Buddhist Socity

What Buddhist Socity does

The Buddhist Society is a UK-registered charity (No. 1113705) and private company (No. 5730715) founded in 1924 by Christmas Humphreys, operating continuously from its headquarters at 58 Eccleston Square, London. It functions as a Buddhist religious and educational organization serving the general public interested in Buddhism, with a horizontal segmentation approach targeting individuals ranging from beginners to experienced practitioners. The Society delivers a comprehensive portfolio including meditation classes across multiple traditions (Theravada, Mahayana, Tibetan, Zen, Pure Land), structured educational courses from introductory to advanced, an annual residential Summer School, chaplaincy services, religious education resources for primary schools, and a publishing arm producing Buddhist texts and haiku collections.

The Society's core assets include a physical and digital library with e-book and audio lending for members, an on-demand video library of recorded talks, The Middle Way quarterly academic journal, and both in-person and Zoom-delivered programming providing global reach. Distribution is multi-channel: London headquarters attendance, global Zoom participation, the website (thebuddhistsociety.org), email newsletter, online video library, and an e-commerce book shop. Marketing channels are dominated by content marketing through the website, journal, and event-driven engagement rather than paid acquisition.

The revenue model combines annual membership subscriptions (which include The Middle Way journal and member benefits), charitable donations (dana), one-time book and publication sales, and limited paid courses and correspondence course packs. Most meditation classes and lectures are offered free of charge, and membership pricing is not publicly disclosed. The organization has 7 employees, no parent company, no subsidiaries, no external investors or venture backing, and is governed by a council of trustees under President Dr. Desmond Biddulph CBE.

Name

Buddhist Socity

Legal name

The Buddhist Society

Website

https://thebuddhistsociety.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1924

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Buddhist Society is a London-based UK charity founded in 1924 that delivers Buddhist meditation classes, courses, lectures, publications, library services, and chaplaincy to the general public and practitioners across multiple traditions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership subscriptions that provide access to The Middle Way journal and events. Members receive a subscription to the quarterly Middle Way journal and access to society events.
2. Donations (Dana): Charitable donations from members and supporters to support the society's operations and offerings of free classes, courses, and lectures.
3. Book and Publication Sales: Sale of Buddhist books, publications, and merchandise through the society's shop. Includes haiku collections, dharma texts, and other Buddhist literature.
4. Courses and Events: Some specialized courses may have associated fees, though many events are offered free of charge. Correspondence courses with course packs dispatched for a fee.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Buddhist Society is a UK-registered charity that delivers Buddhist education and meditation instruction through regular classes, structured courses, and an annual residential Summer School. It also publishes the quarterly scholarly journal The Middle Way, operates a publishing arm producing Buddhist texts, runs a physical and digital library, hosts public talks and interfaith events, provides chaplaincy services, and offers religious education resources for schools. Membership subscriptions and donations underpin access to these offerings.

