Wat Suandok, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Taktshang Goemba (Tiger's Nest) Monastery, Paro, Bhutan, Asia

Derlong Red Sect monastery, Jigzhi, Qinghai, China, Asia

Famous painting indicating the way to Nirvana, Simtokha Dzong, Bhutan, Asia

Drummers at Devil Dances, Tibetan Yellow Hat Sect, Guomarr Monastery, Qinghai, China, Asia

Young monks, Shweyanpyay monastery, Inle Lake, Shan State, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Monk in front of the Buddhist monastery on Mount Popa, Myanmar, Asia

Paro Dzong, Paro, Bhutan, Asia

Tashilumpo Monastery, the residence of the Chinese appointed Panchat Lama, Tibet, China, Asia

Wat Phra Thong, Phuket, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Thimpu Dzong, Thimpu, Bhutan, Asia

Door, Hemis gompa (monastery), Hemis, Ladakh, Indian Himalaya, India, Asia

Samye monastery, Tibet, China, Asia

Famous painting indicating the way to Nirvana, Simtokha Dzong, Bhutan, Asia

Entrance to the assembly hall at Sera Monastery, Lhasa, Tibet, China, Asia

Painting in Trongsa Dzong, Trongsa, Bhutan, Asia.

Ganden Monastery, near Lhasa, Tibet, China, Asia

Monks leaving Wat Phra Singh to collect alms, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia

Punakha Dzong, Punakha, Bhutan, Asia

Courtyard of the monastery of Likir, Ladakh, India, Asia

Tashigang Dzong, Bhutan, Asia

Old man and prayer wheel, Kopan Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Taktshang Goemba (Tiger's Nest) Monastery, Paro, Bhutan, Asia

Procession in monastery courtyard with monk musicians wearing masks blowing traditional horns, Hemis Festival, Hemis, Ladakh, India, Asia

Entrance gate and main building, Kee Gompa, Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India, Asia

Group of monks in wooden masks and traditional costumes in procession in the monastery courtyard, Hemis Festival, Hemis, Ladakh, India, Asia

Monks with mobile phones, Xiahe monastery, Xiahe, Gansu, China, Asia

Repentance ceremony, Fokuangshan monastery, Kaohsiung area, Taiwan, Republic of China, Asia

Punakha Dzong, Bhutan, Asia

Young Buddhist monks at window, Gangte Goempa, Bhutan, Asia

Novice monk, Buddhist monastery, Hsipaw area, Shan State, Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Buddhist monastery, Lashio area, Shan State, Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Young Buddhist monk in red robes backlit by evening sunlight at the Jakar Dzong, Jakar, Bumthang, Bhutan, Asia

The buildings at Tashilumpo monastery at Xigaze, Tibet, China, Asia

Pilgrims in monastery courtyard,. Sakya, Tibet, China, Asia

Yushu, Qinghai Province, China, Asia

Wat Benjamabophit (Marble Temple), Bangkok, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Prayer wheels in Dhagpo Kagyu Ling Tibetan Buddhist monastery, Saint-Leon sur Vezere, Dordogne, France, Europe

Blowing giant horn at Ganden Monastery, Tibet, China, Asia

Buddhist ceremony, Liberation Rite of Water and Land, Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, Singapore, Southeast Asia, Asia

Trashi Chhoe Dzong, Thimphu, Bhutan, Asia

Selling prayer flags, Ganden Monastery, near Lhasa, Tibet, China, Asia

Young Buddhist monks chatting, Wangdue Phodrang Dzong, Wangdue Phodrang (Wangdi), Bhutan, Asia

Detail of golden plaque of Yamantaka, Doorkeeper of the South, a Tantric Tibetan God, at Erdeni Dzu Monastery at Karakorum, Mongolia, Central Asia, Asia

Trongsa Dzong, Trongsa, Bhutan, Asia

Ganden Monastery, near Lhasa, Tibet, China, Asia

Buddhist festival (Tsechu), Trashi Chhoe Dzong, Thimphu, Bhutan, Asia

Ta Gong Tibetan monastery, Sichuan Province, China, Asia

Close up of a monk dancing in full traditional costume in monastery courtyard, Hemis Festival, Hemis, Ladakh, India, Asia

Shedrub Choekhor Ling monastery, Mont Saleve, Haute-Savoie, France, Europe

Woman on pilgrimage, Ganden Monastery, Tibet, China, Asia

Young monk in Wat Preah Ang Monastery, Siem Reap, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Selling prayer flags, Ganden Monastery, near Lhasa, Tibet, China, Asia

Trongsa Dzong, Trongsa, Bhutan, Asia

Masked dancers at Buddhist monastery, Ura, Bhutan, Asia

Kumbum, Gyantse, Tibet, China, Asia

Sculpture, Kumbum, Gyantse, Tibet, China, Asia

Buddhist ceremony, Kopan Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Exterior steps and entrance to the Tsurpu Buddhist monastery, seat of the Karmapa, at Nenang, Tibet, China, Asia

