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Kingdom in the clouds


PARO, BHUTAN -- The tiny landlocked kingdom of Bhutan has managed a spectacular promotional feat. First, the Fourth King announced he measures his country's progress in terms of Gross National Happiness. Then he essentially limited the number of visitors by... ...>

Shoton Festival begins in Tibet


Dharamsala, India -- Tens and thousands of Tibetans and visitors have reportedly flocked to the Drepung Monastery in the Western suburbs of Lhasa, Tibet’s capital city, on Sunday to celebrate the opening of the annual Shoton (Yogurt Banquest) Festival. At... ...>

Birth of the Drukpa lineage


Ladakh, India -- TIBETAN Buddhism or the Vajrayana tradition consists of four schools – the Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu and Gelug. The Drukpa lineage, one of the more notable sub-sects of the Kagyu school, was established in 1206 after its founder,... ...>

Repression of Freedom of Religion in Tibet Continues Unabated


Washington, D.C., USA -- Efforts by the Chinese government to limit the succession of Tibetan spiritual leaders, part of a comprehensive campaign to control the Tibetan people, is a fundamental violation of freedom of religion and belief, Freedom House said... ...>

Reincarnation Red Tape


New Delhi, India -- Totalitarian states can be cruel and comic at the same time. The latest Chinese restriction on Tibetan Buddhism would appear to come straight from the theatre of the absurd. Come September, and Tibet’s “living Buddhas” would... ...>

China tightens controls on Tibetan Buddhists


Beijing, China -- China is attempting to tighten controls over Tibet by influencing the selection of its religious figureheads. The officially atheistic communist government has dictated that all future incarnations of Tibet's living Buddhas must be subject to Chinese approval.... ...>

Tibetans ‘held after China rally’


A group of Tibetans were arrested in western China after public calls for the return of Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, reports say. The incident took place on 1 August at a festival in Litang town in western... ...>

Tibet: Development spoiling Potala palace’s unique atmosphere


Lhasa, Tibet (China) -- Officials at Tibet's Potala Palace in Lhasa have rejected concerns that the 1,300-year-old palace is being hemmed in by ugly, modern Chinese buildings. Palace director Qiangba Gesang said the Chinese government was working to protect the... ...>

The Dalai Lama closes Hamburg visit with call for Compassion


Around 45,000 people flocked to a Hamburg stadium to listen to the Dalai Lama Hamburg, Germany -- The Dalai Lama ended his 10-day visit to Hamburg on Friday with a call for more compassion and criticism of the actions of... ...>

New Zealand’s Buddha Boom


Auckland, New Zealand -- Thousands of New Zealanders from all walks of life have one thing in common: they are followers of Buddhism. Twenty-four years ago, Charlotte Wrightson used to thrash around angrily in an Auckland punk band called The... ...>