Contemporary Buddhism

Cultures of Expertise and Ethnographic Testimony: A Cross-Disciplinary Approach to Newar Buddhist Intellectualism

Published on 11 May 2026

by Ian Turner Department for the Study of Religion, University of Toronto, Toronto, CanadaIan Turner is an anthropologist, literary scholar and modern historian of Nepalese religions, especially Buddhism, (PhD University of Toronto, 2026). Ian’s particular expertise finds a home amidst the competing Newar Buddhist counter-publics and private lineages of intellectualism, ritual performance and cultural memory. He focuses primarily on questions of the home through ritual, storytelling, ethics and lived experience. Ian teaches undergraduate courses on the Study of Religion, and on Buddhist Ritual, Literatures and Life Stories. He is also an instructor in the Toronto Newar Summer School and a member of a Nepalbhasa poetry translation collective.

But that’s Not Buddhism! Possession as a Path Towards an Anthropology of Buddhism

Published on 4 May 2026

by Austin Simões-Gomes Department for the Study of Religion, University of Toronto, Toronto, CanadaAustin Simões-Gomes (PhD University of Toronto, 2026) works on Newar religion in the Kathmandu Valley, with a particular focus on possession, divination, and healing among Newar Buddhist women known as dyaḥmāṃ. His work foregrounds women’s ritual expertise and female-centered religious practices in Newar religious life. Across his research, he addresses questions of cohabitation between deities and humans, the agency of deities, and the ritual roles of women.

Introduction: AI, Buddhisms and Buddhist Studies

Published on 13 Mar 2026

by Daniel McNamara Center for Buddhist Studies at Kathmandu University, Rangjung Yeshe Institute, Kathmandu, NepalDr. Daniel McNamara earned an MA from the University of Chicago Divinity School and a PhD in West and South Asian Religions from Emory University. His doctoral dissertation—Nihilists and Noble Ones: Ratnākaraśānti’s Engagement with Nāgārjuna, Mādhyamikas, and the Mahāyāna in the Madhyamakālaṃkāravṛtti—examines the philosophy of the Indian Buddhist scholar-saint Ratnākaraśānti (c. 970-1040), particularly his critiques of Madhyamaka philosophy and his presentation of a single Mahāyāna view. Daniel’s research at RYI concerns the influence of Ratnākaraśānti’s philosophy in Tibet and the development of “other-emptiness” (gzhan stong) doctrines. Daniel has taught MA-level classes at the Candler School of Theology and BA classes Emory University; he has also taught on the Carleton-Antioch Buddhist Studies in Bodh Gaya Program. Subjects taught include: translation methodology, methodology of Buddhist Studies, Pramāṇa Theory, Madhyamaka Philosophy, Sanskrit, and classical Tibetan.

Buddhism, Consciousness, and the (Im)Possibility of Ethical AI

Published on 17 Nov 2025

by Martin T. Adam Religion, Culture, and Society Program, University of Victoria, CanadaMartin T. Adam is Associate Professor in the Religion, Culture and Society Program at the University of Victoria, Canada. His articles have appeared in numerous academic journals including the Journal of Buddhist Ethics, Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, and the Journal of the American Academy of Religion. He is also playwright, songwriter, and producer of the rock opera What the Buddha Never Taught (2022). His present research interests are focused on artificial intelligence in relation to Buddhist ethics.

Buddhism, Consciousness, and the (Im)Possibility of Ethical AI

Published on 17 Nov 2025

by Martin T. Adam Religion, Culture, and Society Program, University of Victoria, CanadaMartin T. Adam is Associate Professor in the Religion, Culture and Society Program at the University of Victoria, Canada. His articles have appeared in numerous academic journals including the Journal of Buddhist Ethics, Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, and the Journal of the American Academy of Religion. He is also playwright, songwriter, and producer of the rock opera What the Buddha Never Taught (2022). His present research interests are focused on artificial intelligence in relation to Buddhist ethics.

