Buddhism in Slovenia

Buddhism is a legally recognized religion in Slovenia and it is followed by more than 1,000 Slovenes, though no official number are establish as the previous census didn't include Buddhism specifically. Although still small in absolute numbers (but Slovenia has only 2 millions inhabitants), Buddhism in Slovenia enjoys widespread acceptance if not popularity.

As in most European countries, different branches and schools of Buddhism are represented by groups of varying sizes. The largest traditions represented are Mahayana and Vajrayana. There is a Buddhist temple in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. [http://www.dharmaling.org/content/view/67/70 Temple in Ljubljana]

In Slovenia, the competent administration dealing with religions is the Governmental Office for Religious Community of Republic of Slovenia, [http://www.uvs.gov.si/en Office for Religious communities of Slovenia] and a newly approved regulation has been enacted in 2007. [http://www.uvs.gov.si/en/legislation new law regulating the religious communities]

Buddhist organisations

Buddhist religious communities registered to the Office for Religious Communities of the Government of Slovenia include:
* Buddhist Congregation Dharmaling, registered in 2003. Organization active also in Hungary, Austria, Russia, Romania, France, India. This community has a resident Lama, recognised Tulku, Shenphen Rinpoche.The 4th of July 2008, an agreement has been signed between Dharmaling and the State of Slovenia. This is first agreement signed with a Buddhist Community in Slovenia.
* Buddha-Dharma, registered in 1995.

The following smaller associations also exist in Slovenia:
* Shambhala Buddhism group Ljubljana
* Yeshe Khorlo group (Nyingma branch of Tibetan Buddhism)
* Phowa group (focused on the practice of phowa, under the guidance of Ayang Rinpoche, a renowned Phowa Master)
* Association of Theravada Buddhism Bhavana ("Društvo theravadskih budistov, Bhavana") [ [http://www.slo-theravada.org SloTheravada - modrost zgodnjega budizma ] ]
* Slovene Buddhist Association Madyamika ("Slovensko budistično društvo Madyamika, Srednja pot") [ [http://buda.si Domov - Budizem - Slovensko budistično društvo Srednja pot - Madyamika ] ]
* Zen group

Notes

External links

* [http://www.pfmb.uni-mb.si/sociologija/new_page_76.htm Slovenia: At a Distance from a Perfect Religious Market]
* [http://www.mp.gov.si/si/novinarsko_sredisce/novica/browse/1/article/745/5910/?cHash=db7c92669d Signature of the agreement between Buddhist Congregation Dharmaling and the State of Slovenia (article in Slovene)]