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The Buddhist Channel, 11 Feb 2025
Puchong, Selangor (Malaysia) – The Tsechen Gephel Ling Buddhist Centre in Puchong organized a rare White Mahakala Wealth Invoking Ritual on Saturday, 9 February 2025. Although the practice is considered part of the "secret teachings" (guhyadharma) – transmitted directly from a qualified teacher to a student – the colorful ritual nevertheless introduced the Mahakala practice and its accompanying Tibetan tradition to the center’s devotees.
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The Buddhist Channel, 13 Jan 2025
Kwasa Damansara, Malaysia -- In an auspicious event greeting the new year, on 12 January 2025, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Ariya Vihara, Malaysia’s first Theravada Bhikkhuni Sima, nunnery, and Dhamma training center, took off. It was attended by 400 participants.
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by Alan Clements, The Buddhist Channel, 13 Jan 2025
Yangon, Myanmar -- In the confines of a humble cottage in Yangon, a final conversation unfolded between Alan Clements and his teacher, the late Venerable Sayadaw U Pandita, just before his passing in 2016 at the age of 95. This reflective moment encapsulated a lifetime of profound teachings, set against the backdrop of Myanmar's turbulent history — a nation scarred by colonialism, war, and political strife, yet resilient in its pursuit of democracy. The Sayadaw's wisdom, illuminated the essence of compassionate leadership, resilience, and the relevance of the Dhamma. His words, imbued with a deep understanding of morality, patience, and foresight, offered a blueprint for navigating the complexities of power and fostering a future rooted in compassion and unity. As Myanmar grapples with renewed challenges, his teachings serve as a guiding light, urging the guardians of tomorrow to act with integrity and an unwavering commitment to the unborn generations.
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Khmer Times, !7 December 2024
Bodh Gaya, Bihar (India) -- On December 5, 2024, a historic declaration was made at the Maha Bodh Gaya Stupa in India, under the sacred Bodhi Tree where the Buddha attained enlightenment.
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The Buddhist Channel, 10 December 2024
Bangkok, Thailand -- Thousands of devotees gathered in Bangkok on Wednesday to welcome a revered Buddhist relic on loan from China. The sacred relic, believed to be a tooth of the Buddha, was brought to Thailand to honor King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s 72nd birthday and celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China.
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The Buddhist Channel, 29 November 2024
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- Ananda Krishnan, one of Malaysia's wealthiest individuals with a business empire spanning telecommunications, satellites, media, oil, gas, and real estate, passed away on 28 November 2024, according to a statement from his private investment firm.
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The Buddhist Channel, 25 November 2024
Penang, Malaysia -- Puxian Vihara, a Buddhist temple in Jelutong dedicated to promotion of a compassionate society through the teachings of Samantabhara Bodhisattva, recently held an unique Kathina observation that invited monks from three main Buddhist schools, namely Theravada, Mahayana, and Tibetan Buddhism. The event held on Friday, 22 November 2024 drew a large crowd which included VIPs from the Penang State Government.
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Op-Ed, The Buddhist Channel, 4 November 2024
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- At the Damai Chempaka Meditation Society in Damansara Perdana, a small gathering of fewer than 50 people came together for the Kathina celebration. As the voices of five Thai monks filled the space with chanting, devotees held the robes they would soon offer in reverence. Throughout the ceremony, monks and devotees had the opportunity to connect, exchanging greetings and smiles that reflected a sense of warmth and unity. The atmosphere felt like a joyful family reunion, with happiness and shared goodwill radiating throughout.
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The Buddhist Channel, 26 Oct 2024
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- In a display of devotion and community spirit, two prominent Buddhist temples in Malaysia recently celebrated the annual Kathina ceremony, marking the end of the three-month Buddhist rain retreat (Vassa).
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The Buddhist Channel, 14 Oct 2024
Jakarta, Indonesia -- The Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs has established 49 Dhammasekha schools across the country, according to Supriyadi, Director General of Buddhist Community Development. The announcement was made during a ceremony marking the 19th anniversary of the Directorate General of Buddhist Community Development on Monday.
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The Buddhist Channel, 1 Oct 2024
Yangon, Myanmar -- Myanmar has recently been struck by devastating floods, leaving countless communities displaced and in urgent need of aid. Among those most affected were deeply rooted Buddhist communities.
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The Buddhist Channel, 28 September 2024
PENANG, Malaysia - In the heart of Penang, a Buddhist temple is taking bold steps to revolutionize Dharma propagation, blending ancient wisdom with cutting-edge technology. Pu Xian Vihara, home to a striking ceramic statue of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, is embarking on an ambitious journey to make Buddhist teachings more accessible and appealing to younger generations.
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The Buddhist Channel, 22 Spetember 2024
Sungai Buloh, Selangor (Malaysia) -- The serene chanting of the Great Compassion Mantra filled the air as Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM - 法鼓山) celebrated the groundbreaking of its new center in Kwasa Damansara, Malaysia. Led by nuns from DDM, the ceremony marked a significant milestone in the organization's mission to spread Buddhist teachings in the region.
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By Kooi F. Lim, The Buddhist Channel, 5 September 2024
Melaka, Malaysia -- As one approaches the century-old Buddhist temple of Seck Kia Eenh (Chinese: 釋迦院, founded in 1920) in Melaka (Malacca), a few things catch the eye. Above the main entrance is a plaque with Chinese characters displaying the temple's name.
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The Buddhist Channel, August 10, 2024
Ha Nam Province, Vietnam -- In a vibrant display of faith and tradition, thousands of Buddhist monks, nuns, and followers converged on the majestic Tam Chuc Pagoda today for the annual Vu Lan ceremony. This ancient ritual, marking the 2568th year in the Buddhist calendar, saw a harmonious blend of spiritual devotion and cultural significance.
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The Buddhist Channel, 2 August 2024
Bangkok, Thailand -- Katherine Scahill, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Music, University of Pennsylvania, has been conducting research on female Buddhist monks (bhikkhunī) in Thailand and their chanting traditions.
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The Star, 16 Jul 2024
GEORGE TOWN, Penang -- Legends abound around Buddha relics, from beliefs that they are indestructible and guarded by powerful deities to them imparting miraculous powers.
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The Buddhist Channel, 20 July 2024
MAGELANG, Indonesia -- Thousands of Buddhists participated in the Asalha Mahapuja procession from Mendut Temple to Borobudur Temple on Sunday (14/7/2024). Participants walked while meditating and carrying flowers.
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The Buddhist Channel, 14 July 2024
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- A significant Tibetan Buddhist event is currently taking place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Khenpo Pema Rinpoche and Khenpo Namgyal Rinpoche are leading a group of monks to recite the Kangyur, the Tibetan-language version of the sacred Buddhist texts.
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The Buddhist Channel, 30 June 2024
Puchong, Selangor (Malaysia) -- Kinrara Metta Buddhist Society (KMBS) celebrated its 20th anniversary on 29 June 2024 by sharing its joy with Buddhist centres and temples from the Klang Valley (greater Kuala Lumpur). About 100 representatives from various centres participated in the ceremonies and events organized for the day.
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By Viet An, Dang Khoa, VN Express, June 19, 2024
Hanoi, Vietnam -- A Buddhist abbot in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province has been hit with a two-year preaching ban by Vietnamese authorities, following speeches deemed culturally contentious.
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Khmer Times, 22 June 2024
Siem Reap, Cambodia -- The restoration of the 100-year-old Buddhist Vihara in Wat Damnak is a significant endeavor to preserve this national heritage site.
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The Buddhist Channel, 20 June 2024
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- Jangtse Choejey Kyabje Jetsun Lobsang Tenzin Palsangpo, the 104th Ganden Tripa and head of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, visited the Sakyamuni Dharma Center in Petaling Jaya this morning. This is His Eminence's second visit to Malaysia since 2019.
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The Buddhist Channel, 7 June 2024
Hanoi, Vietnam -- Journeying barefoot across the expanse of Vietnam, from north to south, Thich Minh Tue embodies a profound dedication to his faith, adhering to the 13 ascetic practices of ‘Dhutanga’. Despite resistance from institutional Buddhism, he garners tolerance from the government and admiration from followers of all beliefs, who track his exploits on social media.
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8world News, 31 May 2024
DJ NewJeasnNim wanted songs containing Buddhist scriptures
Singapore -- South Korean DJ NewJeasnNim has sparked controversy of late over his gigs, which consist of him dressing as as a monk and involving Buddhist elements in his songs.
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The Buddhist Channel, 26 May 2024
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- The Kwan Inn Teng 观音亭 temple[1] here in the old town district of Petaling Jaya is a medium sized but much beloved place of worship. Founded in 1952, this Mahayana based temple offer its devotees ample opportunities for Dharma practices such as chanting the Great Compassion Mantra (大悲咒 - da bei zhou), meditation and green living, with emphasis on recycling.
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The Buddhist Channel, 24 May 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Buddhists in Malaysia observed Wesak Day on 22 May 2024, honouring the birth, enlightenment, and passing of Siddharta Gautama.
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by Kooi F. Lim, The Buddhist Channel, 23 May 2024
How nature and tradition blend to create the ideal monks training sanctuary in Taiping.
Taiping, Malaysia -- Amidst cloud clad mountains, green hills, and a serene lake shimmering under the golden rays of sunset, one finds the Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary (SBS), a place fostered to enable one to experience deep spiritual serenity. Located in a hilly area on the outskirts of Taiping, this sanctuary blends seamlessly with natural greenery, offering a peaceful retreat for both monks and lay practitioners.
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The Buddhist Channel, 20 May 2024
Ayutthaya, Thailand -- Thailand hosted the 19th International Vesak Day today in an event that honored His Majesty the King’s 72nd Birthday Anniversary this year. The prestigious gathering was organized by the Sangha Supreme Council, the Thai government, and Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU), alongside various network partners.
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The Buddhist Channel, 21 May 2024
Jogjakarta, Indonesia -- As Vesak approaches, the ancient Buddhist temple of Borobudur in Magelang, Central Java, is gearing up for an influx of thousands of pilgrims, ready to partake in the most significant Buddhist celebration of the year. Maya Watono, a director at InJourney, a state-owned tourism company, has announced that Borobudur has been designated as a premier religious tourism destination.
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The Buddhist Channel, 9 May 2024
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- On 23 April 2024, at 3.12pm on Uposatha full moon, 17 esteemed bhikkhunīs from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia and Thailand declared and successfully demarcated the first Theravāda Bhikkhunī Sīmā* for the first Malaysian Theravāda Bhikkhunī Nunnery and Dhamma Training Centre led by Venerable Sumangala Bhikkhunī, the pioneer and Abbess of Ariya Vihara. . The demarcation of the sīmā was done with specific steps and considerations in accordance with the Dhamma-Vinaya.
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By Kooi F. Lim, The Buddhist Channel, 8 May 2024
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- Lama Tsewang Rinpoche, the founder of Danang Foundation and more renowned as the one “who engineered the escape of the Seventeenth Karmapa from Tibet", made a quiet visit to Malaysia and paid courtesy calls to some of his close friends here.
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by Cyril Aruno, The Buddhist Channel, 29 April 2024
Georgetown, Penang (Malaysia) -- Penang, an island with a rich tapestry of ethnic groups, has been a hub of cultural diversity since its inception as a British settlement in 1786, formerly known as Prince of Wales Island.
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The Buddhist Channel, 30 March 2024
Bangkok, Thailand -- On March 20, 2024, at the request of Thailand National Center for The Dissemination of Buddhism and National Buddhist Strategic Deployment, the newly created Digital Buddhism Research & Innovation Center, built by NetDragon Digital (Department of religion), was launched.
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The Buddhist Channel, 26 March 2024
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- Samdech Preah Agga Maha Sangharajadhipati Tep Vong, a senior monk who is also the Great Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia’s Buddhist Sangha, has died. He was 93.
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The Buddhist Channel, 16 March 2024
Archaeologists uncover evidence of Malaysia’s historical significance as a vibrant trading hub.
Kedah, Malaysia - - Residents of Bukit Choras, nestled amidst rice fields near a verdant hill in northwest Malaysia, recently discovered an archaeological marvel in their midst.
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The Buddhist Channel, 4 March 2024
Sanam Luang, Thailand -- The "Ganga-Mekong Holy Relics Dhammayatra" (pilgrimage) from India to Thailand were put on display for public view in Thailand for the first time in 30 years.
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by Kooi F. Lim, The Buddhist Channel, 29 Feb 2024
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- In heart of Jalan Berhala (Temple Road), where churches, mosque and Hindu temples lined its street, a grand temple - the Buddhist Maha Vihara - stands as a beacon of the Buddhist faith. As one steps through its "Sanchi inspired" gates, they are embraced by a sense of calm, a refuge from the frenetic pace of this modern city.
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by Parvez Sultan, New Indian Express, 21 Feb 2024
The last time the relics were taken out of the country was in May 2023, when they were exhibited at an exposition in Mongolia. NEW DELHI, India -- Four bone fragments of Lord Buddha, also known as Kapilvastu Relics, presently kept in the National Museum, will be taken to Thailand on Thursday after about 30 years. They will be displayed in four cities including Bangkok and Krabi, where people will pay their obeisance to the sacred remnants.
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The Buddhist Channel, 6 Feb 2024
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- On 3 February 2024, a significant dialogue took place between Malaysian Buddhists and the recently appointed Secretary General of the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), Khensur Rinpoche Jangchup Choeden. Hosted at the Sri Jayanti Buddhist temple in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur, the gathering also saw the presence of its chief monk, Bhante B. Sri Saranankara Nayaka Maha Thero.
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Hanoi times, 1 Feb 2024
Hanoi, Vietnam -- The lack of archives has led to inappropriate renovation and rebuilding of Buddhist temples. Digitization is a solution to improve the documentation of those architecture.
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The New Straits Times, 29 January 2024
Sandakan, Sabah (Malaysia) -- Positioned about four kilometres from the heart of Sandakan, Puu Jih Shih Temple emerges as a dignified testament to ancient Chinese architectural splendour, beckoning visitors into a tranquil realm infused with cultural and spiritual significance.
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The Buddhist Channel, 18 January 2024
PHNOM PENH -- The Ministry of Environment in Cambodia is taking steps to establish a meditation site within the Buddhist Cultural Centre, located in the Preah Suramarit-Kossamak Kirirom National Park. This initiative aims to encourage local and international Buddhists to embrace meditation and delve into the teachings of Buddha.
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The Buddhist Channel, 7 January 2024
Alor Star, Kedah (Malaysia) -- Wat Samosorn Rachanupradit (Thai: วัดสโมสรราชานุประดิษฐ์) is a Thai Buddhist temple situated in Alor Setar, Kedah. It is located in the suburb of Bakar Bata, by the banks of Sungai Kedah. The temple is often just known as Wat Siam Bakar Bata.
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By Amos Simon, The Buddhist Channel, 25 December, 2023
Singapore -- The 12th Global Conference on Buddhism was held at the Max Antria Singapore Expo from 16-17 December 2023. The organizer, the Buddhist Fellowship (BF) welcomed over 800 participants from 12 countries from the Sangha and other delegates.
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VNS, 25 December 2023
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam -- Buddhist leaders from Việt Nam, Laos and Cambodia have vowed to strengthen relationships between their countries and other Buddhist nations to foster a peaceful and harmonious world at their second annual conference being held in Ho Chi Minh City.
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The Buddhist Channel, 19 December 2023
Jogjakarta, Indonesia -- The Candi Borobudur, the world's largest Buddhist temple located near the central Javanese city of Yogyakarta, has undergone a significant transformation in recent times.
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The Buddhist Channel, 15 December 2023
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- In a bid to uphold the sanctity and reputation of Buddhism, Senate President Say Chhum delivered a compelling address during the 31st National Congress of Buddhist Monks at the National Institute of Education in Phnom Penh.
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The Buddhist Channel, 9 December 2023
Shah Alam, Malaysia -- Dato' IR Ang Choo Hong, President of the Buddhist Research Society Malaysia (BRSM), said academic research was one of the ways to open up new horizons for the propagation of the Dharma in Malaysian Buddhism.
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By Kooi F. Lim, the Buddhist Channel, 19 November 2023
Rawang, Selangor (Malaysia) -- The Temple of the Ten Thousand Buddhas at Golden Dragon Mountain (金龙山万佛寺) stands as one of Malaysia's largest and finest temples, exuding grandeur amidst the tranquillity of the Rawang countryside in Selangor.
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by Pravit Rojanaphruk, https://www.khaosodenglish.com, 12 Nov 2023
Bangkok, Thailand -- The quixotic National Office of Buddhism is back on the news. This time they want the individuals behind a few AI-generated photos of naughty monks playing rock music, drinking alcohol, smoking and singing with beautiful ladies at a karaoke bar, and racing motorcycles literally behind bars – citing the Computer Crime Act.
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The Buddhist Channel, 1 Nov 2023
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The Buddhist Channel, 21 Oct 2023
Inle Lake, Myanmar -- Thousands of Buddhists participated in the Phaung Daw Oo pagoda festival, which features four sacred Buddha images placed on a golden barge and rowed through lakeside villages in eastern Shan State.
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The Buddhist Channel, 14 Oct 2023
Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands (Indonesia) -- The Riau Islands Province now boasts Indonesia's tallest pagoda, the Sata-Sahasra Buddha Pagoda, nestled within the Avalokitesvara Vihara complex, W. R. Supratman Street, Kilometer 14, Tanjungpinang City.
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The Buddhist Channel, 14 Oct 2023
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- In a poignant twist on an age-old tradition, this year's Pchum Ben festival in Cambodia's Kampong Tralach district is tinged with sorrow, as local monks face a shortage of food offerings amidst economic challenges. The 15-day festival, marking the end of Vassa (Buddhist Lent), typically sees devotees prepare food for monks and offer alms as a way to honor their deceased ancestors. However, the economic slowdown has cast a shadow over these cherished rituals.
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The Buddhist Channel, October 9, 2023
Nakhon Pathom, Thailand -- The Buddhist community of Nakhon Pathom is plunged into mourning following the peaceful passing of Pranee Intawaso, an esteemed royal ecclesiastical advisor. Pranee Intawaso, who served as the advisor to the head of the 14th region and as assistant abbot at Wat Rai Khing, a prestigious royal temple in Nakhon Pathom, breathed his last on October 7 at Sam Phran Hospital in Nakhon Pathom.
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The Buddhist Channel, 30 Sept 2023
UPDATE (25 Oct 2023) The Buddhist Channel has been informed that Kunzang Chokhor Ling has amended their website which reflects the true reason for the establishment of the society. With the update, the issue of contradiction raised by this article has been resolved. The amendments in their website can be seen here:
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- Recent developments have sent shock waves through the Tibetan Buddhist community in Malaysia, with two concerning incidents coming to light. The first involves the arrest and detention of a Tulku accused of sexual assault on a woman six years ago.
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The Buddhist Channel, 27 September 2023
SERDANG, Selangor (Malaysia) -- Vajrayana teacher Chagtrul Thupten Thinley Rinpoche has been detained in connection with allegations of sexual assault involving a woman in Puchong. The alleged incident reportedly occurred on February 17, 2017, within the confines of Puchong.
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The Buddhist Channel, 22 September 2023
YAN, Kedah (Malaysia) -- The National Heritage Department and Universiti Sains Malaysia's Global Archaeology Research Centre (GARC) proudly announce the uncovering of the largest Buddhist temple structure in Bukit Choras, with roots dating back 1,200 years.
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The Buddhist Channel, 16 September 2023
IPOH, Perak -- Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) expressed disappointment over a recent court decision regarding a century-old Buddhist monastery in Gunung Kanthan, Chemor, Perak. The Court of Appeal granted permission for Associated Pan Malaysia Cement (APMC) to evict the monastery, located within Gunung Kanthan. Gunung Kanthan is one of the 19 Kinta Valley geological sites and was expected to be part of the Kinta Valley National Geopark.
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The Buddhist Channel, 8 September 2023
IPOH, Perak -- One of the last 12 remaining limestone hills in the Kinta Valley National Geopark, Gunung Kanthan, is surrounded by abundant greenery that shelters endangered species of flora and fauna like bent-toed geckos, snow-white orchids and tiny snails.
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The Buddhist Channel, 2 September 2023
Bangkok, Thailand -- In a bid to address the growing need for compassionate caregivers in modern institutions, a three-day workshop for Buddhist chaplains is set to take place, offering insights into the evolving role of chaplaincy in today's society. The workshop is sponsored by the International Buddhist Psychotherapy and Chaplaincy Working Group & the International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB). It runs from September 29 – October 1, 2023 and will be held at Wongansit Ashram, Thailand.
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The Buddhist Channel, 24 August 2023
Hanoi, Vietnam - Amidst the lush jungles and sprawling fields of the Vietnamese landscape, a remarkable structure more akin to old Angkor emerges, captivating all who lay eyes upon it. The Kà Ốt Pagoda, with its distinctive Khmer architectural style, stands as a testament to the cultural and spiritual heritage of the ethnic Khmer community in the region.
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The Buddhist Channel, 9 August, 2023
Naypyitaw, Myanmar -- In the midst of Myanmar's ongoing civil conflict, the country's military leadership has unveiled a towering Buddha statue, an emblematic display aimed at fostering national cohesion and religious devotion.
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The Buddhist Channel, 29 July 2023
Bangkok, Thailand -- In the Land of Smiles, a unique cultural tradition has long captivated observers: young Thai men, after completing their studies, embark on a transformative journey as temporary monks. This revered rite of passage has been an integral part of Thai society, offering men an opportunity to show gratitude to their families and immerse themselves in the teachings of Buddhism.
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by Kooi F. Lim, The Buddhist Channel, 13 July 2023
Palembang, Indonesia -- On November 17, 1920, just 8 months after becoming the Resident of Palembang, the Dutch diplomat Louis Constant Westenenk found himself at the foot of Bukit Seguntang, in the village of Talang Tuo. His foray here with his entourage led to a stunning discovery of an ancient stone tablet.
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ANTARA News, 8 July 2023
Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands (Indonesia) -- The tallest pagoda in Indonesia, the Sata-Sahasra Buddha Pagoda, which is located in Tanjungpinang City, Riau Islands Province, was inaugurated on Saturday by an official from the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
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Op-Ed, The Buddhist Channel, 30 June 2023
Bangkok, Thailand -- Thai Buddhism finds itself in a state of crisis, plagued by a series of deep-rooted issues that threaten the very fabric of this ancient spiritual tradition. From the misconduct of wayward monks to the distortion of Buddhist teachings, the erosion of public faith has reached alarming levels.
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The Buddhist Channel, 2 June 2023
Magelang, Indonesia -- In a remarkable display of tolerance and harmony, Indonesian communities warmly embraced a group of Buddhist monks embarking on the Thudong pilgrimage, a traditional practice of walking long distances to emulate the Buddha. The streets leading to Magelang, Central Java, were filled with enthusiastic crowds as dozens of bhantes (Buddhist monks) made their way towards the Borobudur Temple, their final destination.
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The Buddhist Channel, 21 May 2023
Bangkok, Thailand -- A series of multi-million baht cases involving monastic fraud has prompted the police in Thailand to contemplate their investigation into temple funds.
