Finding an online broker that genuinely makes a difference is the first step to a long and exciting trading journey. Target Trading is that broker for a lot of people, but what makes it a good choice?

The following review looks for the answers by exploring the key features and functions that make it what it is and putting the platform to the test to see how well it really works.

Before getting into the ins and outs of how things work, here are the must-know details that every potential new user should have.

There are plenty of things to like about Target Trading, but the thing that stands out above the rest is the excellent CFD trading platform. CFD stands for Contracts for Difference and is an alternative to traditional stock trading.

Trading CFDs is a way to (hopefully) benefit from changing share values without actually owning any assets. Target Trading makes the whole thing seem a little more approachable and does a great job of helping people make the most of the opportunities.

It shares helpful tools and techniques backed by strategic support and detailed report tools. Users can streamline their searches by adjusting their parameters based on budget, timeframe, and even risk levels.

Overall, the platform works very well. It is reliable and consistent across various trading portals, and the tools live up to expectations. Occasionally, some of the more substantial reports can be a bit slow to load, but that is the only thing that stands out.

Target Trading goes for an inviting but sophisticated vibe through the design, and it nails it. The only imperfections are extremely minor and are still developing. In general, it looks pretty great and is fairly easy to follow.

Mobile access is always handy to have- especially as a busy trader who is often on the move. Target Trading has a decent mobile app for smartphones and tablets, which does most of the same things as the primary platform. A few things have some ongoing developments, but nothing that stands in the way of making it a useful tool.

It can be downloaded in the relevant app stores for Android and Apple devices. There is no charge, and users should input the same credentials they use to log in on the desktop. Just bear in mind that each account can only log in to one device simultaneously.

Yes, it is. The security protocols live up to industry standards and are taken seriously across the platform. All data is protected by encrypted software- as are all the transactions managed through the platform.

Target Trading is a subscription-based platform. It involves a monthly payment (several options available) and some other costs depending on the account type. Withdrawal fees and commissions are applicable in most cases, but the exact costs vary.

They can- whenever they want to. There is a small fee, which is fairly standard for the industry. Digital wallets and bank transfers are the two possible options- both of which only take minutes to arrange.

It can take up to 24 hours for funds to transfer, although crypto withdrawals are usually faster.

The summary is this: Target Trading is a well-rounded and impressive platform that offers a great range of services and investment opportunities. It is simple enough for beginners to use comfortably- and advanced enough to keep up with the more experienced users.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored marketing content.

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Target Trading Review - Unlocking Universal Investment Options - Startup.info

High River, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - October 19, 2022) - Further to its previous announcement, The Western Investment Company of Canada Limited (TSXV: WI) ("WICC" or "Western") announced today that its investee, Fortress Insurance Company ("Fortress"), has closed a $5.3 million equity financing. The value has increased from that previously expected due to greater demand from our distribution partners and the execution of a significant new partnership agreement.

-Fortress has entered into a strategic partnership with U.S. based Indemnity National Insurance Company ("INIC"). The partnership includes an equity investment of approximately $1.7 million in Fortress by INIC, and a plan to provide Fortress with the resources and expertise to offer specialty surety products in Canadian commercial insurance markets through a comprehensive underwriting and re-insurance agreement. The partnership agreement has received all governance and regulatory approvals and is now operational.

-Fortress closed its $5.3 million equity issuance which includes the INIC investment, with the balance coming from a small group of value-added distribution and business partners who will contribute to the continuing growth and development of Fortress. The subscription price of $1.72 for each share in Fortress represents an approximate 215% premium to Fortress' June 30, 2022 "book value", and a substantial increase from Western's original $0.85 per share investment in 2019.

Upon completion of the financing, WICC and its original investment partners retain a combined majority controlling interest in Fortress.

WICC CEO Scott Tannas provided the following commentary:

"We congratulate Fortress management on the completion of this important transaction. The partnership with INIC will propel Fortress into the specialty surety market in the mining, energy, and natural resource sectors with a financially strong, expert partner. The $5.3 million aggregate investment from INIC and other value-added partners will provide Fortress with capital, capacity, and growth opportunities for years to come."

Story continues

About The Western Investment Company of Canada Limited

WICC is a unique publicly traded, private equity company founded by a group of successful Western Canadian business people, and dedicated to building and maintaining ownership in successful Western Canadian companies, and helping them to grow. Western's shares are traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol WI.