Monk praying in the monastery, Luang Prabang, Laos, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Sera monastery, Lhasa, Tibet, China, Asia

Fire ritual at chiwang monastery during the mani rimdu festival. these monks circumambulate the pyre after its ignition. one holds a long book wrapped in a felicitous scarf. the purifying fire takes the offering and raises them towards the sky in smoke. the circumambulatory ritual also recalls the way disciples showed respect for the buddhas body. solu khumbu, nepal

Monk beating traditional drum called gong, int he courtyard of chiwang monastery during mani rimdu festival. chiwang monastery, solu khumbu, nepal

A solitary mask dancer appears wearing a frightening mask and silk brocade. they circle the courtyard with sprightly leaps. called protectors of faith, or dharmapdla, the origins of figures like these can be traced back to the pre-aryan peoples of india. originally known as yaksas (literally, a wondrous thing), they were tree spirits, who were accepted by the buddhists as defenders of the faith. in nepal and tibet, as in india, local deities were converted into protectors. a devotee of an alien sect devised a means to humiliate the buddha and his disciples. the buddha discovered it and succeeded in converting him to his teaching. due to lack of wisdom, the buddha remarked, some could not realize the goodness of his disciples and he compared the ignorant to the blind and the wise to those who have eyes.nobody is condemned in buddhism, for greatness is latent even in the seemingly lowliest just as lotuses spring from muddy ponds. -the dhammapada. solu khumbu, nepal

Sang sang rimpoche uses the dorje, a sacred ritual object to make the first decisive cut into the sand mandala on the last day of the mani rimdu festival. chiwang monastery, solu khumbu, nepal. solu khumbu, nepal

Mongolia mongolian pilgrims at gandan monastery, ulaan baatur

Mongolia buddhist monks at gandan monastery, ulaan baatur

Incense urn, Ten Thousand Buddha Monastery Pagoda, a monastery housing over 12800 statues of the Buddha, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China, Asia

Trainee monk, monastery, Inle Lake, Shan State, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Trainee monk, monastery, Inle Lake, Shan State, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Monk, Jumping Cat Monastery, Inle Lake, Shan State, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Cave monastery and monk, on trekking/hiking route, Inle Lake, Shan State, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Monk at foot of staircase, Atumashi monastery, Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Buddhist nuns in front of tergar monastery in maha bodhi temple. Kalachakra initiation in bodhgaya, india

A monk preparing rice in the monastery of Amarapura, close to the U Bein teak bridge, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Mongolia ligthing candles inside migjid janraisig sum temple at gandan monastery, ulaan baatur

In the Amarapura monastery, close to U Bein bridge, monks collecting lunch, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

The world's largest outdoor seated bronze Buddha statue at the Po Lin Monastery, Lantau, Hong Kong, China, Asia

In the Amarapura monastery, close to U Bein bridge, some monks queuing for lunch, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Mongolia buddhist monks at gandan monastery, ulaan baatur

Mongolia pilgrims spinning prayer wheels gandan monastery, ulaan baatur

Mongolia woman and buddhist monks at gandan monastery, ulaan baatur. Main gate

His holiness the 17th gyalwang karmapa banners at tergar monastery in maha bodhi temple. Kalachakra initiation in bodhgaya, india

Detail of lion statue, Ten Thousand Buddha Monastery Pagoda, a monastery housing over 12800 statues of the Buddha, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China, Asia

Mongolia buddhist monks at gandan monastery, ulaan baatur. Main gate

Mongolia buddhist monks using cell phones gandan monastery, ulaan baatur. Main gate

Mongolia old couple, man on cell phone, gandan buddhist monastery and temple, ulaan baatar

Ten Thousand Buddha Monastery Pagoda, a monastery housing over 12800 statues of the Buddha, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China, Asia

Mongolia mongolian pilgrims at gandan monastery, ulaan baatur

Mongolia buddhist monks at gandan monastery, ulaan baatur

Mongolia visitors and buddhist monks, gandan monastery, ulaan baatur. Main gate

A traditional Chinese monastery in Heilongjiang province near Hujifumo, China, Asia

Snow on Buddha statue

Naga staircase, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple of Chiang Mai, Thailand

U Min Thonze Pagoda, Sagaing, near Mandalay, Myanmar, (Burma)

Wall at Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, also known as Shwe Yaunghwe Monastery, Nyaung Shwe, Shan State, Myanmar, (Burma)

Wat Phra Singh temple, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Statues of demons on a Golden Chedi, at the temple of the Emerald Buddha Wat Phra Kaeo, Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand

sculpture and Chedis inside Wat Pho temple, Bangkok, Thailand

Main door of Wat Chedi Luang temple, Chiang Mai, Thailand