Ari Buddhism Ari Buddhism Ari Buddhism or the Ari Gaing (, ) is the name given to the religious practice common in Burma prior to Anawrahta's rise and the subsequent conversion of Bagan to Theravada Buddhism in the eleventh century. It was introduced in the 7th century, possibly through trade contact from India or Tibet. Ari practices have largely been categorized as a tantric form of Buddhism, combining elements of Buddhism, nat worship, indigenous nāga worship and Hinduism. Some scholars claim that it is related to the Buddhist religious practices of Nanzhao and the subsequent Dali Kingdom in modern-day Yunnan, China. Other
Buddhism in Myanmar a form of insight meditation believed to lead to enlightenment. The weizza path is an esoteric system of occult practices (such as recitation of spells, samatha and alchemy) believed to lead to life as a "weizza" (also spelt "weikza"), a semi-immortal and supernatural being who awaits the appearance of the future Buddha, Maitreya (Arimeitaya). Buddhism is practiced by approximately 90% of the country. According to Burmese census data dating back to 1891, between 84% to 90% of the population have practiced Buddhism. The history of Buddhism in Myanmar probably extends more than two thousand years. The "Sāsana Vaṃsa" (Burmese "Thathana