Buddhism in Cambodia | History

Buddhism in Cambodia
Buddhism in Cambodia

Cambodia in the 21st century understands itself as a Theravāda Buddhist nation: While this self-conscious identification as a Theravāda nation is fairly recent, the history and development of Buddhism in the region that constitutes present-day Cambodia extend back nearly two millennia: During this time numerous transformations occurred and Khmer Buddhism today is different from Khmer Buddhism even 2 centuries ago, before the rise of modern

Buddhism in Cambodia | History
Buddhism in Cambodia | History

Buddhism in Cambodia has existed since at least the 5th century: In its earliest form it was a type of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Today, the predominant form of Buddhism in Cambodia is Theravāda Buddhism: It is enshrined in the Cambodian constitution as the official religion of the country. Theravāda Buddhism has been the Cambodian state religion since the 13th century (except during the Khmer Rouge period).