Dzul-khural
This is the name of the “holy rite”, which takes place in late autumn. Datsan churches are illuminated outside and inside with many candles, by the light of which believers, in front of the image of the gods, repent of all cases of mistreatment of domestic animals. Poor food, beatings, backbreaking work that make animals suffer are serious sins that supposedly cause a bad degeneration. After all, in every domestic animal, according to Lamaist ideas, a reincarnated deceased relative of a believer can live. Repentance should free the believer from guilt towards the dead. It is possible that in its origins the dzul-khural goes back to the Indian cult of “sacred” animals.
Naidani-khural
A ritual dedicated to hermits (naidans), elevated to the rank of deities. It also takes place in the fall. By hanging images of Naidans, emphasizing their decrepitude and indifference to everything around them, the lamas tell believers that the Naidans were once worldly people, but having gone into hermitage, they deserved “salvation.” Naidani Khural emphasizes the danger of any attachment to life, for this attachment leads to bad rebirths.
Obo is a ritual adopted by Lamaism from shamanism. Usually in Buryatia it is performed in the summer, before the start of haymaking. Near a pile of stones piled on the top of a hill, on a mountainside, on a pass, lamas and believers read prayers in which they ask for help from the spirits - the “masters of the area.” Sacrifice is left on the stones - food, coins, silk scarves (hadaks). They pray especially intensely around the Oo during a drought, since the lamas assure that the rain is sent by the “masters of the area.” During the obo, cattle are often slaughtered.
There are also obos dedicated to the deities of the Lamaist pantheon.
Usu tyayalgn
In the Kalmyk Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, a close-to-rite ritual, usu tyayalgn, is occasionally observed, i.e., sacrifice to the spirit - “the owner of the water.” To increase the fish catch, when there is a large gathering of members of the fishing artel, a kid goat is slaughtered on a specially constructed raft driven out to sea, whose blood flows into a cauldron with freshly boiled fish soup while reading spells.
Worship of "holy" places
In a number of places in Buryatia, Kalmykia and Tuva there are places declared “sacred” by lamas. Believers make pilgrimages to them. Particularly famous are Mount Alkhanay in the Aginsky Autonomous National Okrug of the Chita Region and Arshan in the Tunkinsky aimag of the BASSR. It is usually believed that springs (arsha-ns), as well as rocks and stones of unusual shape, provide magical healing assistance. So, on the slope of Alkhanaya there is a rock with a small hole through which pregnant women climb, believing that this will bring them a successful birth. People often seek help from infertility, chronic diseases, etc. from “holy” places.
In every home of a Buryat, Kalmyk, or Tuvan believer, a low cabinet with a shelf in front of it is placed in a place of honor. Inside there are metal, clay, and wooden sculptural images of deities of the Buddhist pantheon (burkha-ny), small icons painted on canvas, silk or wood, and various “sacred” objects lie. On the shelf there are bronze cups for sacrifices, smoking candles, and flowers. The production of icons and figurines of deities was monopolized by the lamas and brought them large incomes.
Prayer
Prayers addressed to bodisat-va were usually simply mechanically memorized by believers, since their language (Tibetan) remained incomprehensible. In addition to prayers, believers had to memorize many spells (tarni) in order to protect themselves from the action of evil spirits and all kinds of misfortunes. Those who wished could keep a “record” of the spoken prayers and spells using special rosaries. Some especially pious believers collected these rosaries in a bag and gave them to the person traveling to worship the shrines of Tibet, so that the gods would learn more accurately about his – the believer’s – piety.
Along with this, Lamaism introduced a kind of “mechanization” of prayer. Prayer texts are placed in the so-called khurde - hollow, usually metal, cylinders. Cylinders come in the most various sizes: diameter and height from several centimeters to several meters. An axis is passed through the centers of the lid and bottom of the cylinder, around which the entire structure can rotate. It is believed that one revolution of the cylinder is equivalent to reading all the prayers contained in it and sacred texts.
