CIA/ISI's Taliban blew up Bamiyan Buddhas

(The Liberator) They blew up Buddha statues...and proved Buddhism right

• ISI: Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan
• CIA: Central Intelligence Agency (multinational, mostly serving Israel while stationed in USA)
• Buddhas of Bamiyan
• Buddhism in Afghanistan
• Buddhism in Central Asia
• The Scythians (or Sakas)

The blue 'Medicine Buddha' - Healer

WATCH NOW: The MEDICINE BUDDHA: Buddhism's Forgotten Healer | Bhaisajyaguru

The MEDICINE BUDDHA: Buddhism's Forgotten Healer | Bhaisajyaguru

(Buddha's Wisdom) March 4th, 2026: #MedicineBuddha #Buddhism #BuddhistHealing 🔍 THE MEDICINE BUDDHA HEALS WITHOUT CURING — AND HERE'S WHY:

The Medicine Buddha (BhaisajyaGuru) is one of the most fascinating figures in Mahāyāna Buddhism: a blue-skinned buddha associated with healing, compassion, and the Pure Land of Lapis Lazuli (a beautiful blue Afghan gemstone).

 

But if Buddhism teaches impermanence, non-self (anattā), and detachment from the body, why does it include a buddha devoted to curing illness?

This video explores the history, philosophy, and psychological depth behind Bhaiṣajyaguru...and what Buddhist healing really means.

This is the story of how Buddhism's "doctor who prescribes enlightenment" challenges everything we think we know about healing, suffering, and what it means to be broken.

📿 DISCOVER:

• Why Medicine Buddha's 12 vows made him Buddhism's most controversial figure
• How 8th-century Buddhist monasteries became the world's first integrated healthcare systems
• The blind Chinese Buddhist monk who taught healing despite losing his sight
• Why Tibetan, Japanese, and Chinese Buddhists practice Medicine Buddha in completely different ways
• What modern science reveals about meditation, stress, and the mind-body connection.

⏳ TIMESTAMPS:

• 00:00 The blue-skinned god that shouldn't exist
• 02:32 The twelve vows that changed Buddhism
• 08:55 When temples became clinics
• 14:55 The disease behind the disease
• 21:22 Three Buddhas, one Truth
• 30:51 The cure that isn't

🙏 If this exploration of Buddhism's healing paradox opens eyes to a deeper truth, subscribe to Buddha's Wisdom for videos that bridge ancient Buddhist teachings with modern questions. Hit the bell icon to catch this journey into Buddhism's most fascinating mysteries. 📱 Join a community: Instagram: / buddhaswizdom Facebook: / buddhaswizdom X: https://x.com/BuddhasWizdom Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ndnBU5... TikTok: / buddhas.wisdom ☕ Support the channel: https://buymeacoffee.com/buddhaswisdom

#MedicineBuddha #Buddhism #BuddhistHealing #Bhaisajyaguru #BuddhismExplained #BuddhistPhilosophy #TibetanBuddhism #MahayanaBuddhism #AncientMedicine #BuddhistPractice #Enlightenment #Bodhisattva #Anatta #PureLand #Bhaisajyaguru

📚 SOURCES AND FURTHER READING:

• Primary Buddhist Texts: Bhaiṣajyaguru-vaiḍūrya-prabhā-rāja Sūtra (Medicine Buddha Sutra)
• Vinaya Piṭaka (Monastic Disciplinary Code)
• Dhammapada (Imprint of the Buddha's Teachings)
• Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path
• Madhyamaka Philosophy (Nāgārjuna)
• Yogācāra texts (Vasubandhu)

Historical Sources:

• "The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions" by Xuanzang (7th century) amzn.to/4b3eCYP
• Records of Jianzhen's journey to Japan (735-763 CE) Tōdai-ji Temple archives (Nara, Japan)
• Tang Dynasty medical records Tibetan Gyushi (Four Medical Tantras)
• Archaeological findings from Bamiyan and Gandhāra

Modern Scholarly Works:

• "The Healing Buddha" by Raoul Birnbaum amzn.to/4r5YNqp
• "Buddhism and Medicine: An Anthology of Premodern Sources" edited by C. Pierce Salguero amzn.to/4ct4ivS
• "Tibetan Medicine in the Contemporary World" by Laurent Pordié amzn.to/4rQuAwU
• Studies on placebo effect and meditation (Harvard Medical School, NIH research)
• Research on mindfulness and pain management Neuroscience studies on visualization practices

Related Academic Resources:

• Journal of Buddhist-Christian Studies Buddhist-Christian Studies journal articles on Medicine Buddha
• Contemporary research on Buddhist medical ethics
• Cross-cultural studies of Medicine Buddha practice

⚡ In a world obsessed with curing the body, Medicine Buddha asks a deeper question: If there is no permanent self…who is being healed? [Ugh, the momentarily dependently arisen "self" (atman, atta)?]

