008

Shoalhaven, Australia -- Shoalhaven council is continuing negotiations over a proposed Buddhist temple and tourism complex in South Nowra, despite the developers missing the deadline for settlement.

Temple given major project status

ABC, Dec 18, 2008

Adelaide, Australia -- The South Australian Government says major project status has been given to a Buddhist temple project at Sellicks Hill in Adelaide because of its unusual character.

Students to be taught there's no God

Australian AP News, December 14, 2008

Sydney, Australia -- VICTORIAN state primary school students will soon be able to take religious education classes which teach there is no evidence God exists.

Dalai Lama's New Zealand visit risks China's ire

By Lincoln Tan, New Zealand Herald, Dec 15, 2008

Auckland, New Zealand -- Prime Minister John Key has said he will meet the Dalai Lama when he comes to New Zealand next year - one week after China retaliated against the French president for doing the same.

5th World Buddhist Sangha Youth General Conference in Hobart

The Buddhist Channel, Dec 5, 2008

Hobart, Tasmania (Australia) -- Minister for Corrections and Consumer Protection and Minister for Workplace Relations, Lisa Singh, today welcomed delegates to Hobart for the 5th World Buddhist Sangha Youth General Conference.

Global Conference On Buddhism

NZ Buddhist Foundation, December 4, 2008

Global Conference On Buddhism Attracts Speakers and Delegates from around the world to Auckland

Auckland, New Zealand -- Revelation & Realisation; Death, Dying & Rebirth; Karma vs Fate; Ending War, Making Peace; Buddhism and Technology - these are some of the topics on offer at The 6th Global Conference on Buddhism, being held in Auckland this weekend.

From tannery dumping ground and glue factory, the Heavenly Queen rises

by Dinah Arndt, The Age, November 21, 2008

Maribyrnong, Australia -- THE remarkable transformation of a vacant Maribyrnong River site into a Buddhist temple complex has begun, with a 16-metre statue of the Heavenly Queen.

Mindfulness for mental health

by Mandy Nolan, Byron Shire Echo, September 30, 2008

Byron Bay, Australia -- Malcolm Huxter is a clinical psychologist with North Coast Area Health Service. He also works part time in private practice. He is a keynote speaker at this year’s Mental Health Week’s Acceptance Day at Peace Pole Park at Main Beach in Byron Bay on Wednesday October 8.

Holy Relics on display in Melbourne

by Ian Green, (Source: Chorten, August 2008), The Buddhist Channel, Sept 18, 2008

Melbourne, Australia -- Melbourne will be blessed by a tour of one of the world’s largest collections of sacred Buddhist relics. Several thousands Buddhists are expected to view and venerate these relics which are said to provide a blessing to each city they visit.

Tibetan Buddhist centre opens in Gisborne, NZ

The Gisborne Herald, September 15, 2008

Gisborne, New Zealand -- The official opening of the Palpung Kagyu Samten Choeling Tibetan Buddhist Institute was held at the weekend, the culmination of what members of the Gisborne Buddhist community have been working towards for years.

Marsupials stinking to high heaven

by CATHERINE VAN BERGEN, The Age, September 10, 2008

Bendigo, Australia -- BUDDHIST monks at a centre near Bendigo are up against a problem beyond even divine intervention - possums.

Buddhism central to Linda's daily life

by Julie McNamara, Geelong Advertiser, August 30, 2008

Geelong, Australia -- LINDA Diggins' Buddhist faith has a profound impact on her life.

The survivors of Qingzhou unearthed

by Louise Schwartzkoff, Sydney Morning Herald, August 28, 2008

Sydney, Australia -- At the Art Gallery of New South Wales a 150-kilogram sixth-century limestone Buddha dangles from a forklift, almost two metres above the ground. Its feet supported by five riggers, the statue descends slowly into a plinth.

Aussie school offers a Buddhist approach to learning

BY DONNA KELLY, The Advocate, Aug 26, 2008

Daylesford, Australia -- THE Daylesford Dharma School, offering a Buddhist approach to education, will open its doors next year for children from prep to grade three.

Sydney residents oppose Buddhist monastery development

IANS, Aug 18, 2008

Sydney, Australia -- A Buddhist society’s plans to build a temple in south-western Sydney is facing an outcry from residents, coming as it does close on the heels of the recent furore over a proposed Islamic school in suburban Sydney.

Enlightening business

By EMMA O'NEILL, Northern Star, August 13, 2008

Kyogle, Australia -- You can still be a Buddhist and pay the bills.

Buddhists promote good karma

By Shaun Inguanzo, Star News Group, August 7, 2008

Springvale, Australia -- SPRINGVALE’S Buddhist community celebrated the Hungry Ghost Festival this week.

Buddhists' centre opens in Gisborne

By Christine McCafferty, Gisborne Herald, August 1, 2008

Gisborne, New Zealand -- Eight years of fundraising by the Gisborne Buddhist community has brought to fruition their goal to open a dedicated space for practitioners of the ancient teachings.

Master of ceremonies for the happy day

by Georgie Pilcher, Herald Sun, July 7, 2008

Belgrave, Australia -- The Dalai Lama says the purpose of life is to be happy and yesterday Buddhist monks in Belgrave celebrated the wise man's words.

