Buddhism in Estonia

Buddhism in Estonia is a small minority religion, held by about 0.2% of the population.

The emergence of Buddhism in Estonia is attributed to the early 20th century and associated with the names of Karl Tõnisson and his disciple Friedrich Lustig.

Tõnisson was appointed by the 13th Dalai Lama of Tibet as the first Buddhist Archbishop of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

[1][2] Another important figure who contributed to the development of Estonian Buddhism was the scholar and religious philosopher Uku Masing.

He translated many sacred texts into Estonian, because although Buddhism, like other religions, was not welcomed by the authorities during Soviet Estonia, scientific research in this field was allowed.

Martin Steinke [ de ] (German Buddhist delegate), Kushok Bakula Rinpoche , Friedrich Voldemar Lustig , and Karl Tõnisson (on the right) represented Latvia as delegates at the congress of the World Buddhist Federation in Rangoon 1954 at the opening of the Sixth Buddhist Council