Buddhist Creators

Bodh Gaya, India29 January – 6 February 2026

Buddhist Creators Convention 2026

110
Creators
10
Countries
Report
Download the full report(PDF, opens in new tab)
Over a hundred creators seated together on the grounds of the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, the temple's spire rising behind them.
The 2026 cohort at the Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya.

Organisations behind the convention

The Program

Nine Days, Three Phases

In January 2026, over a hundred Buddhist creators from more than a dozen countries gathered in Bodh Gaya — the first global sangha of its kind.

Phase 1 · 29 – 30 January

Community Days & Opening Ceremony

Two days to arrive, meet, and set the intention for the week: an opening ceremony, keynotes, a panel, 27 lightning talks and seven community circles.

The Opening Ceremony

The stage came alive with a traditional scarf presentation offering, followed by the lighting of butter lamps in front of the Buddha statue. Mrs. Deepa Thakur led the assembly in chanting the Heart Sutra in Pali, grounding the gathering in the spiritual essence of the retreat.

Keynote Addresses

Spoke on the intersection of social media and social responsibility, urging creators to adopt mindfulness as their core operating principle and to use their borderless platforms for the benefit of global society.

Panel Discussion

Future of Buddhism in the Digital Age

Moderated by Rahul Dongre, with Aachen Tenzin Thupten, Ayye Shakya Dhammadinna, and Quinthup Pema Bhutia.

The panel examined authenticity, accessibility, and the digital divide — how creators maintain the integrity of Buddhist teachings while adapting them for digital formats and diverse, less-connected audiences.

Watch the panel discussion(Instagram, opens in new tab)

Lightning Talks

27 creators, four rooms

27 presenters rotated across four concurrent rooms named for sites in the Buddha’s life — each allotted 15 minutes (7 for their talk, 5 for Q&A, 2 to transition) so attendees could move freely between spaces based on their interests.

Lumbini room
Morning

10:30 – 11:30

  • Gabriel Kobler

    Digital tools for Tibetan Dharma texts: research and translation

    English

  • Munpa Rabsel – Deckyi

    The modern vessel: carrying an ancient flame

    English

  • Nawang Dechen

    Building confidence on screen

    Tibetan

Afternoon

13:15 – 14:15

  • Quinthup Pema Bhutia

    The story of my content creation journey

    Hindi & English

  • Munpa Rabsel – Chhering Wangmo

    Voices from Spiti Valley

    English

  • Kunsang Tenzing

    Turning lived experience into digital stories

    English

  • Suresh Kumar

    From ground reporting to digital Dhamma: a Buddhist creator’s responsibility

    English

The Why Behind the What

Ngawang Trinley

Founder, OpenPecha Trust

A session on why the convention exists, opening with a video message from Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche on conveying timeless Buddhist wisdom to the modern world, followed by a presentation on the path to reaching 100 million people by 2030.

Community Circles

Seven themes

  • Digital Bodhisattva

    How can we use platforms designed for ‘ego-promotion’ and ‘distraction’ to cultivate genuine selflessness and presence for our followers?

  • World’s Needs

    How do we bridge the gap between the truth people need to hear and the content they want to click on, without compromising the Dharma?

  • Storytelling

    The Dharma is timeless, but attention spans are shrinking — how do we turn a profound teaching into a story a distracted teenager would find unforgettable?

  • AI as Assistant

    If AI can generate a perfect Dharma talk, what is the unique human or spiritual element only a practitioner can provide?

  • Virality & Consistency

    How do we maintain a consistent daily posting rhythm without burning out or losing our meditative peace?

  • Sustainability

    How can we redefine financial support as a form of Dana that sustains the wheel of Dharma, rather than contradicting non-attachment?

  • On-Camera Presence

    How can we transform the camera into a window of compassion rather than a mirror of the ego?

Phase 2 · 31 January – 5 February

Masterclass: Marketing the Dharma

Six intensive days with two senior marketers who are also long-time practitioners, taking creators from platform fundamentals to a sustainable practice.

