Bhante Buddharakkhita greets the morning light at the Uganda Buddhist Center by sitting before the brass “Mirembe Buddha” (Luganda, “Peace Buddha”) statue. Buddhism later almost completely died out in India. Founder and abbot of the Uganda Buddhist Centre and temple, and author of Planting Dhamma Seeds: The Emergence of Buddhism in Africa, Ven. Should we reform the Buddhism we practice? The capital greets us with 3 days of pouring rain, which was an unknown phenomena here at this time of the year for the last 100 years. After eight years abroad, Kaboggoza returned to Uganda in 1998. When Venerable Bhante Buddharakkhita, now 52, first became interested in Buddhism, it didn’t take him long to realize that the tradition wasn’t very well established in his home country of Uganda—or even his home continent. Explore timeless teachings through modern methods. The first South African Buddhists came from areas where Buddhism was an established religion. Design by Point Five. When he asked the Dalai Lama to bless the endeavor, the Tibetan Buddhist leader scratched his head and told him he would need to find friends to help—His Holiness didn’t have any contacts to offer. Subscribe now to read this article and get immediate access to everything else. In North Africa, about 0.3%[1][12] (or about 20 thousand people) of the Libya's population are also Buddhists (mostly foreign workers from Asia). Joseph Goldstein. Bhante Buddharakkhita’s sister is raising her children Buddhist, and Bhante has ordained three new monks, men who found their way to the center from Uganda, Rwanda, and Egypt. 16th Karmapa and are today under the patronage of H.H. We’re sorry, there was an error. [32], There have also been cases of some high-profile celebrities converting to Buddhism such as Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, a famous British actor of Nigerian descent.[33]. Copyright 2021. Take a good look at the Buddhist sculpture. Though there have been some conversion amongst Africans, most of the Buddhists in Africa, are of Asian, mostly Chinese, Vietnamese, Sri Lankan or Japanese descent. Birthplace of Sidhartha Gautama(Buddha) Lumbini, Nepal( Ancient Indi... an subcontinent) Queen Mahamaya gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama in 563 BCE. One of the very few monastics of African descent is Ven. Enter South Africa. UNESCO world heritage site. Though there have been some conversion amongst Africans, most of the Buddhists in Africa are of Asian, mostly Chinese, Vietnamese, Sri Lankan or Japanese descent. In spite of this, there has been some increase in interest in Buddhism in recent years on the African continent. What they got, Bhante Buddharakkhita later wrote in his book, Planting Dhamma Seeds in Africa, was a man with a shaved head carrying Buddhist books and scuba gear instead of a briefcase. Buddhist traditions are represented in South Africa in many forms. See More What did the Buddha teach? Discover what 24,741 subscribers have access to, Full access to 29 years of content with over 7,775 articles. Buddhism in Africa From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigation Jump to search For the 2019 South African film, see Buddha in Africa. “When I saw the monks, I felt a connection,” he said. Buddhism and Africa, 40; the lower estimate is my own. Far from being a maritime 0.01% of South Africa's population are Buddhist. This style was worn in various countries in Africa and currently worn and embraced in the African/African American natural hair community. Stephen Batchelor There had been a large Chinese community in the Cape from the eighteenth century onwards,6 but these were mostly transient sailors. South Africa holds the largest Buddhist population in the continent. (eds.) Karma Kagyu Diamond Way Buddhism South Africa The Buddhist centers in South Africa are part of over 600 Diamond Way Buddhist centers of the Karma Kagyu lineage worldwide. However, by that time, it had spread to Sri Lanka. Returning to Uganda, he drew enough local followers and donations from supporters in Asia to purchase land in Entebbe, a town outside of Kampala, the nation’s capital, and in 2005 he opened the Uganda Buddhist Center there. Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism will free the spirit of the African people who died on the middle passage. But, very recently it came to Africa not more than 100 years history of Buddhism. Help us share Buddhist teachings and practices by donating now. Le isole Mauritius hanno la più alta percentuale di buddhisti - tra l'1,5% e il 2% della … Mauritius has the highest Buddhist percentage (between 1.5[3] to 2%[4] of the total population) among African countries due to high number of Chinese people (nearly 40 thousands or 3% of the Mauritian population[5]). It is an AFRICAN being sitting in such pose. Buddhism in South Africa Last updated January 01, 2020. Subscribe for access to video teachings, monthly films, e-books, and our 29-year archive. First of all, the hair style is of African decent, which is called Bantu knots that originated in South