Turkish Buddhism: Its Origins and Demise

by Jack Rowe through Professor Rev. Dr. James K. Powell II, opensourcebuddhism.org This excellent piece of new research provides us with a glimpse of a once widespread Buddhism in Turkestan. Islamic conversions sealed its fate and now it lives on only in Buryatia.

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• humanities
• religion
• philosophy
• Buddhism
• Buddha
• Turkey
• Turk
• khan
• Uighur
• Tajik
• Mongolia
• social
• science
• Central
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• Rev.
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• James
• Kenneth
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• II

[falcon02012]

i am a Muslim in Quran God told us he sent a prophet to every nation .

what i am trying to find out if Buddha is one of them.

can you pleas tell me what is the oldies known Buddhism holly book.

i have asked if Buddhism believe in God i was told yes and No can you

tell me what Buddha said about God.

finally how many sects Buddhism have and which one the oldest ?

[opensourcebuddhism]

@falcon02012 Well falcon, to answer your question that the Qur'an says a prophet was sent to every nation, I am sure it say that. But no, Buddha definitely did not believe that a god or gods could help you...only you can help you. You must address your own issues viz. your consciousness. Muhammad would not have recognized Buddha as a prophet. As for the many sect you ask about, which is the oldest...doesn't matter for Buddha. He is always about here/now experience.

[Yamarukun]

I am a Turkish Islam guy, but I also felt very connected with Buddhism.

I know that my ancestors had been Buddhist and Muslim so therefore it seems so logic. It tells me that we are all connected and all cultures are in us.

Namaste

Jamal.

[opensourcebuddhism]

@Yamarukun Thank you Jamal, for your perceptive comments. Yes, Turks were once Buddhists mostly, then that amazing wave of Muhammad's message spread like a wildfire. It is all good. None of these major religious forces ever disappear...they just shift like sand. Buddhism bores out Japanese youth, but American youth just love it. Chinese youngsters seem to like Christianity...Islam is growing faster than any other religion in America....maybe even Buddhism will make its way back to Turks!

[HanHentii]

buryats are not turks.they are mongols

[opensourcebuddhism]

@HanHentii You are correct.

[alaykumsalam]

I am a buddhist so sad seeing buddhist monastry being destroyed.

[Heverci]

Actually, Yugurs (or Sari Uygurs) in China still practice Buddhism.

[buddhidev]

@falcon02012

As the Buddhist, Lord Buddha didn't deny the presence or absence of God. He said this knowledge is not necessary to develop and improve your life and mind because you may obsess to find this answer rather than focus to improve yourself.

[BodhisatvaOfTheEarth]

@falcon02012 Buddha believes there is the unborn, uncreated, timeless, and boundless reality in which all people can attain it. Buddha did not believe in a myth God or gods who punishes people into living hell. He believes there One Supreme reality he called Nirvana when we awaken to our own selflessness- to our true nature. He sometimes called it Brahma(god) meaning Oneness of Reality.

[BodhisatvaOfTheEarth]

@falcon02012 Buddhism has long histoy in the influenced of cultures and beliefs in the west before the invasion Muslim invaders. And when muslims took root the invaded lands, Buddhism incorporated much of its teachings to the Islamic world. Just like the concept oneness of Buddha-nature within Mahayana Buddhism with the oneness of God(allah) in Islam. Buddha's oldest teachings made into scriptures called the Tripitaka sutras of Hinayana schools and later the Mahayana Sutras.

[milascave2]

@falcon02012 The oldest Buddhist text is probably the Pali Coannon, a colection of his talks composed around the first century AD. While there are more sects than you could imagine, the oldest is probably the Teravadin. I say probably because Buddhists disagree on these points, but historicaly, I think it is true. I wish I could claim that Buddha was a prophet of God, but he never claimed such a title, and it dosn't realy seem to fit.

[milascave2]

@falcon02012 Buddha said that there is noting in the universe that is eternal and unchanging. Buddhist scriptures claim tah Buddha talked to Gods but did not believe that Gods are eternal. just very long lived. Also, he did not learn the truth from the Gods. He learned the truth from his own reflections and experiances. The Gods sometimes helped him, but after his enligtenment, the tables turned and the Gods gathered to learn from him.



[jungleng]

@falcon02012 opensourcebuddhism said it pretty well, I might also want to add, Buddha taught that nothing is permanent, and we should not be attached too much to our "self", meaning, in the end, there isn't really a soul or a self. So it is in many ways very unlike Abrahamic religions.

[nikhilsablania]

To know more about Buddhism read book 'Buddha and his Dhamma' by Dr. BR Ambedkar. It can be downloaded from net. Book three three of this book can explain many things regarding Buddha's thoughts on God, soul, rebirth and other metaphysical things. He rejected all such notions. The chapter includes WHAT THE BUDDHA TAUGHT -

Part I — His Place in His Dhamma,

Part II — Different Views of the Buddha's Dhamma,

Part III — What is Dhamma,

Part IV — What is Not Dhamma,

Part V — What is Saddhamma,