From talk of a ‘poisonous doctrine’ to mistaken beliefs that he hailed from Africa, Western thinkers got Buddhism wrong for a long time.

Images of the 15 tallest statues in the world as of today, plus five bonus photos of some more famous—if smaller—colossal monuments

Best Quotes by Buddha, Leader, Born 563 BC. Buddha's message is one of love: "You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection."

I wasn’t seeking happiness or a peace of mind. I was looking for food. By Keshia Naurana Badalge.

Donald S. Lopez, Jr. looks at Voltaire's early reflections on Buddhism and how, in his desire to separate the Buddha's teachings from the trappings of religion, the French Enlightenment thinker prefigured an approach now familiar in the West.

Long before he drummed on upended pails at People’s Park in Berkeley, Calif., Mark Hawthorne wrote about impromptu instruments in Washington Square Park... By David W. Dunlap.

Parfit isn’t a household name, but his ideas were profound. By Dylan Matthews.

The following is a rough translation of a spooky Tibetan story that was shared on the popular Tibetan-medium site Khabdha. I hope you will read it and be careful the next time you are practicing yoga in the wilderness… By Ben Joffe.

Japan's self-sacrificing sokushinbutsu were a very determined lot.

Located near the city of Paro in the Kingdom of Bhutan, the Tigers Nest Monastery (or Taktsang Palphug) is located 3000 meters high up in the Himalayan Mountains. Mountain Monastery by David Lazar

Kevin Jackson reviews “The Face of the Buddha” by William Epson.

“Feminism does not ground me. It is the discipline that comes from spiritual practice that is the foundation of my life.” By George Yancy and bell hooks. (Dec. 10)

Medics, climbers, and Zen Buddhists bring basic care to the Himalayas. By Rebecca Solnit.

Do substances like LSD and psilocybin have a place in a dharma practice?

Religion as an industry, industry as a religion.

Nothing lasts forever. Now is the time to appreciate each other and enjoy the moments of our lives.

From the BBC Radio 4 series about life's big questions - http://www.bbc.co.uk/historyofideas Does our inescapable suffering stem from our own greed and ignorance? Buddha thought so, but he offered a route out to enlightenment. Stephen Fry explains Buddha’s Four Noble Truths. Narrated by Stephen Fry. Scripted by Nigel Warburton. This project is from the BBC in partnership with The Open University, the animations were created by Cognitive.

Illustrations by Niō Mizushima for a Japanese edition of ‘Journey to the West’ (c. 1950)

After releasing the video of the beheading of American photographer James Foley, the Islamic State terrorist group – formerly known as ISIS – has begun psychologically terrorizing Indonesia.

There are so many beautiful, powerful and life changing lessons I have learned from studying Buddhism and from reading many of Buddha’s quotes. And today I want to share 25 of these beautiful lessons with you.