Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In Register
Examples: Monday, today, last week, Mar 26, 3/26/04
Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.

Some questions about Buddhism in the United Kingdom.

BuddhaOdinBuddhaOdin
edited April 2010 in Buddhism Basics
Which sects of Buddhism are most common in the U.K?

Is there a dominant form of Buddhism in the U.K?

Are there any sects of Buddhism that developed in U.K?

Comments

  • NiosNios Veteran
    edited April 2010
    BuddhaOdin wrote: »
    Which sects of Buddhism are most common in the U.K?

    Is there a dominant form of Buddhism in the U.K?

    Are there any sects of Buddhism that developed in U.K?

    1) The three main buddhist sects in the UK are Theravada, Tibetan and Zen. I'm not sure which is most common.

    2) I would have to say no

    3) I suppose New Kadampa gained ground in the UK first. Not to sure about that. I think Celtic Buddhism first started in the UK (Ireland)?

    Nios.
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited April 2010
    An organisation called the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO) was founded in the 1960s by a Theravadin monk, Sangharakshita.

    This is an attempt at a sort of "back to basics" which you will also find on this forum.

    There is a good article about Buddhism in the UK here:
    http://fwbo.org/buddhism/uk.html:
    "The three largest Buddhist movements in Britain are the FWBO, NKT and Soka Gakkai."


  • CittaCitta Veteran
    edited April 2010
    Simonthepilgrim wrote: »
    An organisation called the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO) was founded in the 1960s by a Theravadin monk, Sangharakshita.

    This is an attempt at a sort of "back to basics" which you will also find on this forum.

    There is a good article about Buddhism in the UK here:
    http://fwbo.org/buddhism/uk.html:
    "The three largest Buddhist movements in Britain are the FWBO, NKT and Soka Gakkai."


    I think that the FWBO is the largest single Buddhist organisation in terms of numbers.
    Followed by various Tibetan groups. Then Theravada, although Theravadin lay followers tend to not fall into organised groups so their numbers are difficult to estimate.
    In numerical terms Zen, both Rinzai and Soto, are tiny in the UK.
  • Fran45Fran45
    edited April 2010
    I agree with the previous posts. My nearest centre is Theravadan (one Abbot and one monk). We had a very small Tibetan centre (one monk and a couple of lay meditation teachers) for a couple of years, but that has now closed. We also have Pureland meditation and teaching available in the city centre once a week in term time.
  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    edited April 2010
    I know next to nothing about Buddhism in the UK in general. However, if you can get in touch with David Brazier, I would strongly recommend it.
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited April 2010
    I live some 30 minutes from Bristol (by car. 2 1/2 hours by train!!!!) where we have every form and flavour of Buddhism. My own town is a hotbed of spiritualities but, on the whole, they tend towards the heterodox.
  • BuddhaOdinBuddhaOdin
    edited April 2010
    Where I live there are some Buddhists but they are small in numbers compared to Christians. But when I go to the garden centres there are loads of Buddha ornaments and Buddha statues etc. I wonder if people who spend loads of money on them really know who the Buddha was.
  • NiosNios Veteran
    edited April 2010
    If my place of work and friends are anything to go by; no!
  • Fran45Fran45
    edited April 2010
    David Brazier is Pureland and is based in Leicestershire at the Amida Trust. He and his wife Caroline Brazier have written several books.
Sign In or Register to comment.