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| Western Buddhism |
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 Statue of theBuddha in theJapanese Tea Garden,San Francisco |
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| Total population | |
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| Approximately 40,000 (2010 estimate); <0.1% of thepopulation of Turkey | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Languages | |
| Turkish,English | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Buddhism,Religion in Turkey |
Buddhism is practiced by a small community, the majority of whom are foreign nationals, and it does not have official recognition by theTurkish state. According to 2010 estimates by thePew Research Center, approximately 40,000Buddhists live inTurkey, representing less than 0.1% of the country’s population.[1]
Buddhism has historical roots amongTurkic peoples inCentral Asia prior to the formation of the modernTurkish state. Academic studies indicate that several early Turkic groups encountered and, in some cases, adopted Buddhist beliefs between the 5th and 9th centuries through contact with Buddhist communities along theSilk Road. During this period, Buddhism coexisted with belief systems such asTengrism,Manichaeism, andZoroastrianism.[2][3]
Historical sources suggest that rulers of theFirst Turkic Khaganate (6th century) maintained diplomatic relations with Buddhist centers inChina andCentral Asia.Buddhist monks were received at Turkic courts, and Buddhist texts circulated among elite circles, although Buddhism did not become the dominant religion of the khaganate.[4]
Within the territory of modern-day Turkey, direct archaeological evidence of Buddhism is limited. The most frequently cited site associated with Buddhism is theAhlat Buddhist Temple, located in theAhlat district ofBitlis Province. The structure is believed to date from the 13th to 15th centuries and is often linked to the presence of Buddhist soldiers during the westward expansion of theMongols intoAnatolia. However, the identification of the site as a Buddhist temple remains disputed among scholars.[5]
The structure, located in a cave complex in theHarabeşehir area, contains decorative elements such as peacock figures and a centrallotus motif, symbols commonly associated with Buddhist iconography. Scholars note that such motifs alone are insufficient to conclusively identify the structure as a Buddhist religious site.[6]
By the late medieval period, theIslamization of Turkic peoples and the political consolidation of Anatolia under theSeljuks and later theOttoman Empire led to the disappearance of Buddhism as an organized religious presence in the region. Buddhism did not establish lasting institutional structures in Anatolia and remained absent from the religious framework of the Ottoman Empire.[7]
The Buddhist population in Turkey consists primarily of expatriates fromEast Asia andSoutheast Asia, including diplomats, business professionals, and students. A smaller number ofTurkish citizens identify as Buddhists, often through conversion influenced bymeditation practices, philosophical interest, or translated Buddhist literature. Due to the lack of official recognition, comprehensive demographic data beyond international estimates remain limited.[8]
Buddhism does not have official legal recognition in Turkey. Buddhist communities therefore do not benefit from state funding or formal institutional status granted to some other religious groups. Nevertheless,freedom of religion is guaranteed under theConstitution of Turkey, and Buddhist practice is generally tolerated in private and informal settings.[9]
In contemporary Turkey, Buddhist practice typically occurs in informal contexts such as meditation groups, cultural associations, andyoga studios, particularly in large cities includingIstanbul,Ankara, andIzmir. Some international Buddhist organizations periodically organize retreats and teachings in Turkey.[10]
In 2015, amid public debate over the construction ofmosques and prayer rooms onuniversities campuses, some university students symbolically demanded the construction of Buddhist andJedi temples as a form of protest and expression ofsecularism.[11]
Research indicates thatTurkish media generally portrays Buddhism in a neutral or positive manner, except in reporting related to political crises inMyanmar. Public awareness of Buddhism is shaped by documentaries, travel programs,Asian television series, yoga studios, and translated literature. At least 40 Buddhism-related books have been translated into Turkish, including works by theDalai Lama,Thích Nhất Hạnh, andErich Fromm.[12]
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