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The Buddhist Channel, 16 May 2023
Sungai Buloh, Malaysia -- The congregation on Sunday morning, 14 May 2023 at Ariya Vihara was waiting in high anticipation for the monks and nuns to arrive for the Puja and opening ceremony. This congregation is not common for a Buddhist centre in Malaysia because it consists mainly of female devotees. After all, Ariya Vihara was formed as the 1st Theravada Bhikkhuni Nunnery and Dhamma Training Centre in Malaysia with much interest from women wishing to ordain both from within Malaysia and abroad.
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The Buddhist Channel, 28 April 2023
Bangkok, Thailand -- Meditation is usually not associated with heavenly locations. More so Buddhist meditation such as Anapanasati (mindfulness of breath) and Vipassana (insight meditation), where practitioners are urged to look into their discomfort while practicing in a dimly lighted temple room and humid conditions.
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By Kalinga Seneviratne, Lotus News Features and IDN-InDepthNews, 9 December 2019
BANGKOK, Thailand -- On a Saturday morning a couple drives into the Santi Asoke community in the north-eastern outskirts of Bangkok, and walks into a large warehouse stacked with clothes, shoes, books, electrical goods, mobile phones, washing machines, furniture and other household items. The couple inspects a stack of clothes scattered on a mat, picks some up and puts it in a basket. It is then taken to a volunteer cashier, who weighs it and quotes a price.
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The Buddhist Channel, Nov 20, 2019
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- A significant milestone was reached in the Malaysian Vajrayana scene when all 18 centres and groups from the Gelugpa Tradition came together to jointly organize an event to commemorate the 600th year of Lama Tsongkapa.
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The Star, 14 May 2019
HANOI, Vietnam -- The United Nations (UN) Day of Vesak has kicked off in Vietnam’s northern Ha Nam province, with the participation of more than 1,650 international delegates from over 100 countries and regions.
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The Buddhist Channel, September 1, 2018
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- An exhibition dedicated to the life of Ven. Dr K Sri Dhammananda Maha Nayaka Thera is currently open for public viewing from 31st August to 2nd September 2018 at the Buddhist Maha Vihara, Kuala Lumpur. Entrance is free.
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by Muktita Suhartono, The Hindu, Aug 14, 2018
Bangkok, Thailand -- The Buddha, in his laughing incarnation, is often depicted with a jolly smile and a giant, quivering belly. That model of plenitude seems ever more apt in Thailand, where the waistlines of the country’s Buddhist monks have expanded so much that health officials have issued a nationwide warning.
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The Bangkok Post, 24 Jul 2018
Bangkok, Thailand -- Eleven boys from the “Wild Boars” soccer team - rescued from the flooded Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district in a drama that gripped global audiences - took their first steps on Tuesday to be ordained as Buddhist novices in a ceremony steeped in tradition.
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The Phuket News, 26 May 2018
PHUKET, Thailand -- The major Buddhist holiday Visakha Bucha Day will be honoured on May 29 with most government offices closed.
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by Liam Cochrane and Supattra Vimonsuknopparat, ABC, May 28, 2018
Bangkok, Thailand -- The daily afternoon fasting of Thai Buddhist monks is making them fat, thanks largely to modern sugary drinks, says a leading nutritionist.
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by Khoe Wei Jun, The Straits Times, May 29, 2019
Singapore -- The Singapore Buddhist Federation and other experts are encouraging devotees to not release animals to mark Vesak Day, but to consider alternatives instead, including going vegetarian.
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The Jakarta Post, May 28, 2018
Jogjakarta, Indonesia -- Sixteen Buddhist monks and journalists from Thailand and Vietnam are among the participants of the Vesak Day 2562 familiarization trip (famtrip) to Yogyakarta and Borobudur temple in Magelang, Central Java initiated by the Tourism Ministry from May 27 to June 1.
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By Alan Teh Leam Seng, The New Straits Times, May 27, 2018
Penang, Malaysia -- “UNCLE Wong’s house is near the junction of Lebuhraya Bodhi and Jalan Nirvana,” remarks my father as I slowly turn into the North-South Expressway. My parents had just heard of their former colleague’s ill health and decided to pay him a visit. Since it’s the weekend and there’s nothing on my schedule, I offered to drive them to Penang for a day trip. With images of sumptuous hawker food dancing in my mind, this will be like killing two birds with a stone.
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The Straits Times, May 13, 2018
SINGAPORE -- As a young boy in the 60s, Mr Lim Keng Boon would accompany his parents, who are devout Buddhists, to the Wat Ananda Metyarama Thai Buddhist Temple in Jalan Bukit Merah for prayers.
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By Pravit Rojanaphruk, Khasod English, March 20, 2018
BANGKOK, Thailand -- A Buddhist scholar and foreign correspondent both warn in recent books of the rising specter of Buddhist nationalism in Thailand.
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The Irrawaddy, 22 February 2018
Yangon, Myanmar -- Religious Affairs and Culture Minister U Aung Ko has urged the nation’s highest religious authority to take action against monks who disgrace Buddhism through their activities or speech.
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by Sanitsuda Ekachai, The Bangkok Post, Feb 3, 2018
Bangkok, Thailand -- People who believed that the majority of monks do not follow the Buddha's path have increasingly turned to meditation retreats led by non-monk teachers outside temples. A religious group called Techo Vipassana is one of them.
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by KING-OUA LAOHONG, The Bangkok Post, 9 Jan 2018
Bangkok, Thailand -- In July 2015, Sathien Damrongkadeerat, who at the time served as the director of the Songkhla Provincial Office of Buddhism, contacted the three temples, saying he would earmark budgets for them on condition they repay a fixed amount to him, according to Mr Worawit.
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Asia News Network, December 30, 2017
Yangon, Myanmar -- In a further sign that Myanmar is clamping down on the spread of ultra-nationalist Buddhism, six monks have been sentenced to 18 months’ hard labour for leading an anti-government protest in Mandalay.
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by San Ha, VietNamNet Bridge, Nov 19, 2017
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam --- Situated along Nhieu Loc Canal in HCM City’s District 1, Van Tho (Longevity) Pagoda has been a trusted place for free traditional cures for sprains, fractures and muscle and bone injuries for more than 30 years.
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By Jacob Goldberg, Coconuts, Nov. 2, 2017
Yangon, Myanmar -- Myanmar’s most revered Buddhist leader gave a speech on Monday in which he urged hundreds of military officers to not to fear the sinfulness of taking human life. Despite building a reputation on his interfaith and humanitarian activities, Sitagu Sayadaw has long made excuses for the military’s abuses against Rohingya Muslims. This week, critics said the monk veered into promoting genocide.
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The Nation, October 11, 2017
Chiang Mai, Thailand -- A Chiang Mai temple which is taking care of about 700 abandoned children and orphans has appealed for urgent donations of sanitary napkins for girls.
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Reuters, 11 October 2017
VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis will meet Myanmar’s top Buddhist monks, its military generals and civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in November when he visits that country and Bangladesh, both caught up in a crisis over the self-identifying Rohingya Muslim minority.
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Channel News Asia, 26 Sep 2017
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand has reinstated as the head of a state body charged with administering the Buddhist religion an official who was sacked last month, the prime minister said on Tuesday.
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Channel News Asia, Sept 8, 2017
Singapore -- The Singapore Buddhist Federation has weighed in on the crisis in Myanmar's Rakhine state, saying that the escalation of violence there is of "grave concern".
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The Star, 25 August 2017
Penang, Malaysia -- A SACRED week-long Buddhist ceremony will be held in Butterworth, Penang, this year-end.
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VNA, Aug 27, 2017
Danang, Vietnam -- As Vietnam and Indian developed ties in the third century, Buddhist monks played a major role in cementing the relationship.
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By Kalinga Seneviratne, IDN-InDepthNews, 10 August 2017
YANGON, Myanmar -- A Myanmar government commission that investigated allegations made by an international human rights organisation and the media about the country’s security forces abusing the human rights of Muslims known as Rohingyas in Rakhine State has found these allegations to be “unproven” and slammed its critics, including the United Nations, for carrying out an international “smear campaign” against the country.
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By Jonathan Head BBC News, 22 July 2017
Bangkok, Thailand -- It was a jarring image; a group of Buddhist monks, with shaven heads and orange robes, sitting back in the soft-leather seats of an executive jet, passing luxury accessories among themselves.
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By Htun Htun & Pe Thet Htet Khin, the Irrawaddy, 18 July 2017
YANGON, Myanmar -- The State Buddhist Sangha authority - also known by its Myanmar acronym Ma Ha Na - will not issue further instructions regarding the signboards of Buddhist ultranationalist association Ma Ba Tha, said Sayadaw Bhaddanta Pandavabhivamsa, a Ma Ha Na member.
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AFP, July 14, 2017
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand’s Buddhist monks could soon be issued “smart ID cards” flagging any drug or criminal records, in the latest move by the junta to restore the tarnished image of the men in orange robes.
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Coconuts Yangon, Jun. 29, 2017
Yangon, Myanmar -- Religious and cultural affairs minister Thura U Aung Ko told reporters in Naypyidaw yesterday that he will not give in to demands to resign, saying: “I was not appointed by [nationalist protesters], but by the leader democratically elected by the people.”
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The Bangkok Post, 16 Jun 2017
Bangkok, Thailand -- The government will propose a law to force its tens of thousands of Buddhist temples to declare their finances, the head of the National Office of Buddhism told Reuters.
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By Moe Myint, The Irrawaddy, 15 June 2017
YANGON, Myanmar -- The Arakan National Party (ANP) led 300 people, including Buddhist monks and local Arakanese, in a protest outside the UN offices in Maungdaw Township, Rakhine State on Wednesday, urging the agency to protect the Buddhist minority Chakma in Bangladesh.
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By MRATT KYAW THU, Myanmar Frontier, May 23, 2017
YANGON, Myanmar -- Hardline nationalist group Ma Ba Tha has been ordered to cease all activities by the middle of July or face legal action, after a decision by senior clerical leaders.
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The Star, 10 May 2017
GEORGE TOWN, Penang (Malaysia) -- A float bearing a 3m-tall statue of Buddha stands proud with thousands of flowers donated by devotees at the Malaysian Buddhist Association premises in Burmah Road.
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The Straits Times, May 10, 2017
Singapore -- More than 20,000 people turned up at Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery to perform rituals in reverence of Buddha - the founder of Buddhism - yesterday on the eve of Vesak Day.
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Afp, 10 May 2017
Ipoh, Malaysia -- Thousands of devotees gathered in Malaysian temples Wednesday to celebrate Buddha's birth, death and enlightenment -- a festival marked on different days across the region, which is also known as Wesak day.
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by Adrian Chan, the Star, 8 May 2017
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Religious leaders should lead by example to promote a moderate way of life among the people, says Venerable Datuk K. Sri Dhammaratana Nayaka Maha Thero.
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by Yip Yoke Leng, The Star, 9 May 2017
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- The weeks leading up to Wesak Day this year have been a grand display of volunteerism and compassion as thousands of Buddhists prepare for the occasion tomorrow to commemorate the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha.
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by Chin Kee Thou, Today Online, May 8, 2017
Singapore -- The report “NParks, PUB teaming up to warn against releasing pets into the wild” (May 3) comes at the right time.
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by SUNTHORN PONGPAO, The Bangkok Post, 7 May 2017
Bangkok, Thailand -- A total of 10,000 copies of a book said to be the world's first and formal international version of the Tripitaka Buddhist scriptures will be distributed to countries around the world, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University revealed on Saturday.
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by Gan Pei Ling, the Star, 8 May 2017
PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia -- A national Buddhist centre and houses of worship of other major faiths will be built here as part of the Government’s plan to have a multi-religious enclave at the nation’s administrative capital.
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VNS, May 5, 2017
Hanoi, Vietnam -- President Tran D?i Quang paid a visit yesterday to Most Venerable Thích Pho Tue, Supreme Patriarch of the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) on the occasion of the Buddha’s 2561st Birthday Festival 2017.
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Reuters, April 11, 2017
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand's junta lifted restrictions on movement at the country's biggest Buddhist temple on Tuesday, a month after police ended a siege of the complex whose former abbot is accused of money laundering.
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by Oliver Holmes, The Guardian, 10 March 2017
Ruling junta has kept Dhammakaya temple under siege for nearly three weeks in bid to find monk wanted for money laundering Bangkok, Thailand -- Thailand’s highest religious body has begun a process that could defrock a Buddhist abbot wanted for money laundering, escalating a conflict between the military government and a hugely popular temple.
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by Kyaw Thu, RFA’s Myanmar Service, March 20, 2017
Yangon, Myanmar -- Religious authorities in Myanmar’s Mandalay have warned the outspoken and controversial leader of an ultranationalist Buddhist movement to not give sermons under a one-year ban on making public speeches because of his repeated hate speech and anti-Muslim rhetoric, a religious official said Monday.
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South China Morning Post, 6 March, 2017
Phra Dhammachayo is accused of money laundering but has not turned himself in and police say his followers have hampered the search Bangkok, Thailand -- The former Buddhist abbot at the heart of a stand-off with authorities at Thailand’s biggest temple has been stripped of his monastic rank by the king, the military government said on Sunday.
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by Sanitsuda Ekachai, Bangkok Post, March 2, 2017
Bangkok, Thailand -- So the Dhammakaya Temple is a cult. So its leader reportedly claims to be a doomsday saviour who takes rich donors on a tour to heaven to see the Buddha. So it teaches its followers to buy premium spaces in heaven by donating to the temple. So its doctrine on the permanence of self is against Buddhism. So what?
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By Wa Lone, Reuters, Feb. 24, 2017
YANGON, Myanmar -- Around 100 Buddhist monks and nationalists in Myanmar staged a protest against Thailand on Friday, denouncing the government of the neighboring country for its actions against a temple that has defied orders to hand over a wanted monk.
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by ANDREW BIGGS, The Bangkok Post, 12 Feb 2017
Thought police are doing Thailand's religion no favours with their intrusive false advertising aimed at tourists Bangkok, Thailand -- The billboard rises, like a Buddhist temple, up ahead on the right-hand side of the airport highway.
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By Panu Wongcha-um, Channel NewsAsia, 12 Feb 2017
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand will soon welcome a new Supreme Patriarch. Somdet Phra Maha Muniwong, 89, was appointed last week by King Maha Vajiralongkorn and will be officially installed in a ceremony in Bangkok on Sunday (Feb 12).
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By Euan Black, Southeast Asia Globe, February 1, 2017
As Cambodia modernises and sex and drug scandals rock the monkhood, the famed saffron robes no longer command the respect they once did Phnom Penh, Cambosia -- In 1959, May Mayko Ebihara became the first American to write an anthropological dissertation on Cambodian village life. Published in two volumes nearly a decade later, Svay: A Khmer Village in Cambodia depicted a pre-modern agricultural idyll governed by family and religion, in which monks were seen as the “living embodiments and spiritual generators of Buddhism”.
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by Leong Weng Kam, Straits Times, Jan 31, 2017
Tan Lee Huak aims to strengthen confidence of devotees and promote Buddhist teachings Singapore -- Since last Friday night, more than 20,000 devotees have visited the Singapore Buddhist Lodge in Kim Yam Road, as they do every Chinese New Year, to give offerings, exchange greetings and pay respects to their ancestors.
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by Sanitsuda Ekachai, The Bangkok Post, Jan 19, 2017
Bangkok, Thailand -- The National Office of Buddhism (NOB) is attempting to encourage Phra Dhammajayo, the embattled former abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, to turn himself in to officials in the money laundering case associated with the multi-billion-baht Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative embezzlement scandal.
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by Sanitsuda Ekachai, The Bangkok Post, Jan 11, 2017
Bangkok, Thailand -- If you think any Thai can pay respects to the late revered monarch, you will be in for an unpleasant surprise.
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by Khy Sovuthy, Cambodia Daily, January 11, 2017
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- The Minister of Cults and Religion was questioned by a National Assembly commission on Tuesday over efforts to promote Buddhism in the country and an assortment of other concerns affecting the religion, according to the opposition lawmaker who summoned him.
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By SETH MYDANS, The New York Times, Dec. 20, 2016
PATHUM THANI, Thailand -- It is a temple for a changing Thailand: clean, unadorned, high-tech and unashamed of praying for wealth.
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The Bangkok Post, 11 Dec 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- His Majesty the King presided over an annual ceremony on Monday to promote senior Buddhist monks in the cleric ranking system.
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By Kalinga Seneviratne, IDN-InDepthNews, 27 November 2016
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- A grand Chinese temple on the hills of central Kuala Lumpur overlooking the Malaysian capital was the site of a unique event on November 27 where a Sri Lankan born Buddhist monk’s vision to empower the education of poor Malaysian children, most of them Muslims, was taking place without the glare of any television cameras or the national media.
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by Michiyo Tanabe and Lee Jay Walker, Modern Tokyo Times, November 25, 2016
Buddhism is illegal in Muslim nations like Saudi Arabia (however the same Sunni Islamist nation is intent on spreading Salafi Islam into the heart of Buddhism with the connivance of local 'Buddhist' politicians who act oblivious to the rapidly declining plight of Buddhism in traditional Buddhist countries) Yangon, Myanmar -- The mass media in both the West and Islamic world needs to find space in order to simplify hatred. It matters not if turning a blind eye to Sunni Takfiri massacres in Syria and the nations that are endorsing this, nor that in Myanmar’s recent history more Christians than any other non-Buddhist faith group have been killed based on ethnic and religious tensions. Instead, the simple version – while negating the Christian angle – is that Muslims are killed and targeted by radical Buddhists.
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By Arun Saronchai, Anadolu Agency, Nov 24, 2016
Abbot of wealthy Dhammakaya temple wanted on charges of illegally receiving money from scandal-ridden credit fund BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thai police said Thursday that an influential abbot of a wealthy Buddhist temple has until the end of the month to turn himself in and face money laundering charges.
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by Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, November 19, 2016
Sumatra, Indonesia -- Hundreds of Buddhists in Medan, North Sumatra, held a joint prayer for peace and tolerance in Indonesia, amid rising religious tensions across the country.
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VNS, November, 4, 2016
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam -- Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) has contributed to enriching and developing the country’s culture, the rector of HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanities said at conference held on Wednesday.
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By Akhilesh Pillalamarri, The Diplomat, October 15, 2016
Rama IX served as a revered symbol and also shielded his country from the worst consequences of its political instability. Bangkok, Thailand -- What makes an ideal king in the Buddhist tradition?
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The Buddhist Channel, Oct 18, 2016
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Maha Karuna Buddhist Society will be organizing the annual “Student Monks Education Dana” this year on 20th November, 2016. The event will be held at the village of Kirinda, in the district of Mathara, Sri Lanka. The venue was selected as it coincides with the 10th anniversary memorial of the late Ven. Dr K Sri Dhammananda, who hails from Kirinda.
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by Melissa Goh, Channel NewsAsia, 14 Oct 2016
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- Nestled in a quiet neighbourhood in Petaling Jaya in Selangor state, is the majestic Chetawan Thai Buddhist temple.
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Channel News Asia, 14 Oct 2016
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Buddhist monks on Friday chanted prayers over the remains of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the riverside Grand Palace in Bangkok, ahead of a traditional royal cremation that will need months to prepare.
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Japan Times, Oct 6, 2016
MANDALAY, Myanmar -- A Myanmar court on Thursday jailed a Dutch tourist for three months with hard labor for insulting religion after he unplugged an amplifier relaying a late-night Buddhist sermon.
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by Natnicha Chuwiruch and Grant Peck, The Associated Press, October 6, 2016
Thai activists lean over the Oct. 6 Memorial to offer lighted candles at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016. (AP / Sakchai Lalit) BANGKOK, Thailand -- Buddhist monks, mourners, activists and the merely curious gathered Thursday to mark the 40th anniversary of one of the darkest days in Thailand's history, when police killed scores of university students at a peaceful protest, and ghoulish vigilantes defiled the dead.
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By Yee Xiang Yun, The Star, 24 September 2016
JOHOR BARU, Malaysia -- Buddhist associations should remain united to spread the right teachings of Buddha, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
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AFP, 26 September 2016
Mandalay, Myanmar -- A Dutch tourist has been detained in Myanmar for insulting religion after being accused of pulling the plug on a speaker relaying a late-night Buddhist sermon in Mandalay.
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Radio Free Asia, Sept 12, 2016
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam -- Government authorities in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City have destroyed a Buddhist pagoda from which they recently evicted monks, and have moved all of the temple’s contents to another location, the head of the religious institution said Monday.
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by Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, Sept 10, 2016
SINGAPORE - The Buddhist College of Singapore now has its own $35 million building, placing it in a better position to serve its students - monks from the region.
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The Buddhist Channel, Sept 8, 2016
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- News portal "Free Malaysia Today (FMT)" reported on September 3 that the chief monk of the Sri Lankan Buddhist temple in Sentul was assaulted by a small group of demonstrators, who were protesting the visit of former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa to Malaysia.
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Newslaundry, Sep 5, 2016
Narendra Modi invited all the monks to visit India - the land of Buddha - and especially to Varanasi "which I represent in the Indian Parliament." Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited the historic Pagoda temple in Hanoi and the stilt house where revered leader Ho Chi Minh lived, apart from enjoying fishing with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Addressing Buddhist monks at the temple, Modi said Vietnam was an inspiration for everyone to shun violence and follow Buddha’s path of peace and harmony.
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By Min Kyi Thein And Esther Htusan, The Associated Press, Aug. 25, 2016
Some of the structures, constructed from the 10th to the 14th centuries, were engulfed in huge clouds of dust when the tremor struck, while others lost their iconic tips. BAGAN, BURMA -- Using brooms and their hands, soldiers and residents of an ancient Burma city famous for its historic Buddhist pagodas began cleaning up the debris Thursday from a powerful earthquake that shook the region and damaged nearly 200 temples.
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AsianCorrespondent.com, 19 August 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- THAILAND’S smallest monk was disrobed this week after a senior monk decided he was too small.
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By LAWI WENG, THE IRRAWADDY, August 17, 2016
RANGOON, Burma -- Plans are underway to form a new commission to resolve the communal and humanitarian crisis in Arakan State, which will include Muslim and Buddhist Arakanese representatives—but from Rangoon rather than Arakan State.
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The Nation, August 6, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- POLICE yesterday vowed to hunt down ever person who blocked the arrest of Dhammakaya Temple abbot Phra Dhammachayo on June 16.
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The Bangkok Post, Jul 30, 2016
JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Indonesian authorities detained seven people in northern Sumatra island on Saturday on suspicion of attacking several Buddhist temples the previous night, officials said
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Channel News Asia, 21 Jul 2016
NAY PYI TAW, Myanmar -- Muslims make up just over two per cent of Myanmar's population, government census figures showed on Thursday (Jul 21), undercutting claims by Buddhist hardliners that Islam poses a threat to the dominance of their faith.
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AFP, July 13, 2016
YANGON, Myanmar -- The body representing Myanmar’s top monks has distanced itself from Buddhist hardliners behind an incendiary anti-Muslim campaign blamed for a surge in sectarian violence across the country.