Ancient Wisdom, Emerging Tech: Buddhist Studies’ Contemplative Education in the Age of AI

Published on 24 Oct 2025

by Diane Denis Buddhist Studies, Center for Buddhist Studies, Rangjung Yeshe InstituteDiane Denis joined Rangjung Yeshe Institute (RYI)’s team in 2017, bringing expertise in Buddhist philosophy, Buddhist Ethics, Translation from Tibetan and Sanskrit languages, and Contemplative Arts. Since 2018, she has contributed to the RYI Public Talk Series, fostering dialogue between academic and contemplative communities. Her current work focuses on translations and interpretations of Yogācāra and Madhyamaka texts, exploring their contemporary relevance. Recent research with the ICRC on International Humanitarian Law has led to her involvement in a collaborative project on Buddhism and the refugee crisis. She also co-leads initiatives with Julia Stenzel to develop experiential learning in Buddhist Studies and collaborates with artists exploring contemplative approaches to learning. Among her publications, is an up-coming Vajra Academic book titled Yogācāra...Not-Only, a Word-by-Word Analysis of the Dharmadharmatāvibhāgakārikā; as well as several works including: “The Structure of the Dharmadharmatāvibhāga-kārikā as Revealed by Vasubandhu’s Method Presented in the Vyākhyāyukti”. JBP 4, 45-92 (2022); “Fundamental Intelligence, a Buddhist Justification for the Universal Principles Underlying IHL” Contemporary Buddhism 22, no. 1–2 (2021): 164–89; “From Metaphors to Life in Tibetan Settlements and Back Again: Space, an Important Factor for Resilient Response to the Suffering Caused by Armed Conflict.” Journal of Buddhist Ethics, Volume 31 (2024).

Ancient Wisdom, Emerging Tech: Buddhist Studies’ Contemplative Education in the Age of AI

Published on 24 Oct 2025

by Diane Denis Buddhist Studies, Center for Buddhist Studies, Rangjung Yeshe InstituteDiane Denis joined Rangjung Yeshe Institute (RYI)’s team in 2017, bringing expertise in Buddhist philosophy, Buddhist Ethics, Translation from Tibetan and Sanskrit languages, and Contemplative Arts. Since 2018, she has contributed to the RYI Public Talk Series, fostering dialogue between academic and contemplative communities. Her current work focuses on translations and interpretations of Yogācāra and Madhyamaka texts, exploring their contemporary relevance. Recent research with the ICRC on International Humanitarian Law has led to her involvement in a collaborative project on Buddhism and the refugee crisis. She also co-leads initiatives with Julia Stenzel to develop experiential learning in Buddhist Studies and collaborates with artists exploring contemplative approaches to learning. Among her publications, is an up-coming Vajra Academic book titled Yogācāra...Not-Only, a Word-by-Word Analysis of the Dharmadharmatāvibhāgakārikā; as well as several works including: “The Structure of the Dharmadharmatāvibhāga-kārikā as Revealed by Vasubandhu’s Method Presented in the Vyākhyāyukti”. JBP 4, 45-92 (2022); “Fundamental Intelligence, a Buddhist Justification for the Universal Principles Underlying IHL” Contemporary Buddhism 22, no. 1–2 (2021): 164–89; “From Metaphors to Life in Tibetan Settlements and Back Again: Space, an Important Factor for Resilient Response to the Suffering Caused by Armed Conflict.” Journal of Buddhist Ethics, Volume 31 (2024).

A Dharmakīrtian Model of Relevance Realization in Cognitive Agents

Published on 20 Oct 2025

by Nadav Amir John Dunne a Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USAb Center for Healthy Minds & Department of Asian Languages and Culture, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USADr. Nadav Amir is a visiting research fellow in the Fields Institute for Mathematical Research. He recently completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Princeton Neuroscience Institute after obtaining his PhD in computational neuroscience from the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He also holds degrees in mathematics, computer science and physics, as well as music and the humanities.Dr. Amir’s research aims to elucidate the fundamental computational principles underlying the phenomenology of learning, decision-making and purposeful behavior. He adopts a transdisciplinary approach, integrating methods from computational neuroscience, dynamical systems, and information theory to formulate and test ideas inspired by Buddhist epistemology.John Dunne (PhD 1999, Harvard University) holds the Distinguished Chair in Contemplative Humanities, an endowed position created through the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is also distinguished professor in the Department of Asian Languages & Cultures, where he recently served as department Chair.John’s work is guided by the motivation to reduce suffering and enhance flourishing, and he brings that intention to his work on Buddhist philosophy and contemplative practice, especially in dialog with cognitive science and secularized contemplative interventions. His publications appear in venues ranging across both the Humanities and the Sciences, and they include works on Buddhist philosophy, contemplative practice and their interpretation within scientific, philosophical and cultural contexts.John Dunne speaks in both academic and public contexts, and he occasionally teaches for Buddhist communities. In addition to serving as core faculty in the Center for Healthy Minds, he is a fellow and former board member of the Mind and Life Institute, a contributor to Mind and Life Europe, and an academic adviser for the Rangjung Yeshe Institute.

