By Sharon Mlambo, PANA Correspondent

HARARE, Zimbabwe (PANA, 04/13/96) - To some people, the mention of Buddhism prompts immediate thoughts of Tibetans in serene meditation. But for an increasing number of Zimbabweans, some of them black, the picture is different.

For this group of some 200 members nationwide the Buddhism of the Tantrism branch, followers of the Kagya lineage of Vajrayana of Tibet, has become an inspiration and a new way of life.

Rose Manhando, 28, lives in Chitungwiza, a high density satellite town about 20 kilometres south-east of the capital, Harare.

For her Buddhism is a reminder of some of the forgotten customs of her indigenous Shona culture.

"I do not feel I have lost my identity here, because like us, Buddhists have a great respect for their ancestors," she says.

Introduced to Buddhism in 1995 by a friend, Rose says meditation -- a pillar of Buddhism -- has given her peace of mind and wisdom.

Founded about 2,500 years ago in north-central India by Prince Gotama Siddhartha, later known as the Buddha, teachings of Buddha emphasise tolerance and compassion.

Born about 563 BC, legend has it that Gotama thought social life furtile and that endless philosophising kept man from the most important thing: living correctly.

Legend says he sneaked out of his palace suroundings and was shocked by the magnitude of poverty and suffering in the villages. Identifying the major causes of suffering as greed, hatred and ignorance, he set about to find solutions.

Buddhists attempt to solve problems around them by purifying their minds through meditation and reaching a high level of "enlightment", or Nirvana: The extinction of passion, desire and self.

Is purity of mind achievable?

"Yes it is, as long as people are kind; and tolerance is an important pillar," Rose says.

Buddhism, she says, is filling the missing link in her life.Now she is happier and more content.

Outwardly, Buddhists dress like most people and their retreat in Harare is conspicuous for its ethnic presentation. The centre, still under construction, is thatched with grass.

Stanley Masunde, who also lives in Chitungwiza, says despite being a Buddhist he wears in hair in dreadlocks, a symbol of the Rastafarian religion, which has its origins in the Caribbean island of Jamaica.

"Buddhism is not a religion to which you have to be converted, it is a way of life that you adopt and still carry on with your other activities, " he says.

The mystery surrounding Buddhism, he says, is due to sheer ignorance. Anybody is welcome to practice the religion.

Unlike religious groups, Buddhists do not have a special day for meetings.

Week-long and shorter retreats are usually organised to help members with daily problems.

The Buddhist centre in Zimbabwe is registered a charitable trust. As such it will be helping people, spiritually and materially.