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by Anapat Deechuay and Sakda Samerpop, The Nation, July 12, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- PRIME MINISTER General Prayut Chan-o-cha has pledged not to submit the nomination of Somdet Chuang as the new supreme patriarch for royal endorsement for fear it would spark turmoil.
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ThaiPBS, July 13, 2016
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha on Tuesday hit back at a senior monk who threatened to lead a mass protest of monks if the former does not submit the nomination of Somdet Chuang as the new supreme patriarch to His Majesty the King for endorsement within seven days.
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by Ate Hoekstra, Deutch Welle, July 7, 2016
Cambodia has one of the world's highest deforestation rates. But a group of Buddhist monks are stepping up efforts to save forests by publicly revealing wrongdoings and mobilizing local villagers. Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- His memories often bring But Buntenh back to Cambodia thirty years ago. There were jungles as far as the eye could see. Centuries-old trees gave shade and provided shelter to birds and wild animals.
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by Jarod Lim, The Star, 11 July 2016
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- THE Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields is organising a charity dinner to raise funds for an expansion project for the Buddhist Institute Sunday Dhamma School (BISDS).
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Archive of Images of the funeral
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by MOTOKAZU MATSUI, Nikkei Asian Review, June 29, 2016
YANGON, Myanmar -- An anti-Muslim Buddhist nationalist group in Myanmar is rapidly extending its influence, growing into a political force that could pose a serious challenge to the leadership of Aung San Suu Kyi.
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SCMP, 3 July, 2016
Yangon, Myanmar -- Myanmar’s bitterly-divided Rakhine State saw mass protests on Sunday as thousands of Buddhists, including monks, demonstrated in a show of opposition to a government edict referring to Muslim communities in the restive province, organisers said.
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AFP, June 25, 2016
YANGON, Myanmar -- Scores of police have been deployed to guard a village in central Myanmar where religious tensions are running high after a Buddhist mob destroyed a mosque, authorities said Saturday.
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by Archis Mohan, Business Standard, June 18, 2016
India-Thailand to negotiate a new bilateral investment treaty New Delhi, India -- India and Thailand today agreed to negotiate a new Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and increase cooperation in areas of defence and maritime security.
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The Nation, June 9, 2016
Even abbots must obey the secular law of the land, and certainly the faithful must report wrongdoing Bangkok, Thailand -- It would be going too far to say that predominantly Buddhist Thailand is suffering a crisis of faith, but the litany of "sins" being committed against the spirit of the Lord Buddha's teachings continues to grow, with several alarming instances recently making headlines and involving legal prosecution.
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Associated Press, June 9, 2016
KANCHANABURI, Thailand -- A Buddhist temple denied that its abbot was involved in illegal trafficking of tigers at a news conference Thursday that was its first detailed response since Thailand's wildlife authority removed scores of big cats from the popular tourist attraction and found dead cubs in jars and freezers.
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Mizzima, 8 June 2016
Yangon, Myanmar -- A Senior Buddhist monk, Parmaukkha, a member of the central committee of the powerful ultranationalist Buddhist monk organization Ma Ba Tha, has stepped down over political differences with the group, RFA reported on 7 June.
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The Star, June 1, 2016
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thai wildlife authorities found 40 tiger cub carcasses in a freezer in Thailand's infamous Tiger Temple on Wednesday as they removed live animals in response to international pressure over suspected trafficking and abuse.
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by PONGPAT WONGYALA, AEKARACH SATTABURUTH, KING-OUA LAOHONG, The Bangkok Post, 30 May 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- Thousands of Wat Dhammakaya followers in and outside the country have become increasingly frustrated with the way the abbot is being treated and the monastery is beginning to worry it might not be able to keep them in line, their spokesperson said.
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Vietnam News, May 18, 2016
Hanoi, Vietnam -- President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan yesterday visited the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS)’s Executive Council on the occasion of Buddha’s 2,560th birthday.
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By Joy Fang, Today, May 21, 2016
Singapore -- With temples located islandwide, options are aplenty if you’d like to join in the Vesak Day festivities, soak in the atmosphere and, perhaps, gain some peace.
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NNT, 20 May 2016
TAK, Thailand -- A large number of Thai and Myanmar people performed a religious activity together on the occasion of Vesak Day.
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by Dr. Lalit Kishore, Merinews, 19 May, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- Under the auspices of the International Association of Buddhist Universities, a two-day 13th Annual United Nations Day of Vesak (UNDV) Celebration was held recently with the theme "The Buddhist Path to World Peace". The opening day, a short seminar on "Buddhist Education for Peace" was held.
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NNT, 20 May, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- Civil servants and residents of all provinces are participating in alms giving and merit-making activities on the occasion of Vesak Day.
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Reuters, May 18, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- Thai authorities issued an arrest warrant for an influential Buddhist abbot on charges of money-laundering and receiving illegal donations, justice ministry officials said on Tuesday.
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By Majorie Chiew, The Star, 17 May 2016
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- SOME 200 devotees at the Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple in Petaling Jaya, held a ceremony to apply gold leaves on five Buddha statues at the chief abbot’s premises.
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By MING TEOH, The Star, May 21, 2016
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- It was almost dusk. The sky had turned a deep blue and the street lamps which had come on grew brighter in the increasing darkness. Despite a light drizzle, a crowd had gathered – families with children, elderly folk, young people, and Caucasians – to watch the Wesak Day procession from Buddhist Maha Vihara Temple in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.
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Channel News Asia, 18 May 2016
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Tensions between Thai police and a powerful Buddhist sect have spiked this week after an arrest warrant was issued for an abbot at the centre of an alleged multi-million dollar scandal.
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The Nation May 13, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- The parents of a Buddhist monk, environmentalist Phra Supoj Suwajo, who was killed on June 17, 2005 at Suan Metta Dharm forest monastery in Chiang Mai’s Fang district, yesterday filed a petition with the Justice Ministry asking the reopening of their son’s murder case.
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RFA, May 11, 2016
Yangon, Myanmar -- Religious officials in Myanmar have condemned the actions of an influential Buddhist monk and his followers who are erecting Buddhist pagodas on the grounds of churches and mosques in eastern Myanmar’s Karen State.
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by Adrian Chan, The Star, 26 April 2016
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- A BUDDHIST bookstore in Petaling Jaya will be closing its doors at the end of this month, after having served the community for nearly two decades.
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Prachatai Engliah, March 16, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- A controversial Thai temple has reportedly given an award to a radical anti-Muslim Burmese monk on his visit to Thailand while a group of Thai monks openly showed him support.
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by Nay Rein Kyaw for RFA’s Myanmar Service. Translated by Kyaw Kyaw Aung. Written in English by Paul Eckert, Apr 27, 2016
Yangon, Myanmar -- A senior Myanmar official vowed on Wednesday to stop an influential Buddhist monk from building pagodas near churches and mosques as Christian and Muslim leaders appealed for calm in a country that has struggled with religious tensions.
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TUOI TRE NEWS, Apr 28, 2016
Thua Thien-Hue, Vietnam -- Gandharan Buddhist manuscripts dating back 2,000 years have been put on display at an exhibition in Vietnam’s central province of Thua Thien-Hue.
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by NANCHANOK WONGSAMUTH, The Bangkok Post, April 17, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- Female Buddhist monks at a temple in Rayong suspect the burning down of one of their dormitories was an attack by arsonists disgruntled with the role of women in the clergy.
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by Sanitsuda Ekachai, The Bangkok Post, Apr 20, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- A case of arson at a bhikkhuni centre in Rayong is shocking. Although it is yet to be determined what caused it -- land conflicts, gender discrimination, or both -- it is clear that it is not easy being a female monk. And the next charter -- if it passes the referendum -- will not make it any easier.
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The Buddhist Channel, April 21, 2016
Yangon, Myanmar -- The last rites ceremony for the late Sayadaw U Pandita who passed away in Bangkok on April 16, 2016 was carried out yesterday at the main Dhamma Hall of Shwe Taung Gon Sasana Yeiktha.
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by PATHUM THANI, The Economist, Apr 2 2016
A squabble in the clergy widens Thailand’s dangerous divides
Bangkok, Thailand -- JUST north of Bangkok, the Thai capital, stands an enormous golden stupa designed to last 1,000 years. Its gleaming exterior is made not from smooth tiles but from 300,000 tightly-packed statues of the Buddha; 700,000 more are hidden inside.
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The Buddhist Channel, April 9, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- The President of the World Fellowship of Buddhist Youth (WFBY), Dr. Pornchai Pinyapong was unanimously voted out by the body's executive committee in an emergency meeting held at it's headquarters in Bangkok, on Monday, April 4, 2016.
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by Our Special Correspondent, The Buddhist Channel, April 7, 2016
Yangon, Myanmar -- Myanmar's retired junta General Thein Sein has become a monk. He has been ordained as U Thandi Dhamma. According to reliable sources, it was the well known Dhamma teacher Dr. Ashin Nyanissara or better known as Sitagu Sayadaw who implored him to take up monkhood.
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The Straits Times, April 5, 2016
YANGON, Myanmar -- The retired junta general who steered Myanmar's last five years of reforms has temporarily become a monk, according to state media, days after he ceded power to a new government led by Aung San Suu Kyi's pro-democracy party.
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by Oliver Holmes, The Guardian, 29 March 2016
Supporters of Somdet Chuang, frontrunner for the post of supreme patriarch, say tax evasion claims are politically driven
Bangkok, Thailand -- A 90-year-old monk is under investigation for tax evasion in Thailand and will be summoned by police after he refused to answer their questions about his classic Mercedes-Benz.
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AFP, March 30, 2016
Yangon, Myanmar -- TEETERING on bamboo scaffolding, craftsmen are busy attaching blocks of gold to a Buddhist pagoda in downtown Yangon, Myanmar, burnishing one of the city’s major landmarks and racking up spiritual credit for devotees.
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By LAWI WENG, THE IRRAWADDY, March 18, 2016
YANGON, Myanmar -- A group of nationalist Buddhist monks and supporters are preparing to protest the National League for Democracy (NLD) for appointing a Christian vice president-elect this month.
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by Philip Sherwell, The Telegraph, March 16, 2016
They are renowned for meditation and moderation, but more than half the country’s Buddhist monks are obese, according to new research
Bangkok, Thailand -- The early morning alms round by saffron-clad monks holding their donations bowls to collect food and drink is a familiar daily ritual in Thailand.
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By Panu Wongcha-um, Channel NewsAsia, 7 Mar 2016
The abbot and founder of the Dhammakaya sect, Dhammachayo, is currently under investigation for allegedly embezzling the temple’s donation money.
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Dhammakaya, the world’s fastest growing group within Buddhism, has more than 4,000 monks and claims to have millions of followers in Thailand and abroad. In recent months however, the sect has come under increasing scrutiny over a raft of issues.
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By Nay Aung, Myanmar Times, 3 February 2016
Yangon, Myanmar -- The Dhamma School Foundation says it aims to establish more than 9000 Buddhist Sunday schools over the next five years, nearly quadrupling the current number.
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by Khouth Sophak Chakrya, Phnom Penh Post, 19 January 2016
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- Pailin province’s chief monk, along with other monks, yesterday visited the Pailin Provincial Prison to “educate” the prisoners through dialogue.
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by Rosemary McClure, Los Anegeles Times, March 5, 2016
Phuket, Thailand -- A funny thing happened on my way to a beach in Phuket (poo-KET). I came upon the annual Vegetarian Festival, a nine-day Chinese celebration thought to bestow good fortune.
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ANI, March 4, 2016
Ayutthaya, Thailand -- Buddhist monks from around the world gathered at Thailand's ancient Ayutthaya city on Thursday for the last day of the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) during which they laid emphasis on actions to tackle climate change.
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by Tan Hui Yee, The Straits Times, Feb 25, 2016
Row over appointment of kingdom's most senior monk causing unrest
Bangkok, Thailand -- It is not often you see a monk performing a headlock, much less on a soldier. But that's exactly what happened last week, when soldiers confronted monks who had gathered in a Buddhist park to pressure the Thai military government to speed up their appointment of the most senior monk in the kingdom.
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The Bangkok Post, Feb 28, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- Most people believe the prime minister should defer a proposal for His Majesty the King to appoint the new Supreme Patriarch until conflicts in monastic circles are resolved, according to an opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration or Nida Poll.
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The Bangkok Post, Feb 18, 2016
PM promises to ease tensions over top monk
Bangkok, Thailand -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has promised to hold a formal debate over the appointment of a new supreme patriarch to hose down the volatile situation.
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The Bangkok Post, 12 Feb 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- Paiboon Nititawan, ex-chairman of the defunct National Reform Council committee on religious affairs, is pursuing legal action against the Sangha Supreme Council (SSC) and the National Office of Buddhism (NOB) after the two Buddhist bodies refused to defrock a controversial monk.
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The Bangkok Post, Feb 15, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- Several thousands monks and their supporters have assembled at Phutthamonthon in Nakhon Pathom province to demand a prompt endorsement of the 20th Supreme Patriarch.
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The Associated Press, Feb 15, 2016
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thai soldiers Monday tussled with monks seeking to support their candidate to lead the Buddhist hierarchy in Thailand, taking a politically-tinged religious power struggle to the streets.
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The Star, 17 February 2016
Penang, Malaysia -- IN the spirit of Chinese New Year, Than Hsiang Temple together with 34 Buddhist organisations organised a grand celebration at SMJK Phor Tay in Jalan Sungai Dua, Penang.
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The Bangkok Post, 10 Feb 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- The Sangha Supreme Council says controversial abbot Dhamachayo of Wat Phra Dhammakaya will not be defrocked because complaints against him were withdrawn before a hearing could begin.
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by JAKKRAPAN NATHANRI, The Bangkok Post, 29 Jan 2016
KHON KAEN, Thailand -- A temple abbot caught in a locked hall at night with a woman follower explained to angry villagers he was not having sex with her - he merely hungered for jujubes and had asked her to bring him his favourite fruit.
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Thai PBS, January 29, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- The popular Buakwan temple in Nonthaburi today put up a sign announcing the halting of the performance of Buddhism ritual for the "child angels" after many people flocking the temple with their superstitious dolls for the rituals.
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Bangkok Post, 28 Jan 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- Police are continuing their investigation into the death of a former Sangha Supreme Council member, but say they have found nothing that points to foul play.
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ANI, February 1, 2016
As Myanmar moves towards new government formation, Indian Buddhist monks initiated a 'Peace Yatra' in Yangon, Myanmar led by His Eminence Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche, a spiritual regent to His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa.
Yangon, Myanmar -- As Myanmar moves towards new government formation, Indian Buddhist monks initiated a ‘Peace Yatra’ in Yangon, Myanmar led by His Eminence Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche, a spiritual regent to His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa.
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The Bangkok Post, 25 Jan 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- The former abbot of a well-known royal monastery in Bangkok was found dead at the temple on Monday morning. Police found the body of Phra Phromsuthi (Chao Khun Sanoh), 58, on a bed at Wat Sa Ket in Pomprap Sattruphai district at 8am. His brother and disciples said they had found him hanging in his quarters and brought the body down.
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by Patcharawalai Sanyanusin, Bangkok Post, 26 Jan 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- The Sangha Supreme Council's (SSC) nomination of Somdet Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn or Somdet Chuang to be the next supreme patriarch has sparked a series of heated debates and stirred up concerns in our Buddhist community over the weeks. The row mainly focuses on whether the 90-year-old monk who is abbot of Wat Pak Nam is truly qualified for the top job.
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By Vishal Gulati , IANS, Jan 26, 2016
Yangon, Myanmar -- After once trudging through war-torn Sri Lanka, their first outside India, Buddhist monks of the prominent Drukpa Lineage are now undertaking a similar foot journey for peace in Myanmar, which has witnessed decades of ethnic turbulence. The Drukpa monks are mainly based in India's Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir and have a long history of promoting inter-faith peace and celebrating diversity.
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By ZARNI MANN, THE IRRAWADDY, January 22, 2016
MANDALAY, Myanmar -- A diverse crowd of religious figures from around the world convened in central Burma on Friday for the start of the World Buddhist Peace Conference, an ambitious event with the stated aim of bridging religious differences in Burma and abroad.
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By Max Constant, AA.com, Jan 18, 2016
Locals in majority Muslim region express displeasure that authorities would propose $5.5 million, 80-acre project without consulting residents
Pattani, Thailand -- An 80-acre Buddhist park project planned in Thailand’s Muslim majority south is upsetting local Muslims and could trigger a wave of protests, local media reported Monday.
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by Tin Sokhavuth, Khmer Times, 18 January 2016
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- Prisoners in Pailin’s Salakrao district received an unusual visit this Saturday, as a group of government officials and spiritual leaders dropped in to spread Buddhist teachings in an attempt to better prepare them for life outside bars.
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The Nation January 14, 2016
With more temples shunning belief in amulets and the like, hope grows for an end to wayward monks
Bangkok, Thailand -- A Buddhist temple in the province of Kamphaeng Phet has erected signs advising visitors to look elsewhere if they seek "superstitious" help from its monks - amulets for sale, the anointing of cars, even the distribution of holy water. The abbot has said the monks are there to discuss religious matters with the faithful, not offer voodoo guarantees of good fortune.
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by King-oua Laohong, The Bangkok Post, Jan 18, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- The justice minister is demanding progress in the long-running DSI investigation into a luxury car tax evasion case involving the supreme patriarch nominee.
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by PATSARA JIKKHAM, The Bangkok Post, 13 Jan 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- It is clear who is in a position to become the supreme patriarch, but the nomination will continue to be postponed just as long as conflicts involving the appointment remain, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said on Wednesday.
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by Sanitsuda Ekachai, The Bangkok Post, 6 Jan 2016
Bangkok, Thailand -- Amid heated disputes over who will become the new supreme patriarch, one thing is certain: whoever that may be, there is no way he can tackle the ills plaguing monastic society.
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by Tin Sokhavuth, Khmer Times, 4 January 2016
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- After being dormant for 10 years, the Buddhist Institute is re-launching its monthly speakers’ program to bring the latest research to the public, an official at the institute said.
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Vietnam News, December, 25 2015
DA NANG, Vietnam -- The first Buddhist Culture Museum in the country was opened yesterday at the city's Quan The Am (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva) Pagoda with an exhibition of over 500 Buddhist antiques.
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By Oren Samet, Asia Sentinel, December 22, 2015
With the NLD’s landslide victory, have hardline monks lost their political power?
Yangon, Myanmar -- With the opposition National League for Democracy’s (NLD) landslide victory in Myanmar’s Nov. 8 election, the enduring popularity of its leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, was confirmed. The results also constituted a strong popular rebuke of military rule, as the former generals of the incumbent Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) suffered an embarrassing defeat.
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by Supinda na Mahachai, The Nation / ANN, Dec 18, 2015
Bangkok, Thailand -- THE cremated remains of His Holiness Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara, the late Supreme Patriarch of Thailand, were enshrined at Wat Bovoranives Vihara yesterday in a ceremony on December 17.
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The Bangkok Post, Dec 16, 2015
Crown Prince presides over cremation rites
Bangkok, Thailand -- Hundreds of thousands of people bid a final farewell to the late Supreme Patriarch Wednesday at a royally sponsored cremation ceremony.
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VietnamNet, Dec 15, 2015
Hanoi, Vietnam -- More than 500 Buddhist antiquities, including artifacts rated as national treasures, are on display at the Museum of Buddhist Culture in the central city of Da Nang.
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bdnews24.com, Dec 11, 2015
Bangkok, Thailand -- The Bangladesh embassy in Bangkok, celebrating its 40th anniversary, has highlighted the Buddhist heritage of Thailand and Bangladesh through an exceptional programme.
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by CHAIWAT SATYAEM, Bangkok Post, 1 Dec 2015
Hua Hin, Thailand -- A team of ice sculptors in Prachuap Khiri Khan plan to carve what they say will be the world’s tallest Buddha ice statue to mark His Majesty the King’s 88th birthday on Dec 5.
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by SWE WIN, MYANMAR NOW, 19 Nov 2015
The crushing defeat of Burma’s military-backed ruling party doubles as an outright dismissal of the extremist nationalist “Buddhist” movement called Ma Ba Tha.
RANGOON, Burma -- In both Myanmar and abroad, the National League for Democracy’s landslide election win is seen as a victory of the people over the military and its ruling political elite.
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RFA, Nov 19, 2015
Hanoi, Vietnam -- The head of a banned Buddhist church in Vietnam on Thursday expressed gratitude to the international community for advocating for his release from house arrest and reaffirmed his commitment to democracy activism in the one party communist nation
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by Sanitsuda Ekachai, The Bangkok Post, Nov 4, 2015
Bangkok, Thailand -- For a Buddhist monk killed in the deep South, a mosque should be burned down in retaliation. This violent proposal from a Buddhist monk stirred a heated debate on social media last week. Is it merely a storm in a tea cup? The answer is no.
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The Bangkok Post, 4 Nov 2015
Bangkok, Thailand -- A campaign to enshrine Buddhism as Thailand's state religion has been galvanised by a radical Buddhist movement in neighbouring Myanmar that is accused of stoking religious tension, the leader of the Thai bid said.
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By Christian Caryl, Foreign Policy, October 30, 2015
An unholy alliance between the government and extremist Buddhist monks is threatening to derail the transition to democracy.
Yangon, Myanmar - There’s a specter haunting Burma. It’s the specter of politicized religion.
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The Bangkok Post, 3 Nov 2015
YANGON, Myanmar -- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon hit out Monday at "extreme elements" in Myanmar who are sowing hate speech and bigotry towards religious minorities, days before the country votes in landmark elections.
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by Nanchanok Wongsamuth, The Bangkok Post, Oct 25, 2015
Several Buddhist groups are again hoping the constitution drafters will include Buddhism as the official state religion.
Bangkok, Thailand -- Supporters have declared that this time proposals to the drafters would be made peacefully, after a previous attempt failed during the coup-installed Gen Surayud Chulanont government in 2007.
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The Bangkok Post, Oct 13, 2015
Bangkok, Thailand -- The film censorship board of the Culture Ministry has banned the screening of Abat, a horror film about a Buddhist novice, less than a day before its premiere and media screening on Tuesday.
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By Jonah Fisher, BBC News, 8 October 2015
Yangon, Myanmar -- The most powerful political force in Myanmar's election has no candidates and will win no seats. But when the monks of the Ma Ba Tha speak, politicians listen.
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Tempo, 4 October, 2015
Jakarta, Indonesia -- Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Rizal Ramli said that he would make the Borobudur Temple in Magelang, Central Java, to become the main tour destination for Buddhists from around the world.
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The Buddhist Channel, Oct 5, 2015
Bangkok, Thailand -- The International Association of Buddhist Universities has announced the dates for the 13th Annual United Nations Day of Vesak (UNDV) Celebrations. Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (Wangnoi, Ayutthaya) will again be the event host, which will take place from 17-18 May, 2016.
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Radio Free Asia, Sept 25, 2015
Yangon, Myanmar -- Politicians and activists in Myanmar have criticized an influential Buddhist national group for holding large public gatherings across the country to celebrate the passage of a set of four controversial laws, fearing the intermingling of religion with politics ahead of the Nov. 8 general elections in a country that has suffered major inter-religious violence in recent years.
