DARK SECRETS: Buddhism | Rare Historical Photos

Richard Gere 'doesn't care' what anyone thinks of him

Richard Gere "doesn't care" about people's opinions of him because Buddhism has taught him there are more important things to think about.

BANG Premier · Oct 7

Even the Buddha experienced challenges with meditation: Historical texts reveal its potential downsides

As a scholar of “Buddhist medicine,” I have studied the connections between Buddhism and well-being since the late 1990s. During the course of that research, I would periodically run into sources claiming that meditation could sometimes have unexpected or adverse health effects. When I discovered in 2020 that psychologists were…

The Conversation · Sep 16

Most Westerners know Buddhism through meditation, but everyday Buddhist life looks quite different in Thai temples

I recently returned from leading an educational program in Thailand focusing on how Buddhists practice the religion in their day-to-day lives. The participants – Buddhist practitioners from North America and Europe – wanted to deepen their understanding and practice of the religion.

The Conversation · Aug 24

Mindfulness is often presented as a path to calm, but its Buddhist roots explain why it can also bring difficulties

Mindfulness meditation has become increasingly popular in the United States and around the world in recent decades. Apps such as Headspace, Calm and Plum Village – inspired by the Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh – are helping people build a steady practice, reduce stress and improve sleep.

The Conversation · Jul 16

Why the Hemis Festival in Ladakh Is a Spiritual Pilgrimage Dressed as a Buddhist Celebration

The crowd does not prepare youYou have seen photographs. The masks are enormous, painted faces of wrathful deities, wide-eyed and red-mouthed, worn by monks who have trained for years to move inside them without stumbling. You think you are ready for the visual scale of Hemis. You are not ready…

Times Life · Jul 12

As South Korean Buddhism woos Gen Z, how hip is too hip?

In fast-secularising South Korea, Buddhism is regaining popularity thanks to a "hip" trend wooing Gen Z with festivals, fashion, robots and DJs, even as some fear for the fundamentals of the faith. "If Buddhism is consumed merely as a 'good image', its newfound hipness may prove to be little more…

The Economic Times · Jul 7

Why Cows Are Sacred in India: The Religious, Legal, and Bovine Reality Behind Hindu Veneration

The Law Protects What the Temple HonoursTwenty-nine of India's thirty-six states and union territories have laws that restrict or outright ban cow slaughter. In Uttar Pradesh, the Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act carries a penalty of up to ten years in prison. In Gujarat, it is a life…

Times Life · Jul 3

Robert Wright sees an 'earthquake' coming from AI that goes far beyond jobs: 'cultural, political, personal, family, psychological'

The Nonzero founder is out with a new book, "The God Test," in a moment that calls for "enlightenment." The longtime Buddhist sees short supply.

Fortune · Jun 24

The Unlikely Bridge: Saeed Purcell's Lessons from a Life Guided by Curiosity

Purcell's work sits within a conversation he believes has become too narrow. Personal development, he argues, often draws from Stoicism, Buddhism, and secular self-help frameworks while overlooking other traditions with equally rich histories of reflection and self-mastery.

International Business Times · Jun 12

If Rebirth Exists, Why Don’t We Remember Past Lives?

Across cultures, from Hinduism and Buddhism to modern spiritual circles, rebirth is seen as a cycle of life, death, and renewal. It suggests that the soul continues its journey after physical death. However, human memory appears limited to a single lifetime. This contradiction raises deep curiosity. If identity continues, why…

MyLifeXP · May 28