A Dharmakīrtian Model of Relevance Realization in Cognitive Agents

Published on 20 Oct 2025

by Nadav Amir John Dunne a Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USAb Center for Healthy Minds & Department of Asian Languages and Culture, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USADr. Nadav Amir is a visiting research fellow in the Fields Institute for Mathematical Research. He recently completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Princeton Neuroscience Institute after obtaining his PhD in computational neuroscience from the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He also holds degrees in mathematics, computer science and physics, as well as music and the humanities.Dr. Amir’s research aims to elucidate the fundamental computational principles underlying the phenomenology of learning, decision-making and purposeful behavior. He adopts a transdisciplinary approach, integrating methods from computational neuroscience, dynamical systems, and information theory to formulate and test ideas inspired by Buddhist epistemology.John Dunne (PhD 1999, Harvard University) holds the Distinguished Chair in Contemplative Humanities, an endowed position created through the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is also distinguished professor in the Department of Asian Languages & Cultures, where he recently served as department Chair.John’s work is guided by the motivation to reduce suffering and enhance flourishing, and he brings that intention to his work on Buddhist philosophy and contemplative practice, especially in dialog with cognitive science and secularized contemplative interventions. His publications appear in venues ranging across both the Humanities and the Sciences, and they include works on Buddhist philosophy, contemplative practice and their interpretation within scientific, philosophical and cultural contexts.John Dunne speaks in both academic and public contexts, and he occasionally teaches for Buddhist communities. In addition to serving as core faculty in the Center for Healthy Minds, he is a fellow and former board member of the Mind and Life Institute, a contributor to Mind and Life Europe, and an academic adviser for the Rangjung Yeshe Institute.

Dharma Setu: Bridging Ancient Buddhist Wisdom and Modern AI Through Multimodal Integration

Published on 3 Oct 2025

by Matt Lindsey IT, The University of New Mexico, Tijeras, NM, USAMatt Lindsey began his academic journey as an undergraduate at UC San Diego, where he pursued interdisciplinary studies across literature, linguistics, philosophy, mathematics and religious studies. This foundation in both humanistic and analytical disciplines shaped his distinctive approach to computational problems.He later earned a master’s degree from California State University, Long Beach in Educational Psychology, where he specialized in assessment methodologies, developing expertise in both norm-referenced and criterion-referenced evaluation techniques. During his graduate studies, he pioneered database-driven research in education, which subsequently led to work in affective computing and machine learning with applications in mental health diagnostics, healthcare and education.Currently, Matt serves in New Mexico’s public healthcare system, where he applies his expertise in machine learning, data analytics, and data visualization. He has developed particular proficiency in Natural Language Processing tasks, bridging computational methods with practical healthcare solutions.Beyond his professional responsibilities, Matt volunteers with 84000, supporting technology initiatives that facilitate the translation of Buddhist texts. This work represents the convergence of his technical expertise with his longstanding interest in preservation of wisdom traditions, embodying his commitment to applying modern computational methods to preserve and extend access to traditional knowledge systems.

Dharma Setu: Bridging Ancient Buddhist Wisdom and Modern AI Through Multimodal Integration

Published on 3 Oct 2025

by Matt Lindsey IT, The University of New Mexico, Tijeras, NM, USAMatt Lindsey began his academic journey as an undergraduate at UC San Diego, where he pursued interdisciplinary studies across literature, linguistics, philosophy, mathematics and religious studies. This foundation in both humanistic and analytical disciplines shaped his distinctive approach to computational problems.He later earned a master’s degree from California State University, Long Beach in Educational Psychology, where he specialized in assessment methodologies, developing expertise in both norm-referenced and criterion-referenced evaluation techniques. During his graduate studies, he pioneered database-driven research in education, which subsequently led to work in affective computing and machine learning with applications in mental health diagnostics, healthcare and education.Currently, Matt serves in New Mexico’s public healthcare system, where he applies his expertise in machine learning, data analytics, and data visualization. He has developed particular proficiency in Natural Language Processing tasks, bridging computational methods with practical healthcare solutions.Beyond his professional responsibilities, Matt volunteers with 84000, supporting technology initiatives that facilitate the translation of Buddhist texts. This work represents the convergence of his technical expertise with his longstanding interest in preservation of wisdom traditions, embodying his commitment to applying modern computational methods to preserve and extend access to traditional knowledge systems.

