The Spread of Buddhism in Western Countries

Buddhism is a religion to about 300 million people around the world. Buddhism is a dharmic, non-theistic religion, a philosophy, and a life-enhancing system of psychology. Buddhism is also known in Sanskrit or Pali, the main ancient languages of Buddhists, as Buddha Dharma or Dhamma, which means the teachings of "the Awakened One". Thus was called Siddhartha Guatama, hereinafter referred to as "the Buddha". Early sources say that the Buddha was born in Lumbini (now in Nepal), and that he died aged around 80 in Kushinagara (India). He lived in or around the fifth century BCE, according to recent scholarship. Buddhism spread throughout the Indian subcontinent in the five centuries following the Buddha's passing and thence into Central, Southeast and East Asia and Eastern Europe over the next two millennia.

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………...2
The Spread of Buddhism in Western Countries………………………………………………………3
Main Reasons of the Rising Popularity of Buddhism in Europe……………………………………..5
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………...11
Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………………12