View source for Buddhism in Lithuania

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The roots of '''[[Buddhism]] in [[Lithuania]]''' can be traced to the 20th century, although the time of its first introduction there remains unknown. [[Zen Buddhism]] practiced in [[Lithuania]] today originated in [[Korea]]. There are a few active communities across the country including [[Vilnius]], [[Kaunas]], [[Klaipėda]], [[Šiauliai]], [[Panevėžys]] and [[Šakiai]].

== History ==
The first public [[Dharma talk]] in Lithuania was given in Kaunas in 1990 by Pawel Karppowich, the Polish student of [[Seung Sahn]]. The Kaunas Zen Kwan Um center was officially registered in April 1991, soon followed by a similar group in Vilnius, established after the visit of the Zen Master. The Vilnius Kwan Um Zen community grew under the support of Zen Master [[Wu Bong]]'s frequent visits.

The Vilnius International Kwan Um School of Zen Buddhism was officially registered as a religious community in Lithuania in 1991.

Zen Master Su Bong Sunim, the guiding teacher of the Hong Kong Kwan Um Sangha, opened the first Zen Temple, Ko Bong Sa, in Vilnius in 1993. Daily Zen practice is held at the Kaunas Zen Kwan Um Center since 2007.<ref>[http://www.zen.lt/index.php?page=chronicle-2 Chronicle of Kwan Um School of Zen in Lithuania]</ref>

== Zen Buddhism in Lithuania today ==
The 14th [[Dalai Lama]] [[Tenzin Gyatso]] has visited Lithuania twice and met with the President [[Valdas Adamkus]] and the Catholic Cardinal [[Audrys Juozas Bačkis]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.straipsniai.lt/religija/puslapis/736 |title=Jo Šventenybė XIV DALAI LAMA |access-date=2009-06-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726164106/http://www.straipsniai.lt/religija/puslapis/736 |archive-date=2011-07-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2009 supporters of Tibetan independence suggested giving its name to one of the parks in Vilnius as a gratitude for the Dalai Lama's support for the Lithuanian independence movement of the 1990s.<ref>[http://www.delfi.lt/archive/article.php?id=20676320 Skverą Vilniuje siūloma pavadinti Tibeto vardu]</ref>

In 2009 ''The Days of Tibetan Culture'' ([[Lithuanian language]]: "Tibeto kultūros dienos") were held in Vilnius, attended by Indian Buddhist monks.<ref>[http://tv.delfi.lt/video/AzBBQFrq/ Vienuoliai iš Indijos Vilniuje kuria smėlio mandalą]</ref>

Probably the most prominent Lithuanian Zen Buddhist is a TV journalist and a former head of the international non-governmental organisation [[Transparency International]], [[Rytis Juozapavičius]], who is also the abbot of Vilnius Zen Center, Ko Bong Sa.<ref>[http://www.vakarai.us/news/130/ARTICLE/5219/2008-08-20.html Lietuva ir budizmas: kur kas arčiau vienas kito, nei galėtų pasirodyti]{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>[http://www.transparency.lt/new/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=6&Itemid=37 Transparency International Lithuania] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113094858/http://www.transparency.lt/new/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=6&Itemid=37 |date=January 13, 2010 }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.budizmas.lt Lithuanian site on Buddhism]
* [http://www.zen.lt/index.php?page=english Kwan Um Zen in Lithuania]

{{Buddhism topics}}
{{Buddhism in Europe}}

[[Category:Buddhism by country|Lithuania, Buddhism in]]
[[Category:Religion in Lithuania]]
[[Category:Buddhism in Europe|Lit]]


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