No jail for dope-dealing monk

By Amy Coopes, Herald Sun, June 26, 2008

Sydney, Australia -- AN Argentinian-born Buddhist monk who allegedly traded his tobacco fortune for a life of prayer, has been placed on a good behaviour bond for selling cannabis from his inner-Sydney laundrette.

Dalai Lama wraps up Australia tour, heads to Jordan

Phayul, June 16, 2008

Sydney, Australia -- Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Sunday wrapped up a five-day Australia tour, which was highlighted by his meeting with Australian acting Prime Minister and Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans.

Dalai Lama preaches message of compassion

AAP, June 15, 2008

Sydney, Australia -- The Dalai Lama captivated thousands in Sydney with his preachings on vanity, birth control and the imperative of truth and conviction as necessary means to stem global violence.

Buddhist monk Jose sold drugs from Kings Cross laundry

By Byron Kaye, The Daily Telegraph, June 12, 2008

Sydney, Australia -- A BUDDHIST monk and self-confessed drug dealer has been charged with lying to police to get his passport back.

Monk pleads guilty to growing cannabis at his laundrette

by Emily Smith, LiveNews, June 12, 2008

Sydney, Australia -- A Buddhist monk has pleaded guilty to drugs charges in a Sydney court.

Hope in the heart of a homeless hero

by Hamish McDonald and Paul Bibby. Sydney Morning Herald, June 12, 2008

Sydney, Australia -- AFTER nearly half a century as a "homeless person", as he describes himself, the Dalai Lama was yesterday still hopeful of a breakthrough in negotiations with China that might let him return to Tibet.

Dalai Lama arrives in Australia to welcomes and taunts

AAP, June 11, 2008

Sydney, Australia -- The Dalai Lama arrived in Australia today to a warm welcome from supporters but was branded a "liar" and a "hypocrite" by some 50 protesting Buddhist monks and nuns.

Honour for humble man

Star News Group, June 10, 2008

Braybrook, Australia -- BRAYBROOK’S Venerable Thich Phuoc Tan has been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours with a Medal of the Order of Australia.

Tibetans In New Zealand Use Prayer Instead Of Protests & Demonstrations

Digital Journal, June 6, 2008

Auckland, New Zealand -- New Zealand’s Tibetan exiles are doing something new against Chinese rule. Instead of protesting, the Tibetan exiles are using prayer.

Australia: Lantern pins down tight-knit community

Star News Group, May 29, 2008

Berwick, Victoria (Australia) -- BERWICK’S Buddhist Temple of Victoria celebrated the Buddhist birthday by creating a lantern made of more than 300 bundles of wool and 1500 drawing pins.

Finding the meaning of life in secluded surroundings

By D.C. Ranatunga, Sunday Times (Sri Lanka), April 20, 2008

Impressions on visiting a forest monastery in Sydney

Sydney, Australia -- A cartwheel symbolising the ‘dhamma cakra’ greeted us at the entrance to Santi Forest Monastery located in a 150-acre eucalyptus forest in the rugged landscape of Australia’s Southern Highlands about halfway between Sydney and Canberra.

'I have been telling people to come here' Says Buddhist Monk

By Colleen May and Kay Bel, Epoch Times, Apr 11, 2008

CANBERRA, Australia -- Thich Quang Ba, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk from the Vanltanh Temple in Canberra, was a guest at the opening night of the Chinese Spectacular and was impressed by the skill of the artists as well as the important moral messages of the performance.

After three years of nothing, let's party

by Tim Dick, the Sydney Morning Herald, April 12, 2008

A mischievous monk released 20 people into the mainstream this week

Kyogle, Australia -- FOR three years, three months and three days, they meditated in a wooden temple perched on a lush hilltop in northern NSW. Each day, they rose at 4am to avoid worldly distractions by chanting mantras.

Buddha's birthday 'for all cultures'

By AMANDA KING, Howick and Pakuranga Times, April 7, 2008

Auckland, New Zealand -- BUDDHA’S birthday celebrations at the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist temple in Botany on Sunday will be a day for all cultures and religions to come together, the organisers say.

Burmese Buddhist Leader Warns of Deepening Crisis in Burma

By Sarah Matheson, Epoch Times, Mar 28, 2008

Auckland, New Zealand -- A renowned Burmese Buddhist leader says the situation in Burma has worsened since September when the military gunned monks down in the streets.

Protest far from easy for men of peace

By ABI THOMAS, Northern Advocate, March 25, 2008

Whangarei, New Zealand -- PROTESTING or even holding up signs is not in the normal mindset of a Buddhist monk. But it is when people in their homeland are being killed.

Disillusioned Burmese hope monk makes sense of killings

By Lincoln Tan, New Zealand Herald, March 24, 2008

Auckland, New Zealand -- Members of New Zealand's Burmese community are hoping one of their revered religious leaders, Venerable Abbot U Pannya Vamsa, can help them make sense of the killings in Tibet during his visit to Auckland this week.

