List of converts to Buddhism

The following people are all converts to Buddhism. They are sorted by time.

*Ashoka the Great, (277 BCE-232 BCE), converted from Hinduism, Indian emperor and early convert to Buddhism. [ [http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/f/fa-hien/f15l/chapter27.html "Bodhisattva that the Brahman," see Chap. xvi] ] [ [http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=YOjMiUSZ6OgC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=%22Ashoka%22+conversion+buddhism&ots=D8jhC_dets&sig=Rax08nHXmK1zFqfq_-tDfAFnPCo History of Library Development by B. D. Panda, page 9] ]
*Devanampiyatissa, (circa 247 BC - 207 BC), Sri Lankan king. [ [http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=u_AEQHfY_OoC&oi=fnd&pg=PA161&dq=%22Devanampiyatissa&ots=Yft_p7lNzT&sig=zHkY9SvYnOGMMUIzaZv4IWXpE64 "Buddhism--a Modern Perspective" by Charles S. Prebish, pg 161] ]
*Menander I, (died circa 130 BCE), Greco-Buddhist king. (from pre-Christian Hellenistic religion) [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=q_osAAAAIAAJ&q=%22menander+I%22+buddhism&dq=%22menander+I%22+buddhism&pgis=1 Indian Historical Review] ]
*Aśvaghoṣa, (?80-?150 CE), Indian Buddhist figure.
*Tan-luan, (6th to 7th century), Chinese Buddhist monk important to Pure Land Buddhism.(from Taoism) [ [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-68728/Buddhism#300403.hook Encyclopædia Britannica] ]
*Herman Vetterling, (1849-1931), American mystic (from Swedenborgianism, but he maintained elements of Swedenborg thought after his conversion) [ [http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ENG/loy11.htm The Dharma of Emanuel Swedenborg: A Buddhist Perspective] ] [Imagining Tibet : Perceptions, Projections, and Fantasies by Thierry Dodin]
*Ernest Fenollosa, (1853-1908), An American professor of philosophy and political economy at Tokyo Imperial University. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=puXKIaH5BEQC&pg=PA312&lpg=PA312&dq=%22ernest+fenollosa%22+buddhist+converted+-wikipedia&source=web&ots=j9U_cHKWnc&sig=oDF6E2daZSN3Ce3K9ZPLjqINkRM Modernism's History: A Study in Twentieth-Century Art and Ideas] ]
*B. R. Ambedkar, (1891-1956), converted from Hinduism, an early leader of the Dalit Buddhist movement. [ [http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/timeline/1950s.html Columbia University] ]
*Solomon Bandaranaike, (1899-1959), Sri Lankan leader who converted from Christianity. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9804E1DA1639F93AA2575BC0A962958260 New York Times] ]
*Christmas Humphreys, (1901-1983), Founder of the Buddhist Society.
*Anne Hopkins Aitken, (1911-1994), one of the early leaders of Zen Buddhism in the West, co-founded the Honolulu Diamond Sangha.
*Robert Baker Aitken, (1917-), co-founded the Honolulu Diamond Sangha. [ [http://libweb.hawaii.edu/libdept/speccoll/aitken/autobiography.html University of Hawaii] ] [ [http://www.buddhanet.net/masters/aiken.htm Buddha.net] ]
*Wong Ah Kiu, (1918-2006), Her conversion from Islam became a legal issue in Malaysia on her death. [ [http://english.aljazeera.net/English/archive/archive?ArchiveId=21180 AP/Al Jazeera] ]
*Philip Whalen, (1923-2002), Beat generation poet and Zen monk. [ [http://www.poetryflash.org/archive.282.wahlen.html Poetry Flash Interview] ]
*George Cockcroft, (1932-), American author, converted to Zen at an unspecified point. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A509645 BBC] ]
*Pema Chödrön, (1936-), Tibetan Buddhist nun (from Catholic Christianity) [ [http://www.pbs.org/moyers/faithandreason/portraits_chodron.html PBS] ]
