Missionary

A missionary is a member of a religious group sent to a specific area. Their goal is to promote their faith or provide essential services to local people. These services often include education, literacy, and health care. They may also work toward social justice or economic development. While the term is most commonly used regarding Christian missions, it applies to any creed or ideology.

The word "mission" has deep linguistic roots. It originated in 1598 when the Jesuits, members of the Society of Jesus, sent members abroad. The term comes from the Latin *missio*, meaning "the act of sending," or *mittere*, meaning "to send."

In a Christian context, the practice is often inspired by the "Great Commission." This refers to a passage in the Bible where Jesus instructs his disciples to make disciples of all nations. In 1974, the Lausanne Congress further defined Christian mission as the effort to form viable, indigenous church-planting movements.

Buddhism conducted what is considered the first large-scale missionary effort in the history of world religions. This began in the 3rd century BCE during the reign of Emperor Ashoka. The early messengers were known as "Dharma Bhanaks."

Some scholars believe the symbolism of the Buddhist wheel represents a mission that travels the earth. Ashoka sent individuals like Dharmaraksita to spread the tradition. These missions moved through the Indian Maurya Empire and reached as far as Greece in the Mediterranean. Over time, Buddhism spread to Ceylon, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

The spread of Buddhism also involved significant movement through Central Asia and East Asia. During the 2nd and 3rd centuries BCE, Buddhism reached modern-day Pakistan, Afghanistan, and parts of Iran. In the 2nd century CE, Kasyapa Matanga brought the faith to China. A major figure in this era was Dharmaraksa, who arrived in the Chinese capital of Luoyang in 266 CE. He was a prolific translator of Mahayana Buddhist scriptures. Dharmaraksa translated approximately 154 Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna sutras into Chinese. His work helped make Chang'an, now known as Xi'an, a major center for the religion. By the year 381, most people in northwest China were Buddhist.

Missionary work also played a role in the development of other Asian nations. Marananta brought Buddhism to the Korean Peninsula in the 4th century. In 528, the kingdom of Baekje officially adopted Buddhism as its state religion. The Korean King Seong of Baekje sent missions to the Liang dynasty to request teachers and Buddhist works. In 538, a mission was sent to Japan, which is traditionally seen as the official introduction of Buddhism to that country. Later, in the 8th century, a sage named Padmasambhava transmitted Vajrayana Buddhism to Tibet and Bhutan.

In the modern era, the movement of religious ideas has taken new forms. During the 19th and 20th centuries, Western intellectuals and esoteric societies spread interest in Buddhism. This was followed by a "re-discovery" led by writers and the hippie generation of the 1960s and 1970s. In the 20th and 21st centuries, missionaries have continued to bring Buddhism to the West. Notable figures include Ananda Metteyya for Theravada Buddhism and Suzuki Daisetsu Teitarō for Zen Buddhism. The Dalai Lama has been a highly visible leader in this movement. He first visited the United States in 1979 and has become a significant figure in North America.

Today, Buddhist populations exist in significant proportions in several Western countries. These include Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France, and the United States. In France, the French Buddhist Union estimated there were 600,000 to 650,000 Buddhists in the early 1990s. This included approximately 150,000 French converts. In the Netherlands, groups like the Kanzeon Sangha maintain large community centers.

The history of these movements shows how religious structures, such as monastic institutions and councils, have influenced many different global traditions.