In the 7th Century BCE, Rājagaha (modern-day Rajgir) was the old capital city of Magadha Kingdom. During the reign of King Bimbisara, it was one of the largest cities in the world. King Bimbisara was a good administrator and a generous, spiritual person. Thus, many religious and meditation teachers of the day were attracted to Rājagaha due to his munificent support.
Read moreIn the 7th Century BCE, Kapilavatthu was the capital of Sakka (also spelled ‘Sakya’) Kingdom, a small but prosperous principality south of the Himalayas rich in agriculture. The most famous king to have reigned there was King Suddhodana and his consort Queen Māyādevī, who were the parents of Prince Siddhattha Gotama (who later became Sakyamuni Buddha).
Read moreLumbini Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated in Nepal, just 26km from the border with India. It is an important pilgrimage destination for Buddhists along with Bodhgaya, Sarnath, and Kusinara, because Prince Siddhattha Gotama (who later became Sakyamuni Buddha) was born there in 623 BCE.
Read moreThe ruins of the majestic ‘Nālandā Māha Vihāra’ stands proudly in the State of Bihar, India. Even in its present derelict condition, the large foundations and thick walls of its structures still inspire awe in the thousands of people who visit it annually.
Read moreToday is the full-moon day for the month of ‘Potthapāda’ (or ‘Binara’ [ බිනර ] in Sinhalese). According to Sri Lankan Theravada tradition, this day commemorates the occasion where the Buddha allowed the ordination of ‘bhikkhunīs’ (women renunciates), and thus is a very important anniversary.
Read more817 years after its appalling destruction in 1197 CE, the ancient university of ‘Nālandā’ has been revived when classes started yesterday in Rajgir, Bihar State, India. The latest incarnation of ‘Nālandā University’ opened with a low-key ceremony. With only 15 students and a few faculty members, it has a lot more growth to achieve to even come close to its heydays 1,300 years ago, where an estimated 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers came from every corner of Asia to acquire knowledge and wisdom at the world’s premier university! Read more
During a funeral ceremony in ancient China, paper-made models of houses, sedan chairs, treasure chests, clothes, daily utensils, and even effigies of servants, were burnt as the cortege was leaving home for burial in the cemetery.
Read more‘Dedication of Merits’ is a Buddhist practice whereby one performs a noble, meritorious deed in kind memory of one’s departed relatives. One performs such wholesome deeds in honour of loved ones who had passed away by thinking: “Idam me ñātinam hotu, sukhitā hontu ñātayo.” – “Let this merit accrue to my departed relatives; may they be happy!”
Read moreHow to Register a Buddhist Society
Published by the Theravada Buddhist Council of Malaysia on 21 March 2014.
Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was born in 1891 into the ‘untouchables’, a segment of India’s population that was hitherto deprived, degraded, and often mistreated by the other castes. Yet despite his early deprivation, Dr. Ambedkar later rose in stature and prominence through hard work and fortitude to become the first Law Minister of independent India. He is also popularly regarded as the ‘principal architect of the Indian Constitution’ – a social contract that granted liberties, justice, and respectability to India’s dejected millions.
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