Ankitchadha at 20:05, 9 April 2026

2026-04-09T20:05:51Z

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{{Short description|Religious subgroup of the Bengalis}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox religious group
| name = Bengali Buddhists <br/> বাঙালি বৌদ্ধ<br/>''Bangali Bouddho''
| image = Buddha Dhatu Zadi01.jpg
| image_caption = [[Buddha Dhatu Zadi]], a Buddhist temple in [[Bangladesh]]
| population = 1,290,366
| region1 = {{flag|Bangladesh}}
| pop1 = 1,007,468 ([[2022 Bangladeshi census|Bangladesh Census 2022]])
| region2 = {{flag|India}} ([[West Bengal]])
| pop2 = 282,898<ref name=Census2011R>{{cite web|title=C-01: Population by religious community, India - 2011 |publisher=Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/11361/download/14474/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS |format=XLS |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826023408/https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/11361/download/14474/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS |archive-date=26 August 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| region3 = {{flag|India}} ([[Tripura]])
| pop3 = 125,182<ref name=Census2011R>{{cite web|title=C-01: Population by religious community, India - 2011 |publisher=Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/11361/download/14474/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS |format=XLS |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826023408/https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/11361/download/14474/DDW00C-01%20MDDS.XLS |archive-date=26 August 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| languages = [[Bengali language|Bengali]]
| religions = [[Buddhism]] ([[Theravada Buddhism]])
}}
{{Buddhism}}
{{Bengalis}}
'''Bengali Buddhists''' ({{langx|bn|বাঙালি বৌদ্ধ}}) are a religious sub-group of the [[Bengalis]] who adhere to or practice the religion of [[Buddhism]]. Bengali Buddhist people mainly live in [[Bangladesh]] and Indian states of [[West Bengal]] and [[Tripura]].

[[Buddhism]] has a rich ancient heritage in Bengal. The region was a bastion of the ancient Buddhist [[Mauryan]] and [[Pala Empire|Pala]] empires when the [[Mahayana]] and [[Vajrayana]] schools flourished. South-eastern Bengal was ruled by the medieval [[Buddhist]] [[Kingdom of Mrauk U]] during the 16th and 17th centuries. The [[British Raj]] influenced the emergence of the modern community.

Today, Bengali Buddhists are followers of [[Theravāda Buddhism]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bechert |first=Heinz |author-link=Heinz Bechert |year=1970 |title=Theravada Buddhist Sangha: Some General Observations on Historical and Political Factors in its Development |journal=The Journal of Asian Studies |volume=29 |issue=4 |pages=761–778 |doi=10.2307/2943086 |jstor=2943086|s2cid=154554678 }}</ref>

==History==

[[File:Somapura Mahavihara, Bangladesh.jpg|thumb|left|[[Somapura Mahavihara]] from the [[Pala Empire|Pala dynasty]], a [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]]]]
Ancient Bengal was a center of Buddhist learning and art. Buddhist artefacts have been excavated throughout the region, particularly in [[Wari-Bateshwar]], [[Chandraketugarh]], [[Somapura Mahavihara|Paharpur]], [[Mahasthangarh]] and [[Mainamati]]. The [[Mauryan Empire]] led by [[Ashoka]] extended its [[suzerainty]] to the region in the 2nd century BCE. Ashoka played an important role in propagating Buddhism in his own empire and the wider ancient world.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bentley |first1=Jerry H. |year=1993 |title=Old World Encounters: Cross-Cultural Contacts and Exchanges in Pre-Modern Times |publisher=Oxford University Press |page=46 |isbn=978-0-19-507640-0}}</ref> Mauryan rule was succeeded by the Buddhist [[Samatata]] maritime kingdom in Bengal.

Successive Buddhist powers tussled for dominance with [[Hindu]] and [[Jain]] kings in the [[Indian subcontinent]]. Buddhism in Bengal experienced a revival under the Pala-Candra rulers. These rulers, who were Mahayana Buddhists, supported Buddhism vigorously and established renowned centers of Buddhist learning in eastern India.<ref name=":0" /> The Bengali Buddhist [[Pala Empire]] arose during the 8th century. Founded by the election of a Buddhist chieftain [[Gopala]] circa 750 CE, the empire grew into one of the largest imperial powers in classical Asia. The Palas promoted [[Mahayana]] and [[Tantric Buddhism]]. They patronised the creation of many outstanding temples, monasteries, and works of art. The Palas enjoyed strong relations with the [[Abbasid Caliphate]], the [[Tibetan Empire]] and the [[Srivijaya Empire]]. The empire reached its peak under [[Dharmapala (emperor)|Dharmapala]] and [[Devapala (Pala dynasty)|Devapala]]. They reigned for four centuries until being replaced by the resurgent Hindu [[Sena dynasty]]. According to Kunal Chakrabarty, Buddhism in Bengal declined due to loss of distinctiveness and lack of royal patronage, as the Senas imposed a new socio-religious order, leading to the decline.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Chakrabarti |first=Kunal |date=2016 |title=A History of Intolerance: The Representation of Buddhists in the Bengal Purāṇas |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24890282 |journal=Social Scientist |volume=44 |issue=5/6 |pages=11–27 |jstor=24890282 |issn=0970-0293}}</ref> According to Muhammad Ghulam Rasul, [[Brahmin]] persecution played a key role in the [[decline of Buddhism in India]]; followed by later Muslim conquest.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bmri.org.uk/articles/pre-islam_bengal_society.pdf |title=Bengal Society before the Advent of Islam |author=Muhammad Ghulam Rasul |website=Bengali Muslim Research Institute}}</ref> During Sena rule in Bengal many Buddhists migrated from Bengal proper to eastern Bengal crossing [[Meghna River]] due to persecution by the Hindus.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Roy |first=Atul Chandra |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/History_of_Bengal.html?id=AacsAAAAMAAJ |title=History of Bengal: Mughal Period, 1526-1765 A.D. |date=1968 |publisher=Nababharat Publishers |pages=222 |language=en |quote=Long before the advent of the Mughals in Bengal, the latter had at one time close relation with Arrakan. During the hegemony of the Sena rulers of Bengal, Buddhists, due to persecutions by the Hindus, Eastern Bengal specially east of the Meghna river.}}</ref>
[[File:Shalban Bihar Temple Ruins 003.jpg|thumb|The [[Mainamati]] Buddhist ruins in southeastern Bangladesh]]
Remnants of Buddhist communities continued to flourish in south-eastern Bengal. The Buddhist [[Kingdom of Mrauk U]] ruled the region during the 16th and 17th centuries.