About Fortress Insurance Company

Fortress is a fast-growing property and casualty insurer licenced and operating in Canada's western provinces and Ontario. In addition to being a niche capacity provider in the commercial and residential property insurance market, Fortress is focused on the development and provision of specialty insurance products.

About Indemnity National Insurance Company

AM Best A- ("Excellent") rated, U.S. Treasury listed and licensed across a majority of the United States, INIC's team of professionals focuses on supporting some of the country's most critical industries, with a focus on mining, energy and other specialty areas. Its customers range from large publicly traded Fortune 500 companies to private entrepreneurs, and INIC is committed to providing individualized excellence to every one of them.

For more information on Western, please visit its website at http://www.winv.ca

CONTACT INFORMATION:

The Western Investment Company of Canada Limited Scott Tannas President and Chief Executive Officer (403) 652-2663 stannas@winv.ca

Advisory

This news release may contain certain forward-looking information and statements, including without limitation, statements pertaining to the value of Western's investment in Fortress, and the future plans, and growth of returns from Fortress' insurance business. Statements containing the words: 'believes', 'intends', 'expects', 'plans', 'seeks' and 'anticipates' and any other words of similar meaning are forward-looking. All statements included herein involve various risks and uncertainties because they relate to future events and circumstances beyond Western's control. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. A description of assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in Western's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at http://www.sedar.com. Any forward looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and Western does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/141175

Read more from the original source:
Western Investment Company Affiliate, Fortress Insurance, Closes $5.3 Million Upsized Equity Offering and Signs Strategic Agreement with U.S. Based...

NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pzena Investment Management, Inc. (NYSE: PZN) reported the following U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) basic and diluted net income and earnings per share for the three and nine months ended September30, 2022 and 2021 (in thousands, except per-share amounts):

GAAP diluted net income and GAAP diluted earnings per share were $12.8 million and $0.15, respectively, for the three months ended September30, 2022, and $22.7 million and $0.27, respectively, for the three months ended September30, 2021. GAAP diluted net income and GAAP diluted earnings per share were $39.0 million and $0.45, respectively, for the nine months ended September30, 2022, and $63.6 million and $0.76, respectively, for the nine months ended September30, 2021.

1 Foreign exchange reflects the impact of translating non-U.S. dollar denominated AUM into U.S. dollars for reporting purposes.

Financial Discussion

Revenue was approximately $45.2 million for the third quarter of 2022, a decrease of 7.1% from $48.7 million for the second quarter of 2022 and a decrease of 12.4% from $51.6 million for the third quarter of 2021.

There were $0.6 million of performance fees recognized during the third quarter of 2022, compared to $0.7 million of performance fees recognized during the second quarter of 2022 and less than $0.1 million of performance fees recognized during the third quarter of 2021.

Average assets under management for the third quarter of 2022 were $45.4 billion, decreasing 8.3% from $49.5 billion for the second quarter of 2022, and decreasing 13.4% from $52.4 billion for the third quarter of 2021. The decrease from the second quarter of 2022 and the third quarter of 2021 reflects market depreciation.

The weighted average fee rate was 0.398% for the third quarter of 2022, increasing from 0.393% for the second quarter of 2022, and from 0.394% for the third quarter of 2021.

The weighted average fee rate for separately managed accounts was 0.537% for the third quarter of 2022, increasing from 0.523% for the second quarter of 2022 and remaining relatively flat from 0.534% for the third quarter of 2021. The increase from the second quarter of 2022 primarily reflects a shift in asset mix towards accounts that typically carry higher fee rates.

The weighted average fee rate for sub-advised accounts was 0.293% for the third quarter of 2022, increasing from 0.286% for the second quarter of 2022, and from 0.276% for the third quarter of 2021. The increase from the second of 2022 primarily reflects an increase in assets to certain strategies that typically carry higher fee rates. The increase from the third quarter of 2021 reflects an increase in performance fees recognized during the third quarter of 2022. Certain accounts related to one retail client relationship have fulcrum fee arrangements. These fee arrangements require a reduction in the base fee or allow for a performance fee if the relevant investment strategy underperforms or outperforms, respectively, the agreed-upon benchmark over the contract's measurement period, which extends to three years. During the third quarter of 2022 and the second quarter of 2022, the Company recognized $0.6 million and $0.7 million of performance fees, respectively, related to this client relationship. During the third quarter of 2021, the Company recognized a $1.0 million reduction in base fees related to this client relationship. To the extent the three-year performance record of this account fluctuates relative to its relevant benchmark, the amount of base fees recognized may vary.

