ABSTRACT This article’s title is adapted from Walter Benjamin’s 1921 article ‘The Task of the Translator’, integrating his related ‘The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction’. Taken together, Benjamin’s works demonstrate that AI does not represent a rupture or revolution in dharma translation, though it is one of many important and systematic changes for how such translation takes place. This article considers these alongside a Tibetan Buddhist treatise on the theory and practice of translation, The Gateway to Learning by Sakya Paṇḍita Kunga Gyaltsen (1182–1251). Examining these sources enables us to appraise the state of the art of dharma translation before the age of AI, from the perspectives of both academic and Tibetan scholarship. This allows us to engage our current situation, clearly and fruitfully. Furthermore, this analysis establishes the basic thesis of the present article: that AI is not a revolution – or even necessarily an improvement – when it comes to the Tibetan-English translation of dharma texts.

Thangka, a sacred form of Tibetan Buddhist scroll painting, represents one of the most visually complex and culturally rich artistic traditions in the world. As digital technologies permeate every domain of cultural production and circulation, Thangka faces both unprecedented opportunities for global dissemination and critical risks of cultural decontextualization. This paper investigates the digital dissemination pathways of Thangka through a mixed theoretical lens drawing on Appadurai's theory of cultural flows, Jenkins's transmedia logic, and Castells's network communication model. Drawing on documentary analysis, platform observation, and existing practitioner accounts, the study maps four primary pathways: institutional digitization and archival platforms, short-video and social media ecosystems, immersive technology applications (AR/VR/3D scanning), and transnational e-commerce and cultural brand channels. Findings reveal that while digital dissemination significantly extends Thangka's reach and visibility, it simultaneously introduces tensions between authenticity and commodification, between ritual function and aesthetic consumption, and between local custodianship and global audience expectations. The paper proposes a culturally responsive digital strategy framework — the TACT Model (Transmission, Authenticity, Community, Technology) — to guide sustainable digital practices for intangible cultural heritage. These findings carry implications for heritage preservation policy, digital humanities pedagogy, and cross-cultural communication theory.

Across cultures, individuals exhibit a preference for items labeled as "natural," particularly in the food domain. Although religiosity and specific religious beliefs have been found to moderate this naturalness bias, the existing sparse literature has mainly focused on drug choices and evaluations of lighting. It is unclear whether this effect extends to the domain of food. Here, we leveraged Tibetan Dege printers, whose religious duties require exclusive reliance on natural lighting, as a testbed for this question. In Study 1, we found that printers exhibited a greater propensity to choose natural apples compared to other local Buddhists, despite their similarities across numerous sociodemographic characteristics. Expanding upon self-report measures, Study 2 revealed that printers were more likely to select natural apples than other Tibetan Buddhists in a real-life context. Thus, the results suggest that Dege printers' preference for natural light can transfer into the domain of food. Moreover, we found that perceptions of morality associated with natural foods may account for the observed differences between the two religious groups. Taken together, these findings underscore the importance of considering cultural and religious contexts when examining preferences for natural foods, which suggests that such biases may vary significantly across populations.

Khenpo Sodargye is a key teacher and facilitator of the transmission of Nyingma, and in particular Dzogchen teachings, to Chinese lay and monastic practitioners, both at Larung Gar Buddhist Academy (Chinese: Wuming Foxueyuan ) and throughout China. While he has taught Chinese followers since 1987 using a range of methods, since 2019 in particular he has increasingly drawn from a repertoire of Chinese sources and traditions, including an array of Chan Buddhist texts. Among these texts used to teach Buddhism at the Academy are sūtras, which have been influential in East Asian Buddhism but less so in Tibetan Buddhism, including the Śūraṅgama Sūtra (Chinese: Shouleng’yan jing ). This article focuses on why and how Khenpo has deployed the Śūraṅgama Sūtra – given that it is a fundamentally Chan Chinese Buddhist text of allegedly spurious origins – within his lineage to give ultimate teachings on Dzogchen. Key to understanding his use of this sūtra is the philosophical backdrop of the Nyingma tradition against which he sets it, and to some degree the current political pressure to ‘sinicize’ Tibetan Buddhism and make it conform to socialist principles.

