The first American to be ordained a Tibetan Monk by the Dalai Lama, Robert A.F. Thurman is a scholar, author and tireless proponent of peace.

Sometimes called the "happiest man in the world," Matthieu Ricard is a Buddhist monk, author and photographer.

His Holiness the Karmapa talks about how he was discovered to be the reincarnation of a revered figure in Tibetan Buddhism. In telling his story, he urges us to work on not just technology and design, but the technology and design of the heart. He is translated onstage by Tyler Dewar.

How do we explain the unexplainable? This question has inspired numerous myths, religious practices and scientific inquiries. But Zen Buddhists practicing throughout China from the 9th to 13th century asked a different question – why do we need an explanation? Puqun Li details the bewildering and ambiguous philosophical thought experiments these...

Chip Conley disrupted the hospitality industry — twice.

Many of us typically disengage or even double down on our beliefs when we encounter opinions at odds with our own. Our biases tell us we have all the answers but, according to psychology grad Cecilia Guan, this mentality only stifles the marketplace of ideas. Combining Zen Buddhist practices with psychological concepts, Guan suggests fostering o...

Mindfulness expert Andy Puddicombe wants to make meditation accessible to everybody: for a happier, healthier you.

Known for her compassionate work with the terminally ill, Joan Halifax is a driving force of socially engaged Buddhism.

In our hyperlinked world, we can know anything, anytime. And this mass enlightenment, says Buddhist scholar Bob Thurman, is our first step toward Buddha nature.

Buddhist roshi Joan Halifax works with people at the last stage of life (in hospice and on death row). She shares what she's learned about compassion in the face of death and dying, and a deep insight into the nature of empathy.

For as many people as there are on Earth, there are as many answers to the question: Are you there, God? These talks offer a spectrum of personal perspectives on faith, from ardent atheists to devout believers.

Sanford Biggers creates art that upends traditional narratives about topics ranging from hip hop to Buddhism to American history.

Ogyen Trinley Dorje is the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, a revered figure in Tibetan Buddhism devoted to preserving and propagating Buddhist teachings.

Sister True Dedication is a Zen Buddhist nun ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh, the editor of several of his books and a leading voice in a new generation of young monastics.

When the dotcom bubble burst, hotelier Chip Conley went in search of a business model based on happiness. In an old friendship with an employee and in the wisdom of a Buddhist king, he learned that success comes from what you count.

Every moment of movement is a chance to become more aware of yourself and the world around you, says Zen Buddhist nun Sister True Dedication. Guiding us through the art of "mindful walking," she shares three essential questions to ask yourself to awaken your strength, build resilience and discover your inner peace.

When is the last time you did absolutely nothing for 10 whole minutes? Not texting, talking or even thinking? Mindfulness expert Andy Puddicombe describes the transformative power of doing just that: Refreshing your mind for 10 minutes a day, simply by being mindful and experiencing the present moment. (No need for incense or sitting in uncomfor...

Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche presents the ancient wisdom of Tibet in a fresh, engaging manner.

What is happiness, and how can we all get some? Biochemist turned Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard says we can train our minds in habits of well-being, to generate a true sense of serenity and fulfillment.

JayaShri Maathaa is a spiritual teacher and leader.

About this event: Lampwick carries the flame. It represents the light, the sudden burst of genius ideas, as well as the flame that yearns to be kindled. In Buddhism, lampwick also stands for the true intention of every matter. While lampwick only exists in history in the century of technology, it still lives in our heart, helping us searching for brightness. C...

Conceptual artist and TED Fellow Sanford Biggers uses painting, sculpture, video and performance to spark challenging conversations about the history and trauma of black America. Join him as he details two compelling works and shares the motivation behind his art. "Only through more thoughtful dialogue about history and race can we evolve as ind...

Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk, meditates and writes on "the gentle power" of gratefulness.

The TED Prize's Charter for Compassion reached Pope Benedict XVII this week, just days before the Pope announced to the world that he would be resigning. A plaque engraved with the Charter was presented to the Pope on Wednesday in Vatican City by TED's European director, Bruno Giussani. The meeting, pictured above, took place on the margins of t...

About this event: TEDxBinghamtonUniversity brings together speakers from our campus and around the country to discuss a wide variety of topics with the students and faculty on our campus. With speakers from the areas of music, art, technology, buddhism, international affairs, and history, we are looking forward to displaying a diverse set of ideas to the audienc...

On the final day of TED2015, Curator Chris Anderson reveals an exclusive video conversation between him and his Holiness the Dalai Lama, filmed in Vancouver in October 2014. In their talk, the Dalai Lama speaks about two kinds of happiness, how all humans can coexist, and the cooperation between science and Buddhism. And most important, that...

By Susan Zimmerman David Steindl-Rast has the honor of closing this year’s TEDGlobal. The Benedictine monk, whose words made an appearance in Louie Schwartzberg’s classic talk “Nature. Beauty. Gratitude,” is known for bridging Catholicism and Buddhism. In the book The Ground We Share, he reveals that the key to both faiths, when you boil ...

About this event: Christmas is approaching and we are entering the phase of love, kindness and altruism. But what is altruism? Put simply, it’s the wish that other people may be happy. And, says Matthieu Ricard, a happiness researcher and a Buddhist monk, altruism is also a great lens for making decisions, both for the short and long term, in work and in life. In...

Jimmy Nelson has gone all over the earth to photograph native peoples at their proudest moments and to show you their soul. “This is us at our best” -- that’s the caption that could hover over these images from Dutch photographer Jimmy Nelson (TED talk: Gorgeous portraits of the world’s vanishing people), who works to put the world’s peoples an...

“This intellectual forum started in 1984, bringing together people from three different industries, hence its 3-letter name.” This was the Final Jeopardy! prompt on January 1, 2014 -- on the very first episode of the new year. The answer, of course: What is TED. Taryn Simon (watch her two TED Talks) has a new exhibit, “Birds of the West Indie...