The weighted average fee rate for Pzena funds was 0.679% for the third quarter of 2022, increasing from 0.672% for the second quarter of 2022, and decreasing from 0.690% for the third quarter of 2021. The increase from the second quarter of 2022 primarily reflects an increase in assets to certain strategies that typically carry higher fee rates. The decrease from the third quarter of 2021 primarily reflects an increase in expense reimbursements.

Total operating expenses were $27.6 million for the third quarter of 2022, increasing from $24.1 million for the second quarter of 2022, and increasing from $23.2 million for the third quarter of 2021. The increase from the second quarter of 2022 and third quarter of 2021 primarily reflects increases in professional fees associated with the ongoing take private transaction and occupancy costs.

As of September30, 2022, employee headcount was 146, increasing from 142 at June 30, 2022, and from 133 at September30, 2021.

The operating margin was 39.0% for the third quarter of 2022, compared to 50.4% for the second quarter of 2022, and 55.0% for the third quarter of 2021.

Other income/ (expense) was expense of approximately $4.5 million for the third quarter of 2022, expense of $7.6 million for the second quarter of 2022, and income of $0.4 million for the third quarter of 2021.

Other income/ (expense) primarily reflects the fluctuations in the gains/ (losses) and other investment income recognized by the Company on its direct equity investments, the majority of which are held to satisfy obligations under its deferred compensation plan. Other income/ (expense) also includes a portion of gains/ (losses) and other investment income recognized by external investors on their investments in investment partnerships that the Company consolidates, which are offset in net income attributable to non-controlling interests.

1 Represents the non-controlling interest allocation of the (income)/ loss of the Company's consolidated investment partnerships to its external investors.

The Company recognized an income tax benefit of $2.7 million for the third quarter of 2022, compared to income tax expense of $2.5 million for the second quarter of 2022, and $0.1 million for the third quarter of 2021. The third quarter of 2022 income tax benefit reflects a $4.5 million benefit associated with the reversal of uncertain tax position liabilities and interest related to unincorporated and other business tax expenses due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. The third quarter of 2021 income tax benefit reflects $2.5 million of such benefit.

Details of the income tax expense are shown below:

Details of the net income attributable to non-controlling interests of the Company's operating company and consolidated subsidiaries are shown below:

1 Represents the non-controlling interest allocation of the income/ (loss) of the Company's consolidated investment partnerships to its external investors.

Take Private Transaction

On July 26, 2022, Pzena Investment Management announced it entered into a transaction agreement to become a private company. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022, subject to the receipt of requisite approval by PZN stockholders and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. A special meeting of stockholders to vote on the transaction will be held virtually on October 27, 2022, at 10:00 am ET.

Due to the pending transaction, Pzena will not be hosting a conference call in connection with its third quarter financial results.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release may contain, in addition to historical information, forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements provide the Companys current views, expectations, or forecasts of future events and performance, and include statements about our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, intentions, assumptions and other statements that are not historical facts. Words or phrases such as anticipate, believe, continue, ongoing, estimate, expect, intend, may, plan, potential, predict, project or similar words or phrases, or the negatives of those words or phrases, may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical experience or from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic conditions in the markets in which the Company operates; new federal or state governmental regulations; the Company's ability to effectively operate, integrate and leverage any past or future strategic initiatives; statements regarding the previously-announced Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 26, 2022, by and among the Company, Pzena Investment Management, LLC, and Panda Merger Sub, LLC (the "merger") and related matters; the ability to meet expectations regarding the timing and completion of the merger; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement; the failure to obtain Company stockholder approval of the transaction or the failure to satisfy any of the other conditions to the completion of the transaction; risks relating to the financing required to complete the transaction; the effect of the announcement of the transaction on the ability of the Company to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with its customers, vendors and others with whom it does business, or on its operating results and businesses generally; risks associated with the disruption of management's attention from ongoing business operations due to the transaction; significant transaction costs, fees, expenses and charges; the risk of litigation and/or regulatory actions related to the transaction; and other factors detailed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on March 9, 2022 and in the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q as filed with the SEC. In light of these risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and factors, actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date stated, or if no date is stated, as of the date of this release.

