List of converts to Buddhism

The following people are all converts to Buddhism. They should be sorted alphabetically by family name.

From Abrahamic religions

From Christianity

From Islam

• Wong Ah Kiu (1918–2006), Malaysian woman born to a Muslim family but raised as Buddhist. Her conversion from Islam became a legal issue in Malaysia on her death.^[1]
• Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lankan Cricket player who converted from Islam to Buddhism at the age of 16 and previously known as Tuwan Muhammad Dilshan.^[2]
• Kenneth Pai, Chinese American writer of Hui descent.^[3]
• Suraj Randiv, Sri Lankan Cricket player previously known as Mohamed Marshuk Mohamed Suraj.
• Princess Sri Sulalai (1770–1837), Royal concubine of King Buddha Loetla Nabhalai, the King of Siam (Thailand).

From Judaism

• Peter Coyote (born 1941), American actor and author.^[4]
• Surya Das (born 1950), Lama who founded Dzogchen Foundation and Centers.^[5][6]
• Tetsugen Bernard Glassman (born January 18, 1939), American Zen Buddhist roshi and co-founder of the Zen Peacemakers.^[7]
• Jack Kornfield (born 1945) teacher in the vipassana movement of American Theravada Buddhism.^[7]
• Sharon Salzberg (born 1952) meditation teacher and co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society.^[7]

From Indian religions

From Hinduism

• B. R. Ambedkar (1891–1956), converted from Hinduism, an early leader of the Dalit Buddhist movement.^[8]
• Ashoka the Great (277–232 BCE), converted from Hinduism, Indian emperor and early convert to Buddhism.^[9][10]
• Aśvaghoṣa (?80–?150 CE), Indian Buddhist figure, philosopher- poet^[11]
• Balachandran Chullikkadu (born 1957), Malayalam language poet from Kerala^[12]
• Jagdish Kashyap (1908–1976), Buddhist monk^[13]
• Laxman Mane (born 1949), Dalit author and social worker.^[14]
• Udit Raj (born 1958), Prominent Indian social activist and Buddhist polemicist^[15]
• Rahul Sankrityayan (1893–1963), Hindi author and translator^[13]
• Iyothee Thass (1845–1914), Siddha practitioner and leader of the Dravidian movement^[16]

From other or undetermined

Richard Gere converted to Buddhism

• Anne Hopkins Aitken (1911–1994), one of the early leaders of Zen Buddhism in the West, co-founded the Honolulu Diamond Sangha.
• Robert Baker Aitken (1917–2010), co-founded the Honolulu Diamond Sangha.^[17][18]
• Reb Anderson (born 1943), Zen teacher ^[19]
• Alistair Appleton (born 1970), British television presenter.^[20][21][22]
• Stephen Batchelor (born 1953), writer ^[23]
• Kate Bosworth (born 1983), American actress^[24]
• Ajahn Brahm (born 1951), Religious teacher and student of the late Thai monk Ajahn Chah. Currently he is the abbot of the Bodhinyana Monastery, Perth and spiritual advisor to many Buddhist societies and organizations in Southeast Asia and Australia.b
• John Cage (1912–1992), American composer^[25]
• Arabella Churchill (1949–2007), English charity founder, festival co-founder, and fundraiser.^[26]
• Leonard Cohen, Canadian singer/songwriter/poet^[27]
• John Crook (1930–2011), British ethologist^[28]
• U Dhammaloka (c. 1856 – c. 1914), Buddhist activist in Burma.
• Ernest Fenollosa (1853–1908), An American professor of philosophy and political economy at Tokyo Imperial University.^[29]
• Richard Gere (born 1949), actor and activist for Tibetan causes.^[24]
• Allen Ginsberg (1926–1997), poet^[30]
• Natalie Goldberg (born 1948), writer ^[31]
• Herbie Hancock (born 1940), Jazz pianist who has also released funk and disco albums.^[24]
• Christmas Humphreys (1901–1983), Founder of the Buddhist Society.
• Joseph Jarman (born 1937), Jazz musician and Jodo Shinshu priest.^[32][33]
• Miranda Kerr (born 1983), model^[34]
• David Bowie, British Musician
• k.d. lang, Canadian singer^[35]
• Jet Li (born 1963), actor^[36]
• Courtney Love, American singer-songwriter^[37]
• Menander I (died c. 130 BCE), Greco-Buddhist king. (from pre-Christian Hellenistic religion)^[38]
• Dennis Genpo Merzel (born 1944), Abbot of Kanzeon Zen Center.^[39][40]
• Ole Nydahl (born 1941), Lama teacher ^[41]
• Ciro Pessoa (born 1957), Brazilian musician and writer.
• Tenzin Palmo (born 1943), Nun of Drukpa Kagyu lineage.^[42]
• Steven Seagal (born 1951), action-film actor who was proclaimed a tulku.^[24]
• Oliver Stone, American film director^[43]
• Sharon Stone, American actress, producer, and former fashion model.^[44]
• Ajahn Sumedho (born 1934), Most senior representative of the Thai Forest Tradition in the Western hemisphere. Abbot of the Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.
• Tan-luan (6th to 7th century), Chinese Buddhist monk important to Pure Land Buddhism.(from Taoism)^[45]
• Robert Thurman (born 1941), Buddhist priest and writer who has been called "The Billy Graham of Buddhism."^[46]
• Tina Turner (born 1939), American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress who has won eight Grammy Awards.^[27]
• Philip Whalen (1923–2002), Beat generation poet and Zen monk.^[47]
• Adam Yauch aka MCA of Beastie Boys (August 5, 1964 – May 4, 2012) American rapper, songwriter, film director, and human rights activist^[48]
• Orlando Bloom (born January 13, 1977), Actor who played Legolas in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit."^{[49] [50]}

See also

• List of Buddhists
• List of converts to Christianity
• List of converts to Islam
• List of converts to Hinduism
• List of converts to Judaism
• List of converts to Sikhism
• List of people by belief

References