Buddhists, also known as Bauddha, are people who adhere to Buddhism, an Indian religious and philosophical tradition founded by the Buddha in the 6th or 5th century BCE in the Indian subcontinent. Buddhist identity may be religious, cultural, or secular, encompassing ordained members of the monastic community (Saṅgha), lay practitioners, and individuals who adopt Buddhist ethical principles, meditation, or mindfulness practices without formal ritual affiliation.
Buddhists are broadly classified into two main categories: Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunīs, who are ordained monastics and serve as religious teachers, and Upāsakas and Upāsikās, who are lay followers living a household life while supporting and practicing the teachings of Buddhism (see Catuparisā).
In ancient India, followers of the Buddha were sometimes identified as Shakyas, after the clan into which the Buddha was born. The English word Buddhist emerged in the early 19th century, formed from "Buddha" and the suffix "-ist", denoting an adherent of a belief system; its earliest recorded usage in English dates to 1810.
Buddhism comprises numerous schools and traditions, alongside non-denominational and secular forms. The two largest traditions are Theravāda Buddhism, predominant in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, and Mahayana Buddhism, which is dominant in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.
There are approximately 320 million Buddhists worldwide, accounting for about 4% of the global population. Buddhism has declined in the recent years due to lower fertility rates and rising irreligion in East Asia. Nevertheless, Buddhism has gained cultural and intellectual influence in Western countries, driven in part by growing interest in meditation and mindfulness practices.
By absolute numbers, Thailand constitutes the largest share of the global Buddhist population, followed by China and Myanmar. Outside of Buddhist-majority countries, sizable Buddhist populations are found in India and the United States.
Etymology The word "Buddhist" is derived from "Buddha", meaning "the awakened one", and was first used in English in the early 19th century to describe followers of the Buddha. In local contexts, early Indian practitioners were called Sramanas (ascetics) or Shramaneras (novice monks), emphasizing renunciation and ethical practice. With the spread of Buddhism across Asia, terms like Fo-zu (China), Bukkyōsha (Japan), and Chos-pa (Tibet) came into use, reflecting local languages and cultural adaptations.
Terminology
The term "Buddhist" is used broadly to describe anyone who follows the teachings of the Buddha, regardless of specific school or region. While the umbrella term "Buddhist" is widely recognized in English language and other European languages, historical and regional variations exist. In early Indian texts, practitioners were often called Sramanas, meaning ascetics, or Shramanas (novice monks), highlighting their focus on ethical conduct, meditation, and renunciation.
With the spread of Buddhism across Asia, different terms emerged to reflect local languages and traditions. In India, followers were known as Bauddha (Buddha followers or Buddhism followers). In China, followers were known as Fo-zu (Buddha followers) or Fanfo (foreign Buddha). In Japan, they were called Bukkyōsha (practitioners of the Buddha's teachings). Tibetan and Himalayan communities use the term Chos-pa to denote those following the Dharma.
Additionally, within Buddhist schools, specific identifiers exist: Theravada Buddhists follow the Pāli Canon and Vinaya (monastic discipline) primarily in Southeast Asia; Mahayana Buddhists follow a diverse set of Mahayana sutras and emphasize the Bodhisattva path, particularly in East Asia; and Vajrayana Buddhists engage in esoteric practices and rituals found mainly in Tibet, Bhutan, and Mongolia.
Modern usage of the term "Buddhist" encompasses both traditional religious practitioners and secular individuals who adopt aspects of Buddhist philosophy, meditation, and ethical teachings without necessarily adhering to rituals or monastic life.
History of Buddhist identity
Buddhist identity has evolved over more than two millennia, shaped by religious, cultural, and political contexts. In its earliest stages in India, followers were identified primarily as Sramanas—ascetics committed to meditation, ethical living, and renunciation—rather than as "Buddhists." After the Buddha's death, Buddhist communities organized around viharas, and identity was often tied to adherence to the Vinaya (monastic code) and the Pāli Canon or Sanskrit scriptures.
As Buddhism spread beyond India along trade routes to Central Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia, regional and cultural adaptations influenced the formation of distinct Buddhist identities. In China, Buddhism integrated with Confucianism and Daoism, leading to the emergence of Mahayana traditions, while in Tibet, Vajrayana practices became central, creating a Tibetan Buddhist identity that combined religious, cultural, and political elements. In Southeast Asia, Theravada Buddhism became closely linked with national identity in countries such as Thailand, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka, where kings and governments historically patronized monasteries and promoted moral and social values.
