Buddhism in Iran
Encyclopedia
Buddhism in Iran may date as far back as the 5th or 6th century BC, during the life of the historical Buddha Sakyamuni. A Pali
legend suggests that the spread of Buddhism to Balkh
was initiated by two merchant brothers from Bactria
(present-day Afghanistan
).
From the 2nd century Parthians such as An Shigao, were active in spreading Buddhism in China
. Many of the earliest translators of Buddhist literature into Chinese were from Parthia
and other kingdoms linked with present-day Iran
.
At the time of the Arab conquests in the mid-7th century, much of the eastern Iranian world was mainly Buddhist. Afghanistan
is rich in Buddhist sites; others have been found in Turkmenistan
, Uzbekistan
, Tajikistan
, and within Iran itself.
The Buddhist-born Mongol ruler Ghazan converted to Islam
in 1310 AD and made it the state religion of Iran, after which the Buddhist presence there disappeared.
In recent years Buddhism has experienced an upsurge of interest among Iranians. Some of the poetry of Sohrab Sepehri
shows Buddhist influence, and another major contemporary poet, Ahmad Shamlou, translated a book of Japanese haiku
poetry into Persian.
Pali language
Pāli is a Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is best known as the language of many of the earliest extant Buddhist scriptures, as collected in the Pāi Canon or Tipitaka, and as the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism.-Etymology of the name:The word Pali itself...
legend suggests that the spread of Buddhism to Balkh
Balkh
Balkh , was an ancient city and centre of Zoroastrianism in what is now northern Afghanistan. Today it is a small town in the province of Balkh, about 20 kilometers northwest of the provincial capital, Mazar-e Sharif, and some south of the Amu Darya. It was one of the major cities of Khorasan...
was initiated by two merchant brothers from Bactria
Bactria
Bactria and also appears in the Zend Avesta as Bukhdi. It is the ancient name of a historical region located between south of the Amu Darya and west of the Indus River...
(present-day Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
).
From the 2nd century Parthians such as An Shigao, were active in spreading Buddhism in China
Buddhism in China
Chinese Buddhism refers collectively to the various schools of Buddhism that have flourished in China since ancient times. Buddhism has played an enormous role in shaping the mindset of the Chinese people, affecting their aesthetics, politics, literature, philosophy and medicine.At the peak of the...
. Many of the earliest translators of Buddhist literature into Chinese were from Parthia
Parthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
and other kingdoms linked with present-day Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
.
At the time of the Arab conquests in the mid-7th century, much of the eastern Iranian world was mainly Buddhist. Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
is rich in Buddhist sites; others have been found in Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
, Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
, Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
, and within Iran itself.
The Buddhist-born Mongol ruler Ghazan converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in 1310 AD and made it the state religion of Iran, after which the Buddhist presence there disappeared.
In recent years Buddhism has experienced an upsurge of interest among Iranians. Some of the poetry of Sohrab Sepehri
Sohrab Sepehri
Sohrab Sepehri was a notable modern Persian poet and a painter.He was born in Kashan in Isfahan province....
shows Buddhist influence, and another major contemporary poet, Ahmad Shamlou, translated a book of Japanese haiku
Haiku
' , plural haiku, is a very short form of Japanese poetry typically characterised by three qualities:* The essence of haiku is "cutting"...
poetry into Persian.