- UCLA Center for Buddhist Studies

Woman praying in front of the Jhokang (Photo: Lyle Vincent, cropped) CC BY-ND 2.0

Welcome

The UCLA Center for Buddhist Studies trains scholars and educates members of the broader community about Buddhist religion and culture in all of their diversity. Among U.S. universities, only UCLA aspires to cover all of the major traditions in this world religion.

Upcoming Events

1/21/2026
4-5:30pm

A Tattered Leaf Covers the Torn: Class Dynamics of Buddhist Charity in Vietnam

Professor Sara Ann Swenson (Dartmouth College) presents new research on how global trends in humanitarianism are enacted at the local level through the everyday ethics and informal practices of low-income and middle-class Buddhist volunteers in Vietnam.

Recent Events

10/16/2025
2-3:15pm

A Buddha Descends

Talk by Prof. Scott Pearce, Western Washington University.

6/5/2025
9-11am

Chinese Exclusion 2.0?: An Online Teach-In on Visa Revocations and What it Means for Chinese Students and the U.S.

Webinar

News

Honoring the Life and Legacy of Ms. Kyung Ki (Cindy) Min

The Center for Buddhist Studies announces with sadness the passing of Ms. Kyung Ki (Cindy) Min, a dedicated community member and benefactor. Her endowed scholarships, established in 2021 and 2023, ensure lasting support for students studying Buddhism in the Korean tradition.
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In Memoriam: Diego Loukota, ‘Once-in-a-Generation' Intellect

Diego Loukota, a UCLA specialist in Indian and Central Asian Buddhism and assistant professor of Asian languages and cultures, died on March 17, 2024. He was 38 years old.
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