The Vanishing “Untranslated” in the Age of AI: Challenges for Translator Training in Buddhist Studies

Published on 29 Sep 2025

by Maria Vasylieva Center for Buddhist Studies at the Rangjung Yeshe Institute, Kathmandu University, Kathmandu, NepalMaria Vasylieva is a Tibetologist, Dharma translator, and interpreter specializing in Buddhist textual studies. She holds an MA in Translation, Textual Interpretation, and Philology from Rangjung Yeshe Institute, Center for Buddhist Studies at Kathmandu University, and a PhD in Buddhist Studies from the International Buddhist College of Thailand. Her doctoral dissertation, A Study of the Bstan ‘gyur Synoptic Indic Commentaries on the Bhadracaryāpraṇidhāna in the Context of the Subcommentary by Lo tsā ba Ye shes sde, Including Their Editions and Translations into English, reflects her deep engagement with canonical Buddhist literature.Vasylieva’s research focuses on Mahāyāna sūtras and śāstras, with particular emphasis on comparative textual studies examining Dunhuang manuscripts alongside Tibetan canonical collections.Since 2018, she has been teaching at the Rangjung Yeshe Institute. In the Translation MA program, she leads courses on textual criticism, methodology, and translation practice. She also teaches advanced Classical Tibetan at the undergraduate level and methodology of interpretation in the Translator’s Training Program. Additionally, she has taught Sanskrit textual studies and history of Indian Buddhism at the International Buddhist College of Thailand.Vasylieva actively contributes to several Buddhist translation initiatives, serving as a member of the International Kagyu Monlam, Dharma Ebooks Publications, and Khenpo Appey Foundation translation groups, furthering the accessibility of Buddhist texts through collaborative translation projects.

The Vanishing “Untranslated” in the Age of AI: Challenges for Translator Training in Buddhist Studies

Published on 29 Sep 2025

by Maria Vasylieva Center for Buddhist Studies at the Rangjung Yeshe Institute, Kathmandu University, Kathmandu, NepalMaria Vasylieva is a Tibetologist, Dharma translator, and interpreter specializing in Buddhist textual studies. She holds an MA in Translation, Textual Interpretation, and Philology from Rangjung Yeshe Institute, Center for Buddhist Studies at Kathmandu University, and a PhD in Buddhist Studies from the International Buddhist College of Thailand. Her doctoral dissertation, A Study of the Bstan ‘gyur Synoptic Indic Commentaries on the Bhadracaryāpraṇidhāna in the Context of the Subcommentary by Lo tsā ba Ye shes sde, Including Their Editions and Translations into English, reflects her deep engagement with canonical Buddhist literature.Vasylieva’s research focuses on Mahāyāna sūtras and śāstras, with particular emphasis on comparative textual studies examining Dunhuang manuscripts alongside Tibetan canonical collections.Since 2018, she has been teaching at the Rangjung Yeshe Institute. In the Translation MA program, she leads courses on textual criticism, methodology, and translation practice. She also teaches advanced Classical Tibetan at the undergraduate level and methodology of interpretation in the Translator’s Training Program. Additionally, she has taught Sanskrit textual studies and history of Indian Buddhism at the International Buddhist College of Thailand.Vasylieva actively contributes to several Buddhist translation initiatives, serving as a member of the International Kagyu Monlam, Dharma Ebooks Publications, and Khenpo Appey Foundation translation groups, furthering the accessibility of Buddhist texts through collaborative translation projects.

Buddhism and Intelligent Technology: A Futures Meditation

Published on 19 Sep 2025

by Peter D. Hershock Professional Development Program, East-West Center, Honolulu, HI, USAPeter D. Hershock is an intercultural philosopher who reflects on contemporary issues of global concern. Past Director of the Asian Studies Development Program, he is currently Adjunct Senior Fellow at the East-West Center in Honolulu, a founding member of Engaged Buddhists for Responsible AI, and the author or editor of more than a dozen books, including Reinventing the Wheel: A Buddhist Response to the Information Age (1999); Buddhism in the Public Sphere: Reorienting Global Interdependence (2006); Valuing Diversity: Buddhist Reflection on Realizing a More Equitable Global Future (2012); and Buddhism and Intelligent Technology: Toward a More Humane Future (2021). His most recent book is Consciousness Mattering: A Buddhist Synthesis (2023).

