Myanmar monk's U.N. whore rant 'could hurt Buddhism'

By Thin Lei Win and Andrew R.C. Marshall, Reuters, Jan 21, 2015

Yangon, Myanmar -- A Myanmar Buddhist monk who called a U.N. human rights envoy a "whore" has violated his monastic code and could damage his religion, another prominent monk said on Tuesday, but he is unlikely to face censure.

The Buddhist Business of Poaching Animals for Good Karma

by Brendon Hong, The Daily Beast, Dec 28, 2104

The Chinese are participating in ‘life release’ ceremonies in which wild animals are held for ransom, then released in exchange for good karma.

Beijing, China -- The Communist Party of China gets a bad rap for cracking down on religion. In many cases, it’s true. Christian proselytization is limited, and the practice of Christian faith requires government sanction.

Buddhist monk dies in self-Immolation protest in Eastern Tibet

by Yeshe Choesang, Tibet Post International, 23 December 2014

Dharamshala, India -- Sources coming out of Tibet say a Tibetan Buddhist monk reportedly died on Tuesday after setting himself on fire in protest against Chinese hard-line policies toward Tibetan people.

Dalai Lama concedes he may be the last

BBC, 17 December 2014

"Whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue or not is up to the Tibetan people" - The Dalai Lama

Dharmsala, India -- Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has said he realises that he may be the last to hold the title.

What are Myanmar’s Buddhist Sunday schools teaching?

by Matthew J Walton, East Asia Forum, 16 December 2014

Oxford, UK -- A Buddhist monk sits in front of a classroom of children in a small town in rural Myanmar. He chants lines which the students dutifully repeat, as they do every week at these Buddhist ‘Sunday school’ classes. The monk teaches Buddhist values, regales students with stories of the Buddha’s previous lives, and talks about Myanmar’s history as a Buddhist nation.