Pakistan holds a revered place in the hearts of millions of Buddhist devotees across the world. It stands as the cradle of the celebrated Gandhara Buddhist art and iconography, and as the birthplace of distinguished Buddhist philosophers and spiritual masters such as Asanga, Vasubandhu, Guru Rinpoche, and Monk Marananta. The two brothers, Asanga and Vasubandhu, resided in Peshawar—then known as Purushapura—during the 4th century CE. Their philosophical contributions profoundly shaped Buddhist thought for generations to come.

Furthermore, Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) originated from the Swat Valley. He is venerated as the “Second Buddha” by followers of Buddhism in Bhutan, Nepal, and China. Meanwhile, Monk Marananta, believed to have been born in Chhota Lahore in present-day Swabi District, journeyed from his homeland to Korea via China and ultimately introduced Buddhism to the Korean Peninsula.

In addition, Gandhara in Pakistan is home to numerous ancient and sacred Buddhist stupas and monasteries located in the Taxila Valley, Mardan, Swabi, Swat, and other regions. Notably, Buddhist manuscripts unearthed in Gandhara—dating back to the 2nd century CE—constitute the oldest surviving collection of Buddhist texts in the world. Therefore, as a sacred land of Buddhism, Pakistan preserves a heritage of profound spiritual, cultural, and academic significance for devotees, scholars, and students of Buddhist studies.

Moreover, the Fo Guang Shan Education Centre (Malaysia), the Taxila Institute of Archaeology and Civilizations at Quaid-i-Azam University, the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), and the Silk Road Centre are jointly organizing the third international conference on the Buddhist heritage of Pakistan. The event seeks to foster academic collaboration and promote the heritage of Gandhara as a source of knowledge, peace, and intercultural understanding. It will feature research sessions as well as post-conference study tours to key Buddhist sites across Gandhara.