Buddhism in Nepal

Buddhism is one of the religions deeply embedded in Nepalese culture and customs in Nepal. Swayambhu Purana previous Buddhas like Vipassi visited and meditated in Nepal, according to the Asoka pillar found on site. Kakusandha and Konagama Buddhas were also born in Kapilavastu, Southern Nepal, hometown of present day Sakyamuni Gotama Buddha.

During the time of the Buddha, The Buddha and his follower monks visited Nepal on several occasions. After 200 Years of the Buddha's passing away, then Emperor Asoka built pillars in most sacred Buddhist sites like in Lumbini (the Buddha's birth place), and Kapilavastu (the Buddha's hometown). He also built four Chetiyas in Patan, Kathmandu, which are still well preserved.

One of the Emperor's daughters Charumati Bhiksuni visited Nepal and propagated the teaching. She also built the Charumati monastery where she spent her life. This period Buddhism flourished in Nepal.

In modern day Nepal we can find various type of Buddhism practised. Such as:

Vajrayana Buddhism in Nepal

The traditional Buddhism of the Newars of the Kathmandu Valley is a very ancient form of Vajrayana Buddhism. It was once much more widespread, being followed throughout South Asia and beyond, as far as Cambodia, Java, and Bali in Southeast Asia. From South Asia this form of Buddhism was carried to Tibet, China, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. Japanese Buddhist temples have Buddhist monuments and funerary sticks with mantras (‘mantara’ in Japanese) written in a script that is easily recognizable as a form of the ancient and ornate Ranjana script of Nepal. The mantras themselves are also the same, though pronounced slightly differently.

Mahayana Buddhism in South Asia died out in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries CE. The great monastic universities of north India were sacked and destroyed by Muslim invaders. The monks fled to Nepal and some went on to Tibet. Buddhist cultic centres were absorbed into Hinduism. Of course Theravada Buddhism flourished in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. But the Newars’ Buddhism is the only surviving remnant of the Sanskrit-based, Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism of South Asia. They are the only Buddhists in the world whose scriptures are still in Sanskrit. The Kathmandu Valley is, therefore, in the words of the great French Buddhologist, Sylvain Lévi, like a laboratory where it is possible to observe and understand the co-existence of Buddhism and Hinduism as it was in the first millennium in India. The Newars’ Buddhism is therefore of world-historical importance, and the old royal cities of Nepal – Kathmandu, Lalitpur (Patan), and Bhaktapur – which form its centres are quite rightly UNESCO-designated World Heritage sites.

Vajrayana Buddhism in Nepal focuses on sacred complexes known colloquially as baha or bahi in the Newars’ mother tongue, Nepal Bhasha. More honorically they are called vihara, the Sanskrit and Pali term for monastery. Thus every complex has two names, a colloquial one, e.g. Kwa Baha, and an honorific one, e.g. Hiranya-varna-mahavihara.

The members of these Newar monasteries are Shakyas and Vajracharyas, who form, with their families a priestly stratum at the head of Newar Buddhist society. In order to become a member of a baha or bahi, one must be the son of a previous member by a Shakya or Vajrcharya mother. Such a boy goes through an initiation ritual in which he becomes a monk for four days, wears monastic robes, receives dana (religious gifts) from relatives and friends, and then on the fourth day, returns his robe to the priest and is initiated into the Mahayanist and Vajrayanist path of the Buddhist householder.

The religious duties of the Buddhist householder are many in traditional Vajrayana Buddhism. The rituals are ensured by the householder domestic priest, his family’s traditional Vajracharya purohit or guru. The priest is invited for all major life-cycle rituals, from children’s first ricefeeding, to intiations, weddings, and death rites. He may be invited for many other occasions as well. In addition, there are many festivals throughout the year which are celebrated in a Buddhist idiom. Many guthis, socio-religious organizations, were set up in the past and endowed with land to ensure the performance in perpetuity of certain rituals, e.g. the annual observance or vrata to the Buddhist goddess of wealth and the harvest, Vasundhara.

The particular ritual and scriptural traditions of Nepalese Vajrayana Buddhism are therefore preserved by the Vajracharya priests. Both spiritually and literally, they trace their descent back to Shantikar Acharya, who is supposed to have been a King of Gaud, in what is now Bangladesh, who renounced and became a Buddhist priest. He came to Nepal and is supposed to have consecrated the Swayambhu stupa, the holiest site of Nepalese Buddhism, and is believed to be still alive inside the secret Tantric shrine of Shantipur, behind the north-east corner of the stupa.

See Vajrayana Reference for further infomation.

Hiranya Varna Mahavihar  (Vajrayana Vihara in Nepal)

Hidden away from the crowded streets and crossroads of the ancient city of Lalitpur (Patan/Yala) is one of the most intriguing, most elegant, and most ornate Buddhist monuments of Nepal: the monastery called Hiranya Varna Mahavihar.  To tourists it is more often known as The Golden Temple ... more

Mahayana

Tibetans and followers practise this tradition.

For details see Article Observation on the influence of Tibetan Buddhism by Min Bahadur Shakya

Theravada

History of Theravada Buddhism in Nepal is very vague. There are some evidences that Buddha visited Nepal during his lifetime, preached to his relatives and friends and ordained some people.  