Product overview

The Buddhist Society operates as a charitable religious organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of Buddhist educational and practice services. Its core offerings include meditation instruction across multiple traditions (Zen, Tibetan, Theravada, Pure Land), structured educational courses from beginner to advanced levels, an annual Summer School residential retreat, and The Middle Way quarterly journal. The Society also maintains a publishing arm producing Buddhist texts, operates a library with physical and digital collections, provides a video library of recorded talks, delivers chaplaincy services, and offers religious education resources. Membership provides access to member-exclusive services including the digital library and journal subscription.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Meditation Classes Regular in-person and online meditation instruction covering multiple Buddhist traditions including Basic Meditation, Zen, Tibetan, Theravada, Pure Land, Sunday, Saturday, and Lunchtime sessions. Open to beginners and experienced practitioners.
• Courses (Educational Programs) Structured multi-session learning programs including Introducing Buddhism, Introducing Abhidhamma, First Turning of the Wheel, The Great Way Course, Sutra & Tantra: Gateway to the Vajrayana, Correspondence Course, and Sanskrit instruction. Designed to take learners from introductory to advanced study.
• The Buddhist Society Summer School Annual week-long residential retreat held at Milton Hill House, Oxfordshire, featuring talks, meditation sessions, and practice opportunities for both newcomers and experienced practitioners.
• The Middle Way Journal Quarterly journal publishing scholarly articles on Buddhist teachings, practice, and history. Distributed to members and sold through the society's shop.
• Publishing (Books and Publications) Book publishing services producing Buddhist texts including haiku collections (Basho, Buson, Issa), the Mumonkan (The Gateless Gate), and commemorative centenary publications, sold through the society's shop.
• Library Services Physical library with online catalogue, audio library, digital library with e-books and audio books available for member borrowing, and scripture/text resources.
• Video Library Online repository of recorded talks, lectures, and course videos available for viewing, including content from Introducing Buddhism courses and memorial lecture series.
• Talks and Events Public lectures, film screenings, memorial lecture series (centenary series covering Theravada, Mahayana, Tibetan, and Japanese Buddhism), interfaith events, and celebrations including Buddha Day and Founder's Day.
• Buddhist Society Chaplaincy Spiritual care services providing Buddhist chaplain support in healthcare and institutional settings.
• Religious Education (RE) Resources Educational materials and training for primary schools including open training days and emotional exercises for children.
• Shop (Book Sales) Online retail offering Buddhist publications, books on haiku, and related materials for purchase.
• Membership Services Annual membership providing subscription to The Middle Way journal, access to events, digital library, and member benefits.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Tashi Lhunpo MonasterynotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023Collaboration for special events including Coronation Celebration with Tibetan Buddhist monks from Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, featuring meditation sessions, dance performances, and exhibitions.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Plum Village: International Zen Buddhist community with retreat centers, online programs, and app-based meditation offerings. Comparable as a modern, digitally-enabled Buddhist education and meditation organization with global reach.

Broad incumbents

• Dharma Drum Mountain: International Buddhist organization offering meditation retreats, education programs, and publications. Comparable as a multi-tradition Buddhist education and practice organization with global centers, structured curriculum, and a publishing arm.

Direct peers

• Kagyu Samye Dzong London: Tibetan Buddhist center in London offering meditation, teachings, and community events. Comparable as a London-based Buddhist meditation and education organization serving both beginners and experienced practitioners.
• Gaia House: UK-based Buddhist retreat center offering meditation retreats and teachings across traditions. Directly comparable as a UK Buddhist education and practice organization relying on donations, course fees, and residential programs.
• Amaravati Buddhist Monastery: UK-based Theravada Buddhist monastery and teaching center offering meditation, courses, and residential programs. Comparable as a long-standing UK Buddhist organization delivering structured meditation instruction and educational programming to the public.
• Samatha Trust: UK-based organization teaching Samatha meditation and Buddhist practice with multiple centers. Comparable as a UK-focused Buddhist education charity offering structured meditation classes and teacher training.
• Soka Gakkai International (SGI-UK): Large UK-based Buddhist organization offering meetings, study programs, and cultural activities around the Nichiren tradition. Comparable as a UK membership-based Buddhist organization with regular classes, study programs, and publication activities.
• Rigpa UK: UK branch of an international Tibetan Buddhist network offering meditation courses, study programs, and online teachings. Directly comparable as a UK Buddhist education organization with online delivery, structured courses, and donation/subscription funding.
• Insight Meditation Society (IMS): Long-established Buddhist meditation and retreat center offering structured programs across traditions. Comparable as a long-running, multi-tradition Buddhist education organization delivering residential retreats, courses, and online teachings to a global audience.

Regional players

• Network of Buddhist Organisations (UK): Umbrella body for UK Buddhist groups, supporting interfaith dialogue and shared resources. Comparable as a UK Buddhist membership/association structure addressing similar coordination, representation, and outreach functions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buddhist-socity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Buddhist Socity