Buddhism in Scotland is a relatively recent phenomenon. In
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
Buddhists represent 0.24% of the population or around 13,000 people.
History of Buddhism in Scotland
The earliest Buddhist influence on Scotland came through its imperial connections with
South East Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...
, and as a result the early connections were with the
Theravada
''Theravāda'' () ( si, ථේරවාදය, my, ထေရဝါဒ, th, เถรวาท, km, ថេរវាទ, lo, ເຖຣະວາດ, pi, , ) is the most commonly accepted name of Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school' ...
traditions of
Burma
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
,
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
, 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
The Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the most complete extant early Buddhist canon. It derives mainly from the Tamrashatiya school.
During t ...
of Theravada Buddhist texts into
English.
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
Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...
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
The New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union (NKT—IKBU) is a global Buddhist new religious movement founded by Kelsang Gyatso in England in 1991. In 2003 the words "International Kadampa Buddhist Union" (IKBU) were a ...
,
Triratna Buddhist Community
The Triratna Buddhist Community (formerly the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO)) is an international fellowship of Buddhists and others who aspire to its path of mindfulness. It was founded by Sangharakshita (born Dennis Philip Edward ...
and
Sōka Gakkai International
Soka Gakkai International (SGI) is an international Nichiren Buddhist organisation founded in 1975 by Daisaku Ikeda, as an umbrella organization of Soka Gakkai, which declares approximately 12 million adherents in 192 countries and territories a ...
. The Triratna community maintains a retreat centre at
Balquhidder in the
Trossachs.
Demographics
In 2001 census, the Buddhism constituted 0.1% or 6,830 people of the Scotland. It increased to 0.2% or 12,795 people in 2011 census.
Samyé Ling
Kagyu Samyé Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre was founded in 1967 by two spiritual masters, Choje
Akong Tulku Rinpoche and
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, who both belong to the
Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. It was the first Tibetan Buddhist Centre to be established in the West and was named after Samye, the very first monastery to be established in Tibet. In 1977, during the
16th Karmapa
The sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje (; August 14, 1924 – November 5, 1981) was the spiritual leader of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Followers believed him to be part of the oldest line of reincarnate lamas in Vajra ...
's second visit to Samye Ling, he assured Akong Rinpoche about the longer-term future of Buddhism in the West and at Samye Ling. It is from this encounter that the Samye Project was born.
There is an associated community on
Holy Isle which is owned by Samyé Ling The settlements on the island include the ''Centre for World Peace and Health'' and a traditional retreat centre for nuns. Samyé Ling has also established centres in more than 20 countries, including
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
and
Switzerland.
[ ]
Notable Scottish Buddhists
*
Stephen Batchelor
*
Alex Ferns
Alexander Ferns (born 13 October 1968) is a Scottish actor and television personality, best known for his ''EastEnders'' role as Trevor Morgan, who was described as "Britain's most-hated soap villain" when he played the role between 2000 and 200 ...
*
Rupert Gethin
Rupert Mark Lovell Gethin (born 1957, in Edinburgh) is Professor of Buddhist Studies in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies and codirector of the Centre for Buddhist Studies at the University of Bristol, and (since 2003) president of ...
*
Ajahn Candasiri
Ajahn Candasiri is one of the Theravāda Buddhist monastics who co-founded Chithurst Buddhist Monastery in West Sussex, England, a branch monastery of the Ajahn Chah lineage. She is currently ordained as a ten-precept sīladhārā, the highes ...
See also
*
Holy Isle, Firth of Clyde
The Holy Island or Holy Isle ( gd, Eilean MoLaise) is an island in the Firth of Clyde, off the west coast of central Scotland, inside Lamlash Bay on the larger Isle of Arran. The island is around long and around wide. Its highest point is the ...
*
Buddhism in the United Kingdom
Buddhism in the United Kingdom has a small but growing number of adherents which, according to a Buddhist organisation, is mainly a result of conversion. In the UK census for 2011, there were about 247,743 people who registered their religion as B ...
*
Buddhism in England
Buddhism in England has growing support. 238,626 people in England declared themselves to be Buddhist at the 2011 Census and 34% of them lived in London.
History
Early Buddhist presence could be seen in the 1810s. Adam Sri Munni Ratna, a Bu ...
*
Buddhism in Wales
Buddhism in Wales is followed by 0.3% of the Welsh population, according to the 2021 Census. Buddhism has a relatively short history, having only really established a presence in the country in the 20th Century. 10,075 people in Wales declared th ...
*
Buddhism by country
*
Demographics of Scotland
*
British Asian
British Asians (also referred to as Asian Britons) are British citizens of Asian descent. They constitute a significant and growing minority of the people living in the United Kingdom, with 6.9% of the population identifying as Asian/Asian Bri ...
*
Asian-Scots
*
New Scots
New Scots are people of any background who have immigrated to Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with Englan ...
External links
Edinburgh Drikung Kagyu SanghaEdinburgh Buddhist Centre(FWBO)
Scotland- List of Buddhist groups in Scotland
Portobello Buddhist Priory(OBC)
Edinburgh Theravadan BuddhistsScottish Wild Geese Sangha(COI)
Diamond Way BuddhismAberdeen Buddhist GroupGlasgow Zen Group
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buddhism In Scotland
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
History of religion in Scotland
Immigration to Scotland
Religion in Scotland
Sco