Latest news with #Buddhists
The Onion
an hour ago
- Business
- The Onion
Rising Cost Of Living Forcing More Buddhists To Continue Working Years Into Reincarnation
DHARAMSHALA, INDIA—Calling the trend an alarming indicator of the global economy's fragile state, a report released Thursday by the Tibetan Institute for Economics revealed that the rising cost of living was forcing more Buddhists to continue working years into reincarnation. 'Unfortunately, increased housing, food, and healthcare expenses require many Buddhists to hold down a job long after their rebirth,' said Chhime Rigzing, a Dalai Lama spokesperson and Tibetan official who co-authored the report, adding that while older followers of the Buddha's wisdom had been able to extinguish all suffering much earlier, younger souls were toiling longer in the form of field mice, hungry ghosts, or other sentient beings. 'These days, if you've been recently reborn as, say, a hummingbird, there's virtually no chance you're going to emancipate yourself from attachment anytime soon. Your best bet is to clock as many hours as possible pollinating flowers to keep yourself from winding up in [Buddhist realm of punishment] naraka . Unfortunately, for too many, the dream of building up enough good karma to attain enlightenment and escape the cycle of samsara is no longer within reach.' Rigzing added that the majority of Buddhists now reported being forced to work three or more existences just to make ends meet.
Mint
18 hours ago
- Mint
Thai woman arrested for ‘seducing' monks in $11.9 million blackmail scheme
Thai police arrested Wilawan Emsawat ("Ms. Golf") for allegedly seducing senior Buddhist monks and blackmailing them with intimate photos and videos. The 30-year-old targeted at least nine abbots and high-ranking monks, violating strict celibacy rules of Thailand's Theravada Buddhist tradition. Her scheme unraveled when a prominent Bangkok abbot suddenly quit monkhood after she demanded 7.2 million baht ($222,000), falsely claiming pregnancy. Authorities seized over 80,000 explicit photos/videos during a raid on her Nonthaburi home, calling her "dangerous" due to the scale of her operation. Thai police arrested Wilawan Emsawat ("Ms. Golf") for allegedly seducing senior Buddhist monks and blackmailing them with intimate photos and videos. The 30-year-old targeted at least nine abbots and high-ranking monks, violating strict celibacy rules of Thailand's Theravada Buddhist tradition. Her scheme unraveled when a prominent Bangkok abbot suddenly quit monkhood after she demanded 7.2 million baht ($222,000), falsely claiming pregnancy. Authorities seized over 80,000 explicit photos/videos during a raid on her Nonthaburi home, calling her "dangerous" due to the scale of her operation. Monks allegedly paid Wilawan from temple donation accounts, funneling 385 million baht ($11.9 million) to her over three years . Police traced transfers from multiple monasteries, revealing how abbots diverted religious funds, including one northern temple's entire bank reserve. Most money vanished into online gambling sites, with investigators finding only minimal remaining balances. The scandal highlights the vast, poorly monitored donations to Thailand's 40,000+ temples, contrasting with monks' vows of poverty. Nine senior monks have been expelled from the monkhood, with more under investigation . Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn revoked royal honors from 81 monks following the scandal, citing "great suffering" caused to Buddhists . Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai ordered urgent reforms: tightening financial oversight at temples, creating stricter penalties for monk misconduct, and launching a Facebook hotline for public reports. According to reports, The Sangha Supreme Council (Buddhism's governing body) will form a special committee to overhaul monastic rules. Meanwhile, police continue analyzing Wilawan's phone data, which suggests more monks may be implicated. She faces charges including extortion and money laundering while awaiting trial.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Recalibrating India-China ties
External affairs minister S Jaishankar is in China at a crucial time for bilateral relations, which are on the long road to normalisation after a four-year military standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). While Jaishankar is visiting the northern neighbour for a meeting of foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), he also held talks aimed at taking forward bilateral ties. Noting the good progress in the normalisation process, Jaishankar told his counterpart Wang Yi the two sides must address border-related matters such as de-escalation. In this sphere, the main focus should be on firewalling the normalisation of relations from external factors such as the Dalai Lama's succession and China's trade and foreign policy initiatives. Beijing's support for Islamabad during Operation Sindoor has cast a shadow over India-China relations. And the Chinese leadership's hardline stance on the Tibet issue — a Chinese spokesperson has called it a 'thorn' in China-India relations and a 'burden' for India — and its restrictions on exports of key commodities such as rare earths and fertilisers further complicate matters. Beijing should know that the Dalai Lama is not just a 'separatist' political leader, as it wants the world to think. He is today the most respected Buddhist leader, god to some and guru to others, and his following is trans-national. India itself is home to millions of Buddhists who revere the Dalai Lama, and hence, his presence in the country will be handled accordingly. New Delhi believes in the separation of church and state, and the political leadership here has historically refused to be involved in the domain of religion, especially in the conduct of religious affairs and succession issues. The judiciary has intervened only when approached by the concerned parties for redress. In the case of the Dalai Lama's succession, it is not New Delhi's intent to play the institution against Beijing, but to accord him the respect due to him as a spiritual leader and the head of a large religious community, and accept the choice of the Buddhist laity in deciding his successor. China, which believes in total control over society, seems not to understand this separation of powers between the political, temporal and spiritual domains, and continues to perceive India's approach towards the Dalai Lama in purely political terms. The Dalai Lama has said more than once that all he desires is greater autonomy for Tibet and protection for the Tibetan people. The Dalai Lama's statement thanking India — and the Indian perception of the leader — needs to be seen from this perspective.
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Muslims are world's fastest growing religious group: Pew
NEW DELHI: Muslims emerged as the fastest growing religious group in the world over 2010-2020, while the share of Christians - the world's largest religious group - in the global population fell by 1.8 percentage points to 28.8%, a Pew Research Centre analysis stated. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Hindus grew at about the same rate as the world's overall population, reaching 1.2 billion in 2020, of whom 95% are in India. As of 2020, Hindus made up 79% of the population in India, compared to 80% in 2010. The share of Muslims rose from 14.3% in 2010 to 15.2% in 2020, revealed the analysis titled 'How the Global Religious Landscape Changed From 2010 to 2020'. Globally, people with no religious affiliation - sometimes called "nones" - were the only category aside from Muslims that grew as a percentage of the world's population, rising by 270 million and reaching 1.9 billion. The share of "nones" climbed by nearly a full percentage point to 24.2%. The research shows that the number of Muslims increased by 347 million - more than for all other religions combined. The share of the world's population that is Muslim rose by 1.8 percentage points to 25.6%. As a proportion of the global population, Hindus held steady at 14.9% in 2020. The figure was 15% in 2010. The number of Hindus worldwide grew 12% from 2010 to 2020, rising from a little less than 1.1 billion to nearly 1.2 billion. Buddhists were the only major religious group that had fewer people in 2020 than a decade earlier. In 2010, Christians accounted for 30.6% of the global population, followed by Muslims (23.9%), Hindus (15%), Buddhists (4.9%), unaffiliated (23.3%), other religions (2.2%) and Jews (less than 1%). The analysis draws attention to the various factors driving change in religious demographics. A key factor for Christians shrinking as a share of the global population is the widespread switching out of religion. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This "religious disaffiliation" among Christians overrides their demographic advantage (high fertility). Muslim population growth is largely driven by their relatively young age profile and a high fertility rate. Hindus remain a stable share of the world's population because their fertility resembles the global average, and surveys indicate that Hindus rarely switch out of their religion. The analysis shows that Muslims had the highest proportion of children in 2010 (35% of the world's Muslims were under the age of 15), followed by Hindus (31%). The research observes that Muslims and Hindus are the least likely to gain or lose adherents from religious switching. About one in every 100 adults raised Muslim or Hindu has left their native religion, and a similar number from a different religious group have switched to Islam or Hinduism.
India.com
6 days ago
- India.com
A Hidden Journey Through Varanasi's Oldest Streets You Must Experience Once
Among the oldest continuously inhabited places globally Varanasi maintains its name Banaras or Kashi as its most famous title. This historic city exists by the Ganges River which has supported a spiritual and cultural center for 3000 years. The historical maze of its streets reveals the captivating blend of cultural elements which gives viewers exclusive access to Indian heritage. The oldest living streets of Varanasi take you on a historical journey through time as every neighborhood tells stories about endurance and human activities and spiritual beliefs. The Historical Significance of Varanasi The city of Varanasi maintains profound historical value for Hindus together with Buddhists and Jains. Hindu myths claim Lord Shiva founded the city therefore making it one of the seven sacred places known as Sapta Puri in Hinduism. People seek liberation from rebirth through death at this holy site so they can achieve moksha. Pilgrims together with scholars and travelers have come to Varanasi because of this belief since centuries ago which resulted in shaping its vibrant culture and architectural development. Archaeological findings indicate Varanasi received its first settlers during the beginning of the Iron Age approximately 12th century BCE. Time stretched over millennia until the city evolved into an intellectual hub along with becoming a prominent center for philosophy and art and musical scholarship. The Gupta Empire period between 4th–6th centuries CE brought prominence to Varanasi when scholars including Adi Shankaracharya arrived to join later scholars such as Kabir and Tulsidas. The trade route crossings near the city nourished its diverse urban makeup. The Oldest Streets: A Journey Through Time 1. Vishwanath Gali The sacred Vishwanath Gali represents Varanasi because it serves as the main route to reach Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Shiva Temple stands as a vital religious site because it counts as one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. A narrow pathway containing shops which sell religious items together with sweets and textiles extends through this street. Every day numerous pilgrims walk this path while their devotional songs blend with religious aromas that come from freshly made offerings. For generations Vishwanath Gali has observed several changes take place. The temple complex underwent multiple destructions and rebuilds because of invasions starting from its antiquity construction phase. Currently the gali represents the perpetual vitality of the city since religious devotion triumphs over physical obstacles. 2. Dashashwamedh Ghat Road Age-old streets link Dashashwamedh Ghat to its location near where the Ganges and Varuna rivers meet. A local legend describes Lord Brahma conducting the magnificent ten-horse sacrifice at this spot which many believe earned the deviation its title. Small local eateries serving kachori and lassi at Dashashwamedh stand amongst temples and ashrams that line this road. In the evening this district becomes vivid with the ancient Ganga Aarti performed at this spot for centuries. The holy priest performs Vedic hymns while waving lamps to create divine energy for the crowd who gathers to see this event. The nighttime walk through these streets creates a sensory invasion through the sounds of bells alongside the motion of flickering flames and the peaceful water flow below. 3. Manikarnika Ghat Lane The path to Manikarnika Ghat shows visitors how they can closely understand the subjects of life and death. The primary cremation ground of Varanasi serves as this ghat which teaches people about the fleeting nature of human life. Legend tells that Goddess Parvati lost her earring (mani) at this spot and Lord Shiva dedicated special effort in digging a well to find it which became known as Manikarnika. The narrow passageways around the ghat relate numerous stories about death alongside freedom from karma. Activity begins when mourning relatives lead funeral processions carrying dead bodies covered in white cloth as they recite chanting prayers. The place exudes both dignity and tranquility because it shows how Hindu beliefs regard life as a cycle. 4. Chowk Area The medieval heart of Varanasi named Chowk keeps its market momentum active across all present days. Throughout different Mughal and Maratha reigns this region operated as their administrative and financial capital. Old havelis (mansions) as well as mosques and temples form a network of pathways that reflect the blend of beliefs which shaped the city's history. Moving through Chowk presents an experience similar to exploring an active historical collection. The local artisans make Banarasi silk sarees in traditional ways while jalebi and samosa vendors operate their food stalls. The combination of Mughal architecture with local design elements enhances the appeal of this site which should be seen by all history enthusiasts. Cultural Continuity Amid Modernization Despite rapid urbanization, Varanasi's oldest streets retain their authenticity. People from multiple generations have maintained continuous residence and employment in these zones throughout the years while protecting the ancient customs. Traditional Banarasi silk weavers maintain their historic handloom machinery for creating exclusive sophisticated patterns which Conceptualize Antique Styles. The historic lanes face preservation threats from both pollution and both overcrowding alongside crumbling infrastructure. The local government together with UNESCO directs their combined efforts to protect Varanasi's cultural heritage while building a sustainable tourism framework for the city. Initiatives for maintaining both ghats and historic buildings will let upcoming generations feel the eternal appeal of this ancient city. Summary Walking through the historic streets of Varanasi takes travelers on an experience that connects them with generations of the past. Each passing step uncovers successive elements of historical content, spiritual character and community persistence. These streets contain within their sacred corridors and philosophical depths all the elements that define human civilization. These streets connect people to their history and show that religious commitment combined with community engagement endures throughout time. All pilgrims, historians and curious explorers can find life's eternal beat while walking through Varanasi's ancient paths.