Tibetan Buddhists celebrate as a new year marches in

by Leah Odgers, Star News Group, Feb 26, 2008

Melbourne, Australia -- IT MAY seem odd to celebrate the New Year in March but for the Tibetan Buddhist Society it’s the most significant date of the year.

Adding a little harmony

By SASKIA KONYNENBURG, Northern Advocate, Feb 25, 2008

Whangarei, New Zealand -- A BUDDHIST Stupa which aims to emit special energy bringing peace and harmony to the surrounding community was opened on top of a hill overlooking Whangarei yesterday.

Buddhism defying religion's slide in Wollongong

By ALEX ARNOLD, Illawara Mercury, February 23, 2008

Wollongong, Australia -- Wollongong people are becoming less religious, according to the 2006 Census, but Buddhism is defying the trend.

Upwey class promotes peaceful poise

By Tania Martin, Star News Group, Feb 19, 2008

Anita and Frank Carter of the Upwey Buddhist Discussion Centre share their knowledge of Buddhism teachings with hills residents.

Upwey, Australia -- HILLS people wanting to step into a life of Buddhism now have the opportunity to learn all about the religion. Upwey’s Buddhist Discussion Centre will launch its introduction to Buddhism course this week.

Dear Kev, good onya - Dalai Lama

By Mark Schliebs, The Age, February 15, 2008

KEVIN Rudd didn't only win over Australians with his apology to Aboriginal people: he earned the praise of one of the world's most respected spiritual leaders - the Dalai Lama.

Canberra, Australia -- The Dalai Lama was so tickled-pink with the new prime minister’s commitment to reconciliation, Mr Rudd’s office received a letter outlining the Buddhist leader’s approval.

Sands of Peace and Harmony

Perth Now, February 14, 2008

Buddhist mandala at TAFE

Perth, Australia -- THEY say that just to gaze upon a sacred mandala enhances enlightenment. Start the year with some spiritual growth.

Meditating on shifting sands

by Emily Dunn, The Courier-Mail, February 12, 2008

Brisbane, Australia -- AS far as sandcastles go it probably won't impress too many youngsters handy with a bucket and spade.

Sze Yup Buddhist temple set alight in Australia

By Joel Christie, The Daily Telegraph, February 1, 2008

Sydney, Australia -- HERITAGE listed Buddhist temple was torched in a suspected arson attack early yesterday, a week before Chinese New Year.

Buddhist teacher to visit Magnetic

Magnetic Times, January 25th 2008

Magnetic Island, Australia -- A nun ordained in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Thubten Yeshe, a Buddhist educator who leads Buddhist retreats in Australia and overseas, is to give a talk about “Mindfulness in Daily Life” on Sunday February 3 at the Magnetic Buddha Dharma.

Buddha boom... it's karma

By Samantha Williams, The Daily Telegraph, January 18, 2008

Sydney, Australia -- THE typical Australian living on the coast a decade ago was an Anglican. But the population boom has brought new religions. In his latest research on religion, demographer Bernard Salt from KPMG said Buddhism was one of the fastest growth faiths on the NSW coast, particularly in the south, behind Catholicism and Pentecostalism.

Monks' mantras upset locals

by Leah Hallett, Gold Coast, Dec 10, 2007

Brisbane, Australia -- BUDDHIST monks seeking nirvana in the Gold Coast Hinterland have been accused of disturbing the peace of their neighbours.

Be a weekend Buddhist

By KATELYN JOHN, AAP, November 22, 2007

Buddhism is pretty hip right now

Wollongong, Australia -- After Kabbalah, it seems to have more celebrity endorsement than any other religion, with actors Richard Gere, Goldie Hawn, Orlando Bloom, Uma Thurman, and even Star Wars director George Lucas all professing their belief in the Enlightened One.

Centre a first for Buddhists

by Stuart Carless, The Age, November 14, 2007

Mollymook, Australia -- Local Buddhists are celebrating the official opening of the region's first Buddhist centre.

A meditation on studying for VCE as thousands prepare for exams

by Bridie Smith, The Age, October 27, 2007

Sydney, Australia -- NEXT Friday will be a big day for Michael Cassapidis. And a dash of Buddhist calm could prove the clincher, as the English-born monk spends this weekend preparing for his first VCE exam.

Incense, dance, Caddy for monk

by ANGUS HOHENBOKEN, The Mercury, October 17, 2007

Hobart, Tasmania (Australia) -- A revered 93-year-old Chinese buddhist monk was welcomed with a holy lion dance before stepping into a Cadillac limousine at Hobart Airport yesterday.

Central west gets live-in Buddhist retreat

Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Oct 9, 2007

New South Wales, Australia -- The central western New South Wales region's first live-in Tibetan Buddhist meditation retreat is being developed in between Cumnock, Molong and Manildra.

New Buddhist temple to be a place of peace for other religions as well

By REBECCA GARDINER, Howick and Pakuranga Times, September 20, 2007

Botany, New Zealand -- SEVEN years of labour will come to fruition with the grand opening of Botany’s Fo Guang Shan Temple next month – and Buddhist leaders hope it will be used by people of other religions as well.