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AP, Sep 14, 2015
NAKHON PATHOM, THAILAND -- On a rural road just after daybreak, villagers young and old kneel reverently before a single file of ochre-robed women, filling their bowls with rice, curries, fruits and sweets. In Thailand, it is a rare sight.
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The Star, September 5, 2015
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Three female senior citizens, including two monks, perished in a 3am fire at a Chinese temple in Kampung Baru Air Panas, Setapak here early Saturday.
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TUOI TRE NEWS, Aug 29, 2015
Hanoi, Vietnam -- A large number of Vietnamese people on Friday flocked to pagodas across the country to observe the Buddhist “Vu Lan” Festival, where they expressed their gratefulness and appreciation toward their parents, especially their mothers.
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By Timothy Mclaughlin and Hnin Yadana Zaw, Reuters , Sept 2, 2015
YANGON, Myanmar -- Swathed in crimson robes, 77-year-old Ashin Tilawkar Biwonsa shuffles through a crowded conference room with the help of an aide, his supporters standing in respect as he takes a seat at the head of a table under a portrait of his own image.
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VietNamNet Bridge, July 27, 2015
Quang Ngai, Vietnam -- Vietnamese scientists were surprised to discover that the body of Venerable Thich Minh Duc was not decomposed after 26 years of burial.
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IANS, August 3, 2015
Bangkok, Thailand -- Monks from China's Shaolin temple gave a performance of Kung Fu as part of their six-day visit to promote Buddhist cultural exchange in Thailand.
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by Patinya Srisupamas, The Nation, August 3, 2015
Chiang Mai, Thailand -- The event is being held at Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University in the northern province for the first time from August 1-4.
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by Supatra Sutham, ThaiVisa.com, July 27, 2015
Phuket, Thailand -- Bars and restaurants across the island will be forced to refrain from selling alcohol on Thursday and Friday (July 30-31) as the nation marks the Buddhist holidays Asarnha Bucha Day and Khao Phansa (Buddhist Lent).
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by B. Kolappan, the Hindu, July 27, 2015
Chennai, India -- Even though Buddhism thrived in Poompuhar and Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu, they do not figure in the list places to be visited by the pilgrims from South-East Asian countries. They tour North India and visit Buddhist pilgrim centres like Bodh Gaya.
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By Max Constant, Anadolu Agency, 26 July 2015
Monks often targeted by insurgents who see them as symbols of Thai state, reminder of past attempts to forcefully convert Malay Muslims
Bangkok, Thailand -- Thailand’s military has officially asked local administrations in the insurgency-plagued Muslim south to implement a series of special safety measures for Buddhist monks, a day after a fatal attack during an alms gathering round.
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by Justin Whitaker, Patheos, June 16, 2015
Yangon, Myanmar -- Is Myanmar approaching genocide?
This was the question, and in fact the headline haunting my google news feed for much of the month of May. Today the plight of the Rohingya in Myanmar (or Burma as many still call it)* is far from certain, and the history which has brought us here is even more clouded.
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by Pema Khandro, the Buddhist Channel, Jul 6, 2015
Yogyakarta, Indonesia -- The Sakyadhita International Conference on Buddhist Women met for one week in beautiful, humid, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Over a thousand people, from different countries and different Buddhist traditions, gathered to discuss the history, concerns and achievements of women in Buddhism.
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The Bangkok Post, July 6, 2015
Bangkok, Thailand -- An agreement was signed in Yangon less than two weeks ago for Thai Buddhists to provide equipment and expertise for Myanmar's first Buddhist radio station. The National Thai Buddhism and Culture Mass Media Association produces radio and TV programmes in Thailand.
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Lion's Roar, June 19, 2015
Yogyakarta, Indonesia -- The 14th Sakyadhita International Conference on Buddhist Women will begin on June 23 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, running until June 30. Its theme will be “Compassion and Social Justice.”
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By Alice Chia, CNA, 18 Jun 2015
Titled "Treasures from Asia's Oldest Museum: Buddhist Art from the Indian Museum, Kolkata", the two-month-long exhibition features dramatic sculptures and paintings tracing scenes from the life of Buddha.
SINGAPORE -- More than 80 pieces of rare Buddhist art from the Indian subcontinent are on display at the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore. The exhibition, which features artworks from Asia's oldest museum in Kolkata, chronicles the evolution of Buddhist art from the 2nd century BC.
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Asia News, Jun 14, 2015
Yangon, Myanmar -- Burmese Buddhist extremist movements, backed by a group of nationalists monks, yesterday launched a new set of anti-Rohingya demonstrations in the western state of Rakhine, home to devastating sectarian violence.
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Reuters, Jun 2, 2015
Yangon, Myanmar -- A Myanmar court sentenced a writer to two years in jail and hard labor on Tuesday for insulting Buddhism, his lawyer said, a verdict derided by activists as a blow to free speech and religious tolerance.
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by Hul Reaksmey, VOA Khmer, 4 June 2015
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Thousands of monks and thousands more laymen gathered for a royal ceremony on Wednesday, to bestoy upon Cambodia’s king a new honorary Buddhist title.
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By Wilawan Watcharasakwet, The WSJ, May 12, 2015
Microlender sets interest according to borrower’s good deeds, avoids defaults with neighborly peer pressure
BAAN NA KLUEA, Thailand -- Buddhist monks aren’t really known for dipping into the material world of finance. Phra Subin Paneeto, though, says he felt he didn’t have much choice when he saw his neighbors near Thailand’s border with Cambodia were struggling to make ends meet.
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The Straits Times, May 31, 2015
Singapore -- Ever since he was in primary school, Goh Chun Kiang has wanted to be a monk.
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The Buddhist Channel, May 29, 2015
Bangkok, Thailand -- Some 5,000 delegates from over 80 countries are being gathered in Bangkok, Thailand to usher in the United Nations Day of Vesak (UNDV) from May 28-30, 2015. This year's edition, the 12th in the series is being hosted by Thailand, after Vietnam which played host last year. This year's theme is "Buddhism and World Crisis".
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AFP, May 25, 2015
BANGKOK, Thailand -- A tiger that mauled the abbot of a Thai temple under fire over the welfare of dozens of big cats in its care “didn’t intend” to attack him, the monk’s doctor said on Monday.
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AFP, 26 May 2015
YANGON, Myanmar -- Myanmar Buddhist nationalists vowed to protest against international pressure on the country to help boat people, a prominent monk said Tuesday, as humanitarian efforts to rescue desperate migrants stir festering anti-Muslim animosity.
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Zee News, May 25, 2015
Jakarta, Indonesia -- India has reached out to the large Buddhist community in Indonesia, which has the world`s largest Muslim population, by organising an exhibition on the Buddha.
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by Anna Fifield, The Washington Post, May 15, 2015
Scandals involving drugs, financial impropriety and lavish lifestyles have tarnished the reputation of the country’s dominant religious order
Bangkok, Thailand -- Think Buddhist monk, and bodyguards and bomb threats probably don’t spring to mind. But that’s exactly what Phra Buddha Issara is dealing with as he mounts a campaign to overhaul Thailand’s religious institutions.
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By Olivia Siong, Channel NewsAsia, 15 May 2015
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong calls on Singaporeans to reflect on the values that brought the country to where it is and that will keep it going.
SINGAPORE -- The Buddhist community is the largest religious group in Singapore, and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday (May 15) said he was grateful the group has set the tone of tolerance and acceptance of other faiths.
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By Chew Hui Min, The Straits Times, May 5, 2015
SINGAPORE -- Venerable Ming Yi, who donated his kidney to a stranger last week, said he was inspired to do so by a TV news report about kidney patients here.
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by Kooi F Lim, The Buddhist Channel, May 4, 2015
Malaysia is only one of three countries (apart from Cambodia and Sri Lanka) which is observing Wesak (or Vesak) on May 3, 2015. Kooi F Lim opts to spend the morning at one of Petaling Jaya's most beautiful temple, the Thai Wat Chetawan. Here are his observations.
Petaling Jaya, Selangor (Malaysia) -- It was just after dawn, but the crowd has started to teem into the massive Wat Chetawan compound, the most beautiful Thai temple in all of Petaling Jaya, and one of the most gorgeous outside of Thailand. The day was already bright, and the low sunlight breaks through the fog produced by smoky incense like light steaming through a comb.
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The Star/Asia News Network, Apr 27, 2015
GEORGE TOWN, Penang -- The historical moment marking the arrival of Buddha's 2,500-year-old relics was greeted with much pomp and grandeur at the iconic Kek Lok Si Temple in Air Itam here.
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Bernama, Apr 16, 2015
Hanoi, Vietnam -- Buddhist bikku (monk) Thich The Tuong has been working hard to turn his one hectare farm into a bamboo conservatory on the Son Tra Mountain, which is the home for over 110 bamboo species including the four considered on the verge of extinction in Viet Nam.
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CNA, Apr 7, 2015
SINGAPORE -- A new Buddhist monastery is set to be built in Woodlands, with construction expected to be completed by the end of next year. It will be located at the junction of Woodlands Drive 16 and Woodlands Avenue 6.
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CCTV.com, Apr 13, 2015
Bangkok, Thailand -- Buddhist New Year celebrations have begun in nations across South East Asia, with lively water-throwing festivities.
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by Dieu Thanh, The Buddhist Channel, April 8, 2015
Busan, Korea -- One of largest temples in South Korea, Sam Kwang Temple in Busan witnessed the hosting of the first Buddhist retreat for the Vietnamese community residing here. The event - organized by Chuyen Tu Monastery (Ba Ria–Vung Tau province, Vietnam) - was to enable participants to be engaged in Dharma practice.
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by Dieu Thanh , The Buddhist Channel, Apr 1, 2015
Vung Tau province, Vietnam -- To commemorate 49 days since the passing of Venerable Master Thich Thien Tanh, the late abbott of Chuyen Tu Monastery, his disciples organized a "One-Thousand-Monks Great Assembly" on the evening of March 14, 2015 at Tich Quang Tower.
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by STEPHEN B YOUNG, The Bangkok Post, 28 Mar 2015
Bangkok, Thailand -- I have recently hosted five round tables - one each in Germany, London, Paris, The Netherlands and Madrid - where Thai Buddhist ideas on governance were presented to appreciative audiences.
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By Isaac Neo, The Straits Times, Mar 27, 2015
Singapore -- Buddhists from all over Singapore met to remember Mr Lee Kuan Yew yesterday at a memorial service organised by the Singapore Buddhist Federation (SBF).
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By Kyle Lawrence Mullin, Asian Correspondent, Mar 23, 2015
Bangkok, Thailand -- Buddhist monks may have a reputation for being meek, mild mannered, and nothing less than well behaved. But two abbots defied that stereotype in Sikhiu district in Thailand on Sunday, after a bout of drunk driving led to a car accident and the pair’s subsequent expulsion from their monasteries.
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The Nation, March 11, 2015
The ban on the ordination of females is a violation of the Lord Buddha's teachings
Bangkok, Thailand -- Women's struggle to be afforded the same rights as men goes on, and the freedom to fulfil their spiritual aspirations is no exception. Buddhism, like other religions, still has mechanisms that prevent women from enjoying privileges given only to men.
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The Guardian, March 16, 2015
Human rights group Justice Trust claims that 57 monks suffered severe burns after police broke up demonstration at a mine in 2012
Rangoon, Burma -- Buddhist monks have prepared a lawsuit against Burma’s interior minister that accuses police of using poisonous chemicals to break up a protest in 2012 and inflicting severe burns on demonstrators.
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The Buddhist Channel, March 11, 2015
Petaling Jaya, Selangor (Malaysia) -- Buddhist Gem Fellowship (BGF) and the Buddhist Business Network (BBN) are collaborating to offer the “Inaugural Master Classes” for entrepreneurs. The programme aims to increase entrepreneurial opportunities, covering the entire venture creation process, from generating ideas to building viable global business.
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The Buddhist Channel, March 10, 2015
Petaling Jaya, Selangor (Malaysia) -- A significant and historic moment in the Buddhist Gem Fellowship's 25 year journey of Dhammaduta Service to the Community was recorded on March 7, 2015, by way of the inauguration of it's headquarters located at PJU, Petaling Jaya. The event was attended by local and international Buddhist monks and nuns, leaders, organizations, members, donors and well wishers.
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Channel News Asia, March 6, 2015
An abbot is under investigation for allegedly embezzling about US$24.6 million from donations since 1999.
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand’s Buddhist governing body is in crisis after its decision to clear a controversial monk of any wrongdoing.
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AFP, March 6, 2015
Nakhon Pathom, Thailand -- It begins with moans, then screams and feverish dancing followed by mad dashes through a densely packed crowd.
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by Bambang Muryanto, The Jakarta Post, March 5 2015
Magelang, Central Java (Indonesia) -- Muslim and Buddhist leaders from South and Southeast Asia have issued the Yogyakarta Statement, which refuses the use of Islam and Buddha in the politics of discrimination and violence.
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By Amy Sawitta Lefevre, Reuters, Mar 1, 2015
NAKHON PATHOM, Thailand -- Phra Buddha Issara is a monk with a mission. From his Buddhist temple near Bangkok he is calling for a radical overhaul of Thai Buddhism, fearing millions of dollars in temple donations and a rapidly modernizing nation are corrupting monks.
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The Jakarta Post, March 3 2015
Jakarta, Indonesia -- A high-level summit of Buddhist and Muslim leaders opened in Yogyakarta on Tuesday aimed at strengthening cooperation to combat religious extremism.
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BBC, 2 March 2015
A Buddhist monk from north-east Thailand is so worried about the environment that he has been ordaining trees for 25 years.
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Daily Mail, Feb 24, 2015
Chiangmai, Thailand -- Police in northern Thailand are trying to locate a presumed Chinese tourist who was filmed kicking a prayer bell at a Buddhist temple.
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The Bangkok Post, Feb 19, 2015
Reformers want 16 year-old saga revived
Bangkok, Thailand -- The National Reform Council’s (NRC) committee on religious affairs has called for Phra Dhammachayo, abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, to be defrocked.
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The Rakyat Post, Feb 12, 2015
KANCHANABURI, Thailand -- Thai wildlife protection officers say they found no mistreatment of more than 100 tigers housed at a Buddhist temple that is a popular tourist attraction, though charges have been pressed for keeping rare birds there.
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By Pham Quynh Nhu, Thanh Nien News, February 11, 2015
VUNG TAU, Vietnam -- The best place to begin a Buddhist pilgrimage in Vung Tau is the Phuoc Hai Monastery - some 500 meters from Go Dau Industrial Zone on National Road 51.
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By Khuon Narim, Cambodia Daily, January 10, 2015
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- A temporary structure built on the Buddhist Institute’s land by NagaCorp, which added to swirling rumors late last year that the growing casino empire was planning to develop the land and prompted hundreds of monks to march in protest, has been removed.
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The Malay Mail, January 4, 2015
BUKIT MERTAJAM, Penang -- Police have arrested a man believed to be of unsound mind on suspicion of having damaged idols and prayer equipment at the Wat Chanthraram Buddhist Temple in Tanah Liat here last Friday.
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By Fiona MacGregor, NBC news, Jan 3, 2015
YANGON, Myanmar -- A clash of cultures fueled by simmering sectarian tensions and social media has left a Western bar manager and two local colleagues imprisoned in once-cloistered Myanmar.
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By Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, Dec 23, 2014
Singapore -- A $20 million Buddhist monastery will rise up in the north of Singapore in 2017.
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by Adrian Chan, The Star, December 23, 2014
Serdang, Malaysia -- THE school holidays are nearly coming to a close and many children will be suffering from an overdose of cartoons and video games.
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The Star, December 24, 2014
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Muslims and Buddhists produced a shining example of inter-faith cooperation when they joined hands in a presentation ceremony for Educare 2014, an annual charitable project by Siri Jayanti Association and Maha Karuna Foundation.
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By Ben Sokhean, The Cambodia Daily, December 8, 2014
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- A nationwide human rights march hit another roadblock over the weekend when activists and monks were reportedly prevented from sleeping in pagodas across the country, while the country’s two Buddhist sects released a statement Friday forbidding monks from taking part in public demonstrations.
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The Star (Reuters), Dec 4, 2014
The Vatican -- Datuk K Sri Dhammaratana, the Maha Nayaka Thera of Malaysia, joins world religious leaders in signing a declaration to end modern day slavery.
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Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia, Nov 7, 2014
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM) warns the public to be cautious when donating to Puzhao Buddhist Vihara in order to prevent fraud.
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The Buddhist Channel, Nov 10, 2014
Subang Jaya, Malaysia -- The first Buddhist Nuns’ Novitiate Programme in the Theravada Tradition will be held from November 7 - 16 2014 at the Subang Jaya Buddhist Association. This is the first time a programme such as this is held in Malaysia.
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by Brian Ashcraft, http://kotaku.com, Oct 15, 2014
Bangkok, Thailand -- A 700 year-old Buddhist temple in Thailand contains something visitors might find unusual: a blue robotic cartoon cat from the future. That's right, iconic anime character Doraemon.
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By Khuon Narim, The Cambodia Daily, October 12, 2014
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- Despite being hemmed in by construction on all sides as NagaWorld expands its casino empire in Phnom Penh, the Buddhist Institute will not be sold off or rented out, Cults and Religion Minister Min Khin told a National Assembly commission on Thursday.
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By Khuon Narim, Combodian Daily, October 4, 2014
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- Hundreds of Buddhist monks marched through Phnom Penh on Friday, demanding an end to construction in and around the Buddhist Institute, which is quickly being surrounded by structures and construction sites belonging to the NagaCorp.
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by Sanitsuda Ekachai, The Bangkok Post, Sept 21, 2014
A spiritual journey to four holy sites in India and Nepal offers a much greater chance for deeper reflection than the usual tours
Bangkok, Thailand -- As a producer of dhamma TV programmes, Somnuek Khemacheeva has visited holy Buddhist sites in India several times as part of her work. As a devout Buddhist practitioner, however, she found the so-called “pilgrimages” that millions of Buddhist Thais make each year to India are quite spiritually superficial.
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NNT, Sept 6, 2014
YALA, Thailand -- Yala Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) has held a ‘Buddhist-Muslim Families, Tighten Relationship Project’ in cooperation with the Yala Special Unit, National Office of Buddhism in order to encourage the faithful of both religions, to brainstorm answers to the problem of southern unrest.
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RT, August 23, 2014
Jogjakarta, Indonedia -- Indonesian police have been put on alert at the Borobudur Temple after a threat against the world’s biggest Buddhist temple and UNESCO World heritage Site was made on Facebook by Islamic State supporters.
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Bernama, Aug 20, 2014
Amsterdam, Netherlands -- A Buddhist religious ceremony was held for the remains of five Malaysian victims of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crash, at a funeral home here, Tuesday morning.
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Eleven Myanmar, 13 August 2014
Yangon, Myanmar -- A Buddhist monk who walked from Bago to Yangon in a protest march calling for the release of the remaining political prisoners has said he will continue a hunger strike for 45 days.
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by Sek Odom and Holly Robertson, The Cambodia Daily, August 6, 2014
KOH THOM DISTRICT, Cambodia -- In this rural part of Kandal province, a 35-meter-high statue of a mustachioed Buddha towers incongruously above the surrounding fields of corn and rice, providing a glimpse into the mystical world of Thean Vuthy.
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The Star, Aug 5, 2014
Yangon, Myanmar -- Jason Polley is kicked out of Burma after photo of Buddhist tattoos on his leg went viral on Facebook in Southeast Asian country.
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by Steve Herman, VOA, August 5, 2014
BANGKOK, Thailand -- In Thailand, an urn has been carved from ivory to hold the remains of the country's top religious leader, who died last year. The production of the urn comes as Thailand faces international pressure to eradicate the world’s largest market for unregulated ivory.
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By AYE NAI, DVB, 5 August 2014
Rangoon, Burma -- A second attempt by five Buddhist monks from the Mahasantisukha Monastery in Rangoon to countersue the government-backed Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee – the highest order of Buddhist monks in the country – has been rejected by a local court.
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By Lim Yan Liang, The Straits Times, Jul 20, 2014
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Both secular and religious groups have come together in Kuala Lumpur since Friday to mourn those who perished in Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, just four months after the tragedy of Flight MH370.
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Eleven Myanmar, 20 July 2014
Yangon, Myanmar -- The planned launch of direct flight between Myanmar and Nepal might become a new option to facilitate the Myanmar-India-Nepal pilgrimage route for Buddhist followers.
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NNT, July 10, 2014
YALA, Thailand -- Buddhist Thais and Malaysians in Betong district joined together for an alms giving ceremony on the occasion of Asanha Bucha day, under the strict guard of authorities to make sure everything went smoothly.
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Dpa, 29 Jun 2014
YANGON, Myanmar -- Suzi's family has practiced freedom of religion for decades, including Muslims, Buddhists, and now even a Christian.
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Agence France-Presse, 19 June 2014
National Office of Buddhism says hotline idea emerged after Thai coup leader expressed concern about the religion's image
Bangkok, Thailand -- Buddhist monks face censure after Thai religious authorities said they had launched a 24-hour hotline for the public to report unruly acts.
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by Ezra Kyrill Erker, Phnom Penh Post, 21 June 2014
Surrounded by casino developments, the iconic Buddhist Institute in Phnom Penh faces the prospect of relocation or even closure as the modern world starts to close in
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- One bookshop by the remaining entrance remains open, its religious, cultural, reference and historical texts undisturbed, collecting chalky construction dust.
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Eleven Myanmar, 21 June 2014 12:41
Yangon, Myanmar -- Five Buddhist monks, including London Sayadaw U Ottara [former Head of Buddhist Mission in UK], who were forcibly defrocked and remanded at Insein Prison were brought to trial at Tamwe Township Court in Yangon yesterday. The trial comes 10 days after their eviction from Maha Thanti Thukha monastery in Tamwe Township in a night raid on June 10.
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Eleven Myanmar, 14 June 2014
Yangon, Myanmar -- Five Buddhist monks from Maha Thandi Thukha monastery in Yangon were disrobed and remanded at Insein prison for offending the religious ruling committee, temple followers said.
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By KYAW HSU MON, THE IRRAWADDY, June 5, 2014
HO PONG, Shan State, Myanmar -- Daw Eainda Sar Ri, 62, has lived at the Thathana Kari Monastery in Bhamo, Kachin State, since she was 9 years old. Since last year, she has helped the children of internally displaced persons (IDPs) whose schooling was disrupted by fighting in Burma’s north, taking them under her wing and providing them with a monastic education. The Buddhist nun and her school are also providing accommodation and food to the IDP children.
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AFP, 28 May 2014
Bangkok, Thailand -- Thai police say they have charged five defrocked Buddhist abbots with sexually abusing eight boys at monasteries around the northern city of Chiang Mai.
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By Khuon Narim, Cambodia Daily, May 28, 2014
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- An official at the Ministry of Cults and Religion on Tuesday held a press conference to deny rumors that the government has sold or swapped the Buddhist Institute in Phnom Penh to a private firm.
