Buddhism in Scotland

The arrival of Buddhism in Scotland is relatively recent. In Scotland Buddhists represent 0.13% of the population.[1] People were asked both their current religion and that they were brought up in. 6,830 people gave Buddhism as their current religion, and 4,704 said they were brought up in it, with an overlap of 3,146.[2]

History of Buddhism in Scotland

The earliest Buddhist influence on Scotland came through its imperial connections with South East Asia, and as a result the early connections were with the Theravada traditions of Burma, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. To begin with, 150 years ago, this response was primarily scholarly, and a tradition of study grew up that eventually resulted in the foundation of the Pali Text Society, which undertook the huge task of translating the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhist texts into English.

The main stupa at Samyé Ling monastery in Scotland

The rate of growth was slow but steady through the century, and the 1950s saw the development of interest in Zen Buddhism. In 1967 Kagyu Samyé Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre was founded by Tibetan lamas and refugees Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Akong Rinpoche. It is in Eskdalemuir, in south west Scotland and is the largest Tibetan Buddhist centre in Western Europe, and part of the Karma Kagyu tradition.

As well there are other Buddhism-based new religious movements such as the New Kadampa Tradition, Triratna Buddhist Community and Sōka Gakkai International. The Triratna community maintains a retreat centre at Balquhidder in the Trossachs.

Samyé Ling

Kagyu Samyé Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre monastery—founded in 1967[3]—includes the largest Buddhist temple in western Europe. There is an associated community on Holy Isle which is owned by Samyé Ling who belong to the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. The settlements on the island include the Centre for World Peace and Health and a retreat centre for nuns. Samyé Ling has also established centres in more than 20 countries, including Belgium, Ireland, Poland, South Africa, Spain and Switzerland.[4]

Notable Scottish Buddhists

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00398-02.asp
  2. ↑ Scotland's Census 2001: the Registrar-General's Report to the Scottish Parliament, General Register Office for Scotland, 2003, page 31
  3. ↑ Kate Rew (2010-01-15). "Scotland's Buddhist retreat". The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
  4. ↑ In the Scottish Lowlands, Europe's first Buddhist monastery turns 40 Retrieved 24 June 2007.
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