The Indo-Greek king Menander (155-130 BCE) is the first Western historical figure documented to have converted to Buddhism. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The History of Buddhism spans the 6th century BCE to the present starting with the birth of the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. Foundation to the Common Era Some sources give the date of the Buddha's birth as 563 BCE and others as 624 BCE Theravada Buddhist countries tend to use the latter figure Lists and numbering of Buddhist councils vary between and even within schools Several Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term Background Why the Buddha is said to have taught in this way is illuminated by the social context of the time in which he lived In sramanic philosophy Nirvana (निर्वाण| Nirvāṇa; निब्बान Nibbāna; Prakrit: णिव्वाण The Three Jewels, also called the Three Treasures, the Three Refuges, or the Triple Gem, are the three things that Buddhists take refuge Several Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term According to the Buddhist tradition all phenomena other than Nirvana, ( sankhara) are marked by three characteristics sometimes referred to as the Dharma seals In Buddhist phenomenology and Soteriology, the five skandhas ( Sanskrit) or khandhas ( Pāli) are five "aggregates" Buddhist cosmology is the description of the shape and evolution of the universe according to the canonical Buddhist scriptures and commentaries Rebirth in Buddhism is the doctrine that the consciousness of a person (as conventionally regarded upon the death or dissolution of the aggregates ( Skandhas Dhamma ( Pāli: धम्म or Dharma (धर्म in Buddhism has two primary meanings the teachings of the Buddha which lead to enlightenment The doctrine of pratītyasamutpāda (Sanskrit paticcasamuppāda; rten Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्मन karman, Pāli: कमा Kamma) means "action" or "doing" whatever A number of noted individuals have been Buddhists. Historical Buddhist thinkers and founders of schools Individuals are grouped by nationality except in cases where the Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder A number of noted individuals have been Buddhists. Historical Buddhist thinkers and founders of schools Individuals are grouped by nationality except in cases where the In Buddhism, buddhahood ( Sanskrit: buddhatva. Pali: buddhatta. In the Buddhist context a bodhisattva (बोधिसत्त्व bodhisattva;; Vietnamese Bồ Tát; बोधिसत्त bodhisatta The four stages of Enlightenment in Buddhism are the four degrees of approach to full enlightenment as an Arahant which a person can attain in this life Theravada Buddhism Theravada Buddhism 's teachings on the paramitas can be found in late canonical books and post-canonical commentaries Buddhist meditation encompasses a variety of Meditation techniques that develop Mindfulness, concentration, tranquility and insight In English translations of Buddhist literature, householder denotes a variety of terms Obtaining exact numbers of practicing Buddhists can be difficult and may be reliant on the definition used Buddhist beliefs and practices vary according to region There are distinctions between and within the Buddhism practised in various regions including In South Asia Mahayana Buddhism is the State religion of Bhutan, and Buddhists comprise 98% of its population. History See also History of Buddhism in Cambodia Unconfirmed Singhalese sources assert that missionaries of King Asohka introduced Buddhism into Chinese Buddhism ( Pinyin fójiào refers collectively to the various schools of Buddhism that have flourished in China proper since ancient times Buddhism is a world religion which arose in Bihar, India and is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who is known as the Buddha (literally Among the five official religions of Indonesia, according to the state ideology of Pancasila According to Suharto, Buddhism and Hinduism were Indonesia's classical The history of Buddhism in Japan can be roughly divided into three periods namely the Nara period (up to 784 the Heian period (794–1185 and the post-Heian period Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism Buddhism is the primary religion of Laos. The Buddhism practiced in Laos is of the Theravada tradition Buddhism is the second largest religion in Malaysia after Islam, with 19 Buddhism in Mongolia is essentially Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelugpa school History The history of Buddhism in Burmaextends nearly a millennium Buddha was born in Shakya kingdom which lies in Rupandehi district Lumbini zone of Nepal Historically Buddhism was incorporated into Russian lands as early as the late 16th century, when Russian explorers travelled to and settled in As of 2000 425% of the Singaporeans register themselves as Buddhist by religion General Buddhism in Sri Lanka is primarily of the Theravada school and constitutes the religious faith of about 70% of the populationAccording to traditional Buddhism in Thailand is largely of the Theravada school Nearly 95% of Thailand 's population is Buddhist of the Theravada school though Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including Buddhism came to Vietnam in the first century CE By the end of the second century Vietnam developed a major Buddhist centre in the region commonly known as the Luy Lâu The Schools of Buddhism. Buddhism is classified in various ways History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for Vajrayana Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayana, Mantranaya, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and The Early Buddhist schools are those schools into which according to most scholars the Buddhist monastic Sangha initially split due originally to differences in The term pre-sectarian Buddhism is used by some scholars to refer to the Buddhism that existed before the various subsects of Buddhism came into being Buddhist texts can be categorized in a number of ways The Western terms "scripture" and "canonical" are applied to Buddhism in inconsistent ways by Western scholars Historicity and Background Place in the Canon Various Mahayana Sutras have been included in the Tibetan Canon and the Chinese Canon. The Tibetan Buddhist canon is a loosely defined list of Sacred texts recognized by various sects of Tibetan Buddhism. The cultural elements of Buddhism vary by region and include Buddhist Festivals and Observances Vesak The following is a List of Buddhist topics: A Abhidharma Aggañña Sutta Ahimsa The Indo-Greek Kingdom (or sometimes Graeco-Indian Kingdom) covered various parts of the northwest and northern Indian subcontinent during the last two centuries Menander I Soter "The Saviour" (known as Milinda in Indian sources was one of the rulers of the Indo-Greek Kingdom in northern India