The coaches

  • Mr. Milan Amin

    Senior Brand Strategist

    With over 15 years in marketing and a decade in C-level leadership, Milan has led global brand and strategy for multi-billion-dollar companies, spearheading landmark Web3 partnerships with Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Formula 1, The GRAMMYs, and the Cannes Film Festival. A Buddhist practitioner for eight years, he has trained under Theravāda masters in Thailand and studied with Vajrayāna and Dzogchen teachers from Tibet and Nepal.

  • Dr. Jaimin Shukla

    Global Chief Marketing Officer

    Dr. Jaimin Shukla is a Global Chief Marketing Officer with 14 years of experience driving business growth through multi-channel marketing and technology. A Shell-sponsored PhD from University College London, he is the founder of The School of Insights and author of Transform Every Moment. A Buddhist practitioner for eight years, he has studied with teachers across Thailand, Japan, and Tibet.

Six modules

  1. Digital Marketing Foundations

    How digital platforms and algorithms function, content strategy aligned with Dharma principles, audience personas, and analytics that matter for spiritual teachers.

  2. Content Creation Excellence

    Storytelling for the digital age, video production basics, podcast and audio quality, engaging captions, and visual design for social media.

  3. Platform-Specific Strategies

    YouTube SEO and playlists, Instagram engagement, Facebook community building, podcast distribution, blog SEO, and evaluating emerging platforms like TikTok and Threads.

  4. Ethical Marketing of Dharma

    Growing an audience without compromising authenticity, avoiding commercialisation pitfalls, respecting lineage and tradition, and cultural sensitivity across global audiences.

  5. Community Engagement

    Building online sanghas that support genuine practice, handling questions and criticism with grace, interactive experiences, and converting followers into committed practitioners.

  6. Sustainable Creator Practice

    Time management and content planning, avoiding burnout, ethical approaches to monetisation and Dana, partnerships, and long-term strategy as a Dharma teacher.

How the masterclass ran

  • A balanced mix of theory and hands-on practice
  • Daily one-hour doubt-clearing sessions at the end of each day
  • Interactive engagement through Mentimeter and open-mic Q&A
  • Daily workbooks shared via Sherab.org in English, Hindi, Nepali, and Tibetan
  • Community sharing and networking each evening

Special Session with Chokyong Palga Rinpoche

On the final day of the masterclass, Rinpoche shared his life story and delivered accessible, relevant teachings, followed by an interactive question-and-answer segment.

What participants said

Post-masterclass survey of participants.

Rated it very effective
82%
Rated it somewhat effective
12%

Phase 3 · 6 February

Award Ceremony & Closing

The final day gathered the week into one evening: a recap, five awards, certificates, a prayer meet at the Mahabodhi Temple, and a gala dinner.

Buddhist Influencer of the Year 2026

Venerable Quinthup Pema Bhutia receiving the Buddhist Influencer of the Year awardWinner 2026

Buddhist Influencer of the Year 2026

Venerable Quinthup Pema Bhutia

Namdroling Monastery

A creator whose content is dedicated entirely to the teachings of the Buddha, reaching over a million people across social media.

After an extensive and challenging deliberation, the committee and coaches presented the ceremony’s most prestigious award to a creator who has built a following of over 1.2 million across social media. His posts have collectively garnered over 100 million engagements.

Followers
1.2M+
Engagements
100M+
Nominees shortlisted
8

Other awards

  • Chhewang Dorjee receiving the Rising Star award

    Rising Star

    Chhewang Dorjee

    Dehradun

    For his video Why Everybody Should Create Content.

  • Tashi Chosgon receiving the Audience Choice award

    Audience Choice

    Tashi Chosgon

    Ladakh

    Voted the community’s favourite, with 33% of all participant votes.

  • Tenzin Chime receiving the Most Creative Video award

    Most Creative Video

    Tenzin Chime

    Arunachal Pradesh

    For a collaborative reel built on the message ‘Smile wherever possible, it is always possible.’

  • Sonam Dolma receiving the Most Followers Gained award

    Most Followers Gained

    Sonam Dolma

    Spiti

    For growing her following by over 16% in just eight days.