Buddhism and Intelligent Technology: A Futures Meditation

Published on 19 Sep 2025

by Peter D. Hershock Professional Development Program, East-West Center, Honolulu, HI, USAPeter D. Hershock is an intercultural philosopher who reflects on contemporary issues of global concern. Past Director of the Asian Studies Development Program, he is currently Adjunct Senior Fellow at the East-West Center in Honolulu, a founding member of Engaged Buddhists for Responsible AI, and the author or editor of more than a dozen books, including Reinventing the Wheel: A Buddhist Response to the Information Age (1999); Buddhism in the Public Sphere: Reorienting Global Interdependence (2006); Valuing Diversity: Buddhist Reflection on Realizing a More Equitable Global Future (2012); and Buddhism and Intelligent Technology: Toward a More Humane Future (2021). His most recent book is Consciousness Mattering: A Buddhist Synthesis (2023).

Buddhism in the Now: Relaunching Contemporary Buddhism for a Changing World

Published on 19 May 2025

by Stephen Christopher Beiyin Deng Hannah Gould a Nichibunken (Kyoto), Japanb Religious Studies, The University of Missouri, USAc Buddhist Studies, The University of Melbourne, AustraliaStephen Christopher is an anthropologist of religion and Visiting Research Fellow at Nichibunken in Kyoto (2024-25). He is the co-Lead on the John Templeton Foundation grant, entitled “New Religiosity and the Digital Study of Eudaimonia” (project #63357).Beiyin Deng is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at The University of Missouri. She specializes in contemporary Buddhist material culture and economy, focusing particularly on the role of religious material and labor in the contexts of Theravada Buddhism in Myanmar, transnational Buddhism between China and Southeast Asia, and Myanmar Buddhist Diaspora in the U.S.Hannah Gould is a Lecturer in Buddhist Studies at The University of Melbourne. She is a cultural anthropologist working in the areas of death, religion, and material culture. Her research is focused processes of disposal and divestment, in regard to both the human dead and material artefacts. She works with the DeathTech Research Team (https://deathtech.research.unimelb.edu.au), studying new body disposal technologies and cremation.

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Buddhism in the Now: Relaunching Contemporary Buddhism for a Changing World

Published on 19 May 2025

by Stephen Christopher Beiyin Deng Hannah Gould a Nichibunken (Kyoto), Japanb Religious Studies, The University of Missouri, USAc Buddhist Studies, The University of Melbourne, AustraliaStephen Christopher is an anthropologist of religion and Visiting Research Fellow at Nichibunken in Kyoto (2024-25). He is the co-Lead on the John Templeton Foundation grant, entitled “New Religiosity and the Digital Study of Eudaimonia” (project #63357).Beiyin Deng is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at The University of Missouri. She specializes in contemporary Buddhist material culture and economy, focusing particularly on the role of religious material and labor in the contexts of Theravada Buddhism in Myanmar, transnational Buddhism between China and Southeast Asia, and Myanmar Buddhist Diaspora in the U.S.Hannah Gould is a Lecturer in Buddhist Studies at The University of Melbourne. She is a cultural anthropologist working in the areas of death, religion, and material culture. Her research is focused processes of disposal and divestment, in regard to both the human dead and material artefacts. She works with the DeathTech Research Team (https://deathtech.research.unimelb.edu.au), studying new body disposal technologies and cremation.

Renunciation and Longing: The Life of a Twentieth-Century Himalayan Buddhist Saint

Published on 7 May 2025

by Bhadrajee S. Hewage Trinity College, University of OxfordBhadrajee Hewage is a doctoral candidate in History at Trinity College Oxford. He can be reached at bhadrajee.hewage@trinity.ox.ac.uk.

Renunciation and Longing: The Life of a Twentieth-Century Himalayan Buddhist Saint

Published on 7 May 2025

by Bhadrajee S. Hewage Trinity College, University of OxfordBhadrajee Hewage is a doctoral candidate in History at Trinity College Oxford. He can be reached at bhadrajee.hewage@trinity.ox.ac.uk.

