_disciples of the dharma
Across much of this world, Buddhism is the prevailing religion and philosophy.
600 years before Christ, Siddhartha Gautama spread his teachings across the Indian subcontinent. Once a prince, Siddhartha gave up his title, riches and family for a life of austerity. Through contemplation and detachment, he attained 'nirvana'- a state of transcendence free from suffering. Those teachings- the 'dharma'- have now spread across the globe and are a way of life for many adherents.
![Novice monks in Inle Lake, Myanmar/Burma.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/1b307085-5d40-4531-923a-5e5e9fe477c1/0/0/0/0,0,1196,1801,1600,1801/0-0-0/6c41fde4-1002-4d99-adcc-d7f69e3a498a/1/1/01_IMG_5339_JPG.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037607153~hmac=0e7c4ad80f79ddd77eecffe9fe806d423bbc4d4a7bbae41ce4588a9885a4c923)
Novice monks in Inle Lake, Myanmar/Burma.
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![Novice Buddhist monks play with pigeons at Bouddhanath stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal on January 19, 2020.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/1b307085-5d40-4531-923a-5e5e9fe477c1/0/0/0/0,0,1801,1200,1801,1200/0-0-0/d0a8f3b6-796a-4fad-b590-e3c2c8ff0840/1/1/01_5_IMG_1526_JPG.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037607153~hmac=0c89cf6d53369264cd1a406b6490b902f0e9df6b06421cdbcb7ecc9ecc945f2e)
Novice Buddhist monks play with pigeons at Bouddhanath stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal on January 19, 2020.
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![People circumambulate Bouddhanath stupa, known as a ‘kora’, in Bouddhanath, Kathmandu, Nepal on January 19, 2020.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/1b307085-5d40-4531-923a-5e5e9fe477c1/0/0/0/0,0,1801,1200,1801,1200/0-0-0/bbb5c716-29f3-4d35-9a94-be4c3c9d2ce4/1/1/02_IMG_1618_JPG.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037607153~hmac=0c89cf6d53369264cd1a406b6490b902f0e9df6b06421cdbcb7ecc9ecc945f2e)
People circumambulate Bouddhanath stupa, known as a ‘kora’, in Bouddhanath, Kathmandu, Nepal on January 19, 2020.
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![Men throw die across Bouddhanath stupa, emulating a lotus flower, in Bouddhanath, Kathmandu, Nepal on January 19, 2020.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/1b307085-5d40-4531-923a-5e5e9fe477c1/0/0/0/0,0,1800,1200,1800,1200/0-0-0/91556092-b734-4b71-8f39-1a127723e7c5/1/1/03_IMG_1405_JPG.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037607153~hmac=5c7c6ecb8b739498db57c3abe593d869f12a0cdee175769d13f7636663f4c999)
Men throw die across Bouddhanath stupa, emulating a lotus flower, in Bouddhanath, Kathmandu, Nepal on January 19, 2020.
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![Novice Buddhist monks attend an assembly at Bouddhanath stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal on January 18, 2020.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/1b307085-5d40-4531-923a-5e5e9fe477c1/0/0/0/0,0,1801,1200,1801,1200/0-0-0/6ec70520-21cd-41e5-990d-4235b20eb619/1/1/03_5_IMG_0909_JPG.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037607153~hmac=0c89cf6d53369264cd1a406b6490b902f0e9df6b06421cdbcb7ecc9ecc945f2e)
Novice Buddhist monks attend an assembly at Bouddhanath stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal on January 18, 2020.
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![A monk makes an incense offering into a burner at Bouddhanath stupa in Bouddhanath, Kathmandu, Nepal on January 23, 2020.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/1b307085-5d40-4531-923a-5e5e9fe477c1/0/0/0/0,0,1800,1200,1800,1200/0-0-0/41bb7fc8-8b2f-416b-b84c-10cf4e4317cb/1/1/04_IMG_2758_JPG.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037607153~hmac=5c7c6ecb8b739498db57c3abe593d869f12a0cdee175769d13f7636663f4c999)
A monk makes an incense offering into a burner at Bouddhanath stupa in Bouddhanath, Kathmandu, Nepal on January 23, 2020.