Buddhism in the West broadly encompasses the knowledge and practice of Buddhism outside of Asia. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Occasional intersections between Western civilization and the Buddhist world have been occurring for thousands of years, but it was not until the era of European colonization of Buddhist countries in Asia during the 19th century that detailed knowledge of Buddhism became available to large numbers of people in the west as a result of accompanying scholarly endeavours. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Increasing numbers of westerners began converting to Buddhism in the mid-20th century due to the wider availability of Buddhist texts and missionary efforts by eastern monks. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on Beyond direct converts, Buddhist thought has increasingly influenced Western popular culture and spiritual movements during that time.

Alexander the Great's conquest of much of Central Asia set the stage for contacts between the civilizations of Greece and India and led directly to Greco-Buddhism. Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Greco-Buddhism, sometimes spelt Graeco-Buddhism, refers to the cultural Syncretism between Hellenistic culture and Buddhism, which developed Buddhism is sometimes alleged to have influenced Gnosticism, a broad religious movement popular in the Middle East around the time of Jesus. Gnosticism (γνώσις gnōsis, Knowledge) refers to a diverse Syncretistic Religious movement consisting of various Belief systems The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) However, according to the Macmillan Encyclopedia of Buddhism (2004),^[1] this is speculation without historical foundation.

In the latter half of the 19th century, Buddhism (along with many other religions and philosophies) came to the attention of Western intellectuals. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The first English translation of the Tibetan Book of the Dead was published in 1927 and the reprint of 1935 carried a commentary from C.G. Jung. The book is said to have attracted many westerners to Tibetan Buddhism. ^[2]

