In the winter of the Year of the Snake, 2013, two laywomen accompanied me to Pu Tuo Mountain (普陀山), where we stayed in the Guan Yin Cave Nunnery (guan yin dong 觀音洞). At the time, the sun was

Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder, a part of experience.   --- Francis Bacon (1561-1626)   The Mahindarama Buddhist Temple is located in the beautiful city of Penang

How to recover from betraying one's own morality

Throughout the life and ministry of Thich Nhat Hanh, one mission has remained more consistent in his thinking than even mindfulness: compassion. Long before he was travelling the world with his Order

On more than one occasion at Guang Jue Temple I have been asked by retreat guests the question, or perhaps comment disguised as a question, “Surely you don’t really believe that!”.  The question is mo

In one’s life, there are certain kinds of transitional events that are considered distinct turning points: the attainment of a qualification, the conferral of a degree, the awarding of an honor or mil

It has been literally years since I watched a documentary and thought it was objectively good (liking it or disliking it is a subjective thing), because too often documentaries about the humanities li

The following three comic pages are an English translation of author Suen Wai Kwan’s retelling of “The Monk with the Flowers”. In the story, a monk requests to learn the truth of the universe from the

“What are the characteristics of energy? They are dynamism in action, competence in initiative, firmness of intention, a zestful mind, and perseverance in action.” – Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra, II, 946

This column is dedicated to Grandmaster Rong Ling of Guan Yin Temple and Ven. Dhammapala, director of Buddhistdoor.com. This article is a reflection on the festival of the Buddha’s Birthday. The theme