Faith in talismans
Boo - a talisman - is worn by almost all Lamaists. It consists of a piece of paper or cloth on which are written the texts of prayers and spells - for long life, for protection from illness or violent death, etc. The folded text is covered with leather and worn on a cord around the neck. Considered more effective is a small statue of Buddha or part of the clothing of the “living god,” also worn around the neck in a wooden or silver case decorated with embossing. After the ceremony performed when naming a newborn, the lama ties paper talismans to the child’s neck, arms and legs, which should ward off illness and misfortune from the newborn.
Gurums and Abarals
Any event in the life of a lamaist forces him to seek advice from a lama-zurkhachin, that is, a fortuneteller-astrologer. The latter indicates to the believer what rituals and spells must be performed in order to successfully migrate to another place, when buying livestock or marrying off a daughter, during the illness and funeral of a relative, etc. The Indian calendar accepted in Buddhism plays a significant role in this. In it, the years are named by the names of the signs of the zodiac circle: mouse, bull, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, chicken, dog, pig. These names are combined with one of the five “elements” - wood, fire, earth, iron, water. The result is sixty-year cycles, “starting from the year 1027 of our calendar. Now the 16th cycle is underway. It was this calendar, usually called the Japanese calendar, that formed the basis of some neo-mystical ideas that became widespread in last years. Months are also called zodiac signs or simply serial numbers. The days of the week are named after the seven luminaries. Having calculated all the “data”, the lama astrologer draws up a horoscope for the newborn, in which, based on the qualitative features of the year of birth (“fire dragon”, “water hen”, etc.), day and month of birth, etc. ., “predicts” what and when a person entering the path of life should be wary of, what spells to cast, who he can marry, etc.
In less critical cases, they guess by looking at the cracks that form when a red-hot lamb shoulder is lowered into cold water, by dice (shoo), etc. When the “cause” of an illness, theft, or natural disaster has been “established,” a special exorcist lama (abaralchin, or gurum-chin) often performs a complex and expensive ritual—gurum, or abaral. Especially many gurums are associated with the idea of evil spirits as the cause of human illness and death, loss of livestock, etc. One of the popular gurums is aminzolic, which previously, if appointed by a lama, was mandatory for believers, even if it led to complete ruin. The lama made a straw effigy in the yurt, dressing it in best clothes sick. Then, through spells, he “drove” the evil spirits that caused the disease there, after which he took the stuffed animal to the steppe along with payment for the gurum. Gurum “zhaldoy” demanded the construction on a special table of images of people or animals sculpted from dough or clay to whom “help” should be provided. They are surrounded by a fence of sticks, sabers and arrows. Evil spirits were also driven here. During the gurum "ukhedel darakha" lamas supposedly catch devils and can even defeat death.
Many rituals and superstitions are associated with the idea that happiness is something semi-material that can be “given” or “taken away” from a given home. To “maintain” happiness in the house when part of the property is removed from it (when selling livestock, milk), believers leave a particle of what was removed in the house - a tuft of sheep’s wool, a few drops of milk spilled on the floor.
Today you can find a large number of followers of Buddhism. This religion has many holidays, legends, and customs.
Buddhism is a world religion
About Buddhism
Buddhism can easily be called one of the first religions in history. But comparing Buddhism with other religions is quite difficult, because... They don’t talk about God here, because he is not here. Buddhism is more of a philosophical system.
Some Buddhist traditions
Speaking about Buddhism, one cannot fail to mention the interesting traditions of this religion. For example, marriage is treated differently here. There is no coercion, but there is no betrayal either. Buddhism gives some advice on how to make your family life happy. So, such advice is given by the founder of Buddhism: be faithful, do not flirt, nurture feelings exclusively for your spouse. Outside of marriage, it is not allowed to have sex, and, of course, to lead a riotous lifestyle.
If a person doesn't want family relations– he is not forced to do this, everything is quite voluntary. If people cannot live together, it’s hard for them, then they can come to an agreement and separate. But if you follow all the recommendations of the Buddha, such an outcome of family life is extremely rare. The luminary also did not advise people with a huge age difference to get married.
What does family life mean for Buddhism?
For this religion, marriage and family life are presented as an opportunity to develop together and support a loved one in everything. Also, marriage is an excellent opportunity not to be lonely if this factor frightens someone.