The felonious monk and his trail of lies

by Les Kennedy , Sydney Morning Herald, September 15, 2007

He's been hailed as a millionaire, doctor and ambassador's son who became a monk, but now he is accused of peddling drugs and public mischief. Les Kennedy reports.

Sydney, Australia -- To the monks of Sydney's Theravadan Laotian order at the Meditation Centre, Chinatown, he is known with respect as Ajahn Yanatharo - the term Ajahn meaning professor.

A lesson on living the good life

by Gabriella Coslovich, Sydney Morning Herald, September 15, 2007

For Tibetan Buddhism's foremost woman lama, living well requires patience, discipline and time to shop, writes Gabriella Coslovich.

Sydney, Australia -- AROUND seven on a chilly early spring Sunday evening, people trickle into the Sakya Buddhist centre in Sydney's west. They leave their shoes on wooden shelves at the side entrance of the double-storey, cream brick, suburban mansion.

Vision realised

By Paul Pickering, Star News Group, September 11, 2007

Upwey, Victoria (Australia) -- ALMOST two decades after the foundation stone was laid for a new meditation hall at the Buddhist Discussion Centre in Upwey, the building now stands as a monument to the vision of its founder - the late John Hughes - and the patience and ingenuity of the community he nurtured.

Buddha in suburbia

by Karen Pakula, Sydney Morning Herald, September 7, 2007

Karen Pakula finds the road to enlightenment leads to outer Wollongong

Wollongong, Australia -- The nun appears out of the shadows and stands beside an island of steaming bains-maries. It is time for the buffet dharma: "Go back as often as you wish but eat everything on your plate," she says, rather sternly.

Buddha for National Gallery

by Corrie Perkin and Siobhain Ryan, The Australian, August 29, 2007

Sydney, Australia -- Ros Packer, the philanthropist and widow of millionaire businessman Kerry Packer yesterday declared her admiration for the Kushan dynasty second century Seated Buddha, her new $1 million-plus gift to the National Gallery of Australia's Asian art collection.

Bendigo to be home to giant jade Buddha

ABC, August 24, 2007

Bendigo, Australia -- Work has started on carving an 18-tonne boulder of jade into a statue of Buddha for a central Victorian temple.

Australian state loses Buddhist temple project

Radio Asutralia, Aug 24, 2007

Shoalhaven, New South Wales (Australia) -- The mayor of Shoalhaven on the New South Wales south coast of eastern Australia, Greg Watson, says he believes the area has lost out on establishing the world's first Shaolin temple outside China.

Ghostly presents hit in new temple

by Nick Higginbottom, Melbourne Herald Sun, August 20, 2007

Melbourne, Australia -- SERENITY prevailed yesterday when Buddhist monks, a politician and hungry ghosts opened a new temple at the Springvale Botanical Cemetery.

New Zealand's Buddha Boom

By Vanessa Walker, New Zealand Herald, July 21, 2007

Auckland, New Zealand -- Thousands of New Zealanders from all walks of life have one thing in common: they are followers of Buddhism. Twenty-four years ago, Charlotte Wrightson used to thrash around angrily in an Auckland punk band called The Plague, making a commotion about the evils of private property, capitalism and conformity.

Buddhism is Australia's fastest growing religion

By Walter Jayawardhana, Lankaweb, June 22, 2007

Australia is having per capita buddhists than any other western nation and it is the fastest growing religion in the country

Sydney, Australia -- The Dalai lama’s recently concluded visit to Australia that also included a meeting with Australian Prime minister John Howard has once again drawn the attention not only to the fact that Buddhism is the fastest growing religion in Australia but also that there are more Buddhists in the continent per capita than anywhere else in the Western world.

Australians Flock to Embrace Buddhism

Huliq, June 19, 2007

Sydney, Australia -- The Dalai Lama has just completed a tour of Australia, boosting what is the country's fastest-growing religion. Australia has more Buddhists per capita than anywhere else in the Western world. From Sydney, Phil Mercer reports on how this religion has moved beyond Asian immigrant communities and into the mainstream.

30,000 get wet to hear Dalai Lama

by Danielle Teutsch, Sydney Morning Herald, June 17, 2007

Sydney, Australia -- ANYONE hoping the Dalai Lama would divulge the meaning of life at his public talk in Sydney yesterday would have been disappointed.

Dalai Lama Talks In Auckland Today

Newswire.co.nz, June 17, 2007

Auckland, New Zealand -- The exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama is expected to address thousands of people in a lecture in Auckland today, but it seems unlikely that his visit to this country will see a formal invitation to see the Prime Minister.

Monks create Buddhist oasis

by IAN STEWARD, The Press, June 16, 2007

Marshland, New Zealand -- As the Dalai Lama jetted in to town, talking (or not) to the Prime Minister, addressing stadiums of thousands, five Buddhist monks in Marshland rejoiced at the latest offering from their local devotees – electric blankets.

Tibetan community welcomes Dalai Lama to Sydney

ABC News Online, June 14, 2007

Sydney, Australia -- Hundreds of people from Sydney's Tibetan community have turned out to welcome the 14th Dalai Lama at Sydney Airport.