Awards presented by Mr. Milan Amin & Dr. Jaimin Shukla on 6 February 2026 at Shechen Monastery, Bodh Gaya, in the presence of Chokyong Palga Rinpoche.

The closing

  1. Masterclass Recap

    A holistic review of the six-day masterclass, giving participants a chance to see how each session linked together and to raise any lingering questions before the closing ceremony.

  2. Certificate Distribution

    All participants received Masterclass Certificates from the coaches, and members of the organising team were honoured with Certificates of Acknowledgement.

  3. Closing Ceremony & Prayer Meet

    Dignitaries from Shechen Monastery, the Mahabodhi Society, and a Tibetan Member of Parliament joined the closing ceremony, followed by a prayer ceremony at the Mahabodhi Temple led by Palga Rinpoche and a group photo for the record.

  4. The Gala Dinner

    An evening of singing, dance, and poetry from participants, with performances from Ladakh Phuntsok and a Tara performance by Deepa Ji — a bittersweet, joyous close to the convention.

The documentary

Relive the Gathering in Bodh Gaya

A twenty minute documentary following the 2026 cohort from the opening ceremony to the awards night, told by the creators who were there.

The Buddhist Creators Convention 2026 · The Documentary20 minWatch on YouTube(opens in new tab)

Community voices

What creators took home

Seven participants on the Bodh Gaya masterclass, in their own words.

  • Last February, I attended the WeBuddhist Masterclass in Bodh Gaya organized by WeBuddhist. It was an inspiring experience where I learned about being a Digital Bodhisattva, the Art of Validation, and the positive use of social media. The passionate coaches made learning meaningful. I sincerely thank the entire team for this transformative journey.

    Siddharth Negi

    PhD Scholar, BHU, Varanasi

  • Attending the Bodh Gaya WeBuddhist Masterclass was deeply inspiring. I learned new approaches to Buddhist content creation and how digital media can be used skillfully to share the Dharma with wider audiences. Meeting fellow practitioners and creators was especially meaningful, and the experience strengthened my aspiration to serve the Dharma through creative work.

    Jamyang Chozang

    Buddhist Scholar, Dzongsar Institute, H.P.

  • Attending the WeBuddhist Masterclass gave me a clear direction for sharing the Buddha Dharma through digital media. The program helped me improve my scriptwriting, learn how to use AI effectively, and develop essential content creation skills. Beyond the valuable learning experience, I made wonderful friends and created unforgettable memories that I will cherish for a lifetime.

    Sangit

    Director, Tour Marketing, Maharashtra

  • The Masterclass was a truly enriching and inspiring experience. It provided valuable insights into Buddhist studies, digital content creation, and the effective communication of Buddhist teachings. I learned from experienced mentors and connect with participants from diverse backgrounds. The knowledge and friendships I gained through this Masterclass will continue to support me

    Sagar Gautam

    PhD Scholar, BHU, Varanasi

  • Attending the WeBuddhist Masterclass gave me a clear direction for sharing the Buddha Dharma through digital media. The program helped me improve my scriptwriting, learn how to use AI effectively, and develop essential content creation skills. Beyond the valuable learning experience, I made wonderful friends and created unforgettable memories that I will cherish for a lifetime.

    Tsewang Dorje

    Buddhist Scholar & Creator, Mindrolling Monastery, Dehradun

  • I learned a great deal at the WeBuddhist Masterclass from the two talented coaches. The step-by-step approach and attention to detail in building a strong foundation for creating impactful content were very thoughtful and brilliant.The practical Q&As and quizzes shifted our focus from theory to execution. Hands-on learning was both necessary and fun

    Pallavi Deshmukh

    Dharma Practitioner, Creative Arts Therapy Practitioner, Buddhist Counselor

  • The Masterclass was held at a place of deep significance for Buddhists, it was filled with learning, and inspiration. We explored approaches to content creation, storytelling, audience engagement, and the responsible use of AI to create meaningful content. The experience offered fresh perspectives, practical knowledge, and renewed motivation to share great vlaue through digital platforms.

    Sonam Dolma

    M.Sc Chemistry, Delhi University, Spiti

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