Buddhist monasteries and the way of life of monks
Buddhist monks
Followers usually live in temple communities. In our understanding, and in terms of Buddhism, monks are different people. In Buddhism, monks are not priests. These are people who study in the temple. They meditate and study sacred texts. If desired, both a woman and a man can become part of such a community.
Advice
The teaching has several directions, and each of them has its own rules. And these rules must be followed. Some rules say to give up meat, some say to stop farming. And some say not to be a participant in social life and politics. What do monks live on, you ask? The monks live from alms. If a person decides to follow the Buddha, then he must follow the rules.
The meanings of holidays in Buddhism
In Buddhism, holidays have a special status. There are no riotous celebrations here, as is customary here. In this religion, a holiday is a special day on which a person faces a lot of restrictions. In Buddhism, it is believed that on a holiday, all thoughts and actions have great power - and it does not matter what actions are meant: bad or good. If you observe everything correctly, especially on holidays, then the essence of the teaching will be comprehended much faster, and a person will approach the absolute.
Cleanliness everywhere
A holiday is a time when there should be cleanliness inside and outside. To achieve purity, it is necessary to perform certain rituals, repeat mantras, and play musical instruments. A person, performing all the necessary rituals, restores his subtle structure, his consciousness undergoes purification. On the holiday, everyone goes to the temple and makes an offering.
Advice
If it was decided to celebrate some holiday at home, then this is normal. The main thing is that a person has the right attitude and understands that this is important for him in the first place.
Holidays
Visakha Pujda
Visakha Pujda festival
There are different holidays in Buddhism: Visakha Pujda, for example. This holiday is dedicated to the founder of the doctrine. On this day, temples are decorated and monks read prayers. Lay people listen to stories about Buddha. The holiday lasts a week.
Asalha
Another holiday is Asalkha. It was coined to celebrate the achievement of enlightenment. The holiday takes place in July during the full moon. And this is only part of the special religious holidays.
Mystery Tsam
Holiday Mystery Tsam
One cannot ignore the holiday called the Mystery of Tsam. The holiday takes place every year and lasts several days. It can happen at any time of the year and is celebrated in monasteries. It was customary to stage plays or ritual dances. The mystery was done for different purposes. For example, to frighten the enemies of the teaching, to show what the teaching really is.
Important!!!
Buddhism is rich in holidays, not only religious ones, but also more secular ones. For example, New Year, Kalachakra holiday and a number of other holidays. Buddhism has a fairly large number of holidays. At the same time, not only religious ones are considered important, but also others - they are all very important and do not have a solemn scope. Everyone celebrates quite modestly.
Conclusion:
The teaching is aimed at enlightenment, so its customs and traditions (for example, weddings) lead people to exactly this. It is necessary to live in harmony with yourself and the world around you. Even on holidays, followers of the teaching do not deviate from the rules.
The essence of Buddhism
Instructions
One of the most sacred rites in the world is taking refuge, which is akin to Christian baptism. First, the teacher must mentally prepare the person for action and give a blessing, otherwise difficulties are expected. Taking refuge is the awareness of the three jewels: Buddha as the ideal of goodness and great Teacher, Dharma as the practice of transformation, and Sangha as the unity of all living things. This ritual does not do anything, it only enlightens a person and guides him on the path of searching for truth. The initiate makes special bows, offerings, and takes Buddhist vows.
The most important holiday of Buddhism is Vesak, which requires special actions. Vesak is the day of birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha. On this day, temples are decorated with lanterns, oil lamps are placed, and cards are sent to friends. Buddhists visit monasteries, make their offerings, listen to chants and meditate throughout the night.
The Buddhist New Year, or Tsagan Sar, requires certain actions. Prayer services and solemn services take place in churches. On the eve of the holiday, the Gutor ritual takes place, i.e. purification, during which Buddhists throw out everything bad and unnecessary from home and life. Lay people are advised to stay up all night until 6 a.m. and attend prayer, at the end of which the abbot wishes everyone a Happy New Year. The first day of the year should be spent with the family. After the end of the festive meal, the remains of food with various rags and unnecessary little things are placed in a red bowl, where a figurine of a person made from dough is also placed. This cup serves as a ransom for evil forces that must leave the home and family life. Then the cup is taken to a vacant lot and left there. You need to leave this place very quickly, and under no circumstances turn around, otherwise the evil forces will return.