The Company is not under any obligation and does not intend to make publicly available any update or other revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances existing after the date of this release or to reflect the occurrence of future events even if experience or future events make it clear that any expected results expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements will not be realized.

PZENA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION(in thousands)

PZENA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.

UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS(in thousands, except share and per-share amounts)

PDF available:http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/5455a7a3-e8b0-4544-95ab-5added0ff127

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Pzena Investment Management, Inc. Reports Results for the Third Quarter of 2022 - GlobeNewswire

Among chipmaker stocks, two of the most popular are Advanced Micro Devices (AMD -1.19%) and Nvidia (NVDA 0.70%). Over the past few years, these stocks have been excellent investments, with each significantly outpacing the broader market.

Unfortunately, the strong performance seen in these two stocks has fallen off a cliff in 2022. Both are trading down 60% for the year. Some investors wonder if they should sell. Other investors might wonder if now is the time to establish a position in these stocks.

Let's dive into what made these two stocks drop, and see if either is worthy of buying and which might be the better buy if both qualify.

AMD and Nvidia are often seen as competitors because their businesses tend to overlap. But each has a few business segments where they don't compete head-to-head.

Nvidia's biggest segment is its GPUs (graphics processing units), although it has some CPUs (central processing units) and software products as well. AMD is a bit more balanced between its GPU and CPU lines, but it also has an embedded-semiconductor segment, thanks to its Xilinx acquisition earlier this year.

Both companies see massive opportunities in the growing use of data centers, and as long as this economic tailwind is blowing, each should benefit. In the second quarter (Nvidia's Q2 ended July 31 and AMD's ended June 30), Nvidia and AMD experienced data center growth of 61% and 83%, respectively.

GPUs are also used to mine cryptocurrencies, and with the crashes of several major currencies, mining these tokens has become unprofitable. That caused the demand for GPUs to plunge, and Nvidia cut the cost of several of its units to ensure inventory didn't pile up as it did during the 2018 cryptocurrency crash.

Both businesses are also involved with the highly cyclical gaming industry, which got Nvidia in trouble in the second quarter. Nvidia posted a 33% drop in gaming sales over last year's total, whereas AMD's gaming sales rose 32% year over year. When I first saw this discrepancy, I thought, "How long can AMD outlast Nvidia in terms of growing its gaming segment?" As it turns out, at least another quarter.

On Oct. 6, AMD previewed its third-quarter earnings to get ahead of what it knew would be a considerable revenue miss. Nvidia did the same thing when it experienced a massive revenue miss in the second quarter; however, the reasons for its miss are different.

AMD expects 45% and 14% growth in data center and gaming, respectively. So AMD doesn't see the same gaming weakness as Nvidia. But where it is seeing pressure is in its client segment. AMD's client products consist of consumer PC processors and GPUs that you'd find at the store, and CEO Lisa Su said in the press release with the announcement, "The PC market weakened significantly in the quarter."

The client segment will post a 40% year-over-year revenue decline in the third quarter, which will significantly affect overall revenue, since the segment accounts for about 18% of AMD's total sales. But overall sales are still expected to rise 29% year over year, despite a $1.1 billion miss. So while AMD had a big miss, it is still solidly growing.

Nvidia is still in its third quarter, so investors must stay on the lookout for a similar preview. But if management makes such an announcement, it likely isn't because it had a blowout quarter. Management expects about $5.9 billion in revenue in the third quarter, which is down 17% year over year. However, analysts believe it will come in lower than this, with the average projection at $5.82 billion in sales.

If you were presented with two companies, one growing at a 30% rate and the other shrinking at a projected 17% rate, which would you choose? I'd expect many investors to choose AMD on this point alone. AMD is also a cheaper stock than Nvidia by a significant margin when it comes to price-to-earnings and price-to-sales ratios.

AMD P/S ratio. Data by YCharts.

While a direct comparison has some caveats (Nvidia's gross margins are 10% to 15% higher than AMD's on average), Nvidia doesn't seem like it should trade at more than double the valuation of AMD (on a price-to-sales ratio).

While I'm usually an Nvidia bull, the stock doesn't reflect enough of the potential bad news, whereas AMD is pretty cheap.

I think AMD is a great buyand has a significant long-term opportunity. I also believe in Nvidia's opportunity, but the stock doesn't have enough pessimism baked in yet.