The Teacher Matters: The Role and Impact of Meditation Teachers in the Trajectories of Western Buddhist Meditators Experiencing Meditation-Related Challenges

Published on 22 Apr 2025

by Nicholas K. Canby Jared R. Lindahl David J. Cooper Nitai Joseph Roman Palitsky Willoughby B. Britton a Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USAb Department of Religious Studies, Brown University, Providence, RI, USANicholas K. Canby, Ph.D. is a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School. He attained his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Clark University in 2022 and has been involved with the Varieties of Contemplative Experience Project since 2015. Dr. Canby’s research interests span the areas of mindfulness and psychedelic-related therapeutic processes (especially social context and social dynamics), alterations in sense of self, intimacy and closeness, anomalous, mystical, and dissociative experiences, psychosomatic illness, and adverse effects of meditation and psychedelics. Dr. Canby was also the lead author on a 2021 article entitled “The Contribution of Common and Specific Therapeutic Factors to Mindfulness-Based Intervention Outcomes” which outlined the importance of meditation teachers and group dynamics for the therapeutic effectiveness of mindfulness-based programs.Jared R. Lindahl, Ph.D. is Visiting Assistant Professor in Brown University’s Department of Religious Studies. Since 2014, Dr. Lindahl has been co-directing the Varieties of Contemplative Experience research project, the largest study to date on the topic of meditation-related challenges. To date, Dr. Lindahl has been the lead author of nine papers from the VCE study and is a contributing author on four others. His broader research and teaching examines contemplative practices in a range of contexts – from Greece, India, and Tibet to Buddhist modernism and the mindfulness movement in the United States – and often attempts to integrate historical and textual studies of contemplative traditions with phenomenological and neurobiological approaches in order to investigate the relationship between contemplative practices, resultant experiences, and culturally situated appraisals of meaning and value.David J. Cooper has worked on the Varieties of Contemplative Experience (VCE) study since 2014. He received an MA in Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he focused on Buddhist traditions. David is interested in narrative and social dimensions of religious experience, particularly those relating to the sense of self and to the body. He has a wide range of experience both practicing with and studying contemplative communities in Asia, North America, Europe, and the Middle East. Mr. Cooper was the lead author of the VCE paper ’“Like a Vibration Cascading through the Body”: Energy-Like Somatic Experiences Reported by Western Buddhist Meditators.’Nitai Joseph holds a Master’s Degree in the Psychology of Coercive Control and is interested in the mechanisms and impact of undue influence, particularly in ideological settings. He currently works as an independent researcher and consultant for nonprofits dealing with issues of interpersonal abuse.Roman Palitsky, MDiv, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Director of Research Projects in Spiritual Health at Emory University, and is faculty in the Emory Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality. His research applies a bio-psycho-social-spiritual approach to improving behavioral interventions by ensuring that the treatments are responsive to care seekers’ cultural needs and strengths. His work in psychospiritually impactful interventions, such as meditation, reflects these commitments by seeking to make meditation-based therapies rigorous, effective, and accountable to the many patient populations who might benefit from them, and to support those care seekers who may experience adverse effects.Willoughby Britton PhD is a clinical psychologist, an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University Medical School, and the Director of Brown’s Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory. Her clinical neuroscience research investigates the effects of contemplative practices on the brain and body in the treatment of mood disorders, trauma and other emotional disturbances. She is especially interested in practice-specific effects, individual differences and moderators of treatment outcome, or in other words “Which practices are best or worst suited for which types of people or conditions and why”. She is probably best known for her research on adverse effects, and creating best practices around harms monitoring and reporting. As a clinician, she has been trained as an instructor in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and the Somatic Experiencing (SE) approach to trauma. Dr. Britton is also the founder of Cheetah House, a non-profit organization that provides support for meditators who are experiencing meditation-related difficulties, and meditation safety trainings to providers and organizations.

The Teacher Matters: The Role and Impact of Meditation Teachers in the Trajectories of Western Buddhist Meditators Experiencing Meditation-Related Challenges

