converted to Buddhism. •
Sister Uppalavannā (Else Buchholtz) (1886–1982), German Theravādin Buddhist nun, first European Buddhist nun in modern history •
U Dhammaloka (Laurence Carroll) (1856–1914), Irish-born migrant worker turned Theravādin Buddhist monk and an active role in the Asian Buddhist revival around the turn of the twentieth century •
Paul Dahlke (1865–1928), German physician and a pioneer of
Buddhism in Germany, founder of “
Das Buddhistische Haus” •
Sīlācāra (John Frederick S. McKechnie) (1871–1951), former Buddhist monk, lay Buddhist writer and translator •
Ñāṇamoli Bhikkhu (Osbert John S. Moore) (1905–1960), British Theravādin Buddhist monk and translator of
Pali literature •
Ñāṇavīra Thera (Harold Edward Musson) (1920–1965), British Theravādin Buddhist monk, the author of
Notes on Dhamma •
Sāmanera Bodhesako (Robert Smith) (1939–1988), American Theravādin Buddhist monk who founded
Path Press •
Robert Baker Aitken (1917–2010), co-founded the Honolulu Diamond Sangha •
Reb Anderson (1943–),
Zen teacher •
Alistair Appleton (1970–), British television presenter •
Stephen Batchelor (1953–), writer •
William Sturgis Bigelow (1850–1926), prominent American collector of Japanese art and converted to
Tendai Buddhism •
Orlando Bloom (1977–), actor who played Legolas in
Lord of the Rings and
The Hobbit •
Kate Bosworth (1983–), American actress •
John Cage (1912–1992), American composer •
Arabella Churchill (1949–2007), English charity founder, festival co-founder, and fundraiser •
Chester Carlson (1906–1968), American physicist and inventor, best known for inventing electrophotography •
Leonard Cohen (1934–2016), Canadian singer/songwriter/poet •
John Crook (1930–2011), British ethologist •
Ruth Denison (1922–2015), Vipassana Meditation teacher in United States, one of four Westerners to receive permission to teach from
Sayagyi U Ba Khin •
Chris Evans (1981–), American actor and best known for his role as Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) series of films. •
Ernest Fenollosa (1853–1908), American professor of philosophy and political economy at Tokyo Imperial University •
Richard Gere (1949–), actor and activist for
Tibetan causes •
Natalie Goldberg (1948–), writer •
Herbie Hancock (1940–), jazz pianist who has also released funk and disco albums •
Miranda Kerr (1983–), model •
k.d. lang (1961–), Canadian singer •
Jet Li (1963–), actor •
Courtney Love, American singer-songwriter •
Menander I (died c. 130 BCE), Greco-Buddhist king (from pre-Christian Hellenistic religion) •
Dennis Genpo Merzel (1944–), abbot of
Kanzeon Zen Center •
Alanis Morissette, Canadian-American singer •
Ole Nydahl (1941–), lama teacher •
Tenzin Palmo (1943–), nun of
Drukpa Kagyu lineage •
Li Gotami Govinda (Ratti Petit) (1906–1988), Indian painter, photographer, writer and composer (from
Zoroastrianism) •
Zeena Schreck (formerly LaVey) (1963–), Berlin-based American visual and musical artist, author, the spiritual leader of the Sethian Liberation Movement (SLM),
Tantric Tibetan Buddhist yogini and second daughter of the late
Church of Satan's founder
Anton LaVey. •
Wayne Shorter (1933–2023), American jazz saxophonist and composer •
Oliver Stone (1946–), American film director •
Sharon Stone (1958–), American actress, producer, and former fashion model •
Tan-luan (6th to 7th century), Chinese Buddhist monk important to
Pure Land Buddhism (from
Taoism) •
Thích Thanh Từ (1924–), Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk (from
Caodaism) •
Robert Thurman (1941–), Buddhist priest and writer who has been called "the Billy Graham of Buddhism" •
Tina Turner (1939–2023), American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress who has won eight Grammy Awards •
Sister Vajirā (Hannelore Wolf) (1928–1991), German Buddhist convert and former
Ten-Precept nun •
Adam Yauch (1964–2012), aka MCA, American
rapper (member of
Beastie Boys), songwriter, film director, and human rights activist ==See also==