Shoton Festival Begins in Lhasa

Shoton Festival Begins in Lhasa

An enormous thangka painting of Buddha is unrolled on a hillside platform at the Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, August 23, 2025. Celebrations marking the traditional Shoton Festival began in Lhasa on Saturday. Photo by Tenzing Nima Qadhup/Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 11, 2025 - The Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum,China on August 11, 2025.

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 11, 2025 - The Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum,China on August 11, 2025.

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 11, 2025 - The Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum,China on August 11, 2025.

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 11, 2025 - The Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum,China on August 11, 2025.

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 11, 2025 - The Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum,China on August 11, 2025.

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 11, 2025 - The Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum,China on August 11, 2025.

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 11, 2025 - The Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum,China on August 11, 2025.

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 11, 2025 - The Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum,China on August 11, 2025.

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 11, 2025 - The Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum,China on August 11, 2025.

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 11, 2025 - The Stone Thousand Buddha Statue Stele in Shanghai Museum,China on August 11, 2025.

Annual cleaning of Great Buddha in Nara

NARA, Japan, Aug. 7 Kyodo - Monks at Todai-ji temple in the western Japan city of Nara sweep dust off the Great Buddha, designated as a national treasure in Japan, on Aug. 7, 2025, in an annual cleaning event. (Kyodo)

Annual cleaning of Great Buddha in Nara

Annual cleaning of Great Buddha in Nara

Monks at Todai-ji temple in the western Japan city of Nara sweep dust off the Great Buddha, designated as a national treasure in Japan, on Aug. 7, 2025, in an annual cleaning event.

Annual cleaning of Great Buddha in Nara

Annual cleaning of Great Buddha in Nara

Monks at Todai-ji temple in the western Japan city of Nara sweep dust off the Great Buddha, designated as a national treasure in Japan, on Aug. 7, 2025, in an annual cleaning event.

Annual cleaning of Great Buddha in Nara

Annual cleaning of Great Buddha in Nara

Monks at Todai-ji temple in the western Japan city of Nara sweep dust off the Great Buddha, designated as a national treasure in Japan, on Aug. 7, 2025, in an annual cleaning event.

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist Devotees Mark Guru Purnima - India

Buddhist monks and devotees offer prayers during Guru Purnima or Asari Purnima, the full moon day of July, in a Buddhist temple in Agartala on July 10, 2025. The sacred day commemorates the beginning of Tathagata Buddha’s 45-year journey of sharing his teachings for the well-being of all sentient beings. Observed across the Buddhist world, Guru Purnima honors spiritual teachers and marks the start of the traditional monastic Rains Retreat known as Vassa Vāsa. Followers gather in temples for meditation, chanting, and ceremonial offerings, deepening their spiritual practice during the auspicious period. The atmosphere is filled with reverence as communities pay homage to the Dharma and recommit to the path of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom. The annual observance underscores the vital role of the guru in guiding seekers toward liberation. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

China: Rare ‘Buddha’s Light’ Halo Seen on Sichuan Mountain

This breathtaking moment captures a rare “Buddha’s Light” phenomenon encircling a hiker’s head on a mountaintop trail. On June 5, 2025, while hiking Jiuding Mountain in Sichuan, a man recorded a vivid, rainbow-colored halo — known as a “Buddha’s Light” or Brocken Spectre — forming around his head in the misty air. The optical illusion followed him for several meters, creating a surreal, almost mystical scene as he walked through the fog. According to the hiker, Mr. He, the phenomenon appeared not only around his own head but also around those of other nearby hikers, lasting for about 30 seconds. The video ends with the glowing halo slowly fading as the group continued along the mist-covered trail."

Stolen Buddha statue to be returned to Japan

SEOSAN, South Korea, May 5 Kyodo - Video taken at Buseok Temple in Seosan, South Korea, on May 10, 2025, shows a 14th-century Buddha statue (R) stolen from Japan's Kannonji temple in 2012. The statue, designated by Japan's Nagasaki Prefecture as a tangible cultural asset, will be returned to the Japanese temple in Tsushima in the southwestern Japan prefecture, on May 12, following a South Korean Supreme Court ruling in 2023 that Kannonji is its rightful owner. (Kyodo)

Returned Buddha statue on public display

Returned Buddha statue on public display

A 14th-century Buddha statue recently returned to Japan from South Korea is displayed to the public at a museum on Tsushima Island in Nagasaki Prefecture on May 16, 2025. Stolen from the island's Kannonji temple in 2012, the statue was returned on May 12, 2025, after South Korea's Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that the temple is its rightful owner.

