Buddhism in Lithuania
Encyclopedia
The roots of Buddhism
in Lithuania
can be found in the 20th century, although the time of its first introduction there remains unknown. Zen Buddhism practiced in Lithuania
today originates in Korea
. There are a few active communities across the country including ones in Vilnius
, Kaunas
, Klaipėda
, Šiauliai
, Panevėžys
and Šakiai
.
in Lithuania was given in Kaunas
in 1990 by Pawel Karppowich, the Polish student of Seung Sahn Dae Soen Sa Nim. The Kaunas Zen Kwan Um center was officially registered in April 1991, soon followed by the similar group in Vilnius, established after the visit of Zen Master Seung Sahn. The Vilnius Kwan Um Zen community grew under the great support by Zen Master Wu Bong's frequent visits to Vilnius. Vilnius International Kwan Um School of Zen Buddhism was officially registered as a religious community in Lithuania in 1991. Zen Master Su Bong Sunim, the guiding teacher of the Hong Kong Kwan Um Sangha, opened the first Zen Temple, Ko Bong Sa, in Vilnius
in 1993. Daily Zen practice is held in Kaunas Zen Kwan Um Center, Kam No Sa, since 2007.
Tenzin Gyatso has visited Lithuania twice and met with the President Valdas Adamkus
and the Catholic Cardinal Audrys Juozas Bačkis. In 2009 supporters of Tibetan independence suggested giving its name to one of the parks in Vilnius as a gratitude for Dalai Lama's support for the Lithuanian independence movement of the 1990s.
In 2009 The Days of Tibetan Culture (Tibeto kultūros dienos) were held in Vilnius
attended by Indian Buddhist monks.
Probably the most prominent Lithuanian Zen Buddhist is a TV journalist and a former head of the international nongovernmental organisation Transparency International
in Lithuania, Rytis Juozapavičius, who is the abbot of Vilnius Zen Center, Ko Bong Sa.
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
in Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
can be found in the 20th century, although the time of its first introduction there remains unknown. Zen Buddhism practiced in Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
today originates in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. There are a few active communities across the country including ones in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
, Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, Klaipėda
Klaipeda
Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Nemunas River where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is the third largest city in Lithuania and the capital of Klaipėda County....
, Šiauliai
Šiauliai
Šiauliai , is the fourth largest city in Lithuania, with a population of 133,900. It is the capital of Šiauliai County. Unofficially, the city is the capital of Northern Lithuania.-Names:...
, Panevėžys
Panevežys
Panevėžys see also other names, is the fifth largest city in Lithuania. As of 2008, it occupied 50 square kilometers with 113,653 inhabitants. The largest multifunctional arena in Panevėžys is the Cido Arena...
and Šakiai
Šakiai
Šakiai is a city in the Marijampolė County, Lithuania. It is located west of Kaunas. It is presumed that Šakiai first expanded from Šakaičai village. By 1719 a church in Šakiai was built. By the 19th century Šakiai already had city rights; it also had a school, Catholic and Lutheran churches, a...
.
History
The first public Dharma talkDharma talk
A Dharma talk or Dhamma talk or Dharma sermon is a public discourse on Buddhism by a Buddhist teacher....
in Lithuania was given in Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
in 1990 by Pawel Karppowich, the Polish student of Seung Sahn Dae Soen Sa Nim. The Kaunas Zen Kwan Um center was officially registered in April 1991, soon followed by the similar group in Vilnius, established after the visit of Zen Master Seung Sahn. The Vilnius Kwan Um Zen community grew under the great support by Zen Master Wu Bong's frequent visits to Vilnius. Vilnius International Kwan Um School of Zen Buddhism was officially registered as a religious community in Lithuania in 1991. Zen Master Su Bong Sunim, the guiding teacher of the Hong Kong Kwan Um Sangha, opened the first Zen Temple, Ko Bong Sa, in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
in 1993. Daily Zen practice is held in Kaunas Zen Kwan Um Center, Kam No Sa, since 2007.
Zen Buddhism in Lithuania today
The 14th Dalai LamaDalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
Tenzin Gyatso has visited Lithuania twice and met with the President Valdas Adamkus
Valdas Adamkus
Valdas Adamkus was President of Lithuania from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2004 to 2009.In Lithuania, the President's tenure lasts for five years; Adamkus' first term in office began on February 26, 1998 and ended on February 28, 2003, following his defeat by Rolandas Paksas in the next...
and the Catholic Cardinal Audrys Juozas Bačkis. In 2009 supporters of Tibetan independence suggested giving its name to one of the parks in Vilnius as a gratitude for Dalai Lama's support for the Lithuanian independence movement of the 1990s.
In 2009 The Days of Tibetan Culture (Tibeto kultūros dienos) were held in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
attended by Indian Buddhist monks.
Probably the most prominent Lithuanian Zen Buddhist is a TV journalist and a former head of the international nongovernmental organisation Transparency International
Transparency International
Transparency International is a non-governmental organization that monitors and publicizes corporate and political corruption in international development. It publishes an annual Corruption Perceptions Index, a comparative listing of corruption worldwide...
in Lithuania, Rytis Juozapavičius, who is the abbot of Vilnius Zen Center, Ko Bong Sa.