Buddhism is practiced by about 0.2% of the population ofUzbekistan, according to theUS State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2004. Most are ethnicKoreans. Officially only one Buddhist denomination is registered in Uzbekistan, also there is a Buddhist temple inTashkent.[1]
Since 1991, the temple is called "Jaeunsa" ("Compassion"), belonged to the Korea BuddhistJogye Order. The temple is located on the outskirts of Tashkent and is the only functioning Buddhist temple in Uzbekistan.[2]
In the time of the rulers of theKushan Empire, Buddhism in large scale penetrated intoBactria andGandhara.[3][4] According to a legend written inPali two merchants from Bactria,Trapusa and Bahalika, hit the road to meet with the Buddha and became his disciples.[5] Later, they returned to Bactria and built temples in honor of the Buddha.[6][7]
The popularity of Buddhism has been linked to his understanding as an ideology of the urban population.Kanishka the Great confirmed the significantly simplified "way of salvation" ofMahayana Buddhism, which contributed to its mass popularity.[8][9]
After the invasion of theWhite Huns, as well as during the Islamic invasion likeMuslim conquest of Transoxiana, Buddhism ceased to be a widespread and popular religion in the territory of Uzbekistan. By the 13th century it disappeared almost completely as a result of thepersecution of Buddhists during the reign ofKhorezm.[10][11]
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