Buddhism in Slovenia
Encyclopedia
Buddhism is a legally recognized religion in Slovenia
and it is followed by more than 1,000 Slovenes, though no official number are establish as the previous census didn't include Buddhism specifically. Although still small in absolute numbers (but Slovenia has only 2 millions inhabitants), Buddhism in Slovenia enjoys widespread acceptance if not popularity.
As in most European countries, different branches and schools of Buddhism are represented by groups of varying sizes. The largest traditions represented are Mahayana
and Vajrayana
. There is a Buddhist temple in Ljubljana
, the capital of Slovenia.
In Slovenia, the competent administration dealing with religions is the Governmental Office for Religious Community of Republic of Slovenia, and a newly approved regulation has been enacted in 2007.
The 4th of July 2008, an agreement has been signed between Dharmaling and the State of Slovenia. This is first agreement signed with a Buddhist Community in Slovenia.
The following smaller associations also exist in Slovenia:
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
and it is followed by more than 1,000 Slovenes, though no official number are establish as the previous census didn't include Buddhism specifically. Although still small in absolute numbers (but Slovenia has only 2 millions inhabitants), Buddhism in Slovenia enjoys widespread acceptance if not popularity.
As in most European countries, different branches and schools of Buddhism are represented by groups of varying sizes. The largest traditions represented are Mahayana
Mahayana
Mahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
and Vajrayana
Vajrayana
Vajrayāna Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and the Diamond Vehicle...
. There is a Buddhist temple in Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
, the capital of Slovenia.
In Slovenia, the competent administration dealing with religions is the Governmental Office for Religious Community of Republic of Slovenia, and a newly approved regulation has been enacted in 2007.
Buddhist organisations
Buddhist religious communities registered to the Office for Religious Communities of the Government of Slovenia include:- Buddhist Congregation DharmalingBuddhist Congregation DharmalingThe Buddhist Congregation Dharmaling is a Buddhist organization, which main office is registered to the Office for religious communities of the Government of Slovenia...
, registered in 2003. Organization active also in HungaryHungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, RomaniaRomaniaRomania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. This community has a resident LamaLamaLama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru .Historically, the term was used for venerated spiritual masters or heads of monasteries...
, recognised TulkuTulkuIn Tibetan Buddhism, a tulku is a particular high-ranking lama, of whom the Dalai Lama is one, who can choose the manner of his rebirth. Normally the lama would be reincarnated as a human, and of the same sex as his predecessor. In contrast to a tulku, all other sentient beings including other...
, Shenphen RinpocheShenphen RinpocheShenphen Rinpoche is a Tibetan Buddhist Lama. He was initially ordained in 1985 at the age of 16 by Kyabje Thubten Zopa Rinpoche and later fully ordained by Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama...
.
The 4th of July 2008, an agreement has been signed between Dharmaling and the State of Slovenia. This is first agreement signed with a Buddhist Community in Slovenia.
- Buddha-Dharma, registered in 1995.
The following smaller associations also exist in Slovenia:
- Shambhala BuddhismShambhala BuddhismThe term Shambhala Buddhism was introduced by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche in the year 2000 to describe his presentation of the Shambhala teachings, originally conceived by Chögyam Trungpa as secular practices for achieving enlightened society, in concert with the Tibetan Buddhist Kagyu and Nyingma...
group Ljubljana - Yeshe Khorlo group (NyingmaNyingmaThe Nyingma tradition is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism . "Nyingma" literally means "ancient," and is often referred to as Nga'gyur or the "old school" because it is founded on the first translations of Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Tibetan, in the eighth century...
branch of Tibetan BuddhismTibetan BuddhismTibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
) - Phowa group (focused on the practice of phowaPhowaPhowa is a Vajrayāna Buddhist meditation practice...
, under the guidance of Ayang Rinpoche, a renowned Phowa Master) - Association of Theravada Buddhism Bhavana ("Društvo theravadskih budistov, Bhavana")
- Slovene Buddhist Association Madyamika ("Slovensko budistično društvo Madyamika, Srednja pot")
- Zen group