Young people 'turning to spirituality': Dalai Lama

By Alyssa Braithwaite, AAP, June 14, 2007

Sydney, Australia -- GROWING numbers of young people are turning to spirituality as they realise they cannot inject, drink or purchase peace of mind, the Dalai Lama says.

Geelong leaves an impression on Dalai Lama

by Danny Lannen, Geelong Advertiser, June 13, 2007

Geelong, Australia -- TIBETAN spiritual leader the Dalai Lama commended Geelong's beautiful people as he left the city.

Dalai Lama pays homage to "Crocodile Hunter's" zoo

AP, June 13, 2007

BEERWAH, Australia -- One of the world's most famous animal lovers visited the former stomping ground of another on Wednesday when the Dalai Lama toured the family zoo of late "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin.

Dalai Lama heads to Canberra

Tha Age, June 11, 2007

Canberra, Australia -- The Dalai Lama heads to Canberra on Tuesday, still none the wiser about whether his day will include a meeting with Prime Minister John Howard.

Humble symbol of Tibetan freedom

by Rowan Callick, The Australian, June 9, 2007

Perth, Australia -- THE Dalai Lama was born Lhamo Dhondrub on July 6, 1935, in Taktser village in northeast Tibet, to a farming family.

Dalai Lama blesses Bendigo's big Buddhist stupa

AAP, June 07, 2007

Bendigo, Australia -- THE Dalai Lama visited Bendigo today to bless the biggest Buddhist stupa in the Western world, which is under construction and due to be completed by 2010.

Hundreds greet Dalai Lama in Perth

The West, June 5, 2007

Perth, Australia -- Hundreds of well wishers turned out to greet the Dalai Lama when he arrived in Perth today for the first leg of his 2007 speaking tour.

Dalai Lama tour repays faithful

by Mike Bruce, Herald-Sun, June 6, 2007

Perth, Australia -- BUDDHIST faithful would be repaid the $300,000 owed them by the Dalai Lama's Australian tour, its organiser has said.

Dalai Lama set for flight to Perth

The Age, June 4, 2007

Perth, Australia -- The Dalai Lama will fly into Perth on Tuesday at the start of an eight-city Australian tour.

The Dalai Lama Down Under

By Julie-Anne Davies, Nine MSN, June 1, 2007

The Dalai Lama's visit will give further impetus to what is already Australia's fastest-growing religion. Buddhism has shaken off its hippie new-age tag and is gaining converts in the nation's boardrooms.

Sir Edmund Hilary to meet Dalai Lama

By Phurbu Thinley, Phayul, May 23, 2007

Auckland, New Zealand -- According to a press release that appeared on Scoop (New Zealand media), the Dalai Lama Visit Trust New Zealand has announced that Sir Edmund Hillary has accepted an invitation from the trust to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama during his visit to New Zealand next month.

Suits in no rush to become enlightened

by Linda Morris, Sydney Mornign Herald, May 21, 2007

Sydney, Australia -- THE Federal Government may or may not be rolling out the welcome mat for the Dalai Lama - and Tibet's exiled spiritual leader is also struggling to enlighten Sydney's business leaders.

Dandenong Buddhists celebrate new year

Star News Group, April 18, 2007

Dandenong, Australia -- GREATER Dandenong’s Thai, Cambodian, Laos, Burmese and Sri Lankan communities celebrated the Songkran, the Buddhist new year this week.

Buddhists open Christchurch temple

By IAN STEWARD, Stuff, February 28, 2007

Christchurch, New Zealand -- Serenity and enlightenment await Buddhist devotees with the opening of their new award-nominated Christchurch centre.

New Zealand: Buddhism gains foothold in the Bay

by RACHEL PINDER, Hawkes Bay Today, Jan 13, 2007

Hawke's Bay, New Zealand -- The house on Tamatea's Norfolk Street looks like any other, but it's not. Six months ago, Hawke's Bay people from the Thai and Laos communities decided to club together and buy a house to convert into a temple, and so the Samma Patipadaram Monastery was born.

Gandhari expert sheds light on Buddhism

Huliq, University of Sydney, Jan 2, 2006

Sydney, Australia -- Out of the turmoil of Afghanistan, hundreds of precious Buddhist manuscripts have come to the west.

Buddhist way of life kindles curiosity

Bendigo Your Guide, November 20, 2006

Bendigo, Australia -- More than 1000 people took the opportunity to explore the Atisha Centre yesterday and learn more about the Buddhist way of life.

His Eminence Ratna Vajra Rinpoche's Teaching Tour of Australia

Sakya.com.au, November 17, 2006

Sydney, Australia -- After the eventful opening of Sakya International Buddhist Academy (SIBA - Tsarchen Choeling) by His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche on 9 September 2006, the inaugural three month retreat program has begun in great earnest. Only two months old, SIBA has already become an important Tibetan Buddhist learning and practice centre.

Buddhist stress relief

by Myles Wearring, SSONET.com.au, Nov 10, 2006

Stresses of modern life can be eased with a little Buddhist know-how

Sydney, Australia -- Buddhist leader the Seventh Dzogchen Rinpoche is currently in Sydney giving talks on coping with stress and healing the mind.

