Buddhism is one of the world’s oldest religions. According to a recent study, roughly 7% of the world’s population identifies as a Buddhist. Despite this, there are many people around the planet who don’t know much about this ancient system of beliefs. Take a look at these interesting facts about Buddhism and learn a bit more about what this religion involves.
Buddhism Is a Modern Name
Even people who know very little interesting facts about Buddhism usually have some familiarity with the religion. However, it was not actually referred to by this name for most of its existence. In the 1830s, Western scholars studying the various sects of the religion coined the term as a way of making it easier for new audiences to understand. There was no official name for the religion prior to this, though followers began to adopt the term in subsequent centuries. Even in modern times, Western Buddhists are more likely to use the name than Eastern Buddhists.
No Centralized Text Dictates Buddhist Beliefs
Abrahamic religions popular in the West are built around specific texts. Christians, for example, follow the Bible, while Muslims follow the Quran. There is no centralized text for Buddhists, though this doesn’t mean there are no important documents related to the religion. Theravada Buddhists follow sutras that contain quotes and stories about the Buddha. While these records have been collected in text form, the tales were transmitted orally for many centuries before being written down.
Most of the World’s Buddhists Are in Asia
According to statistics, a vast majority of the modern Buddhist population can be found in Asia. Specifically, China is stated to be home to almost half of all the world’s Buddhists. Interestingly, not all people who follow Buddhist teachings identify as being a part of the religion. It is very common in China for a person to engage in practices belonging to multiple religious groups without claiming to be a part of the religion. For this reason, scholars believe that there are likely far more people who believe in some form of Buddhism than statistics show.
Buddhism Likely Began in India
Siddhartha Gautama is believed to be the official founder of Buddhism. Also known as Gautama Buddha, historical texts state that the spiritual teacher lived and taught in what is now known as India. Though a popular religious movement in the area for centuries, Buddhism is now considered a minority religion in India. This is largely due to Hinduism being the dominant religious system of India. In fact, Siddhartha Gautama was born into a Hindu family and is even considered an important figure to many modern Hindus.
Buddhism Boasts Its Own Branch of Monks and Nuns
The Sangha is an order of monks and nuns who follow Buddhist beliefs. In this community, monks are referred to as bhikkhus and nuns are called bhikkhunis. Modern scholars have often misused the term sangha as a way of referring to any collective of Buddhists. However, followers of Buddhism claim that the correct terms to use for such congregations would be Gaṇa and Parisa. The term sangha has also been used to refer to governing groups within religious orders like the Sikhs and Jains.
Zen Is a Popular Form of Buddhism
In places like the United States, Zen Buddhism has become quite popular over recent decades. This branch of Mahayana Buddhism came about in China during the Tang dynasty. Zen Buddhism revolves predominantly around the state of the mind. Meditation is heavily involved in this belief system, with followers using the practice to try to gain more insight into the nature of the mind. Traditional Zen Buddhists practice self-restraint, often using sheer willpower to overcome desires of the flesh as a way of staying on what they believe to be the correct path for their lives.
Even though Buddhism is considered one of the most popular religions in the world, there is a lot that people don’t know about this ancient system of beliefs. If what’s been covered here captures your interest, dive into the details and learn even more interesting facts about what Buddhism is all about.