5 Top Buddhist Countries

Buddhism is the 4th biggest religion on earth and has now around 535 million practitioners. Buddhism is an extremely old religion and contains its very own tradition and cultures. Southeast Asian nations are regarded as home of Buddhists. Here we’ll inform you of these countries that have biggest Buddhist population on earth. In the interest of sharing knowledge, we’ve made a list of top 5 countries having largest Buddhist population on earth, so take a look below:

1. China

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Buddhism is the earliest foreign religion of China. This combined along with native Daoism as well as folk religion. Contemporary Chinese Buddhists are often called Taoists. The ancient Hindu Buddhism shown by Buddha required attaining Enlightenment via meditation. The way to do this and just what it implies is open to interpretation. At the time early Buddhist scriptures were interpreted right into Chinese, Taoist terms based upon ancient religion was usually utilized. People interpreted the scripture in their own personal means.

2. Thailand

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Thailand is generally known as “The Land of Buddhism”, the ideal country on earth for all those aiming to learn the teachings of the Buddha. Thailand’s popularity as being the heart of Buddhism is popular, with plenty of individuals from around the globe frequently visiting Thailand and perhaps even learning Thai in order to study Buddhism there.

Buddhism is highly regarded in Thai culture that it’s viewed as a tradition for Thai men to turn into monks at some point on their lives, for even a brief time period. Temples are regarded as holy ground, with it being a taboo in Thailand to perform any kind of unwholesome acts around temple property.

3. Vietnam

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Near to 90% of individuals in Myanmar these days are Buddhist, and almost all of them follow Theravada Buddhism. This particular branch of Buddhism sticks most closely towards the oldest texts on the Buddhist tradition and often focuses on a much more rigorous observance of the monastic code compared to some other schools of Buddhism. Theravada Buddhists eventually seek to be let go from the cycle of suffering, samsara, and so to attain nirvana. To be successful on this world and to progress to enlightenment in future rebirths, they need to develop positive karma, or merit.

4. Myanmar

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Buddhism in Myanmar (Burma) is mostly of the Theravada tradition, practised by around 89% of the nation’s population. This is the most religious Buddhist nation with regards to the percentage of monks on the population as well as the proportion of revenue allocated to religion. Enthusiasts are likely found amongst the dominant Bamar people, Rakhine, Shan, Karen, Mon, Zo, as well as Chinese who are well incorporated into Burmese society. Monks, together called the sangha, are venerated people in Burmese society. Amongst numerous ethnic groups in Myanmar, such as the Bamar and Shan, Theravada Buddhism is practised alongside nat worship, that involves the placation of spirits who are able to get involved in worldly events.

5. Sri Lanka

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Sri Lanka is considered the oldest continually Buddhist nation. Theravada Buddhism is the major religion on this island since the time of its official introduction around the 2nd century BC by Venerable Mahinda (son of Emperor Ashoka of India), at the time of King Devanampiya- Tissa. Afterwards, the nun Sanghamitta (daughter of Asoka) was believed to have introduced the southern branch of the Bodhi tree, in which it was initially cultivated at Anuradhapura. Coming from that particular day to the present, the Buddhists in Sri Lanka have given and are paying the highest respect to this branch of the Bodhi Tree, underneath the shade of which the Master attained Enlightenment.