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by Kooi F. Lim, Vesak Special Edition, The Buddhist Channel, 18 May 2026
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- In the late 1950s, as Malaya marched toward independence, an unlikely figure emerged to reshape the Buddhist landscape of Southeast Asia. He was not a local monk from a long monastic lineage. He was not Chinese, Sinhalese, or Burmese. He was an American from Birmingham, Alabama.
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By Hy Hla Tun, The Buddhist Channel, 15 May 2026
Yangon, Myanmar -- There are some places you read about, and then there are places that read you. Kyaiktiyo Pagoda in Myanmar is one of those places.
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The Buddhist Channel, 2 May 2026
Hanoi, Vietnam -- In an age when “Engaged Buddhism” is often associated with modern figures like Thich Nhat Hanh, a recent UNESCO World Heritage recognition invites us to look deeper - into the steamy jungles of 13th-century Dai Viet, where a reluctant emperor turned monk laid the philosophical and practical groundwork for a Buddhism that does not flee the world but enters it fully.
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By Kooi F. Lim, The Buddhist Channel, 4 April 2026
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- In the 6th century BCE, the Buddha established the Patimokkha - a code of 227 training rules recited bimonthly by the monastic community. Among its most profound innovations was not merely the prohibition of harm, but the affirmative obligation toward civil speech . The rules explicitly forbid divisive tale-bearing, abusive insults, and idle chatter that sows discord, while requiring truthfulness and communal harmony as foundational virtues of spiritual life.
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The Buddhist Channel, 30 March 2026
KUALA LUMPUR — In a move that underscores the Malaysian government’s commitment to religious diversity, the MADANI administration will organize a large-scale National Wesak Day Celebration in May 2026. The event, spearheaded by the Ministry of National Unity in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and the Malaysian Buddhist Consultative Council (MBCC), aims to foster unity, harmony, and multi-religious tolerance.
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The Buddhist Channel, 20 March 2026
JENJAROM, MALAYSIA – In a display of faith and unity, the official inauguration ceremony of the Sugata Dharma Vihara (法炬山如来寺) and Wisma Dharma Buddhist University (DBU - 大马佛教大学) was held on 8 March 2026. The occasion drew a crowd of more than 2,000 devotees and guests, transforming the new complex into a vibrant hub of celebration, devotion, and spiritual rejoicing.
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by Hoang Nguyen, The Buddhist Channel, 8 Feb 2026
Huế City, Vietnam -- In recent decades, Vietnamese Buddhism has been undergoing a quiet but meaningful transformation. Beyond temple rituals and doctrinal teachings, many Buddhist practitioners have begun to engage more deeply with social issues, community resilience, and ethical education. Among these grassroots initiatives, Phổ Lại Pagoda, located in the midland area of Huế City, stands out as a small yet influential model of community-based Buddhism. At the center of this effort is Venerable Thích Trung Hiếu, a young Buddhist monk whose work illustrates how compassion can become a lived social practice rather than a purely spiritual ideal.
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The Buddhist Channel, 1 January 2026
Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia) -- In an atmosphere resonating with solemn chants and the soft scent of incense, the Shah Alam Buddhist Society (SABS) recently became a crucible for inspiring spiritual transformation.
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The Buddhist Channel, 28 October 2025
Penang, Malaysia -- In a vibrant display of Buddhist unity, Penang's Pu Xian Vihara led a groundbreaking Kathina ceremony on Sunday (26 October) that beautifully wove together the three major Buddhist traditions: Chinese Mahayana, Theravada, and Vajrayana.
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by Kooi F. Lim, The Buddhist Channel, 21, October 2025
Vientiane, Laos -- How did Theravada Buddhism come to be mainland Southeast Asia's dominant religion? The answer lies not in a single event, but in the slow, deliberate currents of trade, diplomacy, and faith that flowed along the Mekong River.
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