Nepal is a secular country. However, Nepal’s Constitution defines secularism as the ‘protection of religion and customs practiced from ancient times.’ Hinduism is typically described as the religion that has been practiced since antiquity. Likewise, Buddhism originated in Nepali soil.
On March 27, conch shells were blown, 108 Batuks recited Rigvedic mantras and 16 Buddhist monks recited Ashtmangal during Balendra Shah’s swearing-in-ceremony as the 47th Prime Minister of Nepal.
The religious cover of Balendra’s oath ceremony has drawn criticism from many who think the state has no religion. But, as Balendra’s persona has been discussed as a ‘calculative leader’, he must have also considered the global rise of cultural nationalism and its political implications.
According to the latest census of Nepal, more than 90 percent of the total population of Nepal follows Hinduism and Buddhism. For the past 10 years, religious issues have received a lot of attention in Nepali politics. From a global standpoint, cultural nationalism is becoming more and more influential. Discussions about Buddhism and Hinduism have become more prevalent after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took power in India. The Indian External Affairs Minister’s book, Why Bharat Matters, aims to encapsulate India’s foreign policy from a civilizational perspective rather than national one. It calls for a change from a western-centric optics to one rooted in India’s cultural heritage and identity. Simply put, the BJP regime aims to replace Indian discourse with ‘Bharat’. In a similar vein, President Donald Trump is taking part in a public Bible reading in the United States.
In the Nepali context, the application of Hindu tradition in politics appears to be a common phenomenon. Given how strongly ingrained Hinduism is in Nepal, former prime ministers from all political parties and ideologies have also been making political gestures. In every government agency, the influence of Hindu ceremonies is evident. However, despite Nepal’s transition to republicanism, no prominent leader of the traditional parties has shown their posturing to Buddhism in the political sphere like Balendra has heralded with. It appears that the PM has presented a clear picture of Nepal’s cultural bottom line. It is undeniable that all religions have a political and geopolitical component, even though the politics of religion is forbidden.
Once more, civilization-related factors support modern economic growth. Nepal has both enormous potential and difficulties in this regard. Through his oath-taking, Prime Minister Shah appears to be appealing for a broader perspective toward the preservation and promotion of Nepal’s civilization. Approximately 98 percent of all Buddhists worldwide reside in the Asia-Pacific region, making Buddhism one of the most powerful religions in Asia. India, Nepal’s southern neighbor, has 8.4m Buddhists, while China, its northern neighbor, has 40m. In a similar vein, data indicate that 2.39m individuals in Nepal are Buddhists.
In Nepal, especially Vajrayana and Newari Buddhism are predominant, while in China, the Han tradition of Mahayan Buddhism is dominant. Tibetan Buddhism (Vajryan) is also popular. More importantly, emperor Ashoka has a history of contributing all his ability and strength in the propagation of Buddhism in the latter half of his life. During the same period, Ashoka installed a pillar at Lumbini with the inscription ‘Hida Buddha Jate’ (The Buddha was born here), pointing out a key part of his journey to enlightenment.
A new dynamic of Buddhism called Vajrayan flourished, where the advanced dharma tantra doctrine was practiced, thanks to influences from Nepal and beyond. The Vajrayan flourished in Nepal valley in the seventh and eighth centuries. These facts point at internal and external influences on the propagation of Buddhism in Nepal.
When the fourth ‘Summit of Laureates and Leaders for Children, Development, and Peace’ was scheduled to take place in Lumbini in 2024, an unexpected circumstance came to light. The Chief Minister of Lumbini Province, Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary (from the Nepali Congress), was forced to postpone the summit due to ‘special reasons’ after the formation of a coalition of the CPN-UML and Maoist Center in Kathmandu. There were reports of pressure from the bordering countries in the north regarding the types of NGOs and programs that would be attending the conference. However, there was no detailed discussion and debate on the internal reasons behind the postponement.
On April 11, the Foreign Minister of Nepal, Sishir Khanal, addressing the ninth Indian Ocean Conference in Port Louis, Mauritius, said that nothing exists in isolation, citing the Buddhist concept of ‘Pratītyasamutpāda’ or the law of dependent origination. This lesson serves as a reminder that every phenomenon depends on other factors and circumstances.
Prime Minister Balen may have organized a swearing-in ceremony with the Shwasti sound and conch for a variety of reasons. And it seems sensible that, for a variety of geopolitical reasons, foreign powers have shown a special interest in Buddhist-related activities in Nepal.
Buddhists are primarily found in the northern Himalayan region, the Kathmandu Valley, a few districts in the eastern highlands, and the districts of Rupandehi and Kapilvastu in the province of Lumbini. Here, it would be worth incorporating Amishraj Mulmi’s standpoint from the book, ‘Shared Bonds, Strategic Interests’, edited by Ranjit Rae. In the chapter titled Himalayas: Borders and Transnational Heritage, Mulmi contends that Buddhism has become more globalized and linked to political identities as a result of Tibetan exiles. Governments in South Asia have therefore found it difficult to connect with Buddhism. He also claims, to some extent, China has convinced, lured, or coerced other nations to restrict their engagement with the Himalayan Buddhist heritage because of its ties to Tibetan exile politics while simultaneously promoting a version of Buddhism that is more in line with Chinese views, citing Sri Lanka’s refusal to host the Dalai Lama in order to avoid upsetting the People’s Republic of China.
The government that was established in Nepal following the GenZ revolt has drawn a lot of interest from across the world. Nepal’s friendly nations and neighbors have strengthened their engagement and sent their best wishes to the current government. May Nepal’s civilizational identity be furthered by this administration and possible advancements be extracted without dispute.