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The Jakarta Post, May 13 2014
Jogjakarta, Indonesia -- The seventh to ninth centuries were the glory days of Buddhist teachings in the heart of Java.
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by Cindy Lai, The Borneo Post, May 14, 2014
MIRI, Sarawak (Malaysia) -- Hundreds of Buddhists gathered at Miri Buddhist Society for the Buddha bathing ceremony and to offer prayers to him on the morning of Wesak Day.
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by Christina Low, The Star, May 13, 2014
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- SOME Buddhist temples are trying to ensure that this year’s Wesak Day will be a greener event by building their own floats with recycled materials and by not using disposable utensils.
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NNT, May 12, 2014
AYUTTHAYA, Thailand -- Leaders of Buddhism from 80 different countries around the world have joined the world Vesak Day Celebration, held at Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Ayutthaya Province.
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Channel News Asia, May 13, 2014
Some Buddhist devotees think that handing their pets to a monastery is a liberation of life. But the Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery points out that this is a misconception.
SINGAPORE -- Some monasteries often get requests to take in abandoned pets.
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Eleven Myanmar, 9 May 2014
Kabaaye, Myanmar -- An all-sect Buddhist conference will be held at Mahapathana Cave in Yangon’s Kabaaye Highland from May 11 to 13, according to the regional Sangha association.
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The New Straits Times, 12 May 2014
IPOH, Perak (Malaysia) -- PREPARATIONS are underway throughout the state's Buddhist temples ahead of tomorrow's Wesak Day celebration which commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha.
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By Chuah Bee Kim, The New Straits Times, 12 May 2014
JOHOR BARU. Johor (Malaysia) -- The Sia Tze Jee Buddhist Temple here have been abuzz with activities since 7am today.
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The star, May 11, 2014
SHAH ALAM, Selangor (Malaysia) -- The Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia (BMSM) from the Samadhi Vihara Temple here is holding its first exhibition on the teachings of the Buddha to mark Wesak Day celebration.
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Today Online, May 7, 2014
Releasing animals will do more harm than good, exposing them to natural predators and causing harm to the eco-system
SINGAPORE -- The National Parks Board (NParks) has reminded members of the public not to release animals into the parks and nature areas during the Vesak Day period.
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VietNamNet Bridge, May 9, 2014
Ninh Binh, Vietnam - Tens of thousands of Buddhists from across the country have flocked to Bai Dinh, the largest temple in Vietnam, to attend the opening celebration of Vesak 2014, the international Buddhist event that takes place from May 7 to 11.
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VietnamNet, May 12, 2014
Ninh Binh, Vietnam -- The 2014 UN Day of Vesak successfully wrapped up on Saturday in the northern province of Ninh Binh, with the adoption of a statement highlighting three sustainable development pillars.
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Asia News Network, May 12, 2014
Hanoi, Vietnam -- More than 10,000 Buddhists, dignitaries, scholars and guests from 95 countries and territories attended the opening of celebrations for the 11th United Nations Day of Vesak (Vesakha) at Bai Dinh Pagoda in Vietnam's Ninh Binh province last Wednesday.
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The New Straits Times, 12 May 2014
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- OFFERING prayers for the missing passengers of the lost MH370 is among the activities at the Wesak Day observance at the Buddhist Maha Vihara Temple in Jalan Berhala here.
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The New Straits Times, 12 May 2014
IPOH, Perak (Malaysia) -- PREPARATIONS are underway throughout the state's Buddhist temples ahead of tomorrow's Wesak Day celebration which commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha.
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The Bangkok Post, 6 May 2014
Exquisite Wat Rong Khun closed indefinitely
Chiang Rai, Thailand -- The Chiang Rai earthquake on Monday has left a celebrated visual artist in despair after his exquisite temple sustained substantial damage.
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By Linette Lai, The Straits Times, May 1, 2014
Singapore -- More than 300 people had their heads shaved on Thursday morning at the Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, in a show of support for children battling cancer.
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NNT, 28 April 2014
CHACHOENGSAO, Thailand -- Chachoengsao is holding its monthly Buddhist sermon, urging the public to join in and apply Dharma to their daily life activities.
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The Bangkok Post, 24 Apr 2014
Bangkok, Thailand -- Expelled monk Phra Yantra cannot re-enter the monkhood, National Office of Buddhism director-general Nopparat Benjawatananun said on Thursday, as the disgraced former cleric who was involved in a sex scandal 20 years ago continued to receive visitors on his return to Thailand.
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The Nation April 28, 2014
Yantra's return opens old wounds
Bangkok, Thailand -- Few embody such a gross misinterpretation of Buddhism as that weird-looking guy who has just returned from a long exile abroad. The former phra Yantra Ammarobhiku radiates none of that aura that the popular monk whose sexual scandals rocked Thailand's ecclesiastic circles some two decades ago had. Press and social media photos show him dressed in strange clothing that some may call robes, and sporting a long beard that obscures much of his face.
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Xinhua, April 19, 2014
BANGKOK, Thailand -- The 27th General Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) will be held in northwest China's Shaanxi Province in October, WFB secretary-general said here Friday.
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Eleven Myanmar, 11 April 2014
Sittwe, Myanmar -- A government commission has said on Wednesday that a female aid worker for Malteser International did not intend to disrespect a Buddhist flag by removing it from her house.
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By DR PAUL FULLER, DVB, 5 April 2014
Yangon, Myanmar -- A new alliance is beginning to take shape in South and Southeast Asia with the news that the Bodu Bala Sena (Buddhist Power Force) has invited Wirathu, leader of the 969 movement in Burma, to visit them in Sri Lanka.
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Phayul, April 4, 2014
DHARAMSHALA, Tibet (China) -- Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama has on Tuesday expressed his sadness over the passing away of Vietnamese Patriarch Thich Tri Tinh. Thich Tri Tinh was the first Supreme Patriach.
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By Paul Armstrong, CNN, March 28, 2014
Sittwe, Myanmar -- The United States has expressed "deep concern" about mob violence reportedly targeting international NGOs operating in Myanmar's restive west.
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Bernama, Mar 9, 2013
BEIJING, China -- Fifty volunteers of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, among them 15 Malaysians, are ready to provide emotional support and care to families of passengers of a missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) aircraft.
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The Malaysian Insider, March 9, 2014
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- Former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has urged the families of passengers of the missing Malaysian Airline (MAS) flight MH370 to stay strong.
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by Kyaw San Wai, Today, March 5, 2014
Singapore -- Since religious violence erupted in western Myanmar in 2012 and subsequently spread to other parts, there has been a litany of analyses on the plight of the Rohingya and the underlying causes of the conflict. Regarding the causes, much emphasis is placed on the actions of nationalists and a controversial group of chauvinistic monks called the 969 Movement.
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by John Le Fevre, Establishment Post, Mar 4, 2014
Bangkok, Thailand -- With newspaper reports of errant monks being disrobed for drug, alcohol or sex offenses an almost weekly occurrence (See: Sex, Drugs and Graft Rock Sangha in Thailand), Buddhism in Thailand seems to be in a state of disarray when measured against the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. Read more: http://www.establishmentpost.com/thailands-bad-boy-monk-buddha-issara-keeps-getting-worse/
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Associated Press, February 7, 2014
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Cambodian police have recovered a precious golden urn stolen last year that contains what are considered to be remnants of Buddha's body, an official said Friday.
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by Nina Strochlic, The Daily Beast, Jan 23, 2014
Bangkok, Thailand -- In Thailand, the horrors of hell aren't just the stuff of kids' nightmares. Families can visit entire sculpture gardens featuring vivid depictions of what sinners face in the afterlife.
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CNTV, Jan 8, 2014
Yangon, Myanmar -- A two-week Chinese Buddhist picture exhibition dubbed "Homage to the Buddha" has opened at Myanmar's famous Shwedagon Pagoda. The exhibition aims to enhance ties between the two countries' Buddhist circles and people.
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Radio Free Asia, Jan 2, 2014
Hanoi, Vietnam -- A youth leader affiliated to the banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) said Thursday that he has been placed under house arrest after he was detained and interrogated for 13 hours, in the latest religious crackdown in the one-party Communist state.
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The Buddhist Channel, Dec 17, 2013
Chiangmai, Thailand -- American-born Santikaro, prodigy of the 20th century’s most influential ascetic-philosopher monk Buddhadasa, was invited by The Cabin Chiang Mai – Asia’s top inpatient rehab, to talk about how Buddhist principles can be incorporated into the 12 Step treatment model.
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Associated Press, December 13, 2013
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Cambodian officials said Friday a golden urn containing what are considered to be remnants of Buddha's body has been stolen from its shrine near the capital.
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by Manpreet Singh, The Buddhist Channel, Dec 2, 2013
Hanoi, Vietnam -- Vietnamese Buddhist Master Thich Nhat Tu is a picture of enthusiasm and commitment as he passionately addresses a group of foreign delegates in Hanoi at the preparatory meeting for the United Nations Day of Vesak 2014 celebrations to be held in the Ninh Binh district of Vietnam.
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by AYE AYE WIN Associated Press, November 12, 2013
YANGON, Myanmar -- Dozens of Buddhist monks carrying banners that said "Get Out" and "Don't interfere in Myanmar's internal affairs" gathered outside the airport Wednesday to protest the arrival of a delegation from the world's biggest Islamic political bloc.
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The Star, October 25, 2013
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- More than 200 people are expected to attend a dialogue here on Nov 1 to promote Buddhist and Muslim relations in the region.
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Associated Press, 24 October, 2013
Bangkok, Thailand -- A bus carrying worshippers home from a temple at the end of Buddhist lent plunged into a ravine in northern Thailand, killing 22 passengers.
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by THANYARAT DOKSONE, Associated Press, Oct 25, 2013
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand's Supreme Patriarch, who headed the country's order of Buddhist monks for more than two decades, died Thursday. He was 100.
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by Khetsirin Pholdhampalit, The Sunday Nation, October 6, 2013
A new museum at Wat Bovoranives Vihara pays tribute to its six abbots
Bangkok, Thailand -- ONE OF the most revered temples in Thailand, Wat Bovoranives Vihara marked the 100th birthday of His Holiness Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara, the Supreme Patriarch and its current abbot, last Thursday by throwing open the doors to a new museum that celebrates the lives of all six of its abbots.
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InterAksyon.com, October 10, 2013
Yangon, Myanmar -- A bill has been filed at the Myanmar parliament seeking to disallow Buddhist Myanmar women from marrying non-Buddhist men, InterAksyon.com learned.
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Associated Press, Oct 7, 2013
YANGON, Myanmar -- Authorities in Myanmar arrested 44 suspects for their alleged role in sectarian violence that wracked a coastal township in western Myanmar over the last week, state media reported.
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The Buddhist Channel, October 7, 2013
Yangon, Myanmar -- The ashes of the late Guruji S. N. Goenka arrived in Yangon today, 7 October at 2:00 pm by air from India.
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by PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK, The Nation, October 2, 2013
Criminalising anti-Buddhist acts is not very Buddhist
Bangkok, Thailand -- IS "KNOWING BUDDHA" - a group of Thai Buddhists who are relentlessly tackling what they see as a disrespectful act against the image of Buddha - the new face of Thai Buddhism?
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by Pravit Rojanaphruk, The Nation, September 28, 2013
Bangkok, Thailand -- In an ideal world, people caught making products or participating in acts that can be deemed disrespectful to the Buddha and the Buddhist religion would be sentenced to jail - this is what activist group "Knowing Buddha" told senators, monks and participants at a seminar yesterday.
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By ZARNI MANN & SAW YAN NAING, THE IRRAWADDY, September 30, 2013
Mandalay, Burma -- About 60 protesters on Sunday began a peaceful march from Mandalay to the controversial Letpadaung copper mining project in Sagaing Division, calling for the Chinese company developing the mine not to destroy an ancient religious building.
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By LAWI WENG, THE IRRAWADDY, September 19, 2013
RANGOON Burma -- Mon people on Thursday gave offerings and prayed in a festival to celebrate the story of a voyage by monks to Sri Lanka, which brought three Buddhist scriptures to southern Burma almost 1,000 years ago.
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by JARED FERRIE & MIN ZAYAR OO / REUTERS WRITERS, September 11, 2013
RANGOON, Burma -- A government-appointed body that oversees Burma's Buddhist monkhood has issued a directive intended to check the influence of a monk-led movement accused of stoking violence against minority Muslims.
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By Zurairi AR, The Malay Mail, September 8, 2013
TUMPAT, Kelantan (Malaysia) -- Buddhist monks in saffron robes with their clean shaven heads and bare feet were once a rare sight in Kelantan despite the state’s proximity to Thailand which is predominantly Buddhist.
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Al-Jazeera, August 8, 2013
Thousands of police deployed after recent violence, thought to be motivated by plight of Muslims in Myanmar
Jakarta, Indonesia -- Security measures were stepped up at Buddhist sites in Indonesia on Thursday amid fears of fresh attacks just days after a temple bombing and as tens of millions of Muslims across the country mark the end of Ramadan.
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CNA Daily News, August 19, 2013
Bangkok, Thailand -- The Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue sent a message of condolence to Thailand on the passing of senior Buddhist abbot Somdej Phra Buddhacharn.
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VietNamNet Bridge, AUg 26, 2013
Hanoi, Vietnam -- Two exhibitions using 3D virtual reality technology are now available on the Vietnam National Museum of History’s website, featuring the Buddhist cultural heritage and ancient lamps of Vietnam.
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BY ELIZABETH ZACHARIAH, Malaysian Insider, August 15, 2013
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- A Muslim politician and a local Buddhist group have taken the first step in fostering interfaith relations between the two religions.
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The Buddhist Channel, August 16, 2013
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- The Buddhist Gem Fellowship (BGF) will be organizing a one day forum entitled "Adapting Buddhism to the 21st Century", The event is organized in memory of the late Ven Dr K Sri Dhammananda, commemorating his legacy as a far sighted monk.
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The Jakarta Post, August 13 2013
Jakarta, Indonesia -- The recent bombing at the Ekayana Buddhist Temple in West Jakarta will unlikely be the last terror attack in Indonesia to avenge the ongoing persecution of Rohingya Muslims in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar, said top terrorism analysts.
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Associated Press, August 5, 2013
JAKARTA, Indonesia -- A senior official said Monday that an attack on a Buddhist temple in Indonesia’s capital was apparently aimed at avenging violence against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.
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By CHUAH BEE KIM, New Straits Times, July 30, 2013
WALK THE WALK: An organisation which believes in holistic education is doing its bit for underprivileged schoolchildren by offering free tuition classes
JOHOR BARU, Malaysia -- THE Nalanda experience has found its way to Johor with the opening of the Nalanda Education & Outreach (NEO) Centre in Taman Johor Jaya here recently.
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by Pravit Rojanaphruk, The Nation July 27, 2013
Bangkok, Thailand -- Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activists should try not to get trapped in a debate with Buddhists on whether Buddhism allows same-sex marriage, to avoid complicating matters, said Anjana Suvarnananda, pioneer LGBT activist and co-founder of Anjana Suvarnananda.
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The Buddhist Channel, July 12, 2013
Singapore -- Delegates from Singapore and overseas attended the two-day 8th Global Conference on Buddhism, held in Singapore on 6 and 7 July 2013. Drawing on the presence of 1,200 delegates from the various Buddhist traditions, the Conference culminated in the passing of two resolutions concerning the on-going violence against Muslims in Buddhist countries, and the bombing of the MahaBodhi Temple in Bodhgaya, India on 7 July 2013.
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The Buddhist Channel, July 12, 2013
Penang, Malaysia -- The International Buddhist College is deeply shocked and saddened to hear the news on the bombing at Bodhgaya on July 7, 2013.
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AFP, July 10, 2013
Bangkok, Thailand -- More than 30 Thai monks have been defrocked for illegal drug use, an official said today, in the latest scandal to hit the kingdom's Buddhist clergy.
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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, July 11, 2013
YANGON, Myanmar -- More than 20 Buddhists were sentenced to as much as 15 years in prison for murder and other crimes for a night of rioting, burning and killing in March in central Myanmar.
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Elevenmyanmar, 11 July 2013
"It is our duty to make people with weak faith to have stronger faith... Monks are the only method to make [them] have strong faith... The monks shouldn't act carelessly." - Ven. Dr Sandavarabivamsa
Yangon, Myanmar -- Esteemed monks from Mogok Vipassana League called for monks to preach in accordance to Buddhist teachings and not resort to hurting other religions.
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By David Eimer, The Telegraph, 6 Jul 2013
The controversial Buddhist monk whose flamboyant, jet-set lifestyle has sparked outrage in Thailand, is married and has been accused of being a fake.
Bangkok, Thailand -- Luang Pu Nenkham Chattigo has attracted attention ever since a video of him flying on a private jet, while wearing aviator sunglasses and carrying a Louis Vuitton bag went viral.
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Eleven Myanmar, 30 June 2013
Yangon, Myanmar -- Bhante Ashin Nyanissara, commonly known as Sitagu Sayadaw, one of the most prominent Buddhist monks in Myanmar, has urged the government and the people to work together to safeguard the religion and the nationality in the country.
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by Amy Dangin, Borneo Post, June 20, 2013
KOTA KINABALU, Sabah (Malaysia) -- The Buddha Bar Sabah, which was opened recently, was forced to have its controversial name changed after the Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM) urged the City Hall to revoke its licence.
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Bangkok Post, June 17, 2013
Bangkok, Thailand -- The lifestyle of some of Thailand's more "successful" monks is again drawing criticism. The National Office of Buddhism says it has received many complaints about monks riding in luxurious cars and using brand-name items even as they are supposed to live a life of restraint and simplicity.
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Elevenmyanmar.com, 15 June 2013
Hmawbi, Myanmar -- More than 200 Buddhist monks took part in a two-day event aimed at promoting the peace aspect of the religion amid a growing criticism from the international community about the role of the religion in the ongoing communal violence.
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Associated Press, June 14, 2013
HMAWBI, Myanmar -- A meeting of more than 200 Myanmar Buddhist monks on how to solve deadly communal conflicts that have pitted majority Buddhists against Muslims declared Friday they seek peace and accused the media of tarnishing their religion's image.
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By Eko Armunanto, Digital Journam, Jun 13, 2013
Lashio, Myanmar -- More than a thousand Muslims are sheltering in a Buddhist monastery in Myanmar's northeastern town of Lashio after violence that killed one person and burned down Muslim properties.
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By LAWI WENG / THE IRRAWADDY, June 13, 2013
RANGOON, Burma -- About 200 senior Buddhist monks convening in Rangoon on Thursday have begun drafting a religious law that would put restrictions on marriages Buddhist women and Muslim men.
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By Jonathan DeHart, The Diplomat, June 6, 2013
Jogjakarta, Indonesia -- In the misty jungles of Central Java’s Kedu Valley, builders in the 8th and 9th centuries hauled 2 million stones from rivers and streams to erect Borobudur, a dazzling, 95-foot-tall, 55,000-square-meter step pyramid and Buddhist temple complex. Today, it serves as a reminder that a Buddhist kingdom, the Syailendra Dynasty, thrived for around five centuries (until the 10th century) in the heart of what is now Indonesia.
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by Bambang Muryanto, The Jakarta Post, May 26 2013
Magelang, Indonesia -- Thousands of Buddhists celebrating Waisak, or Buddha’s Day of Enlightenment, in the yard of Mendut Temple in Mungkid, Magelang, Central Java, on Saturday prayed for an end to the Rohingya ethnic conflict in Myanmar.
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By EDMUND NGO, BEH YUEN HUI and QISHIN TARIQ, The Star, May 24, 2013
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Visitors came as early as 7am to the Buddhist Maha Vihara here to commemorate Wesak Day on Friday.
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The Bangkok Post, 14 May 2013
Bangkok, Thailand -- Today, as Buddhists around the country celebrate the Visakha Bucha Day to mark the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death, it is worth reflecting on his teachings and recalling his advice on how best to continue his spiritual legacy.
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Xinhua, May 24, 2013
KANDAL, Cambodia -- Thousands of Buddhist monks and Buddhists marched on Friday morning around Preah Reach Trap Mountain, where the relics of Buddha are housed, to celebrate the Visak Bochea's Day, or Buddha's Day.
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by Thanachot Anuwan, Pattaya Mail, 24 May 2013
Pattaya, Thailand -- Saha Farms’ Ban Sukhawadee and the Phra Yai Chaiyaphum Foundation organized a merit-making ceremony to raise funds for a 20 billion baht Buddhism center in Thailand’s northeast.
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The Star, May 13, 2013
PETALING JAYA, Malaysia -- It was a triple celebration as thousands gathered to mark the Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation's 20th anniversary, Mothers Day and Buddha Day.
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Nhan Dan, May 18, 2013
Truong Sa, Vietnam -- Since time immemorial, Vietnamese fishermen have built small shrines and temples on islands in the East Sea to pray for safety and good luck during their seafaring journeys. The following is a photo gallery of recently built and renovated Buddhist temples on the Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands
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The Nation, May 18, 2013
Bangkok, Thailand -- Critics say that, by ordaining as a monk, a celebrity transvestite is using the religion for selfish reasons, but, like everyone else, he has the right to seek solace in the temple
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Radio Free Asia, May 7, 2013
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam -- Security forces in southern Vietnam surrounded the pagoda of a banned Buddhist group over the weekend and barred monks from leaving the monastery, in the latest crackdown on the group in the one-party communist state.
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The Buddhist Channel, April 29, 2013
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- Malaysia is facing a crucial general elections (GE) on May 5, 2013. The 13th GE promises to be the most heated to date, with home made bombs exploding at a few campaign sites. No injuries were reported.
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By CHUAH BEE KIM, The New Straits Times, Apr 12, 2013
JOHOR BARU, Malaysia -- BRAHMAVAMSO Mahathera, popularly known as Ajahn Brahm among the Buddhist community, will be in Johor Baru from April 29 to May 2.
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Irrawaddy, Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Rangoon, Burma -- A Burmese monk has been arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle a group of Rohingya Muslims disguised in Buddhist robes from western Arakan State to Rangoon, Radio Free Asia reported on Monday.
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by Lindsay Murdoch, The Age, April 7, 2013
Orphanages are often run as businesses, the children being the assets.
Siem Reap, Cambodia -- Dozens of orphanages in Cambodia, including some run by Australians, have been accused of exploiting children to attract donations.
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by Myat Thu Pan, Mizzima, 1 April 2013
Yangon, Myanmar -- The recent communal violence between Buddhists and Muslims in central Myanmar seems to be a result of the conflict which took place in Rakhine State last year.
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By Gianluca Mezzofiore, IB Times, March 26, 2013
Yangon, Myanmar -- Buddhist Monk Saydaw Wirathu, the self-styled "Burmese bin Laden", has called for a national boycott of Muslim businesses in Myanmar in a controversial video that emerged on YouTube.
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by Sanitsuda Ekachai, The Bangkok Post, 20 Mar 2013
Bangkok, Thailand -- A decade or so ago, an official letter of warning from the Police Special Branch Division landed on my desk. It was about an article by a physician-turned-monk entitled "How the Buddha died" in the former Outlook section I was working on back then.