Stolen Buddha statue returned to Japan

Stolen Buddha statue returned to Japan

Photo taken on May 15, 2025, at a museum in Tsushima in the southwestern Japan prefecture of Nagasaki shows a 14th-century Buddha statue that was recently returned to Kannonji temple in the city after it was stolen in 2012 and taken to South Korea. The statue, designated by Nagasaki Prefecture as a tangible cultural asset, was unveiled to the media the same day ahead of is public exhibition from May 16.

Devotees Pray at Buddha Temple - India

Devotees Pray at Buddha Temple - India

Devotees offer prayers to Buddha on the occasion of Buddha Purnima in a Buddha Temple at Agartala in Tripura, India on May 12, 2025. Photo by Abhisek Saha/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Devotees Pray at Buddha Temple - India

Devotees Pray at Buddha Temple - India

Devotees offer prayers to Buddha on the occasion of Buddha Purnima in a Buddha Temple at Agartala in Tripura, India on May 12, 2025. Photo by Abhisek Saha/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Devotees Pray at Buddha Temple - India

Devotees Pray at Buddha Temple - India

Devotees offer prayers to Buddha on the occasion of Buddha Purnima in a Buddha Temple at Agartala in Tripura, India on May 12, 2025. Photo by Abhisek Saha/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Devotees Pray at Buddha Temple - India

Devotees Pray at Buddha Temple - India

Devotees offer prayers to Buddha on the occasion of Buddha Purnima in a Buddha Temple at Agartala in Tripura, India on May 12, 2025. Photo by Abhisek Saha/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Devotees Pray at Buddha Temple - India

Devotees Pray at Buddha Temple - India

Devotees offer prayers to Buddha on the occasion of Buddha Purnima in a Buddha Temple at Agartala in Tripura, India on May 12, 2025. Photo by Abhisek Saha/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Devotees Pray at Buddha Temple - India

Devotees Pray at Buddha Temple - India

Buddhist Monk covers a statue of Buddha with an umbrella on a rainy day, while Devotees offer prayers to Buddha on the occasion of Buddha Purnima in a Buddha Temple at Agartala in Tripura, India on May 12, 2025. Photo by Abhisek Saha/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Devotees Pray at Buddha Temple - India

Devotees Pray at Buddha Temple - India

Devotees offer prayers to Buddha on the occasion of Buddha Purnima in a Buddha Temple at Agartala in Tripura, India on May 12, 2025. Photo by Abhisek Saha/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Devotees Pray at Buddha Temple - India

Devotees Pray at Buddha Temple - India

Devotees offer prayers to Buddha on the occasion of Buddha Purnima in a Buddha Temple at Agartala in Tripura, India on May 12, 2025. Photo by Abhisek Saha/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Stolen Buddha statue to be returned to Japan

Stolen Buddha statue to be returned to Japan

Photo taken at Buseok Temple in Seosan, South Korea, on May 5, 2025, shows a 14th-century Buddha statue (R) stolen from Japan's Kannonji temple in 2012. The statue, designated by Japan's Nagasaki Prefecture as a tangible cultural asset, will be returned to the Japanese temple in Tsushima in the southwestern Japan prefecture, on May 12, following a South Korean Supreme Court ruling in 2023 that Kannonji is its rightful owner.

Stolen Buddha statue to be returned to Japan

Stolen Buddha statue to be returned to Japan

Photo taken at Buseok Temple in Seosan, South Korea, on May 5, 2025, shows a 14th-century Buddha statue (R) stolen from Japan's Kannonji temple in 2012. The statue, designated by Japan's Nagasaki Prefecture as a tangible cultural asset, will be returned to the Japanese temple in Tsushima in the southwestern Japan prefecture, on May 12, following a South Korean Supreme Court ruling in 2023 that Kannonji is its rightful owner.

Stolen Buddha statue to be returned to Japan

Stolen Buddha statue to be returned to Japan

Photo taken at Buseok Temple in Seosan, South Korea, on May 5, 2025, shows a 14th-century Buddha statue (R) stolen from Japan's Kannonji temple in 2012. The statue, designated by Japan's Nagasaki Prefecture as a tangible cultural asset, will be returned to the Japanese temple in Tsushima in the southwestern Japan prefecture, on May 12, following a South Korean Supreme Court ruling in 2023 that Kannonji is its rightful owner.