Bendigo to support Dalai Lama visit

Bendigo News, October 20, 2006

Bendigo, Australia -- The City of Greater Bendigo will support a visit to Bendigo by his Holiness the Dalai Lama in June next year. Mayor of the City, Cr David Jones is anticipating the visit will provide opportunities for Bendigo, including an event that is set to attract international attention.

Sands of time run out for art work

By Nigel Benson, OTAGO DAILY TIMES, October 16, 2006

Dunedin, New Zealand -- A spiritual art work that was weeks in the making was destroyed in a few seconds in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery yesterday. More than 200 people turned up for the deconstruction ceremony of the Chenrezig sand mandala.

Dalai Lama to visit Great Stupa in Australia

by Ian Green, Chorten, September 2006

Construction of great Stupa gets underway in preparation for visit by His Holiness Dalai Lama

Bendigo, Victoria (Australia) -- The next stage in the construction of the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, near Bendigo, Victoria, Australia  has commenced. This stage will see the erection of large galvanised pillars and beams that will rise two stories high. Supporting the steel will be concrete sheer walls that will also be erected in this building phase.

Not time to grief, says Ajahn Brahmavamso

The Buddhist Channel, Aug 31, 2006

Perth, Australia -- Well known Dharma teacher Ajahn Brahmavamso in a condolence message from Australia has advised devotees in Malaysia that now is not the time to grief over the loss of their much beloved Chief Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda, who passed away today.

Dalai Lama to visit Australia in 2007

The Australian, August 28, 2006

Sydney, Australia -- The Dalai Lama will visit Australia in June next year, giving free public lectures on religious tolerance.

Buddhist abbot approves Shoalhaven tourism site

Australia Buddhist Corporation, August 3, 2006

Shoalhaven, Australia -- The Venerable Abbot Shi Yong Xin has inspected land at Comberton Grange where he hopes to build a Shaolin Temple, Tourism and Residential Development.

Court halts Buddhist case

Stuff.co.nz, June 29, 2006

Auckland, New Zealand -- Tolerance has been urged in a dispute between New Zealand trustees of a Buddhist organisation and its foreign-based spiritual director.

His Holiness' second coming

Geelong Info, June 24, 2006

Geelong, Australia -- THE Dalai Lama will visit Geelong next year. Buddhism's global figurehead will return to the bay city on June 11, 2007, as part of a tour of Australia and New Zealand.

China visit 'essential' for temple proposal

Australian Broadcasting Corp, June 19, 2006

Shoalhaven, Australia -- Shoalhaven Mayor Greg Watson has returned from China with a deal for a Shoalin temple on the south coast. The Zen Buddhist temple has signed a contract to buy 1,200 hectares of land at Comberton Grange south of Nowra.

A Tibetan Lama Speaks at 4th Global Conference on Buddhism in Australia

Phayul, June 13, 2006

Perth, Australia -- Perth is the host city of the 4th Global Conference on Buddhism organised by The Buddhist Soceity of Western Australia under the guidance of Venerable Achan Brahm. Confronting Controversies and modern world's problem with fundamentalism, feminism and euthanasia were some of the topics discussed at this historical conference ever to be held in Australia.

Small paws on the path to Buddhist enlightenment

by Linda Morris, Sydney Morning Herald, June 13, 2006

Sydney, Australia -- THERE were purebreds and mongrels, shaggy dogs and short-haired cats, divas and ruffians. And, to the amazement of their owners, barely a bark or paw-swipe in protest as the saffron-robed Tibetan Buddhist master came to help family pets on the path to enlightenment.

International conference examine issues on fundamentalism

by Oon Yeoh, The Buddhist Channel, June 10, 2006

Perth, Australia -- When you are dealing with fundamentalists (who are sometimes not only unreasonable but also violent and belligerent) what do you do?

Keeping babies snug as bugs

By SARAH MACDONALD, Howick and Pakuranga Times, June 1, 2006

WINTER babies will be warm after a generous woolly donation from an East Tamaki charity.

Auckland, New Zealand -- The Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation has gifted 200 baby blankets and singlets to Middlemore Hospital’s neonatal unit and post-natal wards.

Buddhist finds inner peace in Dandenong

By Shaun Inguanzo, Dandenong Star, June 1, 2006

Buddhist lama Khentrul Rinpoche will visit Greater Dandenong and draw on several different Buddhist streams to teach others how to lead a happy life.

Buddhist monks connect with Indigenous community

Australian Broadcasting Corp, May 19, 2006

Kimberley, Australia -- A group of Buddhist monks are finding solace in a far north Western Australian Indigenous community famous for its rock art.

Australia: More choosing Buddhist path

By Sarah Price, Sydney Morning Herald, May 7, 2006

Sydney, Australia -- BUDDHISM is growing as a religion of choice for Australians seeking an antidote to a greedy, violent and stressed out world.

Proposed Buddhist Pagoda Causes Stir

Newswire (New Zealand), May 10, 2006

Auckland, New Zealand -- Plans to build a ten-storey Buddhist tower, a pagoda, in south Auckland has angered some residents. The Buddhist temple in Flat Bush has applied for resource consent to build the tower, where the ashes of cremated followers will be stored.

