Temple fragment from an ancient Nepalese temple.

Buddhism in Nepal began to spread during the reign of Ashoka through Indian and Tibetan missionaries. The Kiratas were the first people in Nepal to embrace the teachings of the Buddha, followed by the Licchavis and the Newar population. Buddhism is the second largest religion in Nepal, with 8.2% of the country's population, or approximately 2.4 million people, identifying as followers of Buddhism in the 2021 census. Shakyamuni Buddha was born in Lumbini in the Shakya Kingdom. Besides Shakyamuni Buddha, there are many Buddhas before him who are worshipped in different parts of Nepal. Lumbini is located in the present-day Rupandehi District, Lumbini Zone of Nepal. Buddhism is the second-largest religion in Nepal. According to the 2001 census, 10.74% of the population of Nepal practiced Buddhism, mainly consisting of Tibeto-Burman-speaking ethnic groups and the Newar. However, in the 2011 census, Buddhists made up only 9% of the country's population. It has not been possible to definitively establish the birth year of Prince Siddhartha, the birth name of the Buddha; it is usually placed around 563 BC. In the hill and mountain regions of Nepal, Hinduism has adopted Buddhist teachings to the extent that they share many gods and temples. For example, the Muktinath Temple is sacred and a shared place of worship for both Hindus and Buddhists. Buddhism is currently experiencing a decline in Nepal, with the latest census indicating that 8.21% of the Nepalese population adheres to Buddhism, a decrease of 2.5% compared to 2001. An increase in Christianity among the indigenous population may be the cause of this decline.