The Southeast Asian countries Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar are known for their many colorful and enjoyable festivals. One of the most popular is Magha Puja or Sangha Day, an important Buddhis

Sangeeta Bansal Ph.D, a researcher and writer, is also the founder of a non-profit called Mindside, which aims to make the benefits of mindfulness meditation available to all. Mindside offers an eight

We all know that life is suffering - but why do we suffer?  And when we spend ten minutes sniffing, examining, chewing, and finally mindfully eating a raisin, what exactly happens to our brains?  Thes

  In this series, Jnan explores the practice of ordination within the Theravada tradition by a close examination of the Pali Canon. His first article discusses ordination during the Bu

  The saffron robe of a Theravada Buddhist monastic is instantly recognizable to Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. But what is the origin, function and meaning of the design? In ancie

Introduction For people who try to adopt a scholastic approach to Buddhism, the issue of “rebirth” often poses a vexing problem. Initially, one may try to dismiss it as superstition and unscientific

Modern Buddhism has become an intrinsic part of a globalized world. With its philosophy of the way of life, it takes special place in human and cultural identity. Buddhism in modern times ha

Many of you may wonder why Shakyamuni called himself the “Buddha” after his enlightenment