Climate change and human activities since the late Pleistocene have profoundly impacted endemic species on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii), a keystone ungulate once heavily poached, experienced unclear demographic fluctuations in response to these pressures. Using whole-genome resequencing, we analyzed 85 Tibetan antelope individuals across three geographic populations to reconstruct their demographic history. Our findings reveal a climate-driven decline during the Last Glacial Period, with a bottleneck during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and post-LGM recovery, aligning with ecological niche modeling that shows habitat contraction and expansion. We further detected repeated human-induced demographic collapses and recovery dynamics in Tibetan antelopes: (i) Neolithic collapse (around 6-4 thousand years ago) probably due to prehistoric overhunting; (ii) Bronze Age expansion (around 2.4 thousand years ago) possibly due to reduced hunting pressure as humans shifted to agro-pastoralism; (iii) an early 15th century expansion potentially from the influence of Tibetan Buddhism on reducing exploitation; (iv) a brief yet severe recent bottleneck during the 1950s-1990s caused by illegal poaching; and (v) a post-bottleneck recovery since 2000 due to enhanced protection. This study clarifies the interplay between climatic and anthropogenic impacts on Tibetan antelopes, offering insights for conserving the biodiversity on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Abstract Objectives Buddhist psychology provides a detailed framework for understanding the mind through its classification of mental factors, offering a structured model for analysing moment-to-moment experience and identifying antidotes to unhelpful mental states. While specific mental factors such as mindfulness and compassion have been widely integrated into Western therapeutic models, the broader mental factor framework appears underexplored. This scoping review investigated engagement with the Buddhist mental factor framework in Western psychology and identified directions for future research. Method This review followed PRISMA-ScR and JBI guidelines. Searches were conducted in Scopus, PsycINFO (OVID), and Web of Science between 24/01/2025 and 29/12/2025. The search strategy incorporated multiple levels, including individual and broader Buddhist mental factor categories and overarching constructs (e.g. Abhidhamma/Abhidharma). Peer-reviewed studies were included if they conceptually discussed the mental factor framework or examined its relevance to psychology/mental health. Results From 258 records identified, 16 studies met inclusion criteria. These reflected three broad areas of engagement: conceptual and theoretical analyses ( n = 10), therapeutic applications ( n = 2), and computational or AI modelling ( n = 4), with some studies spanning multiple categories. Although none applied the full framework within a Western psychology context, findings suggested compatibility with AI computational systems. Tibetan Buddhist perspectives were underrepresented. Conclusions This review found limited engagement with the Buddhist mental factor framework but highlights its potential for integration into Western psychology. Future research could focus on developing a secularised understanding of mental factors, testing clinical applications and exploring relevance through AI modelling, behaviour change, and mental health interventions. Preregistration This study is not preregistered.

The Power of Publishing in Early Modern Tibetan Buddhism, written by Benjamin J. Nourse Tibetan Manuscripts and Early Printed Books, edited by Matthew T. Kapstein

Wudang Lamasery is the largest surviving temple of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism in Inner Mongolia, with important historical, cultural, and academic research value. As an important dissemination of Tibetan Buddhist culture in Inner, its architectural complex not only shows a unique spatial layout of religious beliefs and ceremonial activities but also contains rich historical contexts of art, technology, and cultural exchanges. This paper systematically researches the historical evolution and layout characteristics of the Wudang Lamasery architectural complex, combines digital technology, and puts forward innovative protection ideas and frameworks for the protection and utilization of the existing Wudang Lamasery historical buildings, striving to provide scientific and effective new paths for the protection of the Wudang Lamasery historical buildings.

Purpose: This study examines how choral singing functions as a mechanism for sustaining ritual practice and reinforcing cultural identity. By integrating perspectives from musicology, social psychology, and cognitive science, it explores how collective vocal performance supports emotional attunement, group cohesion, and symbolic memory in culturally diverse contexts. Materials and Methods: A mixed-methods approach was applied, combining ethnographic observation, survey-based data, and cognitive measures with AI-informed frameworks such as voice emotion recognition and neural synchrony modeling. Case studies included Anglican cathedral choirs, Tibetan Buddhist chant groups, and Indigenous community choirs in Northern Canada. Results: Findings demonstrate that choral structures—such as harmonic entrainment and rhythmic alignment—foster affective convergence, enhance psychological resilience, and strengthen group synchrony. Participation in choir singing was also shown to increase self–other overlap and reinforce cultural continuity across traditions. Conclusions: The study affirms choral singing as both a symbolic and embodied practice of shared identity in the algorithmic era. It highlights the potential for AI-informed feedback systems to contribute to participatory music education and communal healing, providing a theoretical foundation and data reference for future interdisciplinary applications.

The Mahākāla (Mahegela 麻曷葛剌) statue in Hangzhou’s Baocheng Temple 寶成寺 is an important part of Tibetan Buddhist heritage from Yuan China. The original statue’s epigraph is preserved in the statue niche, and it is one of the few Tibetan Buddhist niche statues with clear dating that still exists in China. This paper explores the identity of those who provided offerings to the Mahākāla statue and examines the cultural connotations of their names based on an on-site survey and the content of the statue epigraph. It also reveals the customs of Uyghurs in making Buddhist offerings and their identification with Chinese culture.