Also in Buddhism great importance attached to rituals associated with human burial. Even before death, clergy teach a person how to face death with dignity and what its signs are. According to teaching, before death a person must lie on his right side, put his hand under his head and think about the beautiful and bright. Gradually, a person’s lips become dry, breathing and all processes slow down. Thus, the living thing dies and becomes nothing.
It is important for the relatives of the deceased to record all the data related to death: the cause of death, time, who was nearby, etc., and astrologers should, based on this data, do everything necessary for burial. For the first three days, the dead cannot be moved or touched, so as not to frighten away his soul. On the day of burial, special prayers are read, the burial site is consecrated, otherwise failures await the relatives of the deceased. Women are prohibited from visiting the cemetery. Alcoholic beverages must not be consumed during the funeral.
There are two main directions in Buddhism (in some schools there are three) - Buddhism Mahayana traditions and Buddhism Theravada traditions(Theravada Buddhism is very influenced by numerology).
IN Theravada traditions It is believed that, having accepted the teachings of the Buddha, some followers were also able to achieve a state of complete enlightenment. There are 28 such testimonies in the entire history of Buddhism. Therefore, in the religious practice of many peoples (especially in Burma), 28 Buddhas are revered.
Mahayana tradition is based on a religious canon performed in the Sanskrit language, and Theravada - in the ancient Pali language. In these two traditions there are both minor and profound differences, which will be discussed a little later. Accordingly, Mahayana Buddhism became most widespread in countries such as India, Pakistan, Nepal, China, Mongolia, Buryatia, and Theravada Buddhism in Cambodia, Burma, Laos, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. But at the basis of both traditions lies the recognition of the principle of a botthisattva - a great man, a teacher, who, with his current example and worldview, deserved reincarnation into Buddha by going to nirvana, but remains in this world of rebirths and incarnations to provide spiritual help to others.
Buddhist tradition, just as virtually no matter what religion, its philosophy, edifications, rules, ceremonial practices and religious meditations are based on sacred texts. For Buddhists, a similar text is the Tipitaka canon. The canon consists of three parts: Vinaya-Pitaka (basket of rules or dharma - law), Sutta-Pitaka (basket of edifications) and Abidhama-Pitaka (basket of untainted knowledge, i.e. interpretation of the teaching).
Theravada Buddhism recognizes two main states of Buddha - teaching Buddha (samyaksan) and silent Buddha (pratyeka). Hence the differences in the types of Buddha depicted.
Usually Buddha is depicted in three poses - standing, lying or sitting. He is depicted exhausted (in a sitting position) as a symbol of the asceticism he undertook during meditation. Also in China, the image of Hotei (a cheerful, well-fed Buddha) is widespread. Buddha as a principle is eternal; he has already been incarnated more than once (about 500 times) in earthly life. Buddha as a person is a real historical character. Part of the Buddhist teachings set out in the Dikha Nikaya (Sutra of Symbols) even developed a system of physical signs of the Buddha - 32 main and 80 additional anatomical and physiological signs, by which it is possible to find another earthly incarnation of the Buddha. According to the teaching, it is believed that Buddha is the only awakened state, completely free from delusions, vices and desires and having comprehended the essence of the nature of things.
Having originated as a religious trend in India, Buddhism first spread in Ceylon, where the sacred text of the Theravada teachings was first created - Pali canon Tipitaka. It is clear that in the Mon kingdom of Suphannapum already in the 3rd century BC. there was a cult of Buddha worship that came here from Ceylon. The Mon people were the first to adapt Buddhism to the Indochina Peninsula. In the 11th century, the Mon government fell in the fight against the Burmese, their capital Thaton came under the control of the conquerors. The lord of the Mons, Manuha, handed over the Tipitaka and the sacred relics of Buddha (some hair and 4 teeth) to the Burmese king of Bagan, Anavrata, who, having adopted the teachings of Theravada Buddhism from the mons he conquered, made it the state religion in the first Burmese empire.
