Buddhism in Nepal

Buddhism in Nepal. Buddhism is Nepal's second-largest religion, with 8.2% of the country's population, or approximately 2.4 million people, identifying as adherents of Buddhism in a 2021 census.

According to tradition, Shakyamuni Buddha was born in Lumbini in present day Nepal. Nepal also has many Buddhist monuments, such as the great stupas of Boudhanath and Swayambhunath in the Kathmandu Valley.

Presently, there are three main Buddhist traditions in Nepal:

• Newar Buddhism - the main form of Buddhism practiced in the Kathmandu Valley for thousands of years
• Tibetan Buddhism - the main form of Buddhism practiced in the mountainous Himalayan regions of Nepal; also, since the Chinese take-over of Tibet, many Tibetan refugees have settled in the Kathmandu valley, particulary around the stupas at Boudhanath and Swayambhunath
• Theravada Buddhism - began spreading to Nepal in the 20th century

Newar Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism share many similarities. They are both forms of Vajrayana Buddhism that share the same literary heritage.

External links

• Buddhism in Nepal, Wikipedia