DISCLAIMER: This video is for educational purposes. Medicine Buddha practice is a spiritual/meditative practice and should not replace professional medical care. Always consult qualified healthcare providers for medical conditions.

American gal motorbikes into Afghanistan

(Itchy Boots) Entering Afghanistan under Taliban rule

1,000 hidden Buddhist caves of Tibet

The oldest religious center of Tibet: A hidden world travelers have never seen, still used by monks

Tibet Travel (Tibet Vista) Oct 16, 2025: This is Jamyang from Tibet Vista, the leading Tibetan local travel agency since 1984. This video goes on a journey to three amazing places in Tibet.

• First, a hidden gem that most travelers have never seen—the religious center of the Guge Kingdom (Tholing Monastery?)
• Second, the sacred and breathtaking Manasarovar Lake
• Third, Purang County, the only place where Nepalese and Tibetans live together.

Let’s see all three places in detail so viewers can get a true sense of them and plan their future tours of Tibet.

(Living in China) Dunhuang, Western China, desert Silk Road crossroads

Dunhuang Caves, Mogao Caves, Silk Road transmission of Buddhism 

Any questions about Tibet or tours? Do not hesitate to ask. Jamyang is always happy to help. Email: jamyangtour@gmail.com. Website: tibettravel.org. Facebook: tibetvista.

Explore Buddhist Afghanistan by motorcycle

Afghanistan the media won't show us 🇦🇫🏳️

Where in the world is Afghanistan? It's next to Hindustan (India) and Pakistan, Central Asia

These are the white, Caucasian, Central Asian people America destroyed in their longest war?

It's a mellow ride in the foothills of Central Asia

(Matt Shoe) Sept. 27, 2025: Afghanistan, Central Asia [formerly ancient Buddhist Gandhara, Saka-stan, Shakyā Land, Scythia, the real Kapilavastu, in the foothills of the Hindu Kush, part of the Himalayan Range] is one of the most misunderstood countries in the world.

The Monks of the Mines (National Geographic)

After decades of war brought on by empires (British, Russian, American, Chinese) and negative media coverage (US propaganda), most adventure travelers wouldn’t even dream of coming here.

[What is there to see in the Buddha's hometown?]

Who are the Hazara people?

But today, I [a Lithuanian from the EU] set out to show a different side of this country – the beauty, the hospitality, and the raw reality of life in Afghanistan today.

Riding my motorcycle from Kabul to the legendary Bamiyan Valley and the pristine waters of Band-e Amir Lakes, I’ll ride through breathtaking landscapes, ancient history, and powerful human encounters.

(Historian Dr. Ranajit Pal)

Along the way, I meet a beekeeper who shares his honey, almonds, and hospitality, explore the ruins of the ancient and massive Bamiyan Buddhas destroyed by the [CIA-ISI's] Taliban, share food with families living in caves Buddhist monastics carved out and occupied around the time of the Buddha and for centuries thereafter, and witness the extreme poverty that 40 years of war has left behind.

Band-e Amir Lake, Bamiyan, Afghanistan

Finally, I reach Band-e Amir National Park – home to one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, crystal clear and surrounded by dramatic canyons.

This is Afghanistan as never seen before: raw, real, and unforgettable. Keep exploring! 🌍✌️

• Buddhism in Afghanistan
• Greco-Buddhism in the Hellenistic Far East

Trump: It's time to re-invade

(Secular Talk) CIA controls Pres. Trump, who does what he's told

My e-Books: Guides: mattshoe.travel/guides: ⚠️ Afghanistan Travel Guide. Follow on Instagram: themattshoe. Facebook: mattshoeyoutube. TikTok: mattshoetravel. Business enquires: contact@mattshoe.travel.

• Matt Shoe, Sept. 27, 2025; Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Buddhist Bamiyan, Afghanistan, today

Will the Taliban bring the Buddhas of Bamiyan back to formerly Buddhist Afghanistan?

[CIA-ISI's] Taliban destroyed a 2,000-year-old wonder of Afghanistan 🇦🇫

.

Note big man near right foot.

