05/30/2026
Out of the world’s population of 8.2 billion,
the largest religious group is Christianity.
Islam ranks second,
Hinduism comes third,
and Buddhism holds the fourth place globally,
with around 500 million followers worldwide.
Recent reports reveal that Buddhists make up approximately 6%–7% of the global population.
Although Buddhists live in small numbers across many countries,
there are around 15 countries where Buddhism is widely practiced.
Among them are Thailand, China, Myanmar, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia,
Sri Lanka, South Korea, India, and Malaysia.
Thailand has the largest Buddhist population in the world,
with over 67 million Buddhists,
accounting for about 94% of its total population.
This also represents nearly 21% of all Buddhists worldwide.
China is considered the next country with the highest number of Buddhists,
with nearly 4% of its population following Buddhism—
around 53 million people.
This accounts for about 16% of the global Buddhist population.
Myanmar and Japan each hold around 14% of the world’s Buddhist population,
while Sri Lanka ranks 7th on this scale.
According to recent reports,
nearly 4 million Buddhists live in the United States,
and about 1 million in France.
In addition, countries like Canada, the United Kingdom,
Germany, and Australia together have around 1.7 million Buddhists.
However, Buddhism is far more than a religion that gathers followers.
It is a path of understanding that leads to inner peace,
a teaching that goes beyond symbols and rituals,
placing humanity above all else.
Therefore, such numbers and rankings are not truly significant
within the essence of Buddhism.
Buddhism teaches respect for all religions,
values equality,
and encourages love for nature and all living beings.
For a Buddhist, the only competition is with oneself.
By understanding and observing one’s own mind,
one strives to live as a kind, compassionate,
and selfless human being in society.
This is the true teaching of the Buddha.
That is why Buddhism is a doctrine
that gifts the world with peace and compassion.
Becoming a true Buddhist means bringing peace, harmony,
and coexistence to the world—
making life better for everyone,
beyond divisions of religion or race.
In just a few hours, we welcome
a sacred day that allows us to cultivate these noble qualities—
the Vesak Day.
If we can make this Vesak meaningful,
for our own lives and for the well-being of all beings,
even the smallest act you do with that intention
becomes a noble offering to the Buddha,
a great merit.
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you,
your country, and the entire world.
May all beings be happy and well. 🙏✨