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![Men weld Buddha statues in Lalitpur, Nepal on January 22, 2020.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/1b307085-5d40-4531-923a-5e5e9fe477c1/0/0/0/0,0,1800,1200,1800,1200/0-0-0/73ed4596-3243-4447-992c-ab2119927421/1/1/05_IMG_2806_JPG.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037607153~hmac=5c7c6ecb8b739498db57c3abe593d869f12a0cdee175769d13f7636663f4c999)
Men weld Buddha statues in Lalitpur, Nepal on January 22, 2020.
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![Men carve Buddha statues in Lalitpur, Nepal on January 21, 2020.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/1b307085-5d40-4531-923a-5e5e9fe477c1/0/0/0/0,0,1801,1200,1801,1200/0-0-0/25139af9-1b6f-49a3-92be-d3d7cdf7f1a5/1/1/06_IMG_2155_JPG.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037607153~hmac=0c89cf6d53369264cd1a406b6490b902f0e9df6b06421cdbcb7ecc9ecc945f2e)
Men carve Buddha statues in Lalitpur, Nepal on January 21, 2020.
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![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/1b307085-5d40-4531-923a-5e5e9fe477c1/0/0/0/0,0,1200,1328,1600,1328/0-0-0/76325d3a-77ba-4696-b9fc-87387ddc0aa0/1/1/07_IMG_3084_JPG.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037607153~hmac=c22d049346772af8945a75b9fb2f664187f0461c2e0ffe764743ce1940513a87)
A Buddhist monk consecrates a statue of Buddha in Brooklyn, NY.
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![Gravesite at Okunoin Cemetery, Koyasan, Japan on April 4, 2019.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/1b307085-5d40-4531-923a-5e5e9fe477c1/0/0/0/0,0,1801,1200,1801,1200/0-0-0/fd48e118-70fe-4cf5-9327-26c903d53289/1/1/08_IMG_4402_JPG.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037607153~hmac=0c89cf6d53369264cd1a406b6490b902f0e9df6b06421cdbcb7ecc9ecc945f2e)
Gravesite at Okunoin Cemetery, Koyasan, Japan on April 4, 2019.
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![Monks carry the morning food offering to Kobo Daishi at Okunoin Cemetery, Koyasan, Japan on April 4, 2019.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/1b307085-5d40-4531-923a-5e5e9fe477c1/0/0/0/0,0,1800,1200,1800,1200/0-0-0/3c08e4d1-2d9e-4686-ae80-675e1fb71273/1/1/09_IMG_4321_JPG.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037607153~hmac=5c7c6ecb8b739498db57c3abe593d869f12a0cdee175769d13f7636663f4c999)
Monks carry the morning food offering to Kobo Daishi at Okunoin Cemetery, Koyasan, Japan on April 4, 2019.
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![A monk takes a dawn ritual bath in a stream at Okunoin Cemetery, Koyasan, Japan on April 4, 2019. The ambient air temperature is below freezing.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/1b307085-5d40-4531-923a-5e5e9fe477c1/0/0/0/0,0,1800,1200,1800,1200/0-0-0/1889b411-d7e2-46a0-a58f-63c6bdf6fcd3/1/1/09_5_IMG_4303_JPG.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037607153~hmac=5c7c6ecb8b739498db57c3abe593d869f12a0cdee175769d13f7636663f4c999)
A monk takes a dawn ritual bath in a stream at Okunoin Cemetery, Koyasan, Japan on April 4, 2019. The ambient air temperature is below freezing.
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![A novice monk in Mandalay, Myanmar/Burma.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/1b307085-5d40-4531-923a-5e5e9fe477c1/0/0/0/0,0,967,1801,1600,1801/0-0-0/ae7fcb36-8992-48d2-932e-3655c22b5cf3/1/1/12_IMG_3368_JPG.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037607153~hmac=9e55f124f6947f7166bb22881a906d8652c68087bcb0b3215e9a4f12243a163e)
A novice monk in Mandalay, Myanmar/Burma.
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