The rest is here:
Is AMD a Better Investment Than Nvidia Right Now? - The Motley Fool

By Scott Petersen, San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority

Investment in improved water storage, like the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project, is an important tool for increasing our resilience to changing rainfall and snowpack patterns, said Federico Barajas, Executive Director of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority.

During the last 10 years, the communities and ecosystems that rely on the water supplied by our member agencies have experienced water whiplash two of the driest three-year periods in Californias history and two of its wettest years. It is clear that we must store water when its available for use in the drier periods we know will come. We value the partnership we have with the U.S. Department of Interior and its agencies, including the Bureau of Reclamation, and look forward to advancing this project that will allow us to become more climate resilient.

See more here:
Statement by Federico Barajas on the Federal Investment in the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise Project - California Ag Today

TORONTO, Oct. 19, 2022 /CNW/ - Founder and Co-CIO of Sionna Investment Managers (Sionna), Kim Shannon, celebrated her firm's 20th anniversary last month. She started the firm in 2002 to provide institutional and retail investors an opportunity to work with an independent manager dedicated to the value investing style.

Sionna Logo (CNW Group/Sionna Investment Managers Inc.)

Kim joined the industry in 1983, and she recalls, "There were very few women in the investment world. Even today, a recent statistic out of the U.S. suggests that female asset managers own less than 3% of all asset management firms and manage only 1% of assets under management."

With the express purpose of being a trailblazer for women investors, throughout her nearly 40-year career Kim has been recognized with countless industry awards. These include the RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur (2007), Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award (2007, 2017), the Rotman Women in Management Association Top 10 Award (Entrepreneur Category, 2015) and the Rotman Lifetime Achievement Award (2021). This month, Kim will be inducted into the Investment Industry Association of Canada's (IIAC) Investment Industry Hall of Fame.

A few years ago, to broaden the global reach of women investors, Kim co-founded Variant Perspectives, a global group who advocate for better representation of women in asset management. Variant Perspectives' first conference in 2019 attracted Warren Buffett, who addressed the audience with his sage advice.

With a business that has evolved and improved over 20 years, Kim notes "I love what I do, and I'm not nearly done. I am fortunate to be surrounded by a uniquely talented and supportive team and am excited to lead the next chapter of Sionna's success story". Sionna's President and COO, Paul Spagnolo, noted, "When Kim started the firm, Sionna focused on Canadian Equities and is an expert in that space. However, for over a decade, we have been expanding our offerings in the non-domestic universe, and brought on value investing veteran, Co-CIO, Stephen Jenkins, to manage Sionna's U.S., Global and International strategies".

Story continues

Stephen joined Sionna more than three years ago and has a long history with Kim, "Kim hired me as a junior analyst back in the early 1990s and provided me with a solid foundation in value investing, so it was an easy decision to join such a well-respected firm and work alongside Kim again after all those years. Kim and I share a deep conviction in value investing and have been focused on making meaningful enhancements to our process over the last few years, which I believe has contributed to our strong returns."

With the recent turn towards value, Kim and her team have seen top quartile performance rankings over the one-year period to September 30, 2022. Kim noted, "We still have work to do for our clients. But, market history and the abundance of attractive value opportunities we are seeing today give us further confidence in our style of investing".

After the longest and deepest underperformance of value in a century, Sionna believes the value style has a promising future ahead.

About Sionna Investment Managers

Established in 2002, Sionna is an independent, investment management firm. Sionna oversees assets for institutional clients, mutual funds and high-net worth individuals.

Sionna is an active manager and uses a bottom-up, value approach to stock selection. With more than 100 years of industry experience among the portfolio managers, the team focuses on providing downside protection and strives to deliver long-term, above-average returns by applying a disciplined value investing process.

SOURCE Sionna Investment Managers Inc.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2022/19/c1457.html

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Sionna Investment Managers Celebrates its 20th Anniversary as one of the Largest Female-Founded, Independent Investment Management Firms in Canada -...

A viral image of Dalai Lama worshipping a Shiva linga with other monks around him is doing the rounds on social media. Social Media users have shared the photo claiming that Dalai Lama is renouncing his fake Buddhism while worshipping Lord Shiva.

A Facebook user posted the viral picture with a caption: (English translation: Real Buddhist Devadidev performing Jalabhishek to Mahadev and here swearing not to believe in fake Buddhist God)

You can check the post here.

NewsMobile fact-checked the viral picture, and found it to be misleading.

