Buddhism in Canada

There is a small, growing Buddhist community in Canada. As of the 2007 estimate, 1,202,045 Canadians identified their religion as Buddhist (about 3.6% of the population).

Buddhism arrived in Canada with the arrival of Chinese laborers in the territories during the 19th century. The first Japanese Buddhist temple in Canada was built at the Ishikawa Hotel in Vancouver in 1905. [http://www.faithandmedia.org/pdfdocs/guide-buddhism.pdf]

A substantial expansion of Buddhism in Canada began in the last half of the 20th century. Changes in Canadian immigration pattern saw a massive influx of immigrants from China, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, and Southeast Asia, countries with strong Buddhist histories and demographics. In addition, the immense popularity and goodwill ushered in by Tibet's Dalai Lama (who has been made honorary Canadian citizen) put Buddhism in the forefront of Canadian spirituality. Many non-Asian Canadians embraced Buddhism (in various traditions) and have become leaders in their respective sanghas in their own right.

Buddhism in the United States had a strong influence on the development of Western Buddhism in Canada, and continues to todayFact|date=February 2007.

ee also

*Gampo Abbey
*Montreal Zen Center
*Samu Sunim

External links

* [http://www.najc.ca/resources.php/timeline.htm Timeline of Japanese Canadian history]
* [http://www.faithandmedia.org/pdfdocs/guide-buddhism.pdf Media guide to Buddhism] , from the Centre for Faith and Media in Canada
* [http://www.buddhismcanada.com Buddhism in Canada, a Canadian directory of temples and web sites]
* [http://www.buddhanet.net/amdir_na.htm Buddhanet's North America Directory]
* [http://buddhactivity.org/action.htm?-Response=buddhacountry.htm&ccountry=Canada Buddhactivity Dharma Centres database]
* [http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/Products/Analytic/companion/rel/tables/canada/cdamajor.cfm Major religious denominations, Canada, 1991 and 2001]
* [http://torontomeditationguide.org/ Toronto Meditation Guide]
* [http://windsormeditationgroup.org/ Windsor Meditation Group]
* [http://dharma.ncf.ca/ Buddhism in Ottawa]
* [http://www.atlanticsotozencenter.com/ Halifax Buddhists]