At this difficult time in the world, it is clear that our usual way of being is no longer enough to handle our high levels of stress, conflict, and chaos. We are all being called to go beyond our ordinary perspective, beyond our usual coping mechanisms, and beyond a limited sense of ourselves and what we think life can be. In this article, I show my latest series of tree photographs, called “Beyond,” in which I move the camera while taking the photograph to let the trees dissolve into abstract rivers of light as meditations ongoing beyond the ordinary and connecting with soul. To lay the groundwork for this series, I share my previous series of tree photographs, which help take us on a journey from ordinary consciousness into the worlds of the psyche and imagination and eventually to visionary consciousness. The “Beyond” series continues the journey, as the trees, sky, artist, and perhaps also the viewer all merge together in oneness, an ecstatic embrace of all existence and all aspects of being. In other words, these photographs serve as a kind of “pointing-out instructions,” using art in the way Tibetan Buddhist teachers use words to point out the true nature of the Self. This article includes discussion of a range of soulful experiences, how they can help us live as effectively as possible, and how we can encourage numinous experiences to happen.

The recent announcement by the Tibetan Government in Exile of the continuation of the office of the Dalai Lama, in combination with the advanced age of the current Dalai Lama, the discovery of the tenth reincarnation of the Jebtsundamba Khutuktu and growing global geopolitical strains present new challenges for Mongolia. Tibetan Buddhism is becoming an increasingly important aspect of the relationship between Mongolia and China (and also Russia). A plurality of Mongolians follow the tradition and it is an important component of Mongolian culture and society. Since Mongolia’s first democratic elections in 1990, the country has been obliged to balance its internal religious dynamics with the Chinese government’s concerns regarding the future trajectory of the religion. More broadly this highlights the increasing influence that questions of religion are having upon PRC domestic, regional, and international engagement, particularly connected to the growing involvement of China in the world.

European Academy of Religion’s Eighth Annual Conference Vienna, Austria July 8–12, 2025: Panel: Tibetan Buddhism in Comparison

abstract: The purpose of this paper is to position Perry Schmidt-Leukel’s ‘fractal’ approach to religious pluralism in the context of the theology of religions’ evolution over time. Starting from an overview of Ippolito Desideri’s engagement of Tibetan Buddhism in the eighteenth century, the paper compares different approaches to interreligious epistemology, underscoring the differences between Francis Clooney’s understanding of rationality and the nature of reason in early Buddhist philosophy. The paper presents Perry Schmidt-Leukel’s conceptual model as a viable approach that escapes the dichotomy between classical and postmodern approaches to religious diversity, offering an example that brings into conversation Christian and Tibetan soteriology.

B a c k g r o u n d . The article examines the institutional transformations of Tibetan Buddhism following the events of 1959, when the violent imposition of PRC control over Tibet and the mass exile of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community caused a profound rupture in traditional religious, educational, and cultural structures. The study focuses on the destruction of the sacred geography of Tibetan Buddhism, the dismantling of the monastic system, and the subsequent formation of new institutions in exile that shaped the contemporary global spread of the tradition. M e t h o d s . The research is based on a historical-analytical approach employing comparative analysis of Tibetan Buddhist institutions before and after 1959. The study draws on the works of leading scholars in Buddhist studies and ethnography, as well as contextual analysis of educational, cultural, and religious practices within the Tibetan diaspora and Western Buddhist centers. R e s u l t s . The analysis demonstrates that the loss of territorial and sacred foundations led to significant "de-territorialization" of Tibetan Buddhism: religious practices, authority, and lineage structures became mobile and transnational. In exile, major monastic traditions were re-established, and new learning centers, libraries, and schools were created, ensuring the continuity of monastic education and cultural transmission. The expansion of Tibetan Buddhism in the West generated innovations in teaching, the development of new educational programs, and the inclusion of non-Tibetan practitioners in preserving and evolving the tradition. Western Buddhist centers, translation initiatives, and academic engagement contributed to the global dissemination of Tibetan Buddhism, while also introducing risks of simplification and commercialization. C o n c l u s i o n s . The institutionalization of Tibetan Buddhism in exile demonstrates the tradition's remarkable adaptability, maintaining continuity without dependence on Tibet's sacred landscape. New institutions serve as carriers of religious authenticity while simultaneously fostering cultural integration and global presence. The post-1959 transformations reveal both the vulnerability of the tradition to geopolitical pressures and its capacity for innovation and intercultural dialogue.