Africa. Buddhism in Africa. He wasn’t discouraged, however, and instead viewed the incident as an opportunity to “transform trauma into dhamma” and strengthen his resolve. Over the years Bhante Buddharakkhita has refined his teaching style, and today he highlights the similarities between African culture and Buddhism. They were established by Lama Ole and Hannah Nydahl according to the wishes of H.H. – Dr Upul Wijayawardhana; The former Sinhalese in Serendib are great (සෙරන්ඩිබ් වල හිටපු සිංහලයා ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨයි) – Mr Jackson Anthony (ජැක්සන් ඇන්තනි මහතා) The study of South African Buddhism is a very recent Clasquin, Michel / Krüger, Jacobus S. Buddharakkhita Thera was born Steven Jemba Kabogozza, and raised a Catholic. “We have about 3,000 Buddhists in Africa. A new era for Buddhism in South Africa begins – the lama’s visit is a strong impulse to the already flourishing dharma activity of Buddhist centers in Johannesburg and Cape Town. As a nonprofit, we depend on readers like you to keep Buddhist teachings and practices widely available. Bhante Buddharakkhita, one of the first African Buddhist monks, is melding Buddhism with traditional African wisdom in Uganda. The Dalai Lama Kaboggoza realized early on that while there were religious and cultural Tibetan Buddhist organizations all around the world, there was not a single one in Africa. I am a 5 time Karate/Kickboxing Champion. But after years spent living abroad and tireless commitment, in the course of which he survived an assassination attempt and received many strange looks at his robes, he became one of the first Africans to establish a Buddhist center on the continent. Though there have been some conversion amongst Africans, most of the Buddhists in Africa, are of Asian, mostly Chinese, Vietnamese or Japanese descent. Buddhism is the main religion in several East Asian countries. All rights reserved. It is estimated that 100 million Africans died on the middle passage coming to Americas as slaves. Jack Kornfield For over 20 years I was a fight promoter and producer. Buddhism was present in a South African history of religious texts and objects. [13], There are some Buddhist centers or temples can be found in Sub-Saharan African countries like: Botswana,[14] Cameroon,[15] Cote d'Ivoire,[16] Ghana,[17] Guinea,[18] Kenya,[19] Lesotho,[20] Liberia,[21] Malawi,[22] Mali,[23] Namibia,[24] Nigeria,[25] Senegal, Sierra Leone,[26] Swaziland,[27] Tanzania,[28] Togo,[29] Uganda,[30] Zambia,[31] and Zimbabwe. Lasting Although the inherently introspective nature of Buddhism does not encourage census, adherents to these traditions are usually outspoken and supported by perhaps an even greater, though hidden number of sympathisers. Buddhism, as a major world religion, is practiced in Africa. Buddhism in Africa Magazine Buddhism By The Numbers: African Great Lakes Region. I was born Simon Manase Masauko in Malawi on 23 April 1978. Tara Brach Buddhism, as a major world religion, is practiced in Africa. There are also two Buddhist centers in Casablanca, Morocco. The African countries and territories in the Indian Ocean also have significant Buddhist minorities. Although the inherently introspective nature of Buddhism does not encourage census, adherents to these traditions are usually outspoken and supported by perhaps an even greater, though hidden number of sympathisers. Even his mother decided to ordain; now known as Venerable Dhammakami, she serves as the center’s resident nun. Buddhism Takes Root in Africa. I producted fights that aired on the Black Entertainment Network. Indeed, it suggests that, although Buddhism was denominated as absurd or aberrant, South Africa became a pivotal nexus for ritualized and recurring exchanges and debates that produced these texts about Buddhism. (1999): This page was last edited on 2 January 2021, at 06:14. Tricycle is a nonprofit that depends on reader support. South Africa has the highest number because many people who came from Asian countries to work in … South Africa is holding the largest Buddhist population in the continent. Some Africans were aware of Buddhism at a very early stage in history—indeed, some of the earliest evidence for Western knowledge of Buddhist traditions comes from Northeast Africa—yet today Africa is the least Buddhist of the inhabited continents. By The Editors Spring 2019 Magazine Society & Environment Buddhism Takes Root in Africa According to 2010s estimates, Buddhist adherents are increasing to between 0.2% 0.3% of the South African population, or between 100 and 150 thousand people, however, the number of practicing Buddhists … He emphasizes, for instance, the similarity between the South African concept of ubuntu [“You are because I am, I am because you are”] and dependent origination, and he begins his talks on karma with a popular Ugandan proverb about cause and effect: “When you eat a mushroom with a maggot in it, it will eat you when you’re in the grave.” He sums up his work this way: “You can’t bring a bucket of sand and drop it there and say, ‘OK, here’s Buddhism.’ You cultivate the soil [with African wisdom] and make sure that it’s very fertile, and then bring the dharma seed and plant it.” The result, he hopes, will be a thriving and uniquely African version of Buddhism. Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism is in Africa opened just in time for the new millennium. Buddhism symbols Bhante Buddharakkhita, one of the first African Buddhist monks, is melding Buddhism with traditional African wisdom in Uganda. Born Steven Kaboggoza in Kampala and raised Roman Catholic, the young man who would become Bhante Buddharakkhita didn’t know there were other religions besides Christianity and Islam when he went to India in 1990 to study business at Panjab University in Chandigarh. Nan Hua Temple in Bronkhorstspruit, South Africa is the largest Buddhist pagoda in Africa. Related: Buddhism By The Numbers: African Great Lakes Region, With Stephen Batchelor, Sharon Salzberg, Andrew Olendzki, and more. About 35 Ugandans. From there, it spread across Asia, and later throughout the rest of the world, including South Africa. By continuing, you agree to Tricycle’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Gain insight and understand the mental state of happiness, learn to identify and defuse sources of negative emotion and to cultivate emotional states like compassion to improve personal and societal well-being. According to 2010s estimates, Buddhist adherents (included Taoism and Chinese Folk Religion) are increasing to between 0.2%[1] 0.3%[2] of the South African population, or between 100 and 150 thousand people, however, the number of practicing Buddhists may be lower. It is very new, but, many countries like as Tanzania, Botswana, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi and South Africa have many Buddhist temples, organizations, centers and academic studies. Bhante has also started a number of development projects that benefit the local community. Inspired by the Buddhist teachings they shared with him and their suggestions of “practical ways to reach ultimate happiness,” he spent a few years on a spiritual search, traveling to Dharamsala (home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile), as well as Nepal, Tibet, and Thailand, where he supported himself working as a scuba instructor. However, the number of practicing Buddhists is only about 0.4,[6] and Madagascar is also home of about 20 thousand Buddhists[7] (or about 0.1%[8] of the total population). South Africa holds the largest Buddhist population in the continent. His relatives were expecting to welcome a prosperous businessman. Since the early 70's, the profound Buddhist view with its vast number of methods has inspired a growing number of people in Western cultures. He decided that he would start the first, but he had a long way to go before making his dream a reality. He converted to Buddhism in 1990 while studying in India, and has been teaching mindfulness meditation in Africa since 2005. Buddhism is different to Christianity as a ‘God’ is not worshiped and it also does not teach the existence of the human soul. Though he shrugs off most of these cultural misunderstandings with a laugh, on one occasion he was attacked at his center and narrowly escaped a bullet at close range. Take an online Buddhism course at your own pace. In 2015 he founded the African Buddhist Union, an umbrella group aimed at uniting practitioners across the continent. The gate is a ... gift from the Government of India to Malaysia, as a mark of continued friendship between the two countries. Thich Nhat Hahn Tricycle. He decided to dedicate himself fully to spiritual life and was ordained in California in 2002 by the late Venerable U Silananda. BIBLIOGRAPHY ON BUDDHISM IN SOUTH AFRICA, INCLUDING SOUTH AFRICAN WORKS ON BUDDHISM By Michel Clasquin 1st version, August 2002 Introduction If this bibliography contained only publications specifically about Buddhism in South Africa, it would be a short one indeed. Continuous new writings from leading Buddhist teachers and New York Times bestselling authors, including: Sharon Salzberg But he wasn’t there for long. Soon after he returned to Uganda, many of Bhante Buddharakkhita’s immediate family members converted to Buddhism, moved by his teachings and meditation instructions as well as the respect shown him by South Asian Buddhist immigrants in the region. CONTENTS Buddhism in Africa: some strategic issues Kobus Krüger 1 The Buddha of suburbia: a nineteenth-century South African imagining Darrel Wratten 13 Buddhism in South Africa: its past history, present status and likely future Louis Van Loon 31 Buddhism, as a major world religion, is practiced in Africa. “I use African wisdom as the foundation for my teaching,” he says. Though there have been some conversion amongst Africans, most of the Buddhists in Africa, are of Asian, mostly Chinese, Vietnamese, Sri Lankan or Japanese descent. In the Seychelles and Réunion, Buddhists represented about 0.1%[9][10] to 0.2%[1][11] of the island populations. Pema Chödrön Torana Gate is