Published on 22 Apr 2025

by Nicholas K. Canby Jared R. Lindahl David J. Cooper Nitai Joseph Roman Palitsky Willoughby B. Britton a Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USAb Department of Religious Studies, Brown University, Providence, RI, USANicholas K. Canby, Ph.D. is a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School. He attained his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Clark University in 2022 and has been involved with the Varieties of Contemplative Experience Project since 2015. Dr. Canby’s research interests span the areas of mindfulness and psychedelic-related therapeutic processes (especially social context and social dynamics), alterations in sense of self, intimacy and closeness, anomalous, mystical, and dissociative experiences, psychosomatic illness, and adverse effects of meditation and psychedelics. Dr. Canby was also the lead author on a 2021 article entitled “The Contribution of Common and Specific Therapeutic Factors to Mindfulness-Based Intervention Outcomes” which outlined the importance of meditation teachers and group dynamics for the therapeutic effectiveness of mindfulness-based programs.Jared R. Lindahl, Ph.D. is Visiting Assistant Professor in Brown University’s Department of Religious Studies. Since 2014, Dr. Lindahl has been co-directing the Varieties of Contemplative Experience research project, the largest study to date on the topic of meditation-related challenges. To date, Dr. Lindahl has been the lead author of nine papers from the VCE study and is a contributing author on four others. His broader research and teaching examines contemplative practices in a range of contexts – from Greece, India, and Tibet to Buddhist modernism and the mindfulness movement in the United States – and often attempts to integrate historical and textual studies of contemplative traditions with phenomenological and neurobiological approaches in order to investigate the relationship between contemplative practices, resultant experiences, and culturally situated appraisals of meaning and value.David J. Cooper has worked on the Varieties of Contemplative Experience (VCE) study since 2014. He received an MA in Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he focused on Buddhist traditions. David is interested in narrative and social dimensions of religious experience, particularly those relating to the sense of self and to the body. He has a wide range of experience both practicing with and studying contemplative communities in Asia, North America, Europe, and the Middle East. Mr. Cooper was the lead author of the VCE paper ’“Like a Vibration Cascading through the Body”: Energy-Like Somatic Experiences Reported by Western Buddhist Meditators.’Nitai Joseph holds a Master’s Degree in the Psychology of Coercive Control and is interested in the mechanisms and impact of undue influence, particularly in ideological settings. He currently works as an independent researcher and consultant for nonprofits dealing with issues of interpersonal abuse.Roman Palitsky, MDiv, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Director of Research Projects in Spiritual Health at Emory University, and is faculty in the Emory Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality. His research applies a bio-psycho-social-spiritual approach to improving behavioral interventions by ensuring that the treatments are responsive to care seekers’ cultural needs and strengths. His work in psychospiritually impactful interventions, such as meditation, reflects these commitments by seeking to make meditation-based therapies rigorous, effective, and accountable to the many patient populations who might benefit from them, and to support those care seekers who may experience adverse effects.Willoughby Britton PhD is a clinical psychologist, an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University Medical School, and the Director of Brown’s Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory. Her clinical neuroscience research investigates the effects of contemplative practices on the brain and body in the treatment of mood disorders, trauma and other emotional disturbances. She is especially interested in practice-specific effects, individual differences and moderators of treatment outcome, or in other words “Which practices are best or worst suited for which types of people or conditions and why”. She is probably best known for her research on adverse effects, and creating best practices around harms monitoring and reporting. As a clinician, she has been trained as an instructor in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and the Somatic Experiencing (SE) approach to trauma. Dr. Britton is also the founder of Cheetah House, a non-profit organization that provides support for meditators who are experiencing meditation-related difficulties, and meditation safety trainings to providers and organizations.

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Towards an Alternative Buddhist Modernity: Hòa Hảo Charity Healing and Herbal Medicine in the Mekong Delta

Published on 21 Apr 2025

by Nhung Lu Rots Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo, Oslo, NorwayNhung Lu Rots is a Doctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Culture, Religion, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo, Norway. She is working on her PhD project “Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Buddhist Practices and Environmental Change in the Mekong Delta”. She was awarded the Environmental Humanities 2024 Best Article Prize for the co-authored article “When Gods Drown in Plastic: Vietnamese Whale Worship, Environmental Crises, and the Problem of Animism”. Her broader area of research is environmental humanities, seafood consumption, environmental pollution, and traditional medicine.

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Towards an Alternative Buddhist Modernity: Hòa Hảo Charity Healing and Herbal Medicine in the Mekong Delta

Published on 21 Apr 2025

by Nhung Lu Rots Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo, Oslo, NorwayNhung Lu Rots is a Doctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Culture, Religion, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo, Norway. She is working on her PhD project “Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Buddhist Practices and Environmental Change in the Mekong Delta”. She was awarded the Environmental Humanities 2024 Best Article Prize for the co-authored article “When Gods Drown in Plastic: Vietnamese Whale Worship, Environmental Crises, and the Problem of Animism”. Her broader area of research is environmental humanities, seafood consumption, environmental pollution, and traditional medicine.

Explicit Authority and Implicit Dharma: Negotiating Buddhism in Finnish MBSR Teacher Training

Published on 24 Mar 2025

by Ville Waltteri Husgafvel Faculty of Arts, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandVille Husgafvel is a postdoctoral researcher in the Study of Religion at the University of Helsinki. In his PhD dissertation, he examined the Buddhist influence on the MBSR programme and the historical-ideological continuity between Buddhist modernism and contemporary mindfulness. His current work focuses on the meditation-related learning trajectories of mindfulness teachers and mental health professionals, as well as the use of contemplative pedagogy in sustainability education.