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By Phyo Wai Lin. Jethro Mullen and Kocha Olarn, CNN, March 23, 2013
Yangon, Myanmar -- Buddhist monks and others armed with swords and machetes Friday stalked the streets of a city in central Myanmar, where sectarian violence that has left about 20 people dead has begun to spread to other areas, according to local officials.
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The Buddhist Channel, March 20, 2013
Opening made in conjunction of the Buddhist Missionary Society of Malaysia's (BMSM) 50th anniversary.
Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia) -- The traditional Malay gong was hit three times by VIPs, an occasion witnessed by a host of monks, and a 200 strong audience. They had gathered inside the lotus sculptured hall, and together rejoiced at the official opening of the Samadhi Vihara in Bukit Raja, Shah Alam, Selangor.
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WWF, 9 March 2013
Bangkok, Thailand -- As world governments meet here to discuss global wildlife trade, revered Thai Buddhist leaders today held the first-ever Buddhist merit-making ceremony to pray for the tens of thousands of elephants poached annually. They also called on their congregations and other temples to reject the use and trade of ivory.
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ElevenMyanmar.com, 14 March 2013
Yangon, Myanmar -- Buddhist monks injured in the violent crackdown at the Letpadaungtaung copper mine protest expressed their disagreement over an official report that suggested that the project to continue.
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VietNamNet Bridge, Feb 26, 2013
Hanoi, Vietnam -- Much of Viet Nam’s most famous, traditional and valued cultural heritage has been provided or inspired by Buddhism, a religion which has for centuries been deeply embedded in the national psyche.
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by Omar Havana, The Jakarta Post, February 20, 2013
Siem Reap, Cambodia -- At first glance, the life of a Cambodian Buddhist monk does not differ much from the life of an ordinary person. They sleep, eat, shower, talk, and laugh just like anyone else.
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By Amy Lieberman, CSM, September 8, 2011
A quiet campaign to grant female monks legal recognition began this summer. Advocates hope that the minimal fanfare will help the 'Bhikkhunis' evade conservative religious opposition.
BANGKOK, THAILAND -- Dhammananda Bhikkhuni grips a wobbly stack of feminine hygiene products and sorts them on a long table. Her followers watch before mimicking her quick movements.
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AFP, 10 February, 2013
Jakarta, Indonesia -- As Indonesia and other countries with Chinese diasporas welcome the Year of the Snake, some Islamic leaders have ignited a religious row by declaring the celebrations “haram” and off limits for Muslims.
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By NYEIN NYEIN / THE IRRAWADDY| February 1, 2013
Arakan, Myanmar -- After a year that saw Buddhist and Muslim communities in Burma’s Arakan State engage in numerous bloody clashes, the state government has now taken the step of welcoming Buddhist Arakanese from neighboring Bangladesh. But it is resettling them in violence-wracked northern parts of the state.
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By COD SATRUSAYANG, ASIA SENTINEL, February 4, 2013
BANGKOK, Thailand -- If Thai Buddhism has been corrupted and lost its way, as critics are alleging, you would never know it by talking to Mod and her friends, whose devotion keeps them making merit and seeking solace at Wat Tha Mai, one of Bangkok’s scores of Buddhist temples, every weekend.
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KALADAN PRESS, 18 JANUARY 2013
Maungdaw, Myanmar -- Bangladeshi Buddhist families have resettled to Karayni Natala village in Maungdaw south, Arakan state, according to one Maungdaw officer.
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IRIN, Jan 16, 2013
HANOI/HUE, Vietnam -- Buddhist monks, nuns and their followers have long contributed to Vietnam’s disaster relief efforts. Sometimes equipped with canoes filled with instant noodles, woollen hats and psychosocial counsellors, this local cadre may lack standard operating procedures, but it constitutes a largely undocumented and significant disaster relief system running parallel to governmental efforts.
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The Asian Age, 7 Jan 2013
Siem Reap, Cambodia -- Ta Prohm is the modern name for one of the temples of Angkor, Cambodia. Built in the Bayon style, largely in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, it was founded by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university and was originally called Rajavihara.
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Thanh Nien News, January 1, 2013
Hanoi, Vietnam -- Thich Tu Nghiem, a Buddhist monk, came across museums and exhibitions of Buddha idols in many Asian countries he went to, and decided that Vietnam needs one as well.
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by Cherry Thein, The Myanmar Times, Monday, 31 December 201
Yangon, Myanmar -- An international conference on Buddhist cultural heritage was held at Sitagu International Buddhist University in Yangon from December 15 to 17, with support from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
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VietNamNet Bridge, Dec 30, 2012
Bac Lieu Province, Vietnam -- Being considered one of the most beautiful Khmer Theravada Buddhist temples in the Mekong Delta, Ghositaram pagoda in Bac Lieu province has unique decorations, reflecting unique Buddhism cultural identity of the Khmer.
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By THOMAS FULLER, December 18, 2012
BAAN PA CHI, Thailand -- The monks of this northern Thai village no longer perform one of the defining rituals of Buddhism, the early-morning walk through the community to collect food. Instead, the temple’s abbot dials a local restaurant and has takeout delivered.
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by Marc Howe, The Global Post, December 21, 2012
Yangon, Myanmar -- Protests against a China-backed copper mine have spread throughout the South-east Asian nation of Myanmar, with members of the Buddhist clergy at the fore of demonstrations.
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Selangor Times, 14 Dec 2012
SUBANG JAYA, Selangor (Malaysia) -- Some 500 less-fortunate students from the area were presented with school bags, stationery and shoes donated by Subang Jaya Buddhist Association members last Sunday.
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By KYAW PHYO THA, THE IRRAWADDY, December 9, 2012
RANGOON, Burma -- Buddhist monks took to the streets in Burma’s former capital on Saturday to show solidarity with fellow monks who were injured during a crackdown on protests late last month and to demand an apology from the country’s president.
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By Feng Zengkun, The Straits Times, Dec 06, 2012
Singapore -- THE Buddhist College of Singapore located at Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery in Bishan will have a new building by 2014.
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by Leven Woon, Free Malaysia Today, December 2, 2012
Ven. K Sri Dhammaratana found support from among the Buddhist temple committee members to defeat resolutions to remove him as the chief monk.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malayssia -- An attempt by several disgruntled members of the Sasana Abhiwurdi Wardhana Society to remove their chief monk failed today after they were defeated in their own extraordinary general meeting.
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By WANI MUTHIAH , The Star, November 25, 2012
SHAH ALAM, Selangor (Malaysia) -- Chants and prayers filled the air at the Shah Alam Stadium as thousands of Buddhists took part in a mass blessing ceremony organised by the Malaysian chapter of the internationally-renowned Taiwan-based Mahayana Buddhist monastic order Fo Guang Shan.
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Saigon GP Daily, Nov 24, 2012
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam -- The seventh Congress of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha themed "Inheritance-Stability-Development" opened in Hanoi on November 23 drawing more than 1,000 monks, nuns, and local and overseas dignitaries.
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The Buddhist Channel, Nov 22, 2012
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- The 2012 Contemporary Buddhist Seminar will be organized by the Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM) to discuss about various topics and issues that constantly concern Malaysian Buddhists. The seminar will invite prominent scholars and speakers from various countries, including the USA, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. The theme of this seminar is "The True Colours of Buddhism”.
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by THANYARAT DOKSONE, Associated Press, November 18, 2012
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Leaving behind chants of "Obama, Obama" by adoring crowds on the streets, the president of the United States stepped into the serenity of Thailand's most famous temple compound to marvel at its centerpiece -- a gigantic, golden statue of a reclining Buddha propped up on one elbow before passing into nirvana.
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VietNamNet Bridge, Oct 28, 2012
Thai Binh, Vietnam -- The Keo Pagoda in Duy Nhat Commune, Vu Thu District, in northern Thai Binh Province, has been recognised as a special national relic for its unique historical, cultural, architectural and artistic values.
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by B V PRAKASH, Deccan Herald, Oct 28, 2012
Yogyakarta, Indonesia -- The wave of Buddhism that spread from India to South East Asia around the first century AD lasted several centuries when many of the countries came under the Buddhist influence, with numerous temples and stupas springing up all over.
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By Dylan Loh, CNA, 28 October 2012
SINGAPORE -- The Singapore Buddhist Lodge Education Foundation gave out over S$345,000 in bursaries on Saturday.
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by Amelie Bottollier-Depois, AFP, Oct 27, 2012
SITTWE, Myanmar -- Disgruntled by international support for Muslim Rohingya in unrest-hit western Myanmar, ethnic Rakhine Buddhists are demanding recognition of their own plight and venting a rage that veers into racism.
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The Bangkok Post, Oct 21, 2012
Tourism sector leaders say the birthplace of Buddhism could attract many Thai pilgrims and tourists, but New Delhi needs to clean up its act first
Bangkok, Thailand -- Thai tour operators view Buddhist tourism in India as a potential boom market if the country's Ministry of Tourism improves tourist facilities in destinations that are of interest to Thai-Buddhist tourists.
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by Thu Rein Hlaing; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Alan Raybould, Reuters, October 15, 2012
YANGON, Myanmar -- Thousands of Buddhist monks marched in Myanmar's two biggest cities on Monday to protest against efforts by the world's biggest Islamic body to help Rohingya Muslims involved in deadly communal clashes four months ago.
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By Kang Soon Chen, The Star/Asia News Network,Oct 6, 2012
PETALING JAYA, Malaysia -- A group of Universiti Sains Malaysia medical students has allegedly been brainwashed into leaving their studies by a Buddhist monk.
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CNA, October 4, 2012
BANGKOK, Thailand -- About 300 Buddhist monks demonstrated in the Thai capital Bangkok on Wednesday against recent attacks by Muslim mobs targeting temples and houses in Bangladesh.
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PTI, September 29, 2012
New Delhi, India -- Government is planning to extend Visa-on-Arrival facility to nationals from countries having sizable Buddhist population such as Thailand and Malayasia.
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AFP, Sep 3, 2012
YANGON, Myanmar -- Hundreds of Buddhist monks marched in Myanmar Sunday to support President Thein Sein's suggestion that Muslim Rohingya be deported or held in camps, in the biggest rally since the end of junta rule.
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Khmer Radio / Hello VOA, 27 August 2012
Bhikkhu Hoeurn Somnieng receives a degree in business management from St. Ambrose University in Iowa, USA.
WASHINGTON DC, USA -- Because public management in Cambodia is still week, venerable monk Hoeurn Somnieng, is pursuing a graduate degree at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
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NST, Aug 21, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Several Buddhist organisations in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur are holding the World Buddhist Conference on Nov 3 and 4, at Istana Hotel, Jalan Raja Chulan, here.
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Al-Jazeera, Aug 18, 2012
Government forms 27-member commission to find causes of June clashes and suggest ways for for "peaceful coexistence".
Yangon, Myanmar -- Myanmar's government has formed a commission to investigate the causes of recent sectarian violence between Muslim Rohingya and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists, in which at least 78 people were killed.
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by Thanh Nga
Hanoi, Vietnam -- If you get the chance to visit the northern province of Bac Giang, you should not miss the opportunity to take in the sacred landscape around Bo Da Pagoda in Thuong Lat Hamlet, Tien Son Commune, Viet Yen District. There you can see Buddhist woodblocks and ancient architecture that has been preserved for hundreds of years.
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By JAMES HOOKWAY, WSJ, Aug 14, 2012
Thailand's Buddhists are a bit annoyed with today's young monks. As mobile phones and other devices grow more popular, it's becoming harder for religious leaders to control the images of Buddhism in the media and marketplace. WSJ's James Hookway reports.
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Each year as monsoon rains sweep their way over Thailand, tens of thousands of teenage boys shave their heads and are ordained as Buddhist monks in a traditional rite of passage.
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by Andrew Buncombe, The Independent, August 2, 2012
Bangkok, Thailand -- The Buddhist monks of Thailand are not known to be an especially active bunch. Prayers, chanting and the collecting of alms take up much of their time.
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The Jakarta Post, August 11 2012
Jakarta, Indonesia -- The Indonesian Buddhists Association (Walubi) has called on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to be lenient with its chairwoman, Siti Hartati Murdaya, who is a suspect in a bribery case
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by Palash R. Ghosh, IB Times, July 25, 2012
Rangoon, Burma -- In her first speech before the Myanmar parliament, pro-democracy activist and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has pleaded for the country to respect the rights of its various ethnic minorities.
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By LAWI WENG, THE IRRAWADDY, July 17, 2012
Chiang Mai, Thailand -- Around a thousand Burmese migrants joined a Buddhist dhamma talk at Wat Sai Moon in the center of Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, on Monday to discuss a Thai abbot taking charge of the Burmese monastery.
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by Weena Kowitwanij, AsiaOne, July 3, 2012
Bangkok, Thailand -- In June, celebrations were held to commemorate 2600 years of illumination of the "Awakened One". In a conference, hundreds of faithful, monks and nuns discuss the value of faith and the challenges of modernity. The risks of globalization, promoting an education system capable of forming good citizens.
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The Buddhist Channel, June 27, 2012
The Knowing Buddha Foundation is preparing a major march in Bangkok on 30 June, to show their respect for Buddha and to show how so many are disrespecting Buddha.
Bangkok, Thailand -- The KnowingBuddha Foundation is preparing a Buddhist March - the first time in history - on 30 June, in one of the Bangkok's most famous streets, Khao San Road, to speak out against the improper usage of Buddha's image in the modern world.
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By WINNIE YEOH, Photos by GOH GAIK LEE, All Malayisa, June 21, 2012
Penang, Malaysia -- Ancestor worship prayer has gone digital with a Buddhist temple in Bayan Lepas putting up two 50-inch LCD screens to display names of the deceased.
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by Salil Tripathi, Livemint.com, June 15, 2012
Communal violence flares up even as the country tries to return to democracy
Arakan, Myanmar -- A week ago, a Buddhist woman was raped, allegedly by a Muslim man in the Rakhine province (once known as Arakan) in Myanmar, once known as Burma. Incensed Buddhists stopped a bus which had many Rohingyas, who are Muslim, and killed at least ten, injuring others.
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MCOT News, June 4, 2012
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Buddhist Thais nationwide marked Vesak Day on Monday which this year also was in commemoration of the 2,600th anniversary of the enlightenment of the Lord Buddha, or Buddha Jayanti.
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NNT, June 4, 2012
Pattaya, Thailand -- On the full moon day of the sixth lunar month, Buddhists in Thailand celebrate the enlightenment of the Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. It is this very same day that two other most important events in Buddhism are believed to have occurred—the birth of Buddha, 45 years before his enlightenment, and his passing away 35 years later.
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The Buddhist Channel, June 4, 2012
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- A group of Malaysians under the loose organisation "Support Network for Women Renunciants in Malaysia and Singapore" has established Malaysia's first dedicated Theravada Nuns Centre with the official opening of Gotami Vihara in a suburb of its capital city Kuala Lumpur.
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by Arjanyai, insnare.com, Published on the Buddhist Channel, June 4, 2012
Rangoon, Burma -- Burma under British rule was not so much subject to religious suppression as Ceylon. Europeanization was not so great there as to affect much the cultural life of the Burmese, since the British administered Burma only as a part of India and the British colonial period there was much shorter than in Ceylon.
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The Sunday Star, May 27, 2012
Kota Bahru, Kelantan (Malaysia) -- POLITICAL life may never be free of controversy, but controversies that are unnecessary or avoidable should never be acceptable. Kelantanese are now undergoing one such learning experience.
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Today, May 5, 2012
SINGAPORE -- An increase in awareness has led to fewer people releasing animals into the wild, according to the National Parks Board (NParks).
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The Star, May 6, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Buddhists throughout the country marked Wesak Day by thronging temples and offering prayers, as well as with colourful float processions.
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By CHRISTINA LOW, The Star, May 5, 2012
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- BUDDHISTS celebrate Wesak today by paying respect to Lord Buddha on his birthday, for attainment of enlightenment and to commemorate his death.
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by Bambang Muryanto, The Jakarta Post, May 3, 2012
Magelang, Indonesia -- Tens of thousands of Buddhists from across Indonesia and abroad are expected to observe Waisak (Buddhist Day of Enlightenment) 2556 this year at the two neighboring temples of Mendut and Borobudur in Magelang, Central Java, on Sunday.
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By Jennani Durai, The Straits Times, May 5, 2012
$5.5m project will add space to Jalan Bukit Merah shrine
Singapore -- The oldest Thai Buddhist temple here will get a drastic facelift by next year.
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AsiaOne, May 3, 2012
Singapore -- The National Parks Board (NParks) is reminding the public not to release animals into the wild this Vesak Day.
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by Amy Sawitta Lefevre, Reuters, April 24, 2012
Bangkok, Thailand -- Beam Atchimapon is already three days late for the new school term in her native city, the Thai capital of Bangkok – but for a good cause.
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The Bangkok Post, April 5, 2012
Criticised by a senator, the Wat Phra Dhammakaya temple's mass thudong pilgrimage through downtown Bangkok has been defended by the Office of National Buddhism
Bangkok, Thailand -- Wat Phra Dhammakaya has defended the temple's mass thudong pilgrimage through downtown Bangkok, insisting the walk by 1,500 novices and monks does not violate their code of ethics.
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The Buddhist Channel, Apr 2, 2012
Ayutthaya, Thailand -- On June 1st, 2012, the International Association of Buddhist Universities will be hosting its 2nd International Association of Buddhist Universities Academic Conference, on Buddhist Philosophy & Praxis.
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By OLIVIA MIWIL, The New Straits Times, Mar 20, 2012
Putra Heights, Selangor (Malaysia) -- THE Putra Heights Buddhist Society is appealing to the local authorities to look into its request to acquire a vacant land in Jalan Putra Kayangan 4/1 for the construction of a Buddhist temple.
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NNT, 10 March 2012
Bangkok, Thailand -- Vesak day generally commemorates the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Lord Buddha. However, Vesak 2012, which falls on June 4, holds a special significance as it will also mark the 2,600th anniversary of Buddha’s Enlightenment.
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by Jocelyn Gecker, Associated Press, February 24, 2012
YANGON, Myanmar -- Amid the towering golden spires of Myanmar's grandest Buddhist shrine there was talk of politics and hope for the future as thousands came last week for the return of an annual festival that was banned for more than 20 years by the former military regime.
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Associated Press, February 22, 2012
Myanmar Marks 2600th Anniversary Of Shwedagon Pagoda
YANGON, Myanmar -- Amid the towering golden spires of Myanmar’s grandest Buddhist shrine there was talk of politics and hope for the future as thousands came Wednesday for the return of an annual festival that was banned for more than 20 years by the former military regime.
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World Faiths Development Dialogue, January 13, 2012
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- This fall, Cambodia was hit by its worst floods in recent history, with over a million people displaced and countless crops ruined. In the aftermath of this natural disaster, the Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Sen, cancelled the 2011 Water Festival, one of the most important holidays in Cambodia.
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Bernama, February 2, 2012
QUANG NINH, Vietnam -- The Yen Tu Pagoda Spring Festival has opened in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh on the tenth day of the first lunar month, in the presence of Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan, according to Vietnam news agency.
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By FARIK ZOLKEPLI, The Star, January 29, 2012
KUALA TERENGGANU, Malaysia -- Two years after it was damaged in a fire, the more-than-200-year-old Ho Ann Kiong temple in Kampung Cina has been restored to its former splendour.
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by Weena Kowitwanij, Asia News, Jan 26, 2012
Bangkok, Thailand -- More than a thousand Buddhist monks trekked across six provinces, going from temple to temple, to bring peace and harmony to the areas most affected by last year’s floods, the worst in 50 years. Government estimates put the death toll at over 800 people and the damages at US$ 40 billion. Venerable Phrathepyanmahamunee, abbot at the Dhammakaya Temple and president of the Dhammakaya Foundation, is behind the initiative.
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Phuket Gazette, January 20, 2012
PHUKET, Thailand -- The 'monk police’ of Phuket are warning everyone on the island of con men who are impersonating Buddhist monks and tricking locals and tourists into giving them money.
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The Bangkok Post, Jan 14, 2012
Gay monk debate helps reveal a more fundamental problem which is affecting the clergy
Bangkok, Thailand -- While a coyote-dancing monk who sparked public uproar has been suspended, the episode has led to a continuing debate over gay monks in the clergy.
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Channel News Asia, 7 January 2012
SINGAPORE -- The Singapore Buddhist Lodge (Welfare Foundation) has given out twenty per cent more red packets for the Lunar New Year this year.
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The Star, January 1, 2012
KUCHING, Sarawak (Malaysia) -- Fa Yuan Vihara, a Buddhist temple here for youths, raised what was surely one of the last large amount of cash for charity in 2011.
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by Pakamard Jaichalard, The Nation, January 2, 2012
Bangkok, Thailand -- The New Year 2012 opened with an auspicious tone as over one million people attended the "across the year" prayer at Buddhist temples nationwide on New Year's Eve, an official said yesterday.
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Associated Press, January 04, 2012
Siem Reap, Cambodia -- It's still entwined in mystery and jungle vines, but one of Cambodia's grandest monuments is slowly awakening after eight centuries of isolated slumber, having attracted a crack archaeological team and a trickle of tourists.
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by Paisarn Likhitpreechakul, The Nation, December 16, 2011
Bangkok, Thailand -- The 20-year jail sentence handed down to Mr Amphon (last name withheld), aka Ah Kong (southern Chinese for "grandfather"), for sending four SMS messages deemed offensive to the monarchy, has stirred a debate on the Thai justice system.
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AFP, Dec 16, 2011
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- A top Khmer Rouge leader denied Thursday that the brutal 1970s regime persecuted Buddhists and outlawed religion, to the outrage of monks following his trial at Cambodia's UN-backed court.
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The Tibet Post International , 16 December 2011
Dharamshala, India: -- The spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama expressed his desire last week to visit Burma to pay homage at the country's holiest shrine of the Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon, the capital of Burma.
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The Buddhist Channel, Dec 15, 2011
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- The Ajahn Chah Remembrance Day (ACRD) is a special day devoted to one of the great contemporary Buddhist monks in Thailand, Venerable Ajahn Chah who is also known as Ajahn Chah Subhaddo.
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by Associated Press, December 13, 2011
HANOI, Vietnam -- Vietnam sentenced two Buddhist activists to prison Tuesday for distributing anti-government leaflets and CDs, a relative and state media said.
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The Bangkok Post, Dec 12, 2011
Monks race to get campus up and running after it suffered damage estimated at B200m (US$ 7 mil)
Bangkok, Thailand -- Monks are hard at work cleaning and repairing Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University after the floods.
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THE NATION December 8, 2011
Bangkok, Thailand -- Occupying more than 2,500 rai of land, the park is seen as an icon of Thai Buddhism and attracts thousands of worshippers on holy days for candle-lit processions around the Giant Buddha Statue.
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VNS, Nov 29, 2011
HA NOI, Vietnam -- Most Venerable Thich Thanh Tu, vice president of the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha's executive council, passed away in Ha Noi on Saturday at the age of 85.