<p>The Western Tibetan Plateau (WTP), a nexus of Central, South, and East Asia, played a vital role in shaping early Asian cultural and religious exchanges. Understanding human activities in this region is essential for reconstructing these historical interactions, yet the study of settlement and migration here faces significant obstacles due to limited archaeological research and fragmented historical records. This study employs pagoda construction as a targeted approach to investigate human migration and cultural diffusion. We compiled an extensive dataset of pagoda construction ages across the WTP using radiocarbon (<sup>14</sup>C) measurements, analyzing organic remains from 29 sites. Our results align <sup>14</sup>C ages with documented construction dates, affirming the approach’s consistency. Initial pagoda building in the Zanda Basin aligns with Buddhism’s introduction to the Tibetan Plateau in the early 7<sup>th</sup> century, suggesting that Buddhism entered via multiple routes, beyond the routes in the eastern plateau. Most pagodas, however, emerged during and after the Later Propagation of Tibetan Buddhism (post-9<sup>th</sup> century), reflecting a resurgence of religious activity. In Zanda, construction spans 7<sup>th</sup>-20<sup>th</sup> centuries, while in Purang, most pagodas postdate 15<sup>th</sup> century, suggesting a significant migration from Zanda to Purang during the late Guge Kingdom and its decline, likely driven by political turmoil, religious conflicts, and climate change. These spatiotemporal patterns, corroborated by regional relic distributions, demonstrate that pagoda ages can uncover hidden histories of human mobility, providing fresh insights into the intricate interplay of early cultures, religions, and population movements across Asia.</p>

abstract: Fifteen years ago, theologian Michelle Voss provided us with a detailed framework for understanding humility in the life and writings of the thirteenth-century German beguine, Mechthild of Magdeburg. This framework identified nine functions of the virtue, which Voss then organized into three triads: rhetorical, authorizing, and divinizing functions. She argued that this framework allowed new possibilities for seeing beyond the self-limiting impact of humility so often highlighted by feminist Christian theologians. This article responds to Voss’ invitation to apply the framework to other theological voices by exploring the model’s potential to identify how humility is employed in the life and writings of eighth-century Tibetan Buddhist visionary Yeshé Tsogyal. It will then introduce the theological potential of a queered humility (one that disrupts the potential for self-denial that traditional concepts of humility often imply or require) and how its presence in the life of Yeshé Tsogyal can be a powerful source of strength and vulnerability as one progresses along the spiritual path.

Paths of the Soul (Mount Kailash), a film themed on Tibetan Buddhist pilgrimage, records the entire journey of 11 villagers from Markam Village who embarked on a more-than-2500-kilometer prostration pilgrimage that lasted over a year.It demonstrates the profound connotations of Tibetan Buddhist pilgrimage rituals.From the theoretical perspective of interpretive anthropology, this paper analyzes how Tibetan Buddhist pilgrimage rituals construct the spiritual world of believers through four dimensions: the sacred site complex, the sanctity of ritual behaviors, the diversity of pilgrimage motivations, and the perseverance and evolution of faith under the impact of modernity.It reveals the in-depth logic of the integration of faith and life, and explores the existential value and future direction of traditional faith in modern society.

The forthcoming succession of the 14th Dalai Lama has emerged as a critical juncture in the geopolitics of South Asia. While Tibetan Buddhism treats the Dalai Lama's reincarnation as a spiritual matter, China has asserted political authority over the process, framing it as a question of sovereignty. India, hosting the Tibetan Government-in-Exile and the Dalai Lama since 1959, faces a delicate strategic challenge: balancing its commitment to Tibetan refugees and spiritual traditions with the imperative of managing its strained relations with China. This article examines the intersection of religion and politics in the Dalai Lama's succession, analyses China's attempts to control Tibetan Buddhism, and assesses how this contestation might influence India-China relations in the coming decades.

The words borrowed from Tibetan have an essential place in the vocabulary of the Yellow Uyghurs, who adopted Tibetan Buddhism (Lamaism) under the influence of their Tibetan neighbors and the Mongols. In particular, it is seen that the names of Buddhas, religious rituals, or ritual objects are borrowed from Tibetan. This study focuses on two Tibetan words in the Yellow Uyghur vocabulary: čam (< Tib. cham) and chöhrten (< Tib. mcod rten). The paper aims to contribute to the vocabulary of Yellow Uyghurs and the studies conducted on the subject. Some of the inferences obtained are as follows: 1. Čam means ‘religious ceremony, pantomime dance of monks’ in Yellow Uyghur. It forms a compound verb: čam pokïr- ‘to perform the cam dance, to participate in the religious Buddhist (cham) ceremony’. Čam is listed in Mongur, Kalmuck, Khalkha, Oyrot, Ordos, and Buryat Mongolian with meanings such as ‘masked dance of lamas, religious dance, pantomime of a monk; a religious celebration with dancing and masquerade; religious dance with mask’. The Chinese equivalent of the word cham is 跳神 tiàoshén. Tiàoshén means ‘to exorcise evil spirits, as when a child is very ill, with a view to save its life, to leap before the gods, to practice exorcism’. 2. Chöhrten means ‘stupa, place or object of worship, mausoleum; a large tomb decorated with art reliquary, pagoda’ in Yellow Uyghur. The Chinese equivalent of the Tibetan word chörten is 藪抖波 sŏu dŏu bō, which is the phonetic equivalent of the Sanskrit word stupa.