Since the end of the 19th century, the forest tradition of Buddhism has also become widespread in Thailand - some monks went into the tropical thickets to meditate in order to achieve enlightenment. They became especially revered and were often revered as saints. Their asceticism is considered the highest spiritual feat. In total, 13 such elders are revered in Thailand, who practiced the forest tradition at different periods. Their images can often be seen in Thai homes like icons.
The founder of this practice was a monk Phra Achan Sao Katasilo Mahathera (1861-1941). His instructions were not written down and are transmitted through the oral tradition of believers and monks. His student and follower, monk Phra Achan Mun Phuridatto (1870-1949), already had a huge number of admirers and students, his instructions later became the subject of research, including in Buddhist Institutes.
In the 2nd half of the 20th century, the tradition of sending teenage boys (no younger than 8 years old) to monasteries for temporary novitiate and training in the Pali language and the basics of religious doctrine became widespread. They are called "dek wat" (monastery children). Some then choose the path of permanent monasticism. In general, even adults sometimes undergo temporary novitiateship in monasteries. Most often, this is due to serious events in life (death of loved ones, etc.).
In Thailand (unlike Mahayana Buddhism) the doctrine of rewards is recognized and therefore temporary novitiate is considered as a way to alleviate the afterlife fate of the dead. Unlike the Burmese tradition, the novitiate and monasticism of women is not so widespread in Thailand - there are only three monasteries. The minimum age for full initiation into monasticism is 20 years. Monks are required to observe 227 monastic rules, and nuns - 311.
The church calendar is based on the lunar calendar. Therefore, the arrival time of most holidays is calculated by the phases of the moon and has a moving date. More significant holidays always fall on the full moon, which, according to ancient tradition, is called the day of the wax moon.
Makha Pucha- one of the main holidays celebrated in memory of an action in the life of the Buddha, when 1250 followers of his teachings from different parts of the world - arahant (enlightened) monks, without agreement or being invited, came to the Veluwat temple in India to listen to instructions Buddha. On this day, they separately try to do good deeds, help those in need, donate vestments, money and necessary items to monasteries.
Visakha Pucha (Vesak)- Buddha's birthday. Formally, the date of Buddha’s birthday was established at the Global Buddhist Conference exclusively in 1950. Therefore, according to tradition, not only the birth of the Buddha, but also his enlightenment and departure to nirvana are associated with this holiday. During the celebration ceremony, the 8 commandments of Buddhism are separately remembered: do not kill, do not steal, do not commit adultery, do not indulge in dirty speech, do not take harm into yourself (alcohol, dope), refrain from excess gluttony, refrain from sensual temptations, refrain from unnecessary luxury. It is considered a special virtue on this day to bring satisfaction to the unfortunate. Therefore, in addition to helping those in need and giving them gifts, an obligatory part of the ceremonies is the release of birds and animals from their cages.
Asalkha Pucha (Asankha)- celebrated in memory of the Buddha's preaching and the acquisition of the sacred Sangha (text of rules).
Pavarana- celebrated to mark the end of the rainy season in Southeast Asia. Tradition says that on this day Buddha taught the monks the art of silence and they all remained silent for three months. On this day, it is customary to ask for forgiveness from everyone who has been wronged and wronged during the long period of the wassa season (the rainy season, however, not according to the real weather calendar, but according to the Buddhist calendar).
Anapanasati- the last major Buddhist holiday of the year to commemorate how the Buddha encouraged his disciples to follow solitude and meditation.
Songkran. This holiday falls in mid-April and lasts 3-5 days. The holiday symbolizes the celebration of water as a pure element. Traditionally, people gather on the banks of rivers or on sea beaches and pour water on each other. On these days, gifts are presented to the monks with an obligatory gift - eau de toilette. The holiday atmosphere is characterized by extraordinary fun. Also, the central ceremony of the holiday is the release of fish into reservoirs for breeding.
Loy Krathong. Symbolizes the worship of the sacred footprints of Buddha left on the banks of the Namada River in India. The festival is one of the most vibrant in Thailand. In the evening, specially made wreaths of flowers, topped with lighted candles, float across the water. Also, fiery lanterns soaring upward are released into the sky. People also associate this festival as a holiday for lovers - many, floating krathongs (wreaths) on the water, wish upon their beloved and demand the Buddha to send mutual love and fidelity.