Tibetan chic: Why Buddhism is so hot right now

by Amanda Whibley, EurekAlert, April 20, 2006

Sydney, Australia -- Madonna made those little red Kabbalah bracelets cool for five minutes, and Tom Cruise talked up Scientology, but Buddhism firmly remains the religion du jour for Westerners looking for respite from a greedy, violent and stressed out world, according to a University of Western Sydney expert.

Totally devoted to you

By Pip Cummings, Sydney Morning Herald, April 13, 2006

With Easter, Passover and Buddha's birthday upon us, it's time to get holy.

Sydney, Australia -- When Kerry Williams purchased a metre-high Virgin Mary statue at auction, she was faced with a transport problem. So she strapped the statue in to the front seat of her sports car, roof down, and took her for a drive.

Funds drive on for Buddhist shrine

ABC News Online, April 7, 2006

Bendigo, Australia -- Financial support is being sought from around the world for a planned $15 million Buddhist shrine near Bendigo. It will be the same size and design as the Great Stupa in Tibet.

Building work to begin on Buddhist shrine

Australian Broadcasting Corp, March 24, 2006

Bendigo, Victoria (Australia) -- Erection of a steel framework for a big religious and tourist attraction near Bendigo is expected to start soon after the council's decision to guarantee a loan for the project.

Council to offer land to Buddhist order

Australian Broadcast Corporation, March 3, 2006

Illawarra, NSW (Australia) -- Shoalhaven City Council is to officially offer the Shoalin Buddhist Order land at Comberton Grange near Falls Creek at an undisclosed price.

Meditation and the art of becoming a better boss

Stuff, February 25, 2006

Chief executives are finding their 'Buddha nature' in the practice and disciplines of Tibetan meditation. Julie Macken reports.

Sydney, Australia -- When Gordon Cairns began as CEO of Lion Nathan, he says he was "a horrible boss – driven by power, task-oriented and only concerned with getting the job done, whatever the cost".

A Buddhist day out beckons

By Michael Sinclair, Star News Group, February 8, 2006

Yuroke, Australia -- YUROKE will house thousands of Buddhists from across the country in a celebration for world peace later this month.

Govt urged to back Buddhist temple plan

ABC News Online, Feb 2, 2006

Sydney, Australia -- Shoalhaven Mayor Greg Watson says recent meetings with NSW Government department heads in Sydney have boosted support for the proposed Shaolin Buddhist temple.

Court hears of mass refugee bid from Buddhist temple

By Tony Stickley, New Zealand Herald, Jan 17, 2006

Auckland, New Zealand -- Hundreds of people from a Buddhist temple in Auckland applied en masse for refugee status, a court was told today. John Boggs, an intelligence analyst with the New Zealand Immigration Service, said claims from Thais escalated in 1998/99.

Buddhist centre opens in Kurrajong

by Angela Haberm, Hawkesbury Your Guide, November 24, 2005

Kurrajong, Australia -- It might have taken five years to find a suitable location, but the decision to set up in the Hawkesbury was one a Buddhist group needed to meditate on only briefly.

Worries aired over council-Buddhist group agreement

ABC, November 18, 2005

Illawara, NSW (Australia) -- Two Shoalhaven councillors have raised concerns about a draft agreement between Shoalhaven Council and a Chinese Buddhist order.

Temple planning expansion

By GREG ELLIS, Illawarra Mercury, September 16, 2005

Wollongong, Australia -- THE Nan Tien Temple has lodged a development application for a large tertiary educational and cultural facility at Unanderra.

Prayers and Donations for the Victims of Hurricane Katrina

Statement by The Head of the Congregation, Most Venerable Thich Nhu Hue, representing the Unified Vietnamese Buddhist Congregation of Australia ? New Zealand, Published on The Buddhist Channel, Sept 5, 2005

Sydney, Australia -- We all have been watching the tragedy unfurl for the people of the Southern States of America, particularly those in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. The catastrophic extent of damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina and the enormous task of helping and evacuating tens of thousands of refugees is unprecedented, especially for the people of New Orleans.

Home-Converted Temple: My Spiritual Struggle in Australia

First-person, Thich Nu Phuoc Hoan, as told to Andrew Lam,Pacific News Service, Aug 22, 2005

Editor's Note: Places of worship are growing in Australia at a phenomenal rate. In Sydney alone, there are more than 150 Buddhist temples. But while large mosques and temples have the funding to deal with bureaucracy, many home-converted temples run into problems.

Precious Buddha takes pride of place

Times Newspapers (New Zealand), July 20, 2005

Auckland, New Zealand -- A GIANT jade Buddha has taken up residency at the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple in East Tamaki. The eight tonne Buddha has been installed in the temple?s main shrine where it has a benevolent presence for worshippers.

Monks make mandalas in peace quest

By VANESSA BURROW, The Standard, July 6, 2005

Warrnambool, Australia -- TIBETAN monks demonstrated their extraordinary patience yesterday as they began creating an intricate artwork called a mandala at Warrnambool's Gateway Plaza.

