Buddhist Unitarian Universalists

Sunlight shines on a statue of a meditating person..

Unitarian Universalist (UU) experience with Buddhism is rich and varied. We find inspiration in stories from Buddhist traditions, Buddhist meditation practices, and contemporary teachers like Sharon Salzberg and Thich Nhat Hanh. Many congregations have Buddhist meditation groups; we have over 100 local UU sanghas.

Buddhism and Unitarian Universalism both honor the beliefs people hold based on their own experiences and understandings. In neither tradition will anyone tell you what you ought to believe. Lama Surya Das writes about our shared values in Buddhist Voices in Unitarian Universalism:

Buddhism and Unitarian Universalism value many of the same things, including experiential practice, study and self-inquiry, mindful awareness cultivation, insightful wisdom development, and loving-kindness, combined with active compassion in the world. This is the heart of sacred activism—empowering, educating, edifying, elevating, transforming, and liberating.

Explore our Buddhist Connections