Nepal is an independent kingdom that lies 500 miles along the Himalayas. It is surrounded by Tibet and India. Nepal is divided into three sections: the northern snow mountains, the middle hilly region, and the southern terai.
Nepal has almost 20 million people and a variety of ethnic groups. Most people speak Nepali and some speak English. Indo-Aryan immigrants originally settled Nepal in the 7th century B.C. Many tribes succeeded one another, until the Malla period, when three kingdoms were created: Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapar. Recently a system of parliamentary democracy was established.
Buddhism in Nepal dates from the birth of Siddharta Gautama himself. Legend has it that many bodhisattvas and previous Buddhas also visited the land.
Monuments to these Buddhas can still be seen. Early Buddhist history is difficult to document, but we know that Nepal became a great meeting point for Indian and Tibetan Buddhist teachers. Nagarjuna, the great Madhyamika master, and many other great practitioners visited, lived, and taught in Nepal.
Stone inscriptions and colophons provide clear evidence that a strong lineage of Mahasanghika Bhiksunis existed in the seventh century. The country became a repository of Buddhist Sanskrit literature and famous for its production of fine Buddhist art.
– website: http://hoasenphat.com
Original credit:
+ Heart Sutra by Lama Khenpo Pema Choephel Rinpoche
– Uploaded by Buddhism UK on 5/26/2014
+ Faces of Nepal – Uploaded by Jeremy Snell on 1/15/2014
+ Nepal, Land of High Mountains and Buddhist Temples – Uploaded by Marty Mellway on 8/5/2011
+ Nepal Buddhist Monasteries – Uploaded by TingSern Wong on 1/18/2009