Buddhist teaching Monk to visit

Magnetic Times, July 5 2005

Magnetic Island, Australia -- This weekend Magnetic Island Buddha Dharma will host the visit of Australian Buddhist Monk, Ajahn Sujato, who will be conducting a day of teachings.

Dalai Lama to visit Australia in 2007

The Age, July 6, 2005

Sydney, Australia -- The Dalai Lama, who is celebrating his 70th birthday, will visit Australia and New Zealand in 2007.

Buddhism Spreads Down Under as Asians Change Australia

by Andrew Lam, Pacific News Service, Jun 30, 2005

Once oriented toward Europe, Australia today describes itself as part of Asia, a change reflected in many Australians' embrace of Buddhism, the second-largest religion in the country. But tensions resulting from Asian immigration remain.

Monks bring Tibetan culture to Border

By SUE WALLACE, The Border Mail, June 25, 2005

Albury, Victoria (Australia) -- A GROUP of Tibetan monks will bring their rich culture to the Border next week. Five monks from the monasteries of India will share their dance, music and traditions of Tibet and its people.

A New Tibetan Buddhist Centre Opens in Australia

Sakya.com.au, May 26, 2005

Canberra, Australia -- Among the many Tibetan Lamas who have impacted the Buddhist scene in Australia is Lama Choedak Rinpoche, who has founded fourteen centre across Australia and New Zealand. Lama Choedak Rinpoche completed his monastic training under the guidance of His Eminenece Chogye Trichen Rinpoche and graduated among the first group of senior Sakya monks who underwent three and half years of Lamdre Lobshe retreat in Lumbini.

Creating Vesak history in Sydney

By Graeme Lyall AM, The Buddhist Channel, April 5, 2005

Sydney, Australia -- For the first time in the history of Australia, Vesak will receive recognition by the Government of New South Wales. An exhibition depicting the life of the Buddha and activities of Buddhist organisations and temples of the three major traditions of Buddhism will be staged in the Fountain Court in the foyer of the New South Wales Parliament House from 23-27 May.

Monks scatter sands of mandala

By ELLEN VAZ, Orange Yourguide, 5 April 2005

Molong, Australia -- GRAINS of sand and the chants of Tibetan Buddhist monks were carried away by the wind yesterday in a ceremony symbolising impermanence.

Monks share wisdom

By KELLY FITZGERALD, Orange Your Guide, 4 April 2005

Molong, Australia -- Seven monks performed in a Tibetan dance and chanting concert at Calare Public School on Saturday night. The monks are visiting Orange as part of their Sacred Footsteps tour, which takes them around Australia raising money to establish a hospital in India.

Opening of Great Stupa Exhibition Centre in Bendigo

The Buddhist Channel, Jan 17, 2005

Bendigo, Australia -- On Saturday January 15 the Great Stupa Exhibition centre was officially opened by Tenzin Phuntsok Atisha, His Holiness the Dalai Lama's representative in Australia.

Two decades of work reaches fruition

The Advertiser, January 13, 2005

Bendigo, Australia -- Almost 24 years in the making, The Great Stupa Exhibition Centre will officially open in Bendigo on Saturday. The opening is expected to draw monks, nuns and Buddhists from across Australia.

Rogue trader finds enlightenment on the way to court

By Aaron Patrick, Business Telegraph, Dec 22, 2004

Sydney, Australia -- A former trader at the heart of Australia's largest currency scandal will not hire a lawyer to defend himself against criminal charges, having abandoned capitalism for Buddhism.

Buddhist group plans a regional retreat

By KELLY FITZGERALD, Orange Your Guide, November 25, 2004

Orange City, Australia -- Meditation, grief counselling and drug-free treatment are some of the precepts of the Orange branch of a Buddhist group, which is currently working towards establishing a retreat in Newbridge.

Australian national swimmer dallies with Buddhism

AAP, November 11, 2004

Sydney, Australia -- LEISEL JONES is thinking of becoming a Buddhist. Jones, 19, has done some soul-searching since the Athens Olympics with the help of the Dalai Lama.

Fourth Buddhist Summit Cancelled

by Graeme Lyall, The Buddhist Channel, Nov 3, 2004

Burwood, NSW (Australia) -- The Fourth Buddhist Summit ? World Buddhist Conference planned to be held in Yangon, Union of Myanmar from the 9th until the 13th of December, 2004 has been cancelled.

Gyatso's retreats to island cavern

The Advertiser, 29 October 2004

Bendigo, Australia -- FOR more than 20 years the Atisha Centre's Venerable Gyatso has dreamed of building his own retreat.

Buddhists plead for their dead

by Jane Metlikovec, The Herald Sun, Oct 26, 2004

Victoria, Australia -- BUDDHISTS have pleaded with a Government inquiry to help them bury their dead facing west to prevent grieving relatives from being cursed.

Ancient China comes to Flat Bush

By WAYNE THOMPSON, New Zealand Herald, Oct 25, 2004

Chinese New Zealanders are finding a little piece of home sprouting in a Manukau City field.