Buddhism has to-day grown into a great religion of the world with a large following of its own. As Buddhism spread, it wielded a great influence all over India. Protest against caste system, determination to break the barriers dividing one section from the other and establishing equality among all sections of the people, involving the masses in preaching the religion and as a means of appealing to the masses through the simple languages they understand were the salient features that enabled spread of Buddhism. Because of its concern over the social question of the day, Buddhism became a popular movement and the oppressed class people in India found solace and comfort in Buddhism. This paper  aims to  trace the history of the Tamil Buddhist Religious Movement in Tamil Nadu.

Key Words  :  Buddhism, Tamil Buddhism,  Religious Movement