(EXPLAINER) Cherry blossoms hold a profound significance in various cultures around the world, often intertwined with religious and spiritual symbolism. Both their beauty and delicate nature have inspired poets, artists and thinkers. Here’s a look at how different cultures — from Japan to India to the United States — feel about at these dazzling flowers that bloom each April.
Read More(REVIEW) For the past five weekends, the horror movie “Exhuma” has topped box offices in South Korea, its country of origin. This movie, which recently opened in America, is a harrowing must-see. It brings to mind “The Wailing,” a South Korean horror movie from 2016. Both movies wrestle with identity and religion in a variety of ways that also includes a dislike of Japan, a former colonizer, and what it means to be pro-Korean.
Read MoreFollowing a vote by CUNY’s Board of Trustees, Chancellor Felix Matos Rodríguez said on Wednesday that the the New York City system will become one of the first in the nation to designate Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Lunar New Year and Diwali as holidays on the school calendar.
Read MoreIn China, people celebrate Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14, but there are at least three holidays and cultural traditions centered on romantic love. A figure that ties together these other holidays is the Old Man Under the Moon — Yuexia Laoren in Mandarin, or Yuelao for short — who is believed to be a divine matchmaker.
Read MoreEvery year in mid-January, Livia Gao arrives at Mahayana Buddhist Temple in New York’s Chinatown at dawn to prepare 2,000 batches of congee, a soupy rice mixture, for the community. This special service is more commonly known as the “Laba Festival” by Mahayana Chinese Buddhists and celebrated by immigrants around the world.
Read More(ANALYSIS) New Year’s resolutions often come with a renewed investment in making our bodies healthier. Many may take to the newest diet plan or sign up for a health club membership, but it is worth taking time to consider what constitutes a healthy, happy body.
Read MoreThe ground search for a monk who went missing from Sravasti Abbey last week has been suspended by the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s office. Geshe Tenzin Chodrak (Dadul Namgyal), 64, went for a walk on the evening of Nov. 7 on the abbey’s 300-acre property and did not return.
Read More“Tree & Serpent: Early Buddhist Art in India, 200 BCE–400 CE,” an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, explores the influences and growth of early Buddhism through artifacts found largely in southern India. Highlights of the exhibit include relics taken from the Buddha’s remains.
Read MoreThe growth of Christianity in China has stagnated over the past decade, while one-third of the country’s adult population identifies as Buddhist. A new Pew Research Center report found that only 10% of Chinese adults identified with any religious group — but the number rose significantly when survey questions focused on spirituality, customs and superstitions.
Read MoreThis week on our Talking to Tech series, we interviewed ChatGPT on some of the Eastern religions. Like last time, the aim of the interview was to compare and contrast the core tenets and practices of each one. ChatGPT also shared a few of its “thoughts” on yoga and how it related to Hinduism.
Read More(OPINION) In education circles, an incident like the Dalai Lama asking a boy to suck his tongue is often called a teachable moment. But the real lessons to be learned from this video could be titled “How NOT to respond to possible child sexual abuse” Or “How NOT to respond to a troubling sexual situation with a child.”
Read MoreIn Cambodia, the three days of celebration are centered on religious observances. The vast majority of Cambodians are Theravada Buddhists, and during this time they visit temples to complete various rituals. These include merit-making activities, such as praying and offering food to monks in exchange for a blessing. They also build sand hills on the temple grounds. These symbolize the heavenly “stupa” where relics of the Buddha’s earthly remains are believed to be kept.
Read More(PERSONAL ESSAY) Buddha’s birthday is celebrated as a more quiet holiday in Japan as opposed to other countries, where it tends to be a grander national celebration. Known as Hana Matsuri (flower festival) or Kanbutsu-e (literally “Buddha bathing party”) in Japan, this birthday commemoration for Shakyamuni Buddha became intertwined with traditions from ancient Japanese farmers.
Read More(REVIEW) Although it is a supernatural anime, Demon Slayer is set during the shortest era in Japanese history — the Taisho Period (1912-1926). Japanese religion during this time was made up of several different elements, including Shintoism, “the way of the spirits or deities” that was present in the nation before the sixth century, and Buddhism, which began during the sixth century in India.
Read More(OPINION) The Venerable Master Hsing Yun died at the age of 95 on the 15th day of Lunar New Year on Feb. 5., after a long life of founding a religious order and elevating the role of women in that same order. He was the founder of the Fo Guang Shan (“Buddha’s Light Mountain”) monastic order, which falls under the branch of Humanistic Chinese Buddhism.
Read MoreYing Zhang, associate professor of history at Ohio State University, is exploring the connections among prison, art and religion in a unique and meaningful way. Her lecture at The American Academy in Berlin accompanies her new book and discusses the way incarceration limits religious freedom.
Read More(REVIEW) Valentina Pedicini’s documentary “Faith” spends time in a sect of Christianity called the Warriors of Light, composed of former martial arts champions who live ascetic lives and train daily to fight in a coming spiritual battle. The documentary focuses on why people have faith and what sustains it.
Read More(OPINION) Some could argue that since Siddhartha Gautama was a prince born into wealth before he became the enlightened one, a restaurant chain called Buddha-Bar should be no problem. But the issue here, for some, is that this restaurant is using “Buddha branding,” with no connection to the actual practice of Buddhism. This appropriation, or what some might deem appreciation, can be seen as disrespectful to practicing Buddhists.
Read MoreThroughout Japan, there is a mixture of Buddhism, Shintoism and Taoism, which are easily recognized within the culture. Respect for nature, as well as reverence for “bodhisattvas” can even be seen in Japanese animations, teaching children and even adults. Here are five animations that have Buddhist themes and references.
Read More“Autobiography of a Yogi,” published in 1946, popularized Eastern religious concepts like “cosmic consciousness” and practices like yoga and meditation in the West. Brother Jayananada, who became a monk after reading the book over 40 years ago, spoke with ReligionUnplugged.com about its 75th anniversary and its lasting impact.
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