Explicit Authority and Implicit Dharma: Negotiating Buddhism in Finnish MBSR Teacher Training

Published on 24 Mar 2025

by Ville Waltteri Husgafvel Faculty of Arts, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandVille Husgafvel is a postdoctoral researcher in the Study of Religion at the University of Helsinki. In his PhD dissertation, he examined the Buddhist influence on the MBSR programme and the historical-ideological continuity between Buddhist modernism and contemporary mindfulness. His current work focuses on the meditation-related learning trajectories of mindfulness teachers and mental health professionals, as well as the use of contemplative pedagogy in sustainability education.

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Monastic Visibility: Monasteries, Tourism, and Outreach in the Buddhist Himalayas

Published on 11 Mar 2025

by Swargajyoti Gohain Sociology and Anthropology, Ashoka University, Sonipat, IndiaSwargajyoti Gohain is Associate Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Ashoka University. She has a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Emory University, U.S.A., and a Bachelors and Masters in Sociology from Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University. Her research interests include the study of borders and state, cultural politics, Tibetan Buddhist communities, and ecological changes in the Indian Himalayas. Her first book Imagined Geographies in the Indo-Tibetan Borderlands was published by Amsterdam University Press in 2020. Her current book project is on modern Buddhist universities in the Himalayan borderlands.

Monastic Visibility: Monasteries, Tourism, and Outreach in the Buddhist Himalayas

Published on 11 Mar 2025

by Swargajyoti Gohain Sociology and Anthropology, Ashoka University, Sonipat, IndiaSwargajyoti Gohain is Associate Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Ashoka University. She has a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Emory University, U.S.A., and a Bachelors and Masters in Sociology from Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University. Her research interests include the study of borders and state, cultural politics, Tibetan Buddhist communities, and ecological changes in the Indian Himalayas. Her first book Imagined Geographies in the Indo-Tibetan Borderlands was published by Amsterdam University Press in 2020. Her current book project is on modern Buddhist universities in the Himalayan borderlands.

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For Tomorrow For Tonight: Karma, Kinship and Queerness in the Cinema and Video Art of Apichatpong Weerasethakul

Published on 11 Mar 2025

by Arnika Fuhrmann Asian Studies/Comparative Literature, Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences, Ithaca, NY, USAArnika Fuhrmann (Asian Studies/Comparative Literature, Cornell University) is an interdisciplinary scholar of Southeast Asia, working at the intersection of the region’s aesthetic and political modernities. She is the author of In the Mood for Texture: The Revival of Bangkok as a Chinese City (forthcoming, Duke University Press), Teardrops of Time: Buddhist Aesthetics in the Poetry of Angkarn Kallayanapong (SUNY Press, 2020), and Ghostly Desires: Queer Sexuality and Vernacular Buddhism in Contemporary Thai Cinema (Duke University Press, 2016).

For Tomorrow For Tonight: Karma, Kinship and Queerness in the Cinema and Video Art of Apichatpong Weerasethakul

Published on 11 Mar 2025

by Arnika Fuhrmann Asian Studies/Comparative Literature, Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences, Ithaca, NY, USAArnika Fuhrmann (Asian Studies/Comparative Literature, Cornell University) is an interdisciplinary scholar of Southeast Asia, working at the intersection of the region’s aesthetic and political modernities. She is the author of In the Mood for Texture: The Revival of Bangkok as a Chinese City (forthcoming, Duke University Press), Teardrops of Time: Buddhist Aesthetics in the Poetry of Angkarn Kallayanapong (SUNY Press, 2020), and Ghostly Desires: Queer Sexuality and Vernacular Buddhism in Contemporary Thai Cinema (Duke University Press, 2016).

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The Forgotten History of the Dalai Lama’s Autobiography: Secular, Oral and Transnational Stories

Published on 28 Jan 2025

by Dhondup Tashi Rekjong Department of Religious Studies, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USADhondup Tashi Rekjong is a Tibetan scholar and doctoral candidate in religious studies at Northwestern University. His writings have appeared in The Journal of Asian Studies, The Journal of Critical Asian Studies, The Journal of Cultural Anthropology, The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Lion’s Roar, The Treasury of Lives, and elsewhere. He is an editor of The Tibet Reader, forthcoming from Duke University Press.