# Buddhist Religious Governance A note collecting insights on how Buddhism is governed and administered as an institutional and public phenomenon. It covers forms of monastic organization, state involvement, temple financing, education systems and transnational religious networks. --- ## Entries **17/04/2025**: The [[Center for the Study of Apparent Selves (CSAS)]] is a multidisciplinary research center exploring the ethical and philosophical challenges of artificial intelligence through a Buddhist lens. Its mission is to foster dialogue between Buddhist thought and AI research. The center draws on concepts from artificial life, cognitive science and Buddhist studies. CSAS is funded by the [[Rangjung Yeshe Institute (RYI)]] and the [[John Templeton Foundation]], as part of the Foundation’s _Diverse Intelligences_ program, which investigates the nature and varieties of non-human intelligence. **06/03/2025**: The [[Central Tibetan Administration]] (CTA), based in Dharamsala, India, functions as the political and administrative organization of the Tibetan exile community. Although not recognized as a sovereign government, it oversees Tibetan monasteries, schools, and cultural institutions in exile. Since 2011, political authority has been fully transferred to an elected leader known as the _Sikyong_, while the Dalai Lama—who initiated the transition—remains the supreme spiritual authority of Tibetan Buddhism, with no formal role in the CTA’s governance. **06/03/2025**: The [[Fo Guang Shan]] order, founded in Taiwan in 1967 by Master Hsing Yun, is one of the largest modern Buddhist organizations in the world. It combines monastic training, social service, and global outreach with a corporate-style administrative structure. The order operates hundreds of temples and cultural centers across the globe and runs universities and publishing houses. **06/03/2025**: The [[Buddhist Tzu Chi Charity Foundation]] is an international humanitarian NGO based in Taiwan. Founded in 1966, it operates through a global network of volunteers and staff organized into specialized divisions, including youth, medical, and disaster relief teams. Recognizable by their blue and white uniforms (“blue sky, white clouds”), Tzu Chi provides medical care, psychological support and environmental education, especially in disaster-affected regions. **06/03/2025**: Many Buddhist temples are financed through a combination of lay donations, state subsidies (in some cases), and revenue-generating activities such as cultural events, souvenir sales, or rental of temple space. In Japan, especially within the Jōdo and Nichiren traditions, temples are often run as family institutions, with temple headship passed down hereditarily, and income derived from memorial services, funerals, and ancestral rites. **06/03/2025**: In Theravāda-majority countries such as Thailand, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, Buddhist governance often centers around a state-sanctioned monastic hierarchy. In Thailand, for example, the *Sangha Supreme Council* oversees all monks, temples, and monastic education. The Thai government supports the Sangha financially through a national budget line.