During colonial periods, European scholars and administrators began to categorize followers of Buddhism as "Buddhists," standardizing the term in global discourse. This classification sometimes contrasted with local identities, which were often based on ethnicity, region, or monastic affiliation rather than the broad religious label. In the modern era, Buddhist identity can be religious, cultural, or even secular, encompassing traditional monastic practitioners, lay devotees, and individuals who adopt meditation and ethical practices without participating in formal rituals. Origin
The origins of Buddhists as a distinct community can be traced to the northeastern Indian subcontinent during the 6th to 4th centuries BCE, a period marked by social transformation, urbanisation, and philosophical inquiry. Early followers of the Buddha formed both monastic and lay communities, embracing his teachings on the Middle Way, Four Noble Truths, and Noble Eightfold Path.
Early Buddhists included members of the Shakya clan, merchants, peasants, and other ascetic seekers, who were drawn to the Buddha's teachings as an alternative to ritualistic and hierarchical Pali canon traditions. The monastic community, or Sangha, became central to Buddhist identity. Monks and nuns observed the Vinaya (monastic code) and acted as custodians of the teachings, while lay Buddhists supported the Sangha through donations and practiced ethical precepts and meditation.
Buddhism originated in Nepal because Siddhārtha Gautama,the Buddha was born in Lumbini, in present-day Nepal, as a prince of the Shakya clan. From this Nepali origin, his spiritual quest and enlightenment gave rise to Buddhism, which later spread far beyond Nepal across Asia and the world.As Buddhism spread, distinct regional traditions and schools of thought developed, influencing the cultural and religious identity of Buddhists. Theravāda Buddhism became established in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, emphasizing Pāli Canon study and monastic discipline, while Mahayana Buddhism flourished in China, Korea, Japan, and Tibet, incorporating local practices, devotional rituals, and philosophical innovations.
Today, this syncretic character is clearly visible in Nepal, particularly in the religious life of the Urāy (Urya) communities of the Kathmandu Valley and among the Buddhist Newar people, whose practices seamlessly blend Buddhist and Hindu philosophies, rituals, and deities. This harmony is also reflected in the deep reverence shown toward the Buddha by Hindus across Nepal. In many Hindu temples, the Buddha is honored and worshipped as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, illustrating Nepal’s long-standing tradition of religious coexistence and mutual respect between Buddhism and Hinduism.
Buddhists began to influence Western thought during the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly through the translation of Buddhist texts, scholarly study, and the interest of philosophers, psychologists, and writers. Western adherents often emphasize meditation, mindfulness, and ethical principles over ritual practice, reflecting a philosophical or secular approach to Buddhist identity.
In the 20th century, the establishment of Buddhist centers and monasteries in Europe and North America helped form new Buddhist communities. Figures such as Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh and Chögyam Trungpa contributed to the adaptation of Buddhist teachings in Western cultural contexts, emphasizing mindfulness, meditation, and socially engaged Buddhism. Western Buddhists often integrate Buddhist practices with psychology, health, and well-being initiatives, including Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and related programs. This modern interpretation has led to a pluralistic and globalized Buddhist identity, combining traditional spiritual teachings with secular ethical and meditative practices.
Demographics
As of 2020, there are approximately 320 million Buddhist worldwide, representing about 4.1% of the global population. Previous reports estimated around 500 million Buddhists globally. These varying statistics were primarily due to how religiosity was defined in East Asia as religious syncretism in countries like China and Japan made it difficult to estimate those who actually practiced Buddhism and those who simply believed in the Buddha.
Buddhists are the only major religious group that declined in size between 2010 and 2020, according to the Pew Research Center, dropping from about 343 million to 324 million people; a decrease of roughly 5%. This decline is largely due to an aging population and low birth rates, along with the fact that many people raised as Buddhists no longer identify with the religion as adults.
The majority of Buddhists reside in Asia, with significant populations in China, Thailand, Japan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. Thailand is home to the largest number of Buddhists, estimated at 67 million, including both practicing monks and lay followers who observe Buddhist customs and Buddhist rituals.
Southeast Asia has substantial Buddhist populations, with Thailand accounting for approximately 67 million, Myanmar 38 million, Sri Lanka 15 million, and Vietnam 14 million. East Asia also has significant Buddhist communities, including Japan with around 45 million followers and South Korea with about 11 million adherents.
Buddhism is practiced by people of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. In South Asia, Buddhists are predominantly found among the Sinhalese in Sri Lanka, the Bamar in Myanmar, and various minority groups in India and Nepal. In East Asia and Southeast Asia, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, and other ethnic groups maintain Buddhist traditions. Outside Asia, the global Buddhist population includes converts and practitioners in Europe, North America, Australia, and other regions, reflecting a growing secular or meditation-oriented form of Buddhist identity.
Culture
Buddhist culture encompasses a wide range of practices, beliefs, artistic expressions, and social institutions that have developed over more than two millennia. Central to Buddhist culture are monastic communities, meditation practices, ethical conduct, and ritual observances. Monasteries serve as centers of learning, spiritual guidance, and community service, often playing an important role in Education, Healthcare, and social welfare in Buddhist-majority countries.