By the late 18th century, the region was ceded to the [[British Empire]]. During this period, a revival movement developed <ref name="buddhistdoor.net">{{cite web |url=http://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/jewel-in-the-crown-bengals-buddhist-revival-in-the-19th-and-20th-centuries |title=Jewel in the Crown: Bengal's Buddhist Revival in the 19th and 20th Centuries}}</ref> that led to the development of two orders of Theravada monks, the [[Sangharaj Nikaya]] and the [[Mahasthabir Nikaya]].

==Demographics==
[[File:Buddhist Temple at Maheshkhali Island.jpg|thumb|A Buddhist temple on [[Maheshkhali Island]], Chittagong]]

Bangladesh is home to the predominant section of the Bengali Buddhist community. Many members of the community reside in [[Chittagong]], [[Dhaka]], [[Cox's Bazar]], and [[Comilla]]. The eastern Indian state capitals of [[Agartala]] and [[Kolkata]] also have significant Bengali Buddhist communities.

Bengali Buddhists constitute 0.59% of the population in [[Bangladesh]]. According to the 2011 India census, Bengali Buddhists constitute 0.3% or 282,898 of the population in [[West Bengal]]. Buddhists constitute 3.41% or 125,182 of the population in [[Tripura]]. They mainly belong to the [[Barua people|Barua]] and [[Chakma people|Chakma]] communities.

==Culture==

===Art===
Buddhist art flourished under the Pala rulers. The art for their period is termed Pala art.<ref>[https://huntingtonarchive.org/resources/downloads/jchArticles/5_30%20Leaves%20in%20Orientations.pdf Leaves from the Bodhi Tree, Susan and John C. Huntington, Orientations, Oct 89. pp. 26–46]</ref> It influenced art outside of India as well. The artistic tradition continued under the Sena rulers, and thus the term "Pala-Sena" is sometimes used.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Huntington |first1=Susan L. |last2=Huntington |first2=John C. |year=2014 |title=The Art of Ancient India: Buddhist, Hindu, Jain |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9g_uDwAAQBAJ&q=sena&pg=PA407 |location=Delhi |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers |page= |isbn=978-81-208-3617-4}}</ref>

===Festivals===
[[Buddha's Birthday]] is a [[public holiday]] in Bangladesh & state government holiday in West Bengal.

Bengali Buddhists also celebrate the festival of [[Madhu Purnima]]. Kathin civar dana (Holy robe offering ceremony) is celebrated month-long in October–November by Bengali Buddhists.

==Notable Bengali Buddhists==
[[File:Dipankara Srijan-Thera PresBuddhAss-EastPakistan 1954.jpg|210px|thumb|Dipankara Srijan, president of the Chittagong Buddhist Association, as leader of a delegation at the 6th Buddhist council in Rangoon.]]

===Ancient period===
* [[Tilopa]] - 10th century Buddhist Yogi, [[Mahasiddha]], teacher of [[Mahamudra]] and main guru of [[Kagyu]] school of [[Vajrayana]] Buddhism.
* [[Naropa]] - 10th century Buddhist Yogi, [[Mahasiddha]], teacher of [[Six_Dharmas_of_Naropa]] and 2nd guru of mainstream [[Kagyu]] school of [[Vajrayana]] Buddhism.
* [[Atisa]] - 10th century Buddhist monk, main guru of [[Kadam (Tibetan Buddhism)|Kadam]] school, prominent role in the spread of Buddhism to [[Tibet]]. Also an abbot at [[Vikramashila]] monastery.
* [[Chandragomin]] - 7th century Buddhist lay practitioner and poet from the [[Varendra]] region
* [[Traillokyachandra]] - 10th century King of the [[Chandra dynasty]] who converted to [[Vajrayana]] Buddhism

===Modern period===
* [[Shraddha Das]]
* [[Ratan Talukder]], Actor and martial artist

==See also==
*[[Theravāda]]
*[[Pāli Canon]]
*[[Buddhism in India]]
*[[Buddhism in Bangladesh]]
*[[Marathi Buddhists]]
*[[Kripasaran|Kripasaran Mahathera]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Asia in topic|Buddhism in}}

[[Category:Bengali people|*]]
[[Category:Demographics of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Demographics of India]]
[[Category:Buddhist communities of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Buddhist communities of India]]

Bengali Buddhists - Revision history

Ankitchadha at 20:05, 9 April 2026