The first Buddhists to arrive in the United States were Chinese and Japanese immigrants who established many temples mainly for their own purposes of worship. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Immigrant monks soon began teaching to western audiences, as well. The broader New Age spirituality of the hippie movement proved very receptive to Buddhist themes. New Age ( New Age Movement and New Age Spirituality) is a Social Collective Phenomenon and a Spiritual Nature The Hippie Subculture was originally a Youth movement that began in the United States during the early 1960s and spread around the world In 1959 Suzuki Roshi (a Japanese teacher) arrived in San Francisco. Shunryu Suzuki (鈴木 俊隆 Suzuki Shunryū, dharma name Shōgaku Shunryū 祥岳俊隆 ( May 18, 1904 - December 4, 1971 The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city At the time of Suzuki's arrival, Zen had become a hot topic amongst some groups in the United States, especially beatniks. Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. In 1965, monks from Sri Lanka established the Washington Buddhist Vihara in Washington, D.C., the first Theravada monastic community in the United States. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Vietnamese Zen monk Nhat Hanh became well known in France and the United States. The Vietnamese people (người Việt or vi ''người Kinh'' are an Ethnic group originating from what is now northern Vietnam and southern China. Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. Nhat Hanh ( Vietnamese: Nhất Hạnh; tʰǐk ɲɜ̌t hɐ̂ʔɲ (born October 11 1926 in central Vietnam) is an expatriate This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the In the 1970s, interest in Tibetan Buddhism grew dramatically. Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including

Today, Buddhism is practiced by large numbers of people in the Americas, Europe and Oceania. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America Buddhism has become the fastest-growing religion in Australia and some other Western nations. There are several different Religions claiming to be the “fastest growing religion” For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Many Hollywood movies with Buddhist themes, such as Kundun, Little Buddha and Seven Years in Tibet, have had considerable commercial success. Kundun is a 1997 film written by Melissa Mathison and directed by Martin Scorsese. Little Buddha is a 1993 American movie by director Bernardo Bertolucci and starring Bridget Fonda and Keanu Reeves Seven Years in Tibet is a Adventure story written by Austrian Mountaineer and onetime SS Nazi Heinrich Harrer based on ^[3]

Greco-Buddhism

Main article: Greco-Buddhism

Alexander the Great's conquest of much of Central Asia set the stage for contacts between the civilisations of Greece and India. Greco-Buddhism, sometimes spelt Graeco-Buddhism, refers to the cultural Syncretism between Hellenistic culture and Buddhism, which developed Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Alexander himself met an Indian sage, who later burned himself. The Hellenistic influence in the area, furthered by Seleucids and the successive Greco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek kingdoms, interacted with Buddhism, as exemplified by the emergence of Greco-Buddhist art. This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period. The Seleucid Empire /sə'lusɪd/ ( 312 - 63 BC) was a Hellenistic empire i The Gr(aeco-Bactrian Kingdom was the easternmost part of the Hellenistic world covering Bactria and Sogdiana in Central Asia from 250 The Indo-Greek Kingdom (or sometimes Graeco-Indian Kingdom) covered various parts of the northwest and northern Indian subcontinent during the last two centuries Greco-Buddhist art is the artistic manifestation of Greco-Buddhism, a cultural Syncretism between the Classical Greek culture and Buddhism

Greco-Buddhism is the cultural merging between the cultures of Hellenism and Buddhism, which developed over a period of close to eight centuries in Central Asia in the area corresponding to modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan, between the 4th century BCE and the 5th century CE. Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Greco-Buddhism influenced the artistic (and, possibly, conceptual) development of Buddhism, and in particular Mahayana Buddhism, before it was adopted by Central and Northeastern Asia from the 1st century CE, ultimately spreading to China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and Mongolia. Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East

Buddhism and the Roman world

Main article: Buddhism and the Roman world

Several instances of interaction between Buddhism and the Roman Empire are documented by Classical and early Christian writers. Several instances of interaction between Buddhism and the Roman world are documented by Classical and early Christian writers Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial "Classical literature" redirects here For literature in Classical languages outside the Graeco-Roman sphere see Ancient literature. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Roman historical accounts describe an embassy sent by the Indian king Pandion (Pandya?), also named Porus, to Augustus around 13 CE. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Origin The origin of the word “Pandya” has been a subject of much speculation Augustus ( Latin: IMPERATOR·CAESAR·DIVI·FILIVS·AVGVSTVS September 23 63 BC – August 19 AD 14) born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, was The embassy was travelling with a diplomatic letter in Greek, and one of its members was an Indian religious man (sramana) who burned himself alive in Athens to demonstrate his faith. The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c A Shramana ( Sanskrit sa श्रमण śramaṇa, Pāli pi शमण samaṇa) is a wandering monk in certain Ascetic Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's The event created a sensation and was described by Nicolaus of Damascus, who met the embassy at Antioch, and related by Strabo (XV,1,73 and Dio Cassius. Nicolaus of Damascus ( Greek, Nikolāos Damaskēnos) was a Syrian Historian and Philosopher who lived during the Augustan Antioch on the Orontes (Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Δάφνῃ Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου or Ἀντιόχεια ἡ Μεγάλη Antiochia ad Orontem also Strabo ( Greek: Στράβων 63/64 BC – ca AD 24 was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher. Lucius Cassius Dio Cocceianus ( Greek:) (c 155 or 163/164 to after 229 known in English as Cassius Dio, Dio Cassius, or Dio was A tomb was made for the sramana, still visible in the time of Plutarch, which bore the following inscription:

"ΖΑΡΜΑΝΟΧΗΓΑΣ ΙΝΔΟΣ ΑΠΟ ΒΑΡΓΟΣΗΣ"
("The sramana master from Barygaza in India")

These accounts at least indicate that Indian religious men (Sramanas, to which the Buddhists belonged, as opposed to Hindu Brahmanas) were visiting Mediterranean countries. Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus ( Greek: Μέστριος Πλούταρχος c A Shramana ( Sanskrit sa श्रमण śramaṇa, Pāli pi शमण samaṇa) is a wandering monk in certain Ascetic WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> History Bharuch was once but a small village on the banks of the Narmada River but that rivers inland India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Brahmin ( Brāhmaṇa, sa ब्राह्मणः is the class of educators scholars and preachers in Brahminical Hinduism. However, the term sramana is a general term for Indian religious man in Jainism, Buddhism, and Ājīvika. A Shramana ( Sanskrit sa श्रमण śramaṇa, Pāli pi शमण samaṇa) is a wandering monk in certain Ascetic It is not clear which religious tradition the man belongs to in this case.

Medieval contacts

An account of Buddha's life was translated in to Greek, and widely circulated to Christians as the story of Barlaam and Josaphat. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Barlaam may refer to Barlaam of Calabria, an Italian clergyman of the 14th century Saint Barlaam, eventual companion of St By the 1300s this story of Josaphat had become so popular that he was venerated as a saint. A saint (from the Latin sanctus) is a human being to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated a high level of Holiness and Sanctity

The next direct encounter between Europeans and Buddhism happened in Medieval times when the Franciscan friar William of Rubruck was sent on an embassy to the Mongol court of Mongke by the French king Saint Louis in 1253. The term Franciscan is commonly used to refer to members of Catholic William of Rubruck (c 1220 in Rubrouck Flanders - c 1293 was a Flemish Franciscan missionary and explorer The name Mongke may refer to Möngke Khan (1208-1259 Great khan of the Mongol Empire Mengu-Timur (d The contact happened in Cailac (today's Qayaliq in Kazakhstan), and William originally thought they were wayward Christians (Foltz, "Religions of the Silk Road"). Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan ( Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, qɑzɑqˈstɑn Казахстан, Kazakhstán,) officially the

Buddhism and Western Intellectuals

In the latter half of the 19th century, Buddhism (along with many other religions and philosophies) came to the attention of Western intellectuals. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar These included the pessimistic German philosopher Schopenhauer, who encountered Buddhism, and Eastern thought in general, after having devised a philosophical system of considerable compatibility. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language The American philosopher Henry David Thoreau translated a Buddhist sutra from French into English. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States

There are frequent comparisons between Buddhism and the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who praised Buddhism in his 1895 work The Anti-Christ, calling it "a hundred times more realistic than Christianity". Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (October 15 1844 August 25 1900 ( was a nineteenth-century German philosopher and classical philologist Year 1895 ( MDCCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The Anti-Christ (Der Antichrist (also could be translated as The Anti-Christian is a book by the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, originally published in 1895 Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Theologist David Loy argues that there is "a deep resonance between them" as "both emphasise the centrality of humans in a godless cosmos and neither looks to any external being or power for their respective solutions to the problem of existence". ^[4]

The first English translation of the Tibetan Book of the Dead was published in 1927 and the reprint of 1935 carried a commentary from none other than C.G. Jung. The book is said to have attracted many westerners to Tibetan Buddhism. ^[2] Jung also provided the foreword for the 1935 ^? publication of D.T. Suzuki's Introduction to Zen Buddhism.

