Buddhism in Argentina
Encyclopedia
Buddhism
in Argentina
has been well known since the early 1980s.
Even though this is a mainly Catholic
country, Chinese
immigrants established the first Chinese temple in 1986. By the same time, Korean
immigrants founded their own temple. Since then, many groups have been giving teachings, some of them rooted in the best known Sōtō
tradition from Japan
, but also in many Tibet
an institutes for the practice of meditation
(Mahamudra
, Dzog Chen, Lam Rim).
His Holiness The XIV Dalai Lama
visited Buenos Aires
twice. The first time was in 1991 or 1992.
Nowadays, as many branches have flourished, an increasing number of practitioners are keeping the Buddha's teachings alive.
Many organizations have cooperated to bring the Sacred Relics of the Buddha
to Argentina. This event was supported by the Royal Embassy of Thailand in Buenos Aires.
There have been many scholars who contributed to the spreading of Buddhism in Argentina. One of them is Samuel Wolpin, whose books have opened a door to many students and the general public. Others are Carmen Dragonetti and Fernando Tola, two scholars who have been researching and studying Buddhism for many years, with their books translated to many languages.
But the main source of improvement of the practice is the presence of great teachers who have visited the country. Among them, Pu Hsien, the founder of the Tzon Kuan Temple, Mok Sunim, the teacher who was responsible for the great spreading of the Korean Buddhism in the last four years, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu
, Founder of the international Dzog Chen Community who transmitted Dzog Chen teachings here, and Lama Ngawang Sherab Dorje, who visited Argentina many times, and who has contributed to the development and nourishment of the practitioners.
Among the local teachers, the main are: Augusto Alcalde (Diamond Sangha) the first Roshi
in this country. Jorge Bustamante, Soto lineage. Alberto Pulisi (Upasaka). Gonzalo Barreiros (Dharma Teacher), and two Argentinian Lamas, Horacio
and Consuelo
.
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 Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
has been well known since the early 1980s.
Even though this is a mainly Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
country, Chinese
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
immigrants established the first Chinese temple in 1986. By the same time, Korean
Korean people
The Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:...
immigrants founded their own temple. Since then, many groups have been giving teachings, some of them rooted in the best known Sōtō
Soto
Sōtō Zen , or is, with Rinzai and Ōbaku, one of the three most populous sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism.The Sōtō sect was first established as the Caodong sect during the Tang Dynasty in China by Dongshan Liangjie in the 9th century, which Dōgen Zenji then brought to Japan in the 13th century...
tradition from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, but also in many Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
an institutes for the practice of meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
(Mahamudra
Mahamudra
Mahāmudrā literally means "great seal" or "great symbol." It "is a multivalent term of great importance in later Indian Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism" which "also occurs occasionally in Hindu and East Asian Buddhist esotericism."The name refers to the way one who...
, Dzog Chen, Lam Rim).
His Holiness The XIV Dalai Lama
Dalai 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"...
visited Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
twice. The first time was in 1991 or 1992.
Nowadays, as many branches have flourished, an increasing number of practitioners are keeping the Buddha's teachings alive.
Many organizations have cooperated to bring the Sacred Relics of the Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
to Argentina. This event was supported by the Royal Embassy of Thailand in Buenos Aires.
There have been many scholars who contributed to the spreading of Buddhism in Argentina. One of them is Samuel Wolpin, whose books have opened a door to many students and the general public. Others are Carmen Dragonetti and Fernando Tola, two scholars who have been researching and studying Buddhism for many years, with their books translated to many languages.
But the main source of improvement of the practice is the presence of great teachers who have visited the country. Among them, Pu Hsien, the founder of the Tzon Kuan Temple, Mok Sunim, the teacher who was responsible for the great spreading of the Korean Buddhism in the last four years, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu
Chogyal Namkhai Norbu
Chögyal Namkhai Norbu is a Dzogchen teacher who was born in Derge, Kham district on 8 December 1938. When he was two years old, Namkhai Norbu was recognized as the 'mindstream emanation', a tulku, of the great Dzogchen teacher, Adzom Drugpa , at five he was also recognized as a mindstream...
, Founder of the international Dzog Chen Community who transmitted Dzog Chen teachings here, and Lama Ngawang Sherab Dorje, who visited Argentina many times, and who has contributed to the development and nourishment of the practitioners.
Among the local teachers, the main are: Augusto Alcalde (Diamond Sangha) the first Roshi
Roshi
is a Japanese honorific title used in Zen Buddhism that literally means "old teacher" or "elder master" and sometimes denotes a person who gives spiritual guidance to a Zen sangha or congregation...
in this country. Jorge Bustamante, Soto lineage. Alberto Pulisi (Upasaka). Gonzalo Barreiros (Dharma Teacher), and two Argentinian Lamas, Horacio
Horacio
- Historical Figures :*Horacio Quiroga, an Uruguayan author and writer.*Horacio Carochi, a Jesuit priest and grammarian*Horacio Pagani...
and Consuelo
Consuelo
Consuelo, sometimes Consuela, is a female given name meaning "solace", "hope" and "consolation" in Spanish Consuelo, sometimes Consuela, is a female given name meaning "solace", "hope" and "consolation" in Spanish Consuelo, sometimes Consuela, is a female given name meaning "solace", "hope" and...
.