*Tina Turner, (1939-), American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress who has won eight Grammy Awards. [ [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/09/11/60minutes/main232429.shtml CBS News] ]
*Joseph Jarman, (1937-), Jazz musician and Jodo Shinshu priest. [ [http://www.jazzweekly.com/interviews/jarman.htm Jazz Weekly interview] ] [ [http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=776 All About Jazz interview] ]
*Herbie Hancock, (1940-), Jazz pianist who also has funk and soul influences. [ [http://www.beliefnet.com/story/225/story_22533_1.html Beliefnet] ]
*Robert Thurman, (1941-), Buddhist priest and writer who has been called "The Billy Graham of Buddhism." [ [http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/07/12/reviews/980712.12gomest.html "Honk if you love Buddha" article in "The New York Times"] ]
*Buster Williams, (1942-), Jazz bassist who introduced Hancock to Buddhism. [ [http://www.beliefnet.com/story/225/story_22533_1.html Beliefnet] ]
*Tenzin Palmo, (1943-), Nun of Drukpa Kagyu lineage. [ [http://dir.salon.com/story/mwt/feature/2002/09/30/palmo/index.html?pn=2 Salon.com] ]
*Dennis Genpo Merzel, (1944-), Abbot of Kanzeon Zen Center. [ [http://www.slweekly.com/index.cfm?do=article.details&id=1CABD6C8-2BF4-55D0-F1F044C192EC385F Salt Lake Weekly] ] [ [http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,600158906,00.html Deseret Morning News] ]
*Ajahn Candasiri, (1947-), Thai Buddhist nun. (from Christianity) [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/beliefs/jesusandbuddhism_1.shtml BBC] ] [ [http://www.forestsangha.org/canda5.htm Ajahn Candasiri's website] ]
*Charles R. Johnson, (1948-), Political cartoonist, novelist, and Buddhist writer who converted at 14. (from African Methodist Episcopal Church) [ [http://books.monstersandcritics.com/features/article_1308738.php/The_M%26C_Interview_1_Charles_Johnson_6_07 Charles R. Johnson interview at Monsters&Critics] : "Buddhism has been my refuge (as it was intended to be for practitioners) since I was 14-years-old, and first sat in formal meditation."]
*Richard Gere, (1949-), Actor and activist for Tibetan causes. [ [http://www.charlierose.com/shows/1996/05/01/1/a-conversation-with-richard-gere Charlie Rose interview] ]
*Arabella Churchill (1949-2007), English charity founder, festival co-founder, and fundraiser. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2007/dec/22/music.obituaries Obituary in "The Guardian"] ]
*Surya Das, (1950-), Lama who founded Dzogchen Foundation and Centers. (from Judaism) [ [http://www.dzogchen.org/surya/surya.htm Dzongchen bio] ]
*Steven Seagal, (1951), Action-film actor who was proclaimed a tulku. [ [http://www.sangyetashiling.dk/kt/seagal.htm The Action Lama - Steven Seagal ] ]
*Roberto Baggio (1967- ) an Italian footballer (former Catholic)
*Alistair Appleton, (1970-), British television presenter. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/heavenandearth/factsheets/20040314.shtml BBC] ]
*Tillakaratne Dilshan, (1976-), Sri Lankan Cricket player. Converted from Islam. Previously known as Tuwan Muhammad Dilshan. [ [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/48472.html Cricket Info Profile] ]
*Junius Richard Jayewardene (1906-1996) First President of Sri Lanka, and former Prime minister [cite book |title=J.R. Jayewardene of Sri Lanka |last=de Silva |first=K. M. |authorlink= |coauthors=William Howard Wriggins |year=1988 |publisher=University of Hawaii Press |location=Honolulu, HI |isbn=0824811836 |pages=133 ]

References

ee also

*Buddhism in the West
*Buddhism in the United States
*Celebrity Buddhists