Buddhism in Nepal

Introduction

Nepal, the land of the Himalayas, is also home to Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha and millions of Buddhist followers. With a significant number of Buddhist residents, Nepal is considered to be the common meeting point between the Indian and Tibetan streams of Buddhism which is justified by the small nation's geographical location. Nepal is bordered to the north by Tibet and India to the east, west and south. This close proximity has helped both streams of Buddhism to flourish all over the nation. The religion of Buddhism is deeply embedded in the culture and traditions of the Nepali people. Though the majority of Nepali people identify themselves as Hindus, one can observe considerate amount of Buddhist influence in the daily lives of Nepali people. This is justified by the presence of various cultural and religious heritages sharing places of worship for the people of both the faiths. That is why the distinction between Hinduism and Buddhism is not always clear in Nepal.

Buddhism In Nepal

The history of Buddhism in Nepal dates back to the days of Siddhartha Gautama, the prince of Shakya clan of Kapilvastu which is located in the present day Rupandehi district in Nepal. Following his Buddhahood, his birthplace has been revered as a holy pilgrimage for millions of followers of Buddhism all over the world. Many legends also suggest that various Boddhisattvas and previous Buddhas visited the land. One can see various monuments and landmarks around the capital city of Kathmandu which are dedicated to them. Nepal has served asa great meeting point for many Indian and Tibetan teachers of Buddhism. One of the legends suggest that Nagarjuna, the great Boddhisatva visited, lived and taught in Nepal after the deity cut out the gorge from the lake, thus creating the Kathmandu Valley. Similarly, Emperor Ashoka erected a pillar at Lumbini to signify the birthplace of the Buddha in the second century BCE. It is also believed that his daughter, princess Charumati established the village of Chabahil and also built the Charumati Stupa in Kathmandu. The country later became one of the major locations for Buddhist education and Buddhist Sankrit Literature. The following years also saw the rise of Buddhist arts like Buddha Statues, miniature stupas, Buddhist manuscripts, images, Thangkas, etc. in Nepal, for which the country is still widely known for all over the world.

In traditional Nepali Buddhism, there are believed to have nine special texts which are called Nine Dharma Jewels or Navagrantha. These texts are:

• Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra
• Gaṇḍavyūha Sūtra
• Ten Stages Sutra
• Samādhirāja Sūtra
• Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra
• Lotus Sutra
• Tathāgataguhya Sūtra
• Lalitavistara Sūtra
• Golden Light Sutra

Buddhism in Nepal consists of basically three streams of Buddhism; Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana streams. The Tibetan Mahayana stream has most of its followers in the northern part of Nepal. The Newari Buddhism, on the other hand is a form of Vajrayana Buddhism. Vajrayana Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism or the Thunderbolt way and is believed to have been derived from Mahayana Buddhism. This stream is popular religious system in the Kathmandu valley. These days some Nepali followers have turned to Theravada practice based on the Pali canon.

Nepal is also home to many Buddhist pilgrimage sites. Thousands of pilgrims visit the country every year to visit these sites in order to pay their respects to the enlightened one. Many famous Buddhist temples have been erected throughout the Nepal since the ancient times. One of the biggest Buddhist pilgrimage site in Nepal is Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha as mentioned earlier. Likewise, the ancient stupas of Swayambhu and Bouddhanath are regarded as most sacred sites for the followers of Buddhism. All of the above three sites are also listed as the World Heritage sites by UNESCO. The stupa of Swayambhunath, however has been the most sacred site and is considered as an important power place for the local Buddhists. Believed to have been "self-created" or "self-existent" form of Buddha, the premises of the stupa is surrounded by various Buddhist monasteries and quite a handful of ancient Buddha statues. The myth surrounding the stupa tells the story of the primordial Buddha's enlightenment and the spread of Buddhism in Nepal.