If Dalai Lama the highest spiritual leader of Tibet would have made any such claims, it would have made headlines all over the news. But our search to find out accuracy of the viral claim yielded no results.

However, running a Reverse Image Search of the viral image, we found a Pinterest picture, titled: Buddhist Spiritual Leader Dalai Lama paying tributes at Gupt Ganga Shiv Temple on Tuesday. Jammu Kashmir Latest News | Tourism | Breaking News J&K. The description as well as the title of the image indicate that it was taken during Dalai Lamas visit to Gupt Ganga Shiv Temple in J&K.

Conducting a Google Keyword Search to know more about his visit, we traced a YouTube video, dated July 19, 2012, on a channel Degeyang. The video, titled: The Dalai Lama Visits Shiv Temple Rainawari, shows Dalai Lama praying to Lord Shiva and offering milk to the Shiva linga.

Also, a news article in NDTV Online, titled: Dalai Lama visits religious sites in Srinagar, prays for peace, dated July 17, 2012, clarifies his motive behind the temple visit. The article informs that Dalai Lama not only visited a Hindu temple, but various religious sites of different faiths in Srinagar to pray for peace in the state and in the world. Some of the religious places that he visited were the Hazratbal shrine, the Gupt Ganga Shiv temple, and Gurudwara Chatti Padshahi.

We went through the entire article, but could not find any news of him renouncing Buddhism. Another article, titled: Dalai Lama Visits Religious Places, on the official website of Dalai Lama, dated July 18, 2012, corroborates the facts in the NDTV report.

We could not find a single credible source of information that would back the claim that Dalai Lama renounced his fake Buddhism while praying to Lord Shiva.

Therefore, we can conclusively say that the viral claims of Dalai Lama renouncing his fake Buddhism is misleading.

View original post here:

Fact Check: Did Dalai Lama Swear to Renounce Buddhism While Praying to Lord Shiva? Heres the Truth - Newsmobile

Many might wonder why I decided to convert, especially at the young age of 20, and some might even try to draw a connection with the programme attended by former Delhi minister and AAP leader, Rajendra Pal Gautam, earlier this month. But my decision to convert is mine alone and is based on my engagement with Babasaheb Ambedkar. In a speech delivered in 1935, Ambedkar highlighted the importance of conversion and said, Untouchability is not a short or temporary feature; it is a permanent one. To put it straight, it can be said that the struggle between the Hindus and the Untouchables is a permanent phenomenon.

Growing up, I was fond of reading and my parents were supportive of this. They wanted me to have what they were deprived of a decent education, especially in English medium. I was very young when my mother told me about the Buddha. I was fascinated to hear of someone who had so much wealth and power, only to give it all up.

My introduction to Ambedkar and his work came much later, as my school textbooks had very little about him, usually only describing him as the architect of the Indian Constitution and leader of the Dalits overlooking his contribution to labour rights and womens rights. While studying about the RBI, I did some extra reading and found out that Ambedkar had been instrumental in its formation, leading me to wonder how little I had been taught about his work. Eventually, I came across Ambedkars work on Buddhism and made the connection.

When I heard about Yashica Dutts book,Coming Out As a Dalit and attended a discussion where she spoke of her experiences, I realised that I had been forced to hide my caste throughout my years in school for fear of being ostracised or treated as inferior to the behaviour of my peers and teachers underwent a perceptible change when they spoke of those belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.

During the pandemic, I started talking about caste-related issues to caste such as atrocities and unequal access to wealth. But to my dismay, people who I thought I was on great terms with gradually reduced their interactions with me. I decided to take refuge in books again, including Ambedkar and contemporary writers on caste. I began considering conversion when I realised that, as Ambedkar had said, no matter how much I study, the phenomenon of caste wont go away and that some people might be seen as superior to me solely due to the accident of birth, though any form of gradation or hierarchy is inherently problematic.

Any individual acquainted with Ambedkar and his life and work is aware of his attempts at reforming the caste system until his speech on May 31, 1936, in which he said that the path to salvation for the depressed classes lies in conversion. On October 14, 20 years later, along with his followers, Babasaheb finally converted from Hinduism to Buddhism at Deekshabhoomi, Nagpur.

I decided to follow in his footsteps on the same date and at the same place. When I spoke to my parents about everything I had on my mind, they were supportive of my decision. However, it was not easy to follow Ambedkars path. I kept postponing my decision owing to the stress of applying to colleges and the constant fear of Covid-19.