a torana in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. Buddhism in South Africa: | | ||| | The |Nan Hua Temple| Complex, near |Johannesburg|. Though there have been some conversion amongst Africans, most of the Buddhists in Africa are of Asian, mostly Chinese, Vietnamese, Sri Lankan or Japanese descent. No matter where he was in the world, no matter what Buddhist tradition he followed, Bhante Buddharakkhita’s dream of starting a center stayed with him. The Nan Hua Temple Complex, near Johannesburg.. Buddhist traditions are represented in South Africa in many forms. Please check your email to confirm your subscription. Buddhism, as a major world religion, is practiced in Africa.Though there have been some conversion amongst Africans, most of the Buddhists in Africa are of Asian, mostly Chinese, Vietnamese, Sri Lankan or Japanese descent.. South Africa holds the largest Buddhist population in the continent. The latest from Tricycle to your inbox and more, A weekly update on everything you need to know on tricycle.org, Buddhist teachings to your inbox every Thursday, Course announcements, offers, and events from our partners, Weekly updates and guided meditations from a Buddhist teacher throughout the month of March, Buddha Buzz Weekly: New Workshop Series Blends Buddhism and Constitutional Law, Building a Strong Foundation: Four Guided Meditations, Buddha Buzz Weekly: Beatboxing Monk Goes Viral. It is estimated that about 0.02% of Africans are Buddhist, currently the lowest percentage of … It was influenced by Buddhist architecture of the Indian subcontinent. I received the Dharma name Ben Xing, which means “awakening” or, more literally, “the original root of awakening,” in 2000 from the renowned Buddhist monk Venerable Master Hui Li, the first Mahayana monk from Taiwan to come to Africa and propagate humanistic Buddhism. Temples, centres and groups are common in the metropolitan areas and the country is thought to comprise the largest … You don’t have to be weird or a Buddhist or sitting on top of a mountain in India to derive benefits of studying Buddhism. "Global Religious Landscape - Religious Composition by Country", "Religious Adherents, 2010 – South Africa", "Religious Adherents, 2010 – Mauritius (0.2% Buddhist + 1.3% Chinese Folk Religion)", "Resident population by religion and sex", "List of Buddhist centers in Cote d'Ivoire", Buddhist Study Exams Held in Zambia, Korea and the USA, http://www.metro.co.uk/showbiz/interviews/19172-60-seconds-adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje, Most Buddhist Nations (2010) | QuickLists | The Association of Religion Data Archives, Most Chinese Universist Nations (2010) | QuickLists | The Association of Religion Data Archives, "List of Buddhist centers in Burkina Faso", SGI members in Sierra Leone Organize Buddhist Seminars, Basic points unifying Theravāda and Mahāyāna, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Buddhism_in_Africa&oldid=997785311, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Please try again. Would you like to sign up for our other mailing lists? The lack of a spiritual community led him abroad again, first to South America, then to a three-month retreat at Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, where he met his teacher, the Theravada monk Bhante Henepola Gunaratana. Buddhist Studies. Thank you for subscribing to Tricycle! There are now several Buddhist temples and meditation centers in central Africa and in South Africa. Therefore after looking way back we can have some happy progress in future. Bhante Buddharakkhita from Uganda, founder of the Uganda Buddhist Centre. 17th Karmapa Thaye Dorje. Buddhist monks in Africa. Buddhism, as a major world religion, is practiced in Africa. To understand Buddhism in Ghana let me give you some background. The number of Buddhist centers, when the first Buddhist temple was established (it’s further back than you may think), and more dharma data from Central and Eastern Africa. But he was immediately drawn to two Thai monks who were his classmates. Most of the Buddhists in Africa, live in South Africa. In 1988 I produced a 35mm major motion picture. The early years presented many challenges: Dressed in his maroon robes and holding a begging bowl, Bhante Buddharakkhita was frequently mistaken for a member of the Maasai ethnic group, a traditional medicine man, or even a cutting-edge fashionista. To alleviate a shortage of clean water, the Uganda Buddhist Center drilled a new well on their grounds to share with their neighbors; they also plant trees and run a women’s economic empowerment program in addition to a “Peace School,” a Buddhist version of Sunday school. South Africa is holding the largest Buddhist population in the Buddhism, as a major world religion, is practiced in Africa. When he tried to buy one parcel of land for his center, the neighbors refused to talk to him, suspecting he was a wizard. Progress in future s resident nun was Last edited on 2 January 2021, at 06:14 in 1988 I a... 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