Western spiritual seekers were attracted to what they saw as the exotic and mystical tone of the Asian traditions, and created esoteric societies such as the Theosophical Society of H.P. Blavatsky. The Theosophical Society was the organization formed to advance the spiritual principles and search for Truth known as Theosophy. Elena Petrovna Gan (Елена Петровна Ган also Hélène, Yekaterinoslav, Ukraine, Russian Empire — May 8 1891 London) better The Buddhist Society, London was founded by Theosophist Christmas Humphreys in 1924. The Buddhist Society is a UK registered charity with the stated aim to publish and make known the principles of Buddhism and to encourage the study Travers Christmas Humphreys QC ( 15 February 1901 &ndash 13 April 1983) was a British Barrister who prosecuted Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. At first Western Buddhology was hampered by poor translations (often translations of translations), but soon Western scholars such as Max Müller began to learn Asian languages and translate Asian texts. For the Danish Colonel Max Müller see Second War of Schleswig. During the 20th century the German writer Hermann Hesse showed great interest in Eastern religions, writing a book entitled Siddhartha. Hermann Hesse (ˈhɛʀman ˈhɛsə ( 2 July, 1877 — 9 August, 1962) was a German - Swiss poet novelist and painter Siddhartha is an allegorical Novel by Hermann Hesse which deals with It must also be noted that there are significant differences between the finer points of Theosophical and Buddhist Philosophy, in particular regarding the common doctorine of reincarnation, which on the surface might at first be overlooked by the interested westener.

American beat generation writer Jack Kerouac became a well-known literary Buddhist, for his roman-a-clef The Dharma Bums and other works. Jack Kerouac ( March 12 1922 &ndash October 21 1969) was an American Novelist, Writer, Poet, and A roman à clef or roman à clé (French for "novel with a key" is a Novel describing real life behind a façade of Fiction This is an article about the novel by Jack Kerouac For the band see Dharma Bums. Also influential was Alan Watts, who wrote several books on Zen and Buddhism. Alan Wilson Watts ( January 6, 1915 &ndash November 16, 1973) was a British Philosopher, Writer, speaker and The cultural re-evaluations of the hippie generation in the late 1960s and early 1970s led to a re-discovery of Buddhism, which seemed to promise a more methodical path to happiness than Christianity and a way out of the perceived spiritual bankruptcy and complexity of Western life. The Hippie Subculture was originally a Youth movement that began in the United States during the early 1960s and spread around the world ^[2]

Buddhists Arrive in the West

Further information: Buddhism in the United States

A hallway in California's Hsi Lai Temple. Hsi Lai Temple ( TC: 西來寺 PY: Xīlái Sì) (approximate pronunciation She Lye) is a traditional Chinese Buddhist mountain monastery

The first Buddhists to arrive in the United States were Chinese. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Hired as cheap labor for the railroads and other expanding industries, they established temples in their settlements along the rail lines. "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. At about the same time, immigrants from Japan began to arrive as laborers on Hawaiian plantations and central-California farms. In 1899, they established the Buddhist Missions of North America, later renamed the Buddhist Churches of America. The Buddhist Churches of America is the United States branch of the Honpa Hongan-ji (also known as Nishi-Honganji sub-sect of Jōdo Shinshū ("True

In 1959, Suzuki Roshi (a Japanese teacher) arrived in San Francisco. Shunryu Suzuki (鈴木 俊隆 Suzuki Shunryū, dharma name Shōgaku Shunryū 祥岳俊隆 ( May 18, 1904 - December 4, 1971 At the time of Suzuki's arrival, Zen had become a hot topic amongst some groups in the United States, especially beatniks. Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. Suzuki Roshi's classes were filled with those wanting to learn more about Buddhism, and the presence of a Zen master inspired the students.

In 1965 Philip Kapleau traveled to Rochester, NY with the permission of his teacher, Haku'un Yasutani to form the Rochester Zen Center. Philip Kapleau (1912 &ndash 2004 was born in New Haven, Connecticut, in the United States and became a teacher of Zen Buddhism in the Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York State, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Haku'un Yasutani ( 安谷 白雲, 1885 - 1973 was the first Abbot of the Zen Buddhist lineage of Sanbo Kyodan (or Three Treasures Association At this time there were few if any American citizens that had trained in Japan with ordained Buddhist teachers. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Kapleau had spent 13 years (1952-1965) and over 20 sesshin before being allowed to come back and open his own center. During his time in Japan after World War II, Kapleau wrote his seminal work; The Three Pillars of Zen

In 1965, monks from Sri Lanka established the Washington Buddhist Vihara in Washington, D.C., the first Theravada monastic community in the United States. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Philip Kapleau (1912 &ndash 2004 was born in New Haven, Connecticut, in the United States and became a teacher of Zen Buddhism in the Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The Vihara was quite accessible to English-speakers, and Vipassana meditation was part of it activities. Vipassanā ( Pāli) or vipaśyanā (विपश्यना Sanskrit) means Insight into the impermanent nature or Anicca, However, the direct influence of the Vipassana movement would not reach the U. S. until a group of Americans returned there in the early 1970s after studying with Vipassana masters in Asia.

In the 1970s, interest in Tibetan Buddhism grew dramatically. This was fuelled in part by the 'shangri-la' view of this country and also because Western media agencies are largely sympathetic with the 'Tibetan Cause'. All four of the main Tibetan Buddhist schools became well known.

Tibetan lamas such as the Karmapa (Rangjung Rigpe Dorje), Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Geshe Wangyal, Geshe Lhundub Sopa, Dezhung Rinpoche, Sermey Khensur Lobsang Tharchin, Tarthang Tulku, Lama Yeshe and Thubten Zopa Rinpoche all established teaching centers in the West from the 1970s. The Karmapa (officially His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa) is the head of the Karma Kagyu, the largest sub-school of the Kagyupa ( Tibetan The sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpei Dorje ( August 14, 1924 &ndash November 5, 1981) ( Wylie Rang 'byung rig pa'i Chögyam Trungpa (February 1939 &ndash April 4, 1987) was a Buddhist Meditation master scholar teacher poet artist and a Trungpa Ngawang Wangyal (c 1901-1983 popular known as "Geshe Wangyal" was a Buddhist priest and scholar of Kalmyk origin who was born in the Astrakhan province in southeast Lhundub Sopa was born in 1923 in Tsang, western Tibet. He became a novice monk and entered Gaden Chokor Monastery in 1932 Dezhung Rinpoche, born Ngawang Zangpo (1906—1987 was a Tibetan Lama of the Sakya school one of four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism (the Sermey Khensur Lobsang Tharchin Rinpoche (1921-2004 was a scholar of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Tarthang Tulku (born 1934 is a Tibetan teacher ( Lama) in the Nyingma tradition who lives in America where he works to preserve the art and culture Thubten Yeshe (1935–1984 was a Tibetan Lama who while exiled in Nepal, co-founded Kopan Monastery (1969 and the Foundation for the Preservation Thubten Zopa Rinpoche (born 1946) is a Lama from Thami, a village in the Khumbu region of Nepal.

Perhaps the most widely visible Buddhist teacher in the west is the much-travelled Tenzin Gyatso, the current Dalai Lama, who first visited the United States in 1979. Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (born Lhamo Döndrub ( 6 July 1935 in Qinghai) He is the head of the Tibetan government-in-exile The Dalai Lama is the spiritual and political leader of the Tibetan people according to Tibetan Buddhism. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the As the exiled political leader of Tibet, he is now a popular cause célèbre in the west. Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European A cause célèbre (plural causes célèbres, French famous case) is His early life was depicted in glowing terms in Hollywood films such as Kundun and Seven Years in Tibet. Kundun is a 1997 film written by Melissa Mathison and directed by Martin Scorsese. Seven Years in Tibet is a 1997 film based on the book of the same name written by Austrian Mountaineer and onetime SS Nazi He has attracted celebrity religious followers such as Richard Gere and Adam Yauch. Richard Tiffany Gere (born August 31, 1949) is a Golden Globe - and Screen Actors Guild Award -winning American Actor. Adam Nathaniel Yauch (pronounced IPA /jaʊk/ also known as MCA and Nathaniel Hörnblowér, (born August 5, 1964) is a founding

In addition to this a number of Americans who had served in the Korean or Vietnam Wars stayed out in Asia for a period, seeking to understand both the horror they had witnessed and its context. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia A few of these were eventually ordained as monks in the Theravadan tradition, and upon returning home became influential meditation teachers establishing such centres as the Insight Meditation Society in America. The Insight Meditation Society (IMS is a Buddhist organization located in Barre Massachusetts. Another contributing factor in the flowering of Buddhist thought in the West was the popularity of Zen amongst the counter-culture poets and activists of the 60's, due to the writings of Alan Watts, D.T. Suzuki and Philip Kapleau. Alan Wilson Watts ( January 6, 1915 &ndash November 16, 1973) was a British Philosopher, Writer, speaker and Philip Kapleau (1912 &ndash 2004 was born in New Haven, Connecticut, in the United States and became a teacher of Zen Buddhism in the

Historically, Buddhism has absorbed elements of the culture of the countries in which it is practiced. This can be seen in the artistic style of Buddha statues; a Chinese statue looks different from a Thai, which differs from a Sri Lankan, and similarly across most Asian countries. Different local customs are included also, and may influence the form of rituals and ceremonies.

There is a general distinction between Buddhism brought to the West by Asian immigrants, which may be Mahayana or a traditional East Asian mix, and Buddhism as practiced by converts, which is often Zen, Pure Land, Indian Vipassana or Tibetan Buddhism. Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. Pure Land Buddhism ( Jìngtǔzōng; 浄土教 Jōdokyō; Korean: ko-Hang 정토종 jeongtojong; Vietnamese: 浄土宗 vi Vipassanā ( Pāli) or vipaśyanā (विपश्यना Sanskrit) means Insight into the impermanent nature or Anicca, Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including Some Western Buddhists are actually non-denominational and accept teachings from a variety of different sects, which is far less frequent in Asia.

The largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere is Nan Tien Ssu (translated as "Southern Paradise Temple"), situated at Wollongong, Australia. Nan Tien Temple ( is a Buddhist Temple complex located in the industrial suburb of Berkeley, on the southern outskirts of the Australian city of It is operated by the Fo Guang Shan Order, founded in Taiwan, and around 2003 the Grand Master, Venerable Hsing Yun, asked for that temple and Buddhist practice there to be operated by Australians within about thirty years. ^[5]

Western Buddhism Today

Today, Buddhism is practiced by large numbers of people in the Americas, Europe and Oceania. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices In Australia Buddhism is a small but growing religion. According to the 2006 census 2 Buddhism has become a growing religion in Australia^[6][7] and some other Western nations^[8][9].

Western Buddhism is almost entirely modernist, not traditionalist, skipping over the tradition to what it believes to be "original" Buddhism^[10] borrowing, and modifying, Asian practices such as the sangha and meditation but largely ignoring ritual, faith, devotion, doctrine etc. This article concerns the concept of Sangha in Buddhism. For information on other senses see Sangha (disambiguation. Meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the conditioned "thinking" mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness Western Buddhism has been heavily influenced by the Western concepts of freethought and secular humanism. Freethought is a philosophical viewpoint that holds that Beliefs should be formed on the basis of Science and Logic and should not be influenced Secular humanism is a humanist philosophy that upholds Reason, Ethics and Justice, and specifically rejects the Supernatural

The Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) is a network of Buddhist centers focusing on what it claims to be traditional Tibetan Buddhism. The Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition ( FPMT) is a network of Buddhist centers focusing on the Gelugpa tradition of Tibet Founded in 1975 by Lamas Thubten Yeshe and Thubten Zopa Rinpoche, who began teaching Buddhism to Western students in Nepal, the FPMT has grown to encompass more than 142 teaching centers in 32 countries. Thubten Yeshe (1935–1984 was a Tibetan Lama who while exiled in Nepal, co-founded Kopan Monastery (1969 and the Foundation for the Preservation Thubten Zopa Rinpoche (born 1946) is a Lama from Thami, a village in the Khumbu region of Nepal.

A feature of Buddhism in the West today is the emergence of other groups which, even though they draw on traditional Buddhism, are in fact an attempt at creating a new style of Buddhist practice. Controversial lama Chögyam Trungpa, the founder of the Shambhala meditation movement, claimed in his teachings that his intention was to strip the ethnic baggage away from traditional methods of working with the mind and to deliver the essence of those teachings to his western students. Chögyam Trungpa (February 1939 &ndash April 4, 1987) was a Buddhist Meditation master scholar teacher poet artist and a Trungpa The term Shambhala Buddhism has come into use as an umbrella term referring to the teachings of Karma Kagyu and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, mixed Chögyam Trungpa also founded Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado in 1974. Chögyam Trungpa (February 1939 &ndash April 4, 1987) was a Buddhist Meditation master scholar teacher poet artist and a Trungpa Naropa University is a private Liberal arts University in Boulder, Colorado, the United States, which was founded in 1974

Another example of a school evolving new idioms for the transmission of the dharma is the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO), founded by Sangharakshita in 1967. The Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO is an association of Buddhists, and others who follow its path of Mindfulness, under the leadership of the Western Sangharakshita (1925- is the founder of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order ( FWBO) and the Western Buddhist Order (WBO Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar.

Commercialization of Buddhism

Buddhist practitioners in the West are catered for by a minor industry that has grown up around them, providing such items as charm boxes, meditation cushions, and ritual implements. Shakya has criticized this industry as the publication of Buddhist books has uprooted small forests and consequently killed thousands of insects. ^[2] And many Hollywood movies such as Kundun, Little Buddha and Seven Years in Tibet have had considerable commercial success. Kundun is a 1997 film written by Melissa Mathison and directed by Martin Scorsese. Little Buddha is a 1993 American movie by director Bernardo Bertolucci and starring Bridget Fonda and Keanu Reeves Seven Years in Tibet is a Adventure story written by Austrian Mountaineer and onetime SS Nazi Heinrich Harrer based on ^[11]

See also

• Buddhism in Europe
• Buddhism in Australia
• Buddhism in Austria
• Buddhism in Slovenia
• Buddhism in Russia
• Buddhism by country
• Buddhism in the United Kingdom
• Buddhism in the United States

References

Bibliography

• Fields, Rick How the Swans came to the Lake.
• Loy, David R. , "Review of Nietzsche and Buddhism: A Study in Nihilism and Ironic Affinities by R.G. Morrison", Asian Philosophy Vol. 8 No. 2 (July 1998), pp. 129-131.
• Mullen, E. L. , "Orientalist commercializations: Tibetan Buddhism in American popular film", Journal of Religion and Film, Vol. 2 No. 2 (October 1998).
• Rich, Annet C. , Christ or Buddha?, 1914.
• Shakya, T. , "Review of Prisoners of Shangri-la by Donald Lopez", Journal of Buddhist Ethics, Vol. 6 (1999), pp. 196-199.
• Tworkov, Helen, Zen in America: Profiles of Five Teachers, San Francisco: North Point Press, (1989).

External links

• Tibetan Buddhism in the West: Is it working here?