River Na. This holiday could be called in Russian the festival of the first furrow. It marks the beginning of the agricultural year. A pair of snow-white bulls with gold-painted horns, led by Brahmins, plow the first strips of rice fields. The celebration symbolizes the role of the seven-year-old Buddha in a similar ceremony performed by his dad. The ceremony has a festive character and takes place in front of a large crowd of people, monks from nearby monasteries. The fields are blessed by monks and members of the royal family in anticipation of fertility.
Ulambana. This festival is more typical of countries with the Mahayana tradition, but is also celebrated in Burma and Thailand. It is believed that on this day the gates of hell are open and demons have the power to come out and descend to earth to tempt the righteous. Believers walk to cemeteries, commemorate their own dead, leaving food, flowers, and lighted candles and incense.
In addition to these holidays, believers committed to the forest tradition and Dhammayutik (a movement founded by King Mongkut - Rama IV during his monastic years) celebrate their own special days, which are not mandatory holidays of the entire Thai Sangha. So-called “local” holidays are also celebrated, dedicated to holy arahant monks, relics, certain monasteries or local sacred artifacts.
The ritual and ceremonial practice of Buddhists of different directions has some differences, but their basic rituals include the edification of monks, recitation of mantras, meditation, and worship of Buddha sculptures. Personal conversations with religious monks are a bit like Christian confessions. The end of monastic rituals for believers is the pouring of water (at first, while the monk is reading the mantra, water is poured out of one vessel into another narrow stream, then the monk pronounces the mantra over this water, and then the believer must pour it under the tree). There are a huge number of special ritual ceremonies dedicated to special events.
Between traditions Mahayana And Theravada For a long time there were sharp contradictions regarding the “purity” of the doctrine. But in the modern Buddhist world both traditions coexist quite peacefully. Moreover, Buddhism does not reject as “false” the teachings of other global religions, perceiving certain universal truths and preaching them.
Theravada Buddhism contains many symbolic beliefs in signs, talismans, and signs of good fortune. There is a system of signs developed over centuries, in most cases based on the belief that people born on certain days of the week should adhere to “their” signs and signs of fortune in life. This system of signs is called Pracham van. According to this system, each day of the week corresponds to its own specific color, planet, symbolic or real animal, deity. The 8 main poses of Buddha also apply to any specific day of the week. For Wednesday there are 2 images of Buddha pose (day and night). Accordingly, everyone born on a certain day of the week (and those born on Wednesday, also at a certain time of day) must separately worship and ask for current fortune from a certain image of the Buddha’s pose.
Used materials:
topasia.ru - description of Buddhist holidays and traditions
sunhome.ru - article about Buddhism and its main directions
krugosvet.ru - reference material on the topic “Buddha and Buddhism”
The ritual side of Buddhism is diverse; in its many schools and directions, the emphasis is on various elements Buddhist cult. The actual cult practice, obligatory for all believers, in Buddhism did not receive such detail and regularity as in other religions. More precisely, the practice of monastic asceticism in Buddhism, as it were, supplants worship and aims the monk at direct contact with the supernatural. On the other hand, the religious cult of lay followers of Buddhism is so blurred and harmoniously merged with earlier religious and cult layers, especially Hindu ones, that it loses other important properties of the cult - detail, stability. True, the degree of regularity of the Buddhist cult very much depends on the Sangha: in those countries and regions where the Sangha is numerous and influential, the cult is orderly; where the Sangha is weak, non-Buddhist religious components become very prominent in the cult.
The religious life of believers comes down to visiting “holy” places - the birth, enlightenment, death of Buddha, stupas with some relic, or a local temple. It is significant that most Buddhist temples are dedicated to general Hindu or local deities, to which historical figures are sometimes associated (in Mongolia, for example, they worship Genghis Khan). The central place in Buddhist sanctuaries, as a rule, is occupied by a multi-meter statue of Buddha made of wood, stone, precious metals inlaid with precious stones. Most often, Buddha is depicted in the lotus position, although more than 40 of his favorite poses are known, each of which carries a deep religