The British major had ridden for days from Allahabad while on his way to Nagpur and had arrived in the small village of Bharhut just before sunset. That evening while resting in a villager’s house he noticed some carved stones … Read the rest

After the Buddha preached his first sermon at Isipatana he gave this commission to his audience; “Wander forth for the good of the many, for the welfare of the many, out of compassion for the world. Let no two of … Read the rest

As word of the Buddha’s passing spread delegations from the various states in north India converged on Kusinara hoping to get the ashes that remained after the Buddha’s cremation. The Sakyans wanted them because, as their representative said; “The Tathagata … Read the rest

A survey conducted last year found that the Pope is the most recognizable religious figure in the world. The second most recognizable is the Dalai Lama. The Pope’s high profile is understandable given that he is the head of 1.2 … Read the rest

King Asoka is widely acknowledged to be one of the most unusual, not to say one of the greatest, monarchs of all time. And it was Buddhism that made him so. He is also the first Indian king for which … Read the rest

Myths have an important role in most religions. The very basis of some religions is a myth. Most of these myths were unconscious, i.e. they self-evolved through misapprehension and hearsay, and they were kept alive by devotion and gullibility and … Read the rest

The Manchus who ruled China from 1644 to 1912 were strong believers in and generous patrons of Tibetan Buddhism. Various Manchu emperors sponsored and promoted the religion in various ways and one emperor had the whole Tipitaka newly edited, published … Read the rest

The Buddha’s contribution to human knowledge was primarily focused on ethics and to the analysis of consciousness; its contents, its workings and to how it could be harnessed and transformed. He also had an indirect influence on the development of … Read the rest

The Buddha founded the bhikkhu and bhikkuniSangha to offer the optimum environment in which to pursue the highest spiritual goal, attaining Nirvana. However, from almost the very beginning some have been attracted to the Sangha for very different reasons … Read the rest

Within hours of a person’s death their body begins to deteriorate. The first sign is the swelling of the abdomen as gasses build up in the stomach. Soon the cells break down and putrefaction sets in producing a foul odour. … Read the rest