カテゴリー: Religion
The spiritual leader has said his inner circle of monks will find an heir, but China believes the choice is in its handsFew celebrations have the hills of Dharamshala abuzz like the birthday of the Dalai Lama. But this year, as monks and devotees flood…
The Dalai Lama has said the centuries-old Tibetan Buddhist institution will continue after his death, ending years of speculation after he previously suggested he might be the last person to hold the role. In a video broadcast before his 90th birthday …
Spiritual leader challenges Beijing in video statement released in run-up to 90th birthday celebrationsThe Dalai Lama has declared in a direct challenge to China that the centuries-old spiritual institution bearing his name will continue after his deat…
There are fears the crackdown against ‘outsiders’ is driving widespread persecution as expelled Indians are returned by Bangladesh border guardsThe Indian government has been accused of illegally deporting Indian Muslims to Bangladesh, prompting fears …
From 1975 until 1998, my mother-in-law, Patricia Herbert, who has died aged 81, was the south-east Asia curator at the British Library in London. In this role, she wrote multiple books, essays and papers, including The Life of the Buddha (1993), based …
British Museum, LondonA lovable elephant deity and a floating serpent goddess are just two of the highlights in this sensual show about three of the country’s great religionsAbout 2,000 years ago, Indian art went through a stunning transformation led, …
A show full of deities, snakes and shrines puts three ancient faiths in the spotlight. Our writer seeks out its inspiration in the bustling metropolis of MumbaiIt’s the eyes that stay with you – piercing black discs that seem to vibrate against the int…
Vesak is the most sacred day for Buddhists, commemorating the birth, enlightenment and death of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, all traditionally believed to have occurred on the full moon day of the Vesakha month in the ancient Indian lunar calendar C…
Ministry of culture tells Sotheby’s it would be ‘participating in continued colonial exploitation’ if sale of gems goes aheadThe Indian government is seeking to repatriate ancient gem relics linked to the Buddha’s remains after halting their sale at an…
Hundreds of women forced to confess to ‘moral crimes’ they did not commit have been publicly lashed in AfghanistanThree Afghan women who were brutally flogged in public by the Taliban after being accused of “moral crimes” have bravely spoken out about …
Ministers claim sale in Hong Kong is unlawful and are demanding repatriation of sacred relics buried in third-century BCThe Indian government has issued a legal notice to halt the “unethical” auction of ancient gem relics, which it said should be treat…
Tagle is considered progressive and humble, but has faced some criticism for his response to the drug war and sexual abuse in the churchFilipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle laughed when asked in 2015 if he had ever considered that he might one day be p…
Sotheby’s sale of Piprahwa gems, excavated after burial with Buddha’s remains, denounced as perpetuating colonial violenceBuddhist academics and monastic leaders have condemned an auction of ancient Indian gem relics which they said were widely conside…
The nation remembers pontiff’s trip to the Philippines, where he met Typhoon Haiyan survivors in a show of sympathy and humilityAt Quiapo church in central Manila, the pews are filled with worshippers. Latecomers gather near the entrance, clutching fan…
From Timor-Leste to PNG and the Philippines, millions of Catholics are marking the death of Pope FrancisLatest updates: Cardinals head to Rome to prepare for funeralThe death of Pope Francis has left millions of people in south-east Asia and the Pacifi…