Moreover, travelling to Nagpur by train and arriving there on Dhammachakra Pravartan Diwas, and then leaving for home the day after sounded hectic. It ended up being a comfortable journey owing to the support of my friends and Dipankar Kamble, an Ambedkarite and a mentor, who encouraged me to not postpone my decision on account of the difficulties of travelling to Nagpur.

Late afternoon on October 14, I took the 22 vows that Ambedkar had taken 66 years ago. Prior to my conversion, as I was walking towards Deekshabhoomi, I looked at the stalls on both sides of the roads, filled with books and posters about Ambedkar and Buddha. There were blue and panchsheel flags all around, with people raising slogans of Jai Bhim. After reciting the 22 vows, I got myself a few books, two portraits one each of Ambedkar and the Buddha and some figures of Buddha for some of my friends back home. As Ambedkar said, the decision to emancipate oneself from the hierarchy of caste is an informed one. One of the things which attracted me is a passage from Ambedkars essay, Buddha and the Future of His Religion. The Buddha claimed no such infallibility for what he taught, he wrote. The followers of Buddha had the liberty to abandon any of his teachings if it was found that at a given time and in given circumstances they do not apply.

The writer is a student of sociology in Delhi

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A student writes: Why I converted to Buddhism - The Indian Express

Many years ago, when I was walking on the South Devon coastal path [in England] with my mother, I was suddenly struck by what it meant to walk on a path. For some reason, I became aware that while I was on a path, I was necessarily heading toward a destination. A path, all paths, have some sort of purpose. They get you somewhere. You have a sense of direction. At the same time, I realized that in walking along a path, I do so without impediment. Theres nothing getting in my way, no obstacles, which means that Im able to get into my rhythm or pace. So a path is a space of freedoma space where movement is possible.

A path is also something that connects us to a human, and even an animal, community because paths, particularly trails in the countryside, are there only because of people having gone before. Its the tread of their feet that keeps the path open, even though they are long gone and away from view. At the same time, as we walk that path in their wake, we are serving to keep that path open for those who will follow.

When we talk of the eightfold path, it is helpful to reflect on the very metaphor of path itself, which we find in all traditions. What is distinctive about the eightfold path in Buddhism is that it is also described as a middle path, or a middle way. We could even translate that as a centered path or a central way. Its understood as a path that avoids slipping into dead ends. In other words, the middle way is a path that actually will get us somewhere.

Of course many of the paths we follow in our lives are not actually paths at all because they dont get us to where we would like them to get us. They dont fulfill the desires that we hope they will. So often, we pursue a course in our lives, yet we find ourselves back where we started. So often, we go around in circles and keep meeting these dead ends. But the middle way and the eightfold path are also described with the metaphor of a stream. Theres something about this path that is dynamic, or flowing. The person who has entered the eightfold path is one who is said to have entered a stream. In other words, a stream is a flowing body of water that is held between its two banks that allows it that same sense of directionthat same sense of freedom of movement. In some ways, too, being water, [the streamor pathis] something that nourishes society, community, and sentient beings.

For me, the eightfold path is part of a much longer pathing process that I call the four tasks. The four tasks describe in detail how this eightfold path arises. The first task is to embrace life, to fully understand the condition were in, but in a nonreactive way to pay attention with mindfulness, awareness, or sensitivity. That opens up a far greater awareness of how we react. We start noticing how often we encounter a situation, and it feels a certain way to us. That triggers a reaction: We either want it, we dont like it, or were bored by it. So we begin to become aware of these reactive processes.

The second task is to let [our reactions] be or let them go, so we dont get caught up and entangled in their narrative. Instead, we just remain mindfully conscious that this is how were reacting. That awareness of reactivity, that letting it be, rather than jumping on board and following, is what opens up the possibility of experiencing a nonreactive space. That nonreactive space is of the nature of nirvana itself. Its the absence of greed, hatred, fear, or confusion. It may be momentary, but as we touch that openness, and that spaciousness, it makes us aware of our freedom to live differentlyto not just be driven by our habits, but to respond to life situations in a way thats not just a habitual reactive engagement with the situation, but one that allows for greater responsiveness. Its here, [in this third task,] that the eightfold path begins.

The fourth task is to cultivate this path and to bring it into being. Its not reducible simply to being a good meditator or to developing certain spiritual ideas, or to having certain mystical insights (although all of those things can well be part of this process). The eightfold path highlights very clearly that this practice is one that engages the totality of what it means to be human.

In understanding how this process of cultivating a path might work, theres a discourse in the early Buddhist canon called the Bhavana sutta, the discourse on cultivation. [In it], the Buddha illustrates this process of cultivation with the example of a chicken and her eggs. Clearly, the Buddha paid attention to ordinary farming activities that he probably would have encountered throughout his life, and would have been aware that when a hen is sitting on eggs in her nest, she is slowly turning and moving them around to ensure each egg is the same temperature and has the same possibility of being warmed in such a way that the little chick can then break out of the shell. This analogy is presented as a way in which to work with these different bodies of practices.

Im selecting the eightfold path, one of the ones mentioned in that discourse, to show that the order in which we traditionally might have been presented with these ideas is open to modification. Indeed, perhaps, in our time, we need to rethink some of the elements of the eightfold path to highlight those which have been made more marginal, and to reconsider how this path could best be configured for our time and our world today. As an experiment with this egg-moving metaphor, Id like to suggest another way we could look at the eight branches of the path, starting with our perspective, what is sometimes called the right view, or our way of seeing ourselves in the world, and then seeing that perspective as what stimulates and opens up our imagination as we begin to move toward a response. [Then we move onto] how that imagination allows us to then engage ourselves with the tasks at hand through effort, through application itself, and how that can then lead us into a more refined mindfulness, or collectiveness, that enables us to be present and focused. And when we move into the actual response itself, we do so by communication, through our speech, voice, work, and those activities that really make our lives come fully alivewhether that work be one of a teacher, artist, carer, or businessperson. A person who feels a vocation for any particular way of life does so because that is what speaks to his or her needs most deeply. I feel that this way of living, outlined by these different branches, has, as its goal, in a way, the survival of life on Earth. And at our present time, this survival is not just about you, and me, and human beings, but all creatures whose lives have flourished on this planet, but whose lives are now understood to be under threat. So my sense of the eightfold path is that it allows this kind of thinking and questioning to have a framework and perspective.

Adapted from Reimagining the Eightfold Path, Tricycles newest online course, which launches November 14. Learn more here.

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Reflections on the Eightfold Path - Tricycle

In fact, the vows were designed to hurt Hindus.

Dr. Ambedkar had a justification for it.

He had repeatedly spoken about the need to reform Hindu society in a radical way.

Hindu society was (and is) surrounded by aggressively destructive forces. Hindus in vast regions that would soon become Pakistan were facing a definite Holocaust and extinction.

Yet, traditional Hindu leaders, who then had much more influence on Hindu society than they have now, were fighting tooth and nail the reforms that affirmed human dignity of the Scheduled Community Hindus.

In that context, Dr. Ambedkar had the right to offend Hindus. It was a Dharmic right.

But Hindu society has and had been reforming.

The Hindutva movement, particularly, has been able to take forward the fundamental reforms desired by Dr. Ambedkar in an unprecedented way.

Priests from the Scheduled Communities are today a reality. The RSS has contributed immensely to this social change. The toil of decades and the dedicated lives of seers of the Sangh like Dattopant Thengadi and activist-scholars like Ramesh Patange have brought perceivable changes.

Dr. Ambedkar knew that Hindu Dharma alone had the spiritual basis of democracy at its core, in the form of Upanishadic Mahavakyas.

Yet, Hindus did not derive the needed strength and courage to fight social stagnation from these Mahavakyas. A vast section of the Hindu population was oppressed by their own brethren who in turn were under colonial oppression of aliens.

Dr. Ambedkar realised that the Hindus oppressed by fellow Hindus in the name of Dharma, which was in fact pseudo-Dharma, needed a transformational alleviation both collective and individualistic.

A catharsis was needed for the Hindus oppressed and exploited by fellow Hindus and it was a religious transformation alone that could do that. Dr. Ambedkar understood this fundamental truth.

And at a time when people were searching for secular solutions, Dr. Ambedkar alone opted for a Dharmic resolution.

Given the scholar that he was, he would have known that Buddhism had not necessarily distinguished itself when it came to social justice.

Burakumin, the untouchable communities of Japan, were never a problem for Buddhism, including for the global spiritual fad, Zen Buddhism.

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From Hatred to Samanvaya: How Hinduism Can Render The 22 Vows Of 'Navayana Buddhism' Irrelevant - Swarajya