Where is Buddhism Practiced?

Much like almost any major world religion, Buddhism has numerous denominations and is located in just about every part of the world. While it had its origins on the sub-continent of India (in the 6th century BCE), from there it spread to the proverbial “four corners” of the globe. And, much to the surprise of many, in India today this ancient religion is much less common than it once was.

From ancient Magadha (now called “Bihar”)—on the border of Nepal and Eastern India—Buddhism has grown to encompass the globe. What was once a faith tradition with only five followers has grown into a religion with nearly half a billion adherents. While the vast majority (about 98%) of all Buddhists live in the Asian-Pacific, there are significant pockets in other parts of the world as well. North America, for example, has about 4 million Buddhists. Latin America, on the other hand, has around 400 thousand individuals who identify as Buddhist. North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East (combined) have approximately 200 thousand Buddhists. And Europe has the largest population of Buddhists outside of the Asian-Pacific, with approximately 1.3 million residents of European countries declaring themselves to be Buddhists.

There are three main branches of Buddhism—Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana—with each of these primary denominations having sub-denominations within them. Of these three, the Mahayana tradition is the largest. Indeed, “Mahayana” essentially means the “greater vehicle”—implying not only its immensity but also its superior approach to the practice of Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism is found primarily in Northern Asia, in countries like Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Taiwan, and China. Theravada Buddhism, believed to be the oldest of the currently extant denominations, is the type of Buddhism most commonly practiced in Southern and South-Eastern Asia, in countries such as Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar (i.e., “Burma”), Laos, and Cambodia. Vajrayana Buddhism is often referred to as “Tibetan Buddhism,” because the tradition entered Tibet (in the 7th century CE) and, from there, spread to other countries like Bhutan, Mongolia, and Nepal.

Individual practitioners of Buddhism will have their own personal doctrinal views, and different denominations have differing teachings and practices as well. In addition, the country in which one practices will have significant influence on the look and feel of a given Buddhist’s denomination as well. So, for example, Buddhism in Myanmar looks quite a bit different than Buddhism in Tibet; and the flavor of Buddhism most commonly found in Latin America tends to feel quite different from that which is present in India. Thus, personal beliefs, the specific denomination followed, and even the culture of a country in which Buddhism is found can each strongly influence what is believed and how this ancient religion is practiced. Buddhism is not a dogmatic faith that dictates what its practitioners have to believe or how they must practice their faith. It is filled with a variety of viewpoints, practices, denominations, and sacred texts and, accordingly, one must be careful about generalizations when talking about this ancient religious tradition.

As one of the most impactful and enduring religions to arise during the axial age, Buddhism has significantly influenced the lives of millions of people and the culture of countless countries in its 2.5 thousand years of existence. Though it often merges with the country, culture, and religion of whatever nation in which it is found (much as it has with Shinto in Japan), nonetheless, Buddhism has not only spread throughout the entire earth but, in doing so, it has had significant impact on contemporary society—including education, morality, politics, art, and so much more. It is one of the great civilizing influences of modern history.