Theravada tradition is believed to be the oldest unbroken tradition. The teaching- the Dhamma was divided into two sects- Sthaviravada and Mahasanghika in the second council held 100 years after the death of Buddha. Sthaviravada later developed as Theravada and Mahasanghika developed as Mahayana, which also includes Vajrayana.

More concrete evidences of existence of Buddhism in Nepal were found from the visit of king Asoka of India and some more from descriptions of Chinese travellers. King Asoka visited Lumbini in Nepal in 250 BC and erected a stone pillar, which is still standing. The inscription in Bramhi script in this pillar reads in English as follows: “King Piyadasi” (another name for king Asoka), beloved of the gods, having anointed 20 years, came here himself and worshiped saying ‘Here Buddha Sakyamuni was born (Hida Budhe Jãte Sãkyamuni)’. 

Chinese travellers Fa Hian (AD 403) and Hiuen Tsang (AD 636) also described the existence of dilapidated stupas, monasteries and palaces. (Source: Holy places of Buddhism in Nepal & India – Trilok Chandra Majupuria and Indra Majupuria). 

According to historians, Buddhism was a dominant religion until the time of King Jayasthiti Malla who ruled Nepal during medieval period (around 1382 C.E.). He imposed caste system in Nepal according Manudharmasastra, a Hindu holy book.¹ Buddhist culture and tradition were banned, the celibate monks were forced to disrobe and forced to marry. Vajrayana or Newar Buddhism was developed following the demise of Theravada Buddhism. The situation of Buddhist became worse during the time of Rana government who ruled Nepal from1846 to the dawn of democracy in 1950. That was the age, when Buddhism was totally forgotten by non-Buddhist of Nepal. It was known and practised by only certain castes-Vajracharyas (Bajracharyas), Shakyas, Tuladhars etc. The Rana government banned all Buddhist religious activities. They also banned people converting from Hindu religion to Buddhism but traditional Buddhists were allowed to become Hindus.

Revival of Theravada Buddhism started in the closing years of 19^th century. Mr. Jagat Man Vaidya (later known as Dharmaditya Dharmacariya) of Patan, Nepal started publishing Buddhist journals from India where he was studying to promote Buddhism.  He also started Buddha Jayanti (Vesak Day) Celebration to commemorate birth, enlightenment and death (parinibbana) of the Buddha. This was first celebrated in modern Nepal in 1926.

According to Lalit Bistara in Newari language, influences of Dharmaditya’s campaign and Tibetan Lamas motivated some Nepalese to take ordination according to Theravada tradition. The first Nepali to take ordination according to this tradition was Venerable Mahapragna, a Hindu Shrestha by birth in 1928 in India under Venerable U. Chandramani, a Burmese monk at Kusinagar. Other Nepalese followed his example and took Ordination under the same Burmese monk in India. But when they return to Nepal, they were arrested, imprisoned and then exiled.

Towards the later year of Rana regime the attitude of the government towards Theravada Buddhism and Theravada monks and nuns softened and the exiled monks were allowed to return to Nepal to practice the religion according to Theravada tradition. Until that time, only Vajrayana monks (Bajracharyas), who are really a householders and Tibetan Lamas were known to Nepalese. After the advent of the democracy in 1950 Theravada tradition thrived and made rapid in road into Nepalese society. Both His Majesty King Tribhuvan, the father of the nation and his son king Mahendra were supportive to Theravada revival movements. Because of the enthusiasm of Theravada monks and nuns, their lay supporters and encouragement from their Majesties Theravada tradition progressed and became a part of Nepalese religious life. Many more Nepalese men and women took ordinations. Theravada monasteries were opened in different parts of the country. At present there are 96 Theravada Viharas in the country, 303 Bhikkhus and Samaneras Sangha members and 135 Anagarikas. Some are resident in Nepal and others are either studying or practising dhamma in other countries of Asia and Europe; and in Australia and United States of America. (Source: The Ananda Bhoomi; year 33; issues 32 and 33).

Late Venerable Amritananda Mahasthavir deservers special mention in Theravada revival movement in Nepal. He played a prominent role in promotion of Theravada Buddhism in Nepal. He founded Dharmodaya Sabha, All Nepal Bhikshu Association (Akhil Nepal Bhikshu Sangha), travelled widely promoting dhamma and translated and published many Buddhist texts.

Late Venerable Bhikshu Sudharshan added a different dimension to the movement. He started training centre with the aim of broadening ordination to other ethnic groups. Until then, Newars – original inhabitants of Kathmandu Valley were the only ones who have taken ordinations in this tradition. Because of his foresight and timely action many people from other ethnic groups have accepted Theravada Buddhism and some has taken ordination. Ven. Nyanapurnika of Viswasanti Vihar who established Novice Training Centre, Ven. Ashowghosa of Sangharama, who trained most of the present leading monks of Nepal and Anagarika Dhammavati of Dharmakirti (Now Bhikkhuni according to Mahayana), who established Nunnery training centre are also well known figures in Theravada in Nepal.

At present all three traditions Newar Buddhism (Vajrayana), Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism have become acceptable Buddhist traditions in Nepal. Theravada Buddhist monks and nuns with their saffron coloured robe, along with Tibetan Lamas and Bajracharyas are familiar features in Nepalese society, especially in Kathmandu valley.

For full Article, see THERAVADA BUDDHISM IN MODERN NEPAL by Venerable Sujan