(Matt Shoe) Sept. 13, 2025: ⚠️ [Lithuanian Matt Shoe hits the road in Central Asia , ancient Gandhara, where the Buddha was born, Saka Land or Kapilavastu, for an adventure.] I begin my journey in front of the legendary Buddha statues of Bamiyan, Afghanistan — the ones destroyed by the [CIA and ISI-created] Taliban in 2001.

I break down the real story behind the destruction, separating myth from truth, and explaining how political motives — not religious extremism — led to the tragic demolition of these ancient marvels [which Madame Blavatsky claimed were far older than two millennia].

How to eat in Muslim Afghanistan

(Matt Shoe) 24 Hours of Eating in Afghanistan 🏳️🇦🇫, gluten, dead meat

Matt Shoe — Travel Content Creator

🕳️ Then, I venture deep into the surrounding Buddhist monastic caves carved into the Bamiyan cliffs — ancient Buddhist monasteries (viharas) — guided by a group of curious local Afghan kids.

The history etched into these walls is as haunting as it is beautiful. [This is the site of the world's oldest oil paintings.] 📜 I then reveal a lesser-known truth: The Taliban is actually considering rebuilding the Bamiyan Buddhas. Is it be a shift in ideology or a strategic political move?

🍽️ From there, I head into the town of Bamiyan to explore local Afghan cuisine — sampling some must-try dishes that reflect the heart of the Hazara culture.

American guy pulls up in American muscle car like Billie Eilish's on his way to go camping.

Where Siddhartha swam? Bamiyan Province

💦 The journey continues to [the Himalayan lakes of the Hindu Kush near Bamiyan called] Band-e Amir, Afghanistan’s first national park — a surreal set of turquoise lakes surrounded by towering cliffs.

Around the world in a purple muscle car?

Here, I meet Keith, an adventurous soul driving a purple American muscle car around the world. We join forces and go camping together in the Afghan wilderness.

(Sinclairs Search) Crossing Kazakhstan Desert in a muscle car

The Buddha's from Bamiyan

⚔️ In a twist few would expect, we encounter the legendary Taliban — not in conflict, but in conversation. They show us their weapons, speak openly about Islam, and offer insight into their worldview. It’s a raw, complex moment that challenges many stereotypes and headlines.

🏳️ Sinclairs (Keith the Muscle Car Guy) YouTube: ‪@sinclairs_search. Sinclairs Instagram: @sinclaires_search. My e-Books: Guides: mattshoe.travel/guides. Follow: Instagram: themattshoe. Facebook: mattshoeyoutube. TikTok: mattshoetravel. Business enquires: contact@mattshoe.travel.

• Matt Shoe, Sept. 13, 2025, and Keith (Sinclairs Search); Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Pfc. Sandoval (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

US backed sex-trafficking in Afghanistan

Bacha bazi ("boy play") is homosexual rape, prostitution, and sex trafficking of "dancing boys" among Central Asian men, particularly Pashtun warlords, which was protected and promoted by the US military. While claiming not to want to interfere with cultural practices, some members of the US military were actually promoting and profiting from the deplorable practice.

• 'Dancing Boys of Afghanistan': Bacha bazi documentary exposes horrific sexual abuse of young Afghan boys (VIDEO) | HuffPost The World Post
• The Fort Bragg Cartel: Drug Trafficking and Murder in the [U.S.] Special Forces (Audible) by Seth Harp, Dan John Miller (Penguin)

Vet EXPOSES US-backed sex-trafficking in Afghanistan

Fort Bragg Cartel (Seth Harp)

(Katie Halper) Sept. 11, 2025: Journalist Seth Harp talks about his hit book, which has just been picked up by HBO, investigating the American drug cartels and a string of murders plaguing the glorious and patriotic Fort Bragg U.S. Army military installation in North Carolina.

Harp discusses his own time in the U.S. military as well as what he saw in Ukraine. To see the full discussion, join on Patreon (patreon-full-dr-138556252).

