ABSTRACT
Buddhist followers are in every state of Northeast India, though in different proportions (at the maximum, 27.4% of the population in Sikkim, and at the minimum, 0.18% in Assam). In most cases, Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism live side by side. This entry describes the transformation of Buddhism in Northeast India from a mere textual study in line with the Orientalist approach to Buddhism that emerged in the 19th century to a study of Buddhism in society, and in particular in relation to politics and to ‘indigenous’ religious traditions. Recent studies shed light on the centrality of transnational connections in Buddhist dynamics in this region. Buddhism here is understudied, but its study in pan-ethnic, pan-religious, and transnational perspectives is of great value to the present-day society in the region.