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by JAMES HOOKWAY, WSJ, Nov 27, 2011
BANGKOK, Thailand -- At the Glass Lotus Temple in northeast Bangkok, the Buddhist monks know how the flood inundating their country affects everything in daily life—even death.
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Philippine Daily Inquirer, November 13, 2011
Bangkok, Thailand -- A team of Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation volunteers has been carrying out relief work for the flood victims in Thailand, which is suffering its worst flooding in 50 years.
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VNS, November, 14 2011
THUA THIEN-HUE, Vietnam -- Free health care for the poor by Buddhist monks and physicians in Tue Tinh Duong clinics in central Thua Thien-Hue Province is saving lives and boosting moral.
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The Associated Press, October 27, 2011
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Archaeologists at Cambodia’s famous Angkor Wat temple complex say they have unearthed the largest Buddhist statues there in eight decades.
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Xinhua, Oct 24, 2011
YANGON, Myanmar -- Myanmar is making preparation to hold grand religious function to mark the 2600th anniversary of the world's famous Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, the official daily New Light of Myanmar reported Monday.
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CBS, Oct 16, 2011
AYUTTHAYA, Thailand -- Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, a monk university in Ayutthaya, Thailand was swamped by floodwaters.
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by P. Vijian, Bernama, Oct 9, 2011
LEH, Ladakh (India) -- A group of Malaysians have proven that charity is borderless and colour blind.
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by Didier Lauras, AFP, Sept 20, 2011
PATTANI, Thailand -- With its barbed wire, sandbag bunker and armed guard, Wat Lak Muang in Thailand's strife-torn deep south looks more like a military outpost than a typical Buddhist temple.
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The Buddhist Channel, Sept 17, 2011
Jakarta, Indonesia -- December 10 - 11, 2011 shall be marked as monumental days for the Indonesian Buddhist community as the 7th edition of the Global Conference on Buddhism (GCB) will be held in Indonesia for the first time.
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The Star, September 9, 2011
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- THE Buddhist Tzu Chi Merits Society Malaysia will organise a musical sign language drama concert entitled “Purity, Great Love, Innumerable Meanings” at Stadium Badminton Cheras in Kuala Lumpur this weekend.
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The Star, September 5, 2011
Penang, Malaysia -- A BLESSING ceremony at the Buddhist Tzu Chi Merit Society on Macalister Road, Penang, drew some 300 devotees keen to express gratitude to ancestors and parents.
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by Brendan Brady, TheWorld.org, Aug 30, 2011
A group of monks from remote Cambodia are protecting their local forests and fighting climate change with Buddhism, not science, as the inspiration
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- Tha Soun and his fellow monks from nearby Samraong pagoda have presided over a 44-thousand acre forest known as Sorng Rukavorn, or simply Monk Forest, for a decade. These days it seems a serene garden, but it wasn't always so.
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by Kooi F Lim, The Buddhist Channel, Aug 24, 2011
Buddhist Gems Fellowship announces fund raising campaign with signature "flash and dash"
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- If you are looking for entertainment within a Buddhist establishment, you won't go wrong if you happened to take a glance at Buddhist Gem Fellowship, or BGF in short.
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by Sanitsuda Ekachai, Bangkok Post, Aug 18, 2011
Development monks help their poor communities with economic and educational needs, living examples of why monks still matter.
Bangkok, Thailand -- Fed up with rogue monks? Losing hope in ability of the lax and closed clergy to lead the way? Meet Luang Por Ang, Luang Por Chair, and Phra Kru Somsri. All Isan monks. All dedicated to lift the livelihood and spirituality of their villagers. All are living examples of why monks still matter. Probably more so now than ever.
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VNS, Aug 8, 2011
Bac Ninh, Vietnam -- On a hot summer day, it took Nguyet Anh an hour by motorbike to get to the Dau and But Thap pagodas from Ha Noi. The destination of this newly graduated journalism student from Ha Noi Social Science and Humanities University and her friends was located in the northern province of Bac Ninh.
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The Buddhist Channel, Jul 30, 2011
Conference aims to discuss "The Buddha Word, its Social Relevance & Application Today".
Live coverage viewable at http://www.justin.tv/wacana2011
Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia) -- WACANA is a Buddhist Conference which aims to gather distinguished members of the Buddhist Sangha and laity to discuss pertinent issues affecting the Buddha-Sasana. Organized by Nalanda Institute Malaysia, this year's Wacana 2011 conference carries the theme “The Buddha Word, its Social Relevance & Application Today”.
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Sapa-dpa, July 19, 2011
Chiang Khong, Thailand -- The 15-year-old aspiring "ladyboy" delicately applied a puff of talcum powder to his nose - an act of rebellion at the Thai Buddhist temple where he is learning to "be a man".
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The Nation/Asia News Network, Jul 17, 2011
Bangkok, Thailand -- In Nakhon Ratchasima's Muang district, a major contest of 59 carved candle floats was expected to generate at least Bt100 million during the four-day-long holiday period. Chok Chai district's Wat Mai Saprathum won the Category A prize - a trophy donated by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and Bt100,000 cash - for the seventh year in a row.
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The Bangkok Post, July 14, 2011
Bangkok, Thailand -- The Public Health Ministry has ordered public health offices throughout the country to coordinate with police and other authorities to make sure the ban on thje sale of alcohol is strictly observed on July 15 and 16, an important Buddhist holiday.
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Malaysiakini, Jul 10, 11 9:40am
Malaysian Yong Vui Kong, 21, is on death row in Singapore for drug trafficking. Malaysiakini is publishing Yong's final letters to Yetian, a member of the Save Vui Kong Campaign, as he faces death.
Singapore -- Before I begin, I would like to thank everyone for reading this 12th letter. Time passes so quickly that this will be my last letter.
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by Jamie Khoo, The Buddhist Channel, July 1, 2011
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- Kechara House Buddhist Association in Malaysia will attempt to make it into the Malaysian Book of Records for a 24-hour recitation of the Lamrim Chenmo, a central text in Buddhist study, on July 2 – 3 2011.
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By R.S.N. MURALI, The Star, June 30, 2011
MALACCA, Malaysia -- Several Buddhist groups in Kuala Lumpur and Penang have sought the help of the “monk police” here to help eradicate bogus monks in their areas.
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by Hafizah Hoze Rizal, The Star, June 28, 2011
40 robberies, six fires - and 31 ignored appeals for relocation
Setapak, Malaysia -- ROBBED more than 40 times. Experienced six fires. Electricity and water supply constantly interrupted.
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Bernama, June 29, 2011
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand's Ministry of Public Health is campaigning nationwide for local people to refrain from alcohol during the forthcoming three-month Buddhist Lent, which starts on July 16.
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AFP, Jun 27, 2011
BOROBUDUR, Indonesia -- HOLLYWOOD star Richard Gere meditated on Monday at Indonesia's Borobudur temple before touring the ninth-century Buddhist monument with his wife and son.
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by Hangga Brata & Arientha Primanita, Jakarta Globe, June 27, 2011
Magelang, Central Java (Indonesia) -- Hollywood star Richard Gere arrived at the eighth century Borobudur Temple on Sunday ahead of a Buddhist ritual today — in a trip that officials said would make the actor Indonesia’s “informal tourism ambassador.”
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By R.S.N. MURALI, The Star, June 21, 2011
MALACCA, Malaysia -- A Buddhist group here has set up its own vigilante corp to stop those portraying themselves as monks from soliciting money from the public.
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Antara News, June 23, 2011
Magelang, Central Java (Indonesia) -- The management of Borobudur Temple Tourism Park says they are ready for Hollywood star Richard Gere when her arrives at the famous Buddhist temple on Sunday.
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by Anthony Kuhn, NPR, June 20, 2011
Bangkok, Thailand -- Many of Thailand's tattoo tourists find their way to Bangkok's Khao San Road, where tattoo parlors are nestled among the Internet cafes, noodle stalls and other backpacker hangouts. A visitor along this road might pick up a tattoo, along with some beads and dreadlocks, and perhaps even a nose ring.
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VOV News, June 19, 2011
Hanoi, Vietnam -- Celebrations of the Hoa Hao Buddhist sect’s 72nd founding anniversary have been held across Vietnam’s 15 provinces and cities with support of local authorities.
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The Jakarta Post, June 19, 2011
Jakarta, Indonesia -- Hollywood star Richard Gere will visit one of the world’s most renowned and largest Buddhist temples, Borobudur, in Magelang, Central Java, on June 26, a Culture and Tourism Ministry official says.
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Today, Jun 16, 2011
SINGAPORE - The late Venerable Long Gen, the former Chairman of the Singapore Buddhist Federation, was fundamental in laying the foundation for Buddhism in Singapore, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
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The Phuket News, 10th Jun 2011
PHUKET, Thailand -- More than a hundred tattoo artists from all over Phuket met today with the Permanent Secretary of the Culture Ministry, Somchai Seanglai, and various other officials, to discuss the high-priority problem of foreigners being tattooed with Buddhist images.
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by Satnisusa Ekachai, The Bangkok Post, June 9, 2011
An upcoming conference in Thailand will bring together female Buddhist monastics from around the world.
Bangkok, Thailand -- Has the clergy's stern frown on female ordination stopped women's determination to pursue a monastic life.
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by Loka S K Ng, The Buddhist Channel, June 9, 2011
Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia) -- Local history was created on Sunday June 5, 2011 when more than 1,200 people gathered at the Auditorium Dewan Jubli Perak in Shah Alam to attend the first ever Selangor State Level Wesak Celebrations.
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by Kom Chad Luek, Phuket Gazette, June 2, 2011
PHUKET, Thailand -- The Culture Ministry has attacked the growing trend for tourists in Phuket and other parts of Thailand to have religious images tattooed on their bodies.
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The Buddhist Channel, June 5, 2011
Khao Lak, Thailand -- People staying in Khao Lak or anywhere in Thailand in July will embark on special ceremonies to mark the start of one of Buddhism’s most significant events.
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The Buddhist Channel, June 2, 2011
Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia) -- A historic and ground breaking event for the Malaysian Buddhist community will take place on Sunday, June 5, 2011 when Malaysia's richest, most advanced state of Selangor officially hosts the state level Wesak celebration.
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By Seth Kane, Asia Times, May 26, 2011
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand's community of Buddhist monks, the Sangha, has traditionally occupied a ubiquitous and hallowed place in Thai society. However, globalization and decades of rapid economic development have challenged the Sangha's traditional position, seen in its dwindling membership, plethora of scandals and diminished role as educators and conflict resolvers.
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by Tarko Sudiarno and Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, May 18, 2011
Magelang/Bandung (Indonesia) -- Buddhists across Indonesia observed Waisak on Tuesday with a message that religion can be a vehicle to enlighten people and the world.
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VietnamNet, May 22, 2011
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam -- Not only eating vegetarian food on the Vesak Day or Buddha’s birthday (May 16), many people in HCM City decide to take vegetarian in the entire fourth lunar month to wish for peace.
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The Star, May 18, 2011
GEORGE TOWN, Penang -- Buddhists from all walks of life flocked to temples and association premises to offer their prayers for Wesak Day.
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by Seet Sok Hwee and Sabrina Chan, Today, May 18, 2011
SINGAPORE -- Thousands of Buddhists around the world celebrated Vesak Day yesterday, a festival that commemorates the birth and enlightenment of Buddha and his entry into Nirvana.
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by Aidi Yursal & Vento Saudale, The Jakarta Globe, May 18, 2011
Jakarta, Indonesia -- Buddhist faithful across Indonesia turned out in large numbers on Tuesday to mark Vesak, a celebration of the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha.
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The Nation, May 18, 2011
Bangkok, Thailand -- Buddhists across the country yesterday observed religious rites, giving alms to monks in the morning and saying prayers at temples later in the day to celebrate Visakha Bucha Day.
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Xinhua, May 18, 2011
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- Thousands of Buddhists and Buddhist monks on Tuesday morning marched around Preah Reach Trap Mountain, where the relics of Buddha are housed, in order to mark Visak Bochea's day, or Buddha's day.
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VietNamNet Bridge, May 18, 2011
Hanoi, Vietnam -- The Vesak Day, which fell on May 16, 2011, was celebrated throughout the country by Buddhists with various activities and events.
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THE NATION, May 17, 2011
Yala, Thailand -- The group was driving to a town to collect alms in Yala's Yaha district when a suspected home-made bomb was set off.
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MCOT Online, May 16, 2011
SA KAEO, Thailand -- A Thai Buddhist group and its Cambodian counterpart joined with 'Dhamma Yatra' Buddhist pilgrims to urge their compatriots to use dhamma as a means to end the armed conflict between the two neighbouring countries.
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Fee Malaysia Today, May 16, 2011
Buddhist across Malaysia celebrate Wesak tomorrow in commemoration of the birth and enlightenment of Lord Buddha
PETALING JAYA, Malaysia -- Buddhist nationwide celebrate Wesak tomorrow amidst unsubstantiated allegations of a “Christian Malaysia” plot and Perkasa’s “crusade against Christians”.
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By PRIYA MENON, The Star, May 14, 2011
SEVERAL activities have been planned for the Wesak Day celebration on Tuesday.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- The joint Wesak Celebrations Committee (JWCC) said the main highlights at the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields would be the visit by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at 9.30am as well as the float procession in the evening.
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The Buddhist Channel, May 10, 2011
Wesak 2011 marks the 2,600th year of the Buddha’s enlightenment and the preaching of His Dharma
Seri Kembangan, Selangor (Malaysia) -- Every year, on the full-moon day in May, Buddhists the world over celebrate Wesak to commemorate three significant events in the life of Lord Buddha – birth, enlightenment and passing away. This year’s Wesak Day falls on the 17th of May.
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The Buddhist Channel, May 10, 2011
Padang Sera, Kedah (Malaysia) -- The remains of the late Venerable Dr. Chao Khun Phra Thepmongkolayan, an influential Buddhist figure in Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore was cremated here on May 1, 2011.
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The Bangkok Post, Apr 28, 2011
Bangkok, Thailand -- The Office of National Buddhism has forgiven a renowned Buddhist nun for telling her followers to rectify their sins through bizarre acts.
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The Buddhist Channel, April 20, 2011
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- On 16th April 2011, the Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM) initiated a Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Relief Fund to assist victims of the earthquake and tsunami at Japan. As at 16th April 2011, a total amount of RM236,720.00 was collected.
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VOVNews, Apr 10, 2011
Hanoi, Vietnam -- Vietnam is a special nation in the preservation of Buddhist heritages, said the Deputy Head of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Yogeshwar Varma.
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The Buddhist Channel, April 4, 2011
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- Kinrara Metta Buddhist Society (KMBS) is organising the Metta Run 2011 to help raise funds for the development of its new building.
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The Bangkok Post, Apr 4, 2011
Bangkok, Thailand -- The country's first and only college for Buddhist nuns has suffered a discouraging setback, with only 20 prospective students applying to join the institution this academic year.
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Jakarta Globe, April 3, 2011
North Sumatra, Indonesia -- The Religious Affairs Ministry has ordered a large Buddhist statue in North Sumatra to be taken down after it raised the ire of Muslims in the area.
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By Richard S. Ehrlich, CNNGo.com, 31 March, 2011
International volunteers pay to teach Buddhist monks in Chiang Mai and Ratchaburi. Journey to nirvana not guaranteed
Bangkok, Thailand -- Foreigners are being invited to teach English to Buddhist monks at two temples in Thailand -- at a cost of hundreds of dollars.
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The Bangkok Post, March 26, 2011
While many saffron-robed foreigners are genuinely interested in studying religion, some are entering Thailand illegally to beg for money from the public
Bangkok, Thailand -- The presence of more than 300 foreign Buddhists at a Bangkok temple has raised concerns that some might be bogus monks begging for money and preying on people.
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VOVNews, March 20, 2011
Hanoi, Vietnam -- The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Central Committee (VBSCC) hosted a solemn ceremony in Hanoi on March 17 to commemorate the 1,000th death anniversary of Imperial Councillor Khuong Viet, the first supreme patriarch of Vietnamese Buddhism.
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The Nation, March 18, 2011
Phasi Charoen, Thailand -- Authorities yesterday inspected Talom Temple in Phasi Charoen district following reports that 400 foreign Buddhist monks there go out begging in the afternoon and make money selling the alms.
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By Pathomporn Kaenkrachang, Phuketwan.com, March 12, 2011
Phuket, Thailand -- A BUDDHIST museum is to be built at the Big Buddha site atop a hill on Phuket amid claims and counter-claims about cash donations.
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Bangkok Post, March 8, 2011
Pattani, Thailand -- The Sangha Council of Pattani province has decided that Buddhist monks in three high-risk districts should stop making their morning alms collection for one month, following the slaying of a monk and wounding of two others in Khok Pho district early this month.
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AFP, March 5, 2011
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Gunmen killed a Buddhist monk and injured two others as they collected alms in Thailand's insurgency-plagued south, according to police.
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The Bangkok Post, March 6, 2011
A mae chi's takeover of a Thai Buddhist temple in India has brought the management of the facilities overseas and the role of female clergy to the fore
Bangkok, Thailand -- The controversy over a Thai Buddhist nun successfully petitioning an Indian court to gain control of a temple has raised broader questions surrounding the administration of temples overseas. It has also highlighted the ambiguous role nuns, or mae chi, face within the structure of Buddhism in Thailand.
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The Bangkok Post, March 5, 2011
Queen will preside over revered monk's funeral
Udon Thani, Thailand -- Up to one million faithful are expected to pay their last respects to Luangta Maha Bua Yannasampanno (Ajahn Maha Boowa) at his cremation ceremony today.
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The Buddhist Channel, March 5, 2011
Luang Ta Maha Bua cremation is slated to held on Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 1 pm bangkok Time (Malaysia - 2 pm, London - 6 am, San Francisco - 11 pm March 4).
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The Bangkok Post, March 3, 2011
The cremation of Luangta Maha Bua Yannasampanno is a logistical challenge
Udon Thani, Thailand -- Wat Pa Ban Tad forest temple in Udon Thani is abuzz with activity. More than 1,500 kitchens are being set up to cater to more than 2,500 monks residing at the temple and thousands of visitors streaming in every day.
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The Bangkok Post, March 3, 2011
Udon Thani, Thailand -- A conference of senior monks has agreed to divide Luangta Maha Bua's ashes into two.
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Pattaya Daily News, February 22, 2011
Pattaya, Thailand -- Mr. Anton Avdanin (42), a Russian businessman, had a premonition of seeing an image of a Thai Buddhist monk, leading him to fly to Thailand to research further. After meeting the monk, Mr. Avdanin first carefully observed the monk’s actions for 2 years.
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Pattaya People, Feb 20, 2011
Pattaya, Thailand -- On Friday morning at Tamsamakkee temple opposite the South Pattaya Junction on Sukhumvit Road, thousands of Buddhists gathered to conduct food offerings to the monks, with many of the worshippers wearing white outfits, to be in harmony with the purity that this day signifies.
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VNS, Feb 22, 2011
Ben Tre, Vietnam -- Nearly 20 years have passed since the Pagoda's doors were opened to orphans under the guiding hand of nun Thich Ngo Mai, an orphan herself. Thu Trang report.
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VNA, Feb 13, 2011
Quang Ninh, Vietnam -- Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan beat the drum, opening the Yen Tu Pagoda Spring Festival in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh on February 12, the tenth day of the first lunar month.
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The Star, February 14, 2011
GEORGE TOWN, Penang (Malaysia) -- More than 300 Buddhist devotees offered special prayers during a ceremony which took place aboard a chartered ferry.
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by Ajahn Sujato, The Buddhist Channel, Feb 11, 2011
"‘When ordinary people praise the Buddha, they do so only on the trivial and petty grounds of mere behavior.’ - The Buddha, Brahmajala Sutta, Digha Nikaya 1"
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- In recent days there’s been considerable discussion among Buddhists, especially in Singapore and Malaysia, over the conferring of the respected title ‘Datuk’ to the senior monk Venerable Dhammaratana, abbot of the Brickfields Temple in KL. The controversy is not over the honor, but over the fact that the Venerable received it wearing a suit!
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by Benson Ang, The New Paper, Feb 10, 2011
Using fake documents, a Chinese national managed to work in Singapore on the pretext of being a monk
Singapore -- For nine months, Mr Liu Bing worked as a monk at a Buddhist centre in Geylang.
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by Weena Kowitwanij, Asia News, Feb 11, 2011
Bangkok, Thailand -- A crowd of sad mourners has flooded the Buddhist temple of Pabaantad, in northern Thailand, to pay their respect to Phra Dharmawisuthimongkol, a monk who passed away on 31 January at the age of 97 from intestinal obstruction and pulmonary infection.
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by JAMES HOOKWAY, The Nation, February 09, 2011
Bangkok, Thailand -- When Bua Yannasampanno (Ajahn Maha Boowa), a hermit Buddhist monk, died in Thailand at the age of 98 on Sunday, his followers were convinced he had reached true spiritual enlightenment and wouldn’t be reborn.
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The New Straits Times, Feb 8, 2011
Johor Baru, Malaysia -- BUDDHIST devotees should keep Feb 16 and 17 free as the Venerable Ajahn Brahmavamso Mahathera will be in Johor Baru.
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The Star, February 5, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- The Buddhist Maha Vihara Temple in Brickfields was abuzz with visitors on the first day of Chinese New Year (CNY).
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By By Supitya Rattana, The Nation, February 8, 2011
Narathiwat, Thailand -- In the wake of insurgent attacks targetting Buddhists, monks residing at 13 temples in Narathiwat have stopped their routine morning alms walk for a month, starting today.
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by Michael Scharff, World Faiths Development Dialogue, February 19, 2010
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- The sun has just risen at Wat Nokorbachey, a Buddhist temple in rural northeastern Cambodia. I’m standing near the ruins of a temple building and the early morning mist creeps over the tumbled stones and statues creating a mystical sensation. I’ve come here today to meet with the Venerable Thorn Vandong, a monk who runs the faith inspired organization Buddhism and Society Development Association (BSDA).
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by Yen Feng, The Straits Times, Jan 14, 2011
Reasons cited by faith leaders, experts include rise of churches here
Singapore -- The decline in Buddhism over the past decade may be traced to the rise of churches, more people wanting to choose their own faith or the lack of one, and greater clarity between Buddhism and Taoism, said scholars and faith leaders yesterday.
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By THE IRRAWADDY, January 13, 2011
Rangoon, Burma -- The Burmese junta’s proxy, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), has formed a Buddhist organization to discourage Burmese from joining others religions, in a move that some observers called a misuse of religion for political purposes.
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Narinjara News, Jan 12, 2011
Buthidaung, Burma -- Some remote Buddhist villages in southern Buthidaung Township, 80 miles north of Sittwe, are under threat of damage due to the rampant Muslim robbers in the area, report local people widely.
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by Khouth Sophakchakrya, Phnom Penh Post, 4 January 2011
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- More than 800 monks from across the country gathered in Phnom Penh for the 19th National Monk Congress yesterday, where they received reminders of the importance of Buddhist morality following a year that saw frequent transgressions by wayward members of the monkhood.
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M&C, Jan 3, 2011
Bangkok, Thailand -- Thailand's Buddhist council has warned monasteries nationwide to curb BlackBerry chatting among monks after receiving several complaints about the practice, media reports said Monday.
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by Anthony Kuhn, NPR, December 27, 2010
Bangkok, Thailand -- In Thailand, at Bangkok's Wat Phai Ngern, or Silver Bamboo Temple, lottery ticket vendors line the path to a mortuary where bodies are usually stored for cremation. On a recent day, one of the vendors, Lawan Yutitham, explains that the hot-selling lottery ticket numbers that day are 02, 07 and 27.
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Thailand Business News, December 23, 2010
Bangkok, Thailand -- Whether it’s the international New Year, the Chinese lunar New Year or the Thai solar New Year, the transition from one year to another offers an opportunity for Buddhists in Thailand to make merit by visiting sacred places.
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By Peter Janssen, Monster & Critics, Dec 22, 2010
Chiang Mai, Thailand -- Sorayut Chayapanyo, the 32-year-old abbot of the Doi Pha Som forest temple, has found little use for his Stanford University economics degree in the hills of Chiang Mai.
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The Star, December 18, 2010
GEORGE TOWN, Penang (Malaysa) -- A group of 40 Buddhist monks and novitiates displayed their spirit of giving and sharing by distributing food and provisions to elderly residents at Little Sisters of the Poor, Home for the Aged.
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by Jamie Khoo, The Buddhist Channel, Dec 17, 2010
A New Tibetan-Style Sanctuary Opens In The Heart of Suburbia
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- It is indeed a celebration of Malaysia as being “truly Asia” in its multi-cultural diversity with the opening of a new Tibetan-inspired sanctuary in the heart of SunwayMas Commercial Centre in Petaling Jaya.
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Deutsche Presse-Agentur, December 8, 2010
YANGON, Myanmar -- Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday took part in public religious services for the first time since her release from house arrest.
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by Vajrakumara, The Buddhist Channel, Dec 6, 2010
Singapore -- A 'monk' who is an 'abbot' made grave mistakes. He has yet to express clear and open repentance for his multiple misgivings, even after being jailed. Most Buddhists are enraged at why the local Buddhist federation is not disciplining him - e.g. by defrocking him or demoting his monastic status.
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AsiaOne, Dec 03, 2010
SINGAPORE - News of a panel to judge the Venerable Ming Yi has been met with split views by the Buddhist community.
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By Irwin Loy, IPS, Nov 1, 2010
KAMPONG CHAM, Cambodia -- The monsoon rains soaked the ground beneath Mon Hol’s home until it turned to ankle-deep mud. The aged thatched-leaf roof of his hut, badly in need of replacement, provided little protection.
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By Rachel Harvey, BBC News, Nov 29, 2010
A shrine in the Buddhist temple in Bangkok Cartons of milk and children's toys are placed at the shrine in the Buddhist temple in Bangkok
Bangkok, Thailand -- In a quiet corner of a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, an impromptu shrine has been created.
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by Andrew Chambers, The Guardian, 25 November 2010
The discovery of 2,000 foetuses has fuelled calls for a change in the law, but Buddhism plays a big role in the abortion debate
Bangkok, Thailand -- The discovery of more than 2,000 foetuses stored at a Bangkok temple has made front-page news across Thailand. As most abortion is illegal in Thailand, the case has shone a spotlight on a massive backstreet industry and sparked national debate about the country's current abortion laws, which date from the 1950s. With abortion routinely recognised as a "sin" in Theravada Buddhism, religion has played a significant social and political role in this debate.
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Bernama, November 23, 2010
HANOI, Vietnam -- The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) inaugurated the Bao An (Paying a Debt of Gratitude) tower, the highest ever in Vietnam, at the Bang A-Linh Tien tu pagoda in Hanoi, on Monday, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.
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by Pimjai Chaimongkol, ScandAsia, Nov 11, 2010
Bangkok, Thailand -- The World's oldest Buddhist Scriptures are exhibited for the first time in Thailand at the Phutthamonthon Buddhist Park in Nakhon Pathom province from 8 November 2010 to 5 February 2011.
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by The Associated Press, Nov 11, 2010
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Buddhist monks in Cambodia will be banned from taking part in a water festival this month to prevent undignified behaviour such as mingling with scantily clad women and seeing couples kissing, the country's chief monk said Wednesday.
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NDTV, Nov 11, 2010
Jogjakarta, Indonesia -- One of the biggest Buddhist temples in Indonesia, Borobudur, has become a victim of the eruption of Mount Merapi.
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VOV, Nov 11, 2010
Hanoi, Vietnam -- A procession of three precious saris, taken from Kushinagar relic site in India, arrived in the Noi Bai International Airport, Hanoi, on November 9.
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by Aidi Yursal, Antara News, November 1, 2010
Medan, Sumatra (Indonesia) -- A replica of Burma’s famous Shwedagon Pagoda was officially opened in North Sumatra on Sunday in a ceremony attended by hundreds of Buddhist monks from across Asia.
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The Buddhist Channel, Nov 1,.2010
Singapore -- 500 participants found happiness in the here and now at the Buddhist Conference 2554, held 23 October at Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, Singapore. The conference was organised by Dharma In Action (DIA), an informal gathering of energetic and enthusiastic Buddhists working together to promote Buddhism as a lifestyle in Singapore.
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by Arientha Primanita, Bilhuda Haryanto & Aidi Yursal, The Jakarta Post, October 22, 2010
Jakarta, Indonesia -- Buddhists are the latest minority religious group to feel the heat, being at the center of a festering row over a large Buddha statue on the roof of a temple in the North Sumatran city of Tanjung Balai.
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Channel News Asia, 16 October 2010
SINGAPORE -- S$475,600 worth of bursaries from the Singapore Buddhist Lodge Education Foundation were given to 367 students from tertiary institutes on Saturday.
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by Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Oct 8, 2010
Magelang, Indonesia -- Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh led 500 Buddhists and monks from 15 countries in a series of meditations at the renowned Borobudur Temple complex in Magelang, Central Java, on Thursday.
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By Mavis Toh & Elena Chong, The Straits Times, Oct 8, 2010
Singapore -- CONVICTED Buddhist monk Ming Yi, 48, walked out of the Subordinate Courts a free man yesterday, ending the long-running saga of one of the largest charity scandals here.
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By Cherry Thein, Myanmar Times, Volume 26, No. 521
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- AFTER joining a Sunday group meditation at Wat Langka on Sihanouk Boulevard Road in Phnom Penh, I was approached by a Buddhist monk who gave me a copied textbook written by Mahasi Sayadaw.
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by Ulma Haryanto, Jakarta Globe, September 22, 2010
Jakarta, Indonesia -- A Buddhist group that backed the city in allowing the Buddha Bar to open will file a complaint against judges at the Central Jakarta District Court who ordered the bar closed and fined the owners Rp 1 billion ($112,000).
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Ekklesia.com, Sept 22, 2010
Bangkok, Thailand -- A reform-oriented "common word on international economic practices" has been issued by Christians and Buddhists meeting in Thailand.
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By Majorie Chiew, The Star, September 21, 2010
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- MALAYSIA will host one of the modern world’s most recognised Vietnamese Buddhist monk and Zen master, Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh, and eight other acclaimed teachers and scholars of Buddhism at the World Buddhist Conference this weekend (Sept 25-26)at Hotel Istana, Kuala Lumpur.
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Phuket Daily News, Aug 18, 2010
PHUKET, Thailand -- Hundreds of well-wishers are expected to help revered Phuket monk Luang Pu Supha celebrate his 114th birthday next month.
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The Nation/Asia News Network , Sep 14, 2010
Bangkok, Thailand -- A WELL-KNOWN author and an avid Buddhist yesterday filed a report with the Department of Special Investigation, asking for an inquiry into more than Bt100 million (S$4.3 million) given to a monastery run by a famous monk.
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VNA, Sept 14, 2010
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam -- A two-day training course is being held in Ho Chi Minh City for Buddhist monks, nuns and followers on how to prevent discrimination against people infected with HIV/AIDS.
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Asia News, September 7, 2010
More than 70 people march for 55 days to remind people that peace is everyone’s business. Since 2004, clashes between Buddhists and Muslims in south Thailand have killed 56,950 people and wounded 11.390.
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The Jakarta Post, Sept 3, 2010
Jakarta, Indonesia -- The Anti-Buddha Bar Forum (FABB) is persisting in its demands that the Buddha Bar be shut down, even after the company changed its name to BB Restaurant and Lounge.
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AFP, Sept 1, 2010
JAKARTA, Indonesia -- An Indonesian court Wednesday ordered the local branch of Paris-based Buddha Bar to close after convicting the licence holder of blasphemy, a lawyer said.
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By WANI MUTHIAH and A. RUBAN, The Star, August 30, 2010
KLANG, Selangor -- The plight of slain security guard S. Gunasilan’s family has caught the attention of the Ti-Ratana Welfare Society Malaysia which plans to visit them today to get details of their financial difficulties.
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VOV News, Aug 31, 2010
Hanoi, Vietnam -- A recent symposium has provided an insight into Buddhism and literature’s immense contributions to the capital city of Hanoi during its 1,000-year process of development.
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The Borneo Post, August 27, 2010
KOTA KINABALU, Sabah (Malaysia) -- Sabahan Yong Vui Kong who is on death row in Singapore, is spending his time reading Buddhist scriptures as his appeal for clemency to the republic’s president to spare his life lies in a balance.
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Bernama, August 25, 2010
LEH, Ladakh (India) -- Amidst chanting of prayers by monks and school children, a special event was rolled out to mark the first anniversary of four Malaysian women who died in a car mishap last year.
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Earth Times, 24 Aug 2010
Hanoi, Vietnam -- The state-controlled governing body of Vietnam's Hoa Hao Buddhist sect has asked local authorities to punish two monks for allegedly proselytizing without permission, an official said Tuesday.
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By FOONG THIM LENG, The Star, August 18, 2010
Bercham, Malaysia -- VISITORS to Meow Yuen Zen Buddhist Monastery will get the impression that they are in a garden where rock formations are sculptured by divine hands.
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By LEE YUK PENG, The Star, August 11, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- A monastery that has been mired in controversy for its closed-door practice has been found by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to have complied with its own constitution.
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By Cherry Thein, Myanmar Rimes, August 16 - 22, 2010
Yangon, Myanmar -- THE Buddhist Association for the Promotion of Theravada Buddhism in Border Regions earlier this month launched missionary projects in Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin and Mon states, the group’s chairman said last week.
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Sin Chew Daily, Aug 11, 2010
SEREMBAN, Negeri Sembilan (Malaysia) -- The Negeri Sembilan state liaison committee of the Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM) is helping the Buddhist students societies of three schools to get started, following the cabinet decision to allow school heads to approve the formation of non-Muslim clubs and societies.
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VOV News, Aug 11, 2010
Binh Duong, Vietnam -- More than 10,000 monks, nuns and Buddhist followers from 20 southern provinces are expected to attend the largest-ever religious ceremony at Lac Canh-Dai Nam-Van Hien Tourist Resort in Binh Duong province on August 14-15 for the Vu Lan Festival.
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By MAJORIE CHIEW, The Star, August 10, 2010
Zen master and Nobel Prize nominee to talk on his philosophy in Malaysian tour
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- RENOWNED Vietnamese Buddhist monk and poet Thich Nhat Hanh, 84, leads retreats worldwide on the art of mindful living. He believes that we can learn to live in the present moment through “mindfulness”, rather than in the past and future. That is his key teaching.
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The Jakarta Post, Aug 9, 2010
KUTA, Bali (Indonesia) -- Kerobokan Penitentiary in Kuta has recently provided worship rooms for Buddhist inmates, adding to the prison's existing worship facilities for Hindus, Muslims and Christians, a prison warden says.
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Translated by LIM LIY EE, Sin Chew Daily, July 31, 2010
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- A Buddhist and stamps collector has been integrating his faith with his interest as he has a special preference for collecting stamps with Buddhism theme.
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By CHRISTINA CHIN, The Star, August 2, 2010
Penang, Malaysia -- HANDS clasped in prayer, thousands of Avalokitesvara (Guan Yin) Bodhisattva devotees joined a Goddess of Mercy float procession which passed through Bayan Baru and Bayan Lepas in Penang.
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Vietnam Plus, Jul 29, 2010
Hanoi, Vietnam -- A week of Buddhist celebrations to acknowledge the capital city’s millennial anniversary began at the Thang Long Citadel on July 28.
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AFP, Jul 28, 2010
JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Hundreds of people protested in Jakarta Wednesday against the local branch of the Buddha Bar chain, demanding its closure and saying it threatened interfaith relations.
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Pattaya Daily News, Jul 27, 2010
Pattaya, Thailand -- The Asarnha Bucha (Asalha Puja) ceremonies held at the Chaimongkol Temple in South Pattaya brought hundreds of joyous worshippers together to celebrate the great Buddha’s first sermon.
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The Star, July 22, 2010
Klang, Malaysia -- A GROUP of Buddhist residents staying in Bukit Tinggi, Klang, organised a gathering last weekend to appeal to the state government to grant a piece of land in Bukit Tinggi to erect a Buddhist temple.
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The Star, July 20, 2010
Penang, Malaysia -- THOSE who give donation to monks on the streets are performing bad deeds indirectly, said Yayasan Belia Buddhist Malaysia (YBBM) director Datuk Ong Ka Chuan.
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VOV News, July 18, 2010
Hanoi, Vietnam -- 1,247 Buddhist nuns and monks will gather for the Great Buddhist Festival to mark the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi scheduled to take place in Hanoi from July 17 to August 2.
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VOV News, July 17, 2010
Can Tho, Vietnam -- A Buddhist family camp called “Chanh Tri Camp” is taking place in Long Quang Pagoda in the Mekong delta city Can Tho city from July 15-17, drawing the participation of over 700 Buddhist followers from southeast and southwest provinces.
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The Bangkok Post, July 5, 2010
A group of Thai and Cambodian civic groups are working together to build peace between Thailand and Cambodia through cultural exchanges
Siem Reap, Cambodia -- A Cambodian song filled the air as some 10 Thai and Cambodians were playing a traditional Khmer folk game that resembles Thailand's all-time favourite mon son pha.
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Reuters, July 5, 2010
BANGKOK, Thailand -- An orange-robed monk chanted as a teary-eyed, black-clad family prayed quietly in front of a crematorium. A normal Buddhist funeral service in Thailand except for one thing — the deceased was canine.
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By Michael Sheridan, New York Daily News, June 30, 2010
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- A Buddhist monk has been accused of being less than holy.
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ScanAsia, June 16 2010
Pattaya, Thailand -- Less than two hours’ drive from the teeming tourist beaches of Pattaya in Thailand, a largely undeveloped hillside in Chounbri province conceals a very different site – a sacred place home to a Buddhist temple.
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Pattaya Daily News, June 14, 2010
Pattaya, Thailand -- Police have arrested a man in South Pattaya found to be in possession of numerous football gambling slips, largely circulated to members of the public wishing to bet/gamble on football matches. The slips in question were found to be pertaining to the currently ongoing World Cup in South Africa.
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By LEE YUK PENG, The Star, June 14, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- A committee seeking the reopening of a Kajang monastery has asked the Malaysian Buddhist Association and Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia to help resolve problems which caused the place being closed to devotees for the past four years.
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By LEE YUK PENG, The Star, June 9, 2010
PETALING JAYA, Malaysia -- The bungalow, nestled in a secluded spot amidst dense greenery, is supposed to be a temple that was built on public donations.
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VOV News, Jun 3, 2010
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam -- Hoi Son Pagoda, also called Khanh Long Pagoda, was established and named after Buddhist monk Dao Thanh Khanh Long who became famous in the late 18th century. It is located on Quit Hill in the present-day Long Binh Ward, District 9 in Ho Chi Minh City.
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Saigon Go Daily, Jun 3, 2010
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam -- A commemoration service was held in Ho Chi Minh City June 2 for Thich Quang Duc, who self-immolated 47 years ago to protest against the persecution of Buddhists by the Ngo Dinh Diem administration of South Vietnam.
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by Sanitsuda Ekachai, The Bangkok Post, May 31, 2010
Bangkok, Thailand -- Normal. How sweet the word sounds, after two weeks of excruciating political tension which culminated in the torching of central Bangkok.
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Temasek review, May 31, 2010
Singapore -- CONVICTED Buddhist monk Ming Yi’s track record of performing death-defying stunts to raise funds for Ren Ci Hospital has earned him a reduction in his jail term for his role in an unauthorised $50,000 loan to his former aide.
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By CHRISTINA LOW, The Star, May 26, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- British chef and television personality Gordon Ramsay will be in town on Friday to cook up a special vegetarian dish for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and thousands of people visiting the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Kuala Lumpur for the Wesak Day celebration.
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MySin Chiew, May 20, 2010
Ipoh, Malaysia -- We can hardly survive without computers in this technology age these days, as a matter of fact. And Buddhist monks here are beginning to turn to information technology in promoting their religion.
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By Andrew Buncombe, The Independent, 21 May 2010
Much of Bangkok left in ruins as government tries to find who was to blame for deadly violence
Bangkok, Thailand -- Thai authorities are to launch an investigation into the circumstances of a firefight near a Buddhist temple inside which hundreds of people were seeking safety. Several people were killed outside the temple and bullets were fired into the compound, injuring others.
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VNA, May 18, 2010
THUA THIEN-HUE, Vietnam -- A Buddhist Cultural Week held as part of Ha Noi's millenium anniversary celebrations scheduled later this year opened in Hue on Sunday in the presence of Japanese ambassador Mitsuo Sakaba and Buddhist clergy and faithfuls.
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AFP, May 17, 2010
Bangkok, Thailand -- At a monument to a conflict that took place decades ago, hundreds of Buddhist monks prayed for an end to the modern urban warfare being waged around them in the Thai capital.
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Bernama, May 16, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is scheduled to attend celebrations to mark this year's Wesak Day, which falls on May 28, at the Buddhist Maha Vihara Temple in Brickfields here.
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by NUROCHMAN ARRAZIE, TEMPO Interactive, 10 May, 2010
Jakarta, Indonesia -- Residents of a subdistrict in the provincial seat of Lampung have raised objection over plans by buddhist community in the area to build a monastery in a predominantly muslim customary land.
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The Buddhist Channel, May 12, 2010
Nalanda Institute appointed the custodian of the gift of wisdom and peace Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- Nalanda Institute, Malaysia, a leading Buddhist education institution in Malaysia, is a proud recipient of the World Tipitaka, a gift of wisdom and peace, by the Dhamma Society of Thailand in honour of the late Royal Patron, Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana, elder sister of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
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Saigon-gpdaily, May 9, 2010
Lang Son, Vietnam -- A groundbreaking ceremony of the country’s fourth largest pagoda named Phat Quang Son will take place in the northern province of Lang Son May 15-17, Hoang Van Pao, director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has said.
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Nham Dan, May 5, 2010
Hue, Vietnam -- The Week of Buddhist Culture 2010 will be held in the ancient capital of Hue from May 16-22 in the lead up to the millennial anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.
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AFP, May 2, 2010
HANOI, Vietnam -- A senior Vietnamese Buddhist monk, previously detained in an alleged plot to finance disorder against the communist regime, is in custody again, the spokesman for his banned church said late Friday.
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by Bill Tarrant, Ethiopian Review, May 1, 2010
Bangkok, Thailand -- At the sprawling red shirt encampment in central bank, Buddhist monks clad in their distinctive saffron robes mingle with men wearing helmets walking around with sharpened bamboo sticks.
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By Rachel O'Brien, AFP, Apr 29, 2010
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Dozens of Thai monks, clad in vivid orange robes, untangle their hands bound with sacred Buddhist thread after performing a chanting ceremony to protect the anti-government "Red Shirts".
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The Buddhist Channel, April 26, 2010
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- Eight major Buddhist organizations in the Klang Valley have jointly invited Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh, the internationally-acclaimed Buddhist monk, author, and peace activist to Malaysia in September 2010.
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by Yoichi Shimatsu, New America Media, Apr 24, 2010
BANGKOK, Thailand -- News footage from Thailand's capital, as dramatic as it appears, fails to capture the sheer dimensions of the Red Shirt rebellion.
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by Delia Jones, Response Source, 26 April 2010
Penang, Malaysia -- People who are staying in accommodation in Langkawi at the end of May could find that their visit to the island coincides with one of the biggest festivals in the Buddhist calendar.
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Xinhua, April 26, 2010
Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- Cambodia will host regional Buddhistic tourism forum on Tuesday, the first such forum to be held in Cambodia aimed at raising the interconnection between Buddhism and tourism in the region, a government official said Monday.
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By Revathi Murugappan, The Star, April 24, 2010
Excitement has been brewing over a new discovery in a limestone cave in Ipoh
Ipoh, Perak (Malaysia) -- For centuries, caves or the underground have been used as people’s living quarters and hideouts, especially during wars. But in Asia, caves are often the sanctuary of choice for Buddhist monks, Hindu priests and yogis who want to worship and meditate.
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The Buddhist Channel, April 24, 2010
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- Three organizations have come together to organize the "2nd Charity Art Auction & Exhibition" fund raising event in support of underprivileged children in Siem Reap, Cambodia and to help raise funds for Kinrara Metta Buddhist Society - Building Fund.
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by SHAHANAAZ HABIB, TEH ENG HOCK AND BRIAN MOH, The Star, April 19, 2010
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Buddhist monk Ajahn Suthep has been showing up at the anti-government Red Shirts rally site in the city but says he is neutral.
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The Buddhist Channel, Apr 20, 2010
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- On January 12, 2010, a powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.0 struck the town of Leogane in Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas. It was estimated that 200,000 people perished in the disaster.
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The Buddhist Channel, Apr 18, 2010
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia -- World-renown Vietnamese Buddhist monk, author, poet, and peace activist Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh will be addressing the "World Buddhist Conference" to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from September 25-26, 2010.
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By: Story YANAPON MUSIKET Photos YINGYONG UN-ANONGRAK, Bangkok Post, 21 April 2009
The restoration of a Tai Lue temple in Xishuangpanna has strengthened the bonds between the Tai Lue people in Thailand and China
Bangkok, Thailand -- I was the first time in his life that 26-year-old Arnat Suta had left his small village in northern Thailand on a trip abroad. But once he arrived at the destination, he immediately felt right at home.
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VietNamNet Bridge, April 14, 2010
Quang Ninh, Vietnam -- More than VND2.6 trillion (US$130 million) will be invested in a new Buddhist tourism area in the northern province of Quang Ninh, announced the investor, ATS Real Estate Investment Joint Stock Company and the Management Committee of the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha on April 10.
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The Jakarta Post, April 2, 2010
Jogjakarta, Indonesia -- Hundreds of Buddhist followers from around the world began the three-day Monlam mass prayer rite on Friday, requesting a peaceful world, in front of the Borobudur Buddhist monument in Magelang, Central Java.
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By Anasuya Sanyal, Channel NewsAsia, 31 March 2010
Thai government concerned with monks' presence at Bangkok rallies
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Buddhist monks are not allowed to get involved in Thai politics, but some monks have courted controversy by joining anti-gov | |