• 00:00 The structural context that allowed for these crimes to be committed and Afghani heroin to flood the earth
• 02:15 They’re trying to pretend that Venezuela is a cartel?
• 03:25 The special forces don’t need money, individuals within it are trafficking drugs
• 04:15 The history of child sex trafficking being openly tolerated by the United States in Afghanistan
• 08:15 Soldiers punished for beating child molesters
• 09:23 Why didn’t the US do something about these child sex rings?
• Bacha Bazi: The Lesbian Subversives of Iran (video)

Trump: The Left did this! (Oops, sorry)

(Democracy Now) Trump is weaponizing murder of Charlie Kirk to go after the Left: Mehdi Hasan

• The last person to question Charlie Kirk (Hunter Kozak) describes the moment as 'visceral' - ABC News
• The last person to question Charlie Kirk (The NY Times)

(DemocracyNow.org) World Headlines for Sept. 12, 2025

ABOUT: Seth Harp is an investigative reporter and foreign correspondent who writes about the intersection of armed conflict and organized crime in the U.S. A contributing editor at Rolling Stone, he has reported from countries including Iraq, Syria, Mexico, Ukraine, and elsewhere for Harper’s, the New Yorker, The Intercept, and Columbia Journalism Review. He has also written for the New York Times and the Texas Observer. He is currently working on a book for Viking Press about drug-trafficking in and by the U.S. Army Special Forces and a series of unsolved murders at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Before becoming a journalist, Harp practiced law for five years and was an Assistant Attorney General for the state of Texas. During college and law school, he served in the U.S. Army Reserve and did one tour of duty in Iraq. He lives in Austin, Texas, where he was born and raised.

Support The Katie Halper Show: For bonus content, exclusive interviews, to support independent media, and to help make this program possible, please join on Patreon: thekatiehalpershow. Get Katie Halper Show merch: katiehalper.myspreadshop.com/all. Follow on Twitter (x.com/kthalps) Instagram (kthalps), TikTok (kthalps). 🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount. 😍 streamyard.com/pal/d/49060306...

Turn on, tune in, drop out: The Hippie Trail

The Hippie Trail: The Story of the Original Travel Influencers

Our quest will take us high up to the very top

(Alive & Curious) Who were the original travel influencers? This is the story of the Hippie Trail, the ultimate road trip of the 1960s and 70s, a countercultural odyssey that saw free-spirited travelers journeying overland from the U.S. and Europe to Asia in search of enlightenment and adventure.

The journey usually began in Western cities like London, Amsterdam, and West Berlin (with plenty others coming from New York and Los Angeles, San Francisco and New Jersey) before weaving through Istanbul and venturing into Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and finally Freak Street in Nepal.

• 00:00 Introduction
• 00:52 What started the Hippie Trail?
• 04:01 The Hippie Trail routes
• 09:49 Modes of Transport
• 11:01 The Loney Planet story
• 12:53 Drug use and psychedelic rock music
• 13:22 Charles Sobhraj
• 14:21 Why did the Hippie Trail end

Natural class of drugs

Like new the Silk Road for Western Seekers

Entheogens are mind-expanding drugs that are capable of bringing out the divine that resides within. More than mere drugs and far from pharmaceuticals, these natural substances (like DMT, bufo, magic mushrooms, a fungus synthesized as LSD, harmaline, and even cannabis in some uses) may have been the lure -- along with the promise of "free love" -- of the Hippie Trail:

The Hippie Trail: West to East

Bamiyan was a destination the CIA/ISI blew up

The Hippie Trail (or Overland) was a land journey taken by members of the hippie subculture and others from the mid-1950s, all through the 1960s, to the late 1970s [2], travelling from Europe and West Asia through South Asia via countries such as

• Formerly Buddhist Afghanistan (ancient Gandhara, particularly the fabled hometown of the Buddha, Bamiyan),
• Pakistan [3],
• India,
• Nepal,
• Sri Lanka,
• Bangladesh to
• Thailand.

American hippies ruined by Pres. Dick Nixon

The Hippie Trail was a form of alternative (sometimes spiritual) tourism. One of the key elements was travelling as cheaply as possible (on a shoestring, with a knapsack, rucksack, or backpack and a big thumb), mainly to extend the length of time away from home.

Pres. Dick Nixon killed Freak St.

This is part of the trail that started in the U.S.

The term "hippie" became current in the mid-to-late 1960s; "beatnik" (BG) was the previous term from the later 1950s, when everyone was reading Jack Kerouac's Buddhism-infused The Dharma Bums.

• American Buddhist Beat Poet Jack Kerouac

At every major stop of the Hippie Trail, there were cheap hotels, cozy restaurants, and far out cafés for Westerners, who networked with each other as they travelled West and East.

These hippies tended to interact more with the local population than traditional sightseers did [1], really wanting to experience each location fully.

Pink Floyd starring in Dune (Jodorowsky)

Old Freak Street, Kathmandu, Nepal

The Hippie Trail largely ended in the late 1970s primarily due to both the Iranian Revolution resulting in an anti-Western government, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, closing the route to Western travelers [4, 5, 1, 6].

Nowadays, a handful of overlanders, van-dwellers, and adventure travelers follow roughly the route of the old Hippie Trail [7, 8] -- destination Freak Street (Jhochhen Tole). More

The Beatles destinations Pink Floyd Jimmi Hendrix The Pudding Shop Istanbul the Lale Restaurant Magic Bus Company Goa Volkswagen Kombi VW Combi Van Travel in 1960s Travel in 1970s Role of Psychedelic Music The Bikini Killer Serpent Bangkok Drug Tourism Rishikesh Ashram The Who

• Lunar.latitude (IG), Aliveandcurious, YouTube, Dec. 15, 2024; Dhr. Seven, Pat Macpherson, Amber Larson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly Wiki edit

History of Afghan Bamiyan Buddhas

Westerners visit Afghanistan, marvel at its ancient Buddhist past (Morse Collection/Gado/Getty)

.

The History of Afghanistan's Bamiyan Buddhas

Redhaired giants surviving in nearby Kandahar

The two colossal Bamiyan Buddhas stood as arguably the most important archeological site in Afghanistan for well over 1,000 years. They were the largest standing Buddha figures in the world.

Then, in a matter of days in the spring of 2001, members of the Taliban [urged on by the CIA and Pakistan's ISI] destroyed the images carved into a cliff face in the Bamiyan Valley. What comes next for Bamiyan?

• Buddhism in Afghanistan (Gandhara)

Big man stands at foot of statue

The smaller Buddha stood about 125 feet (38 meters) tall. It is thought to have been carved from the mountainside around 550 CE, according to radiocarbon dating [of organic matter, which seems very unreliable and based on the assumption that any portion of it is when it was all built].

To the east, the larger Buddha stood some 180 feet (55 meters) high, and was [thought to have been] carved a bit later, likely around 615 CE.

Each Buddha stood in a niche, attached to the back wall along their robes, but with free-standing feet and legs so pilgrims could circumambulate them.

Gandhara Greco-Buddhist art

The stone cores of the statues were originally covered with clay then with a brightly covered clay slip. When the region was actively Buddhist [by the Hazara tribe and earlier the Scythians/Indo-Sakas/Shakyians], visitors' reports suggest that at least the smaller Buddha was decorated with gemstones and enough bronze plating to make it seem as if it were made entirely of bronze or gold, rather than stone and clay.

Both faces were likely rendered in clay attached to wooden scaffolding; the blank, featureless stone core underneath was all that remained by the 19th century, giving the Bamiyan Buddhas an unsettling appearance to foreign travelers who encountered them.

The Buddhas appear to have been the work of the Gandhara civilization, showing some Greco-Roman artistic influence in the clinging drape of the [toga like] monastic robes.

Small cave niches around the statues hosted pilgrims and monastics; many of them feature brightly-painted wall and ceiling oil painted art, illustrating scenes from the life and teachings of the historical Buddha.

In addition to the two tall standing figures, numerous smaller seated Buddhas are carved into the cliff.

In 2008, archeologists rediscovered a buried reclining Buddha figure, 62 feet (19 meters) long, at the foot of the mountainside.

• Cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the Bamiyan Valley (UNESCO World Heritage Centre)
• PHOTO GALLERY (UNESCO World Heritage Centre)

The Bamiyan region remained predominantly Buddhist up until the 9th century. Islam gradually displaced Buddhism in the area because it offered easier trading relations with surrounding Muslim states.

Hazaras relocated to Pakistan

In 1221, Genghis Khan invaded the Bamiyan Valley, wiping out the population, but leaving the Buddhas undamaged. Genetic testing confirms that the Hazara people who now live in Bamiyan are descended from the Mongols.

Most Muslim rulers and travelers in the area either expressed wonder at the statues or paid them little heed. For example, Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire, passed through the Bamiyan Valley in 1506-7 but did not even mention the Buddhas in his journal.

Band-e Amir National Park, Afghanistan (Wiki)

The later Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (r. 1658-1707) reportedly tried to destroy the Buddhas using artillery; he was famously conservative, and even banned music during his reign, in a foreshadowing of Taliban rule. Aurangzeb's reaction was the exception, however, not the rule among Muslim observers of the Bamiyan Buddhas. More

• Archaeologists find giant 'sleeping' [reclining] Buddha in Afghanistan
• Kallie Szczepanski, May 23, 2018 (Thoughtco.com, The History of Afghanistan's Bamiyan Buddhas); Amber Larson and Dhr. Seven, Pfc. Sandoval (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly