One of the overlooked regions in modern historiography is ancient Tibet, an area of great historical importance with a very rich and diverse heritage. Today, the historical area of Tibet is divided...
Archaeologists have discovered an ancient temple complex dating back to a society once subjugated by the Tang Dynasty - the state of Nanzhao. Researchers found the words "Buddha sarira enshrined by...
An international team has found evidence that could change our understanding of a mysterious species of early humans, the Denisovans . They have found DNA from these humans in a Buddhist cave on the...
Although the word ‘Mandala’ simply means “circle” or “discoid object” in Sanskrit, the significance is far more complex. Traditionally, mandalas represented the intricacy of the universe and served...
The Cintamani Stone, or Chintamani, long sought by treasure hunters, has captured the imagination of man through the ages as tales of this wish-fulfilling jewel have spread around the world. The...
Tara is an important bodhisattva, i.e. someone on the path towards Buddhahood, in Buddhism , especially in Vajrayana (Tibetan Buddhism). Tara is considered to be a female figure and there are various...
Bhutan is a Himalayan kingdom with a rich history and a distinctive Buddhist culture . It has barely been impacted by modernity and globalization, and has managed to largely preserve its ancient...
The Denisovan story keeps evolving. This group of ancient hominins has been something of a mystery ever since they were first discovered in 2010 as an extinct sister group to the Neanderthals. Bits...
A fascinating new study published in the journal Vegetation History and Archaeobotany , on May 14, details the work of a team of researchers from the University of Vermont who present their evidence...
In Tibet they have a lot of interesting beliefs and rituals regarding death and the world beyond. There is even a ritual exclamation which a lama who officiates makes near the body of the deceased in...
Potala Palace, the iconic heart of Tibetan Buddhism, is the highest palace in the world. It once served as the winter palace of the Dalai Lama and was the Tibetan seat of government. The palace is...
It is reported in India that the Dalai Lama has criticized the Indian education system. He claimed that the Indian curriculum is too focused on secular subjects and neglecting India’s spiritual and...
The Dalai Lama has spoken out about the discriminating caste system in India, which can be traced back around 2,000 years and is still practiced in some regions today. The New Indian Express reports...
It is a mistake to think there wasn’t international travel during Jesus’ time. As this map of ancient merchant routes shows, the known world was linked by land and sea. Perhaps with some helpful...
Researchers recently used DNA from the 10,000-year-old “Cheddar Man”, one of Britain’s oldest skeletons, to unveil what the first inhabitants of what now is Britain actually looked like. But this isn...
Chongye Valley is known also as Tibet’s Valley of the Kings. This site adjoins the Yarlung Valley (about 180 km (111.85 miles)) to the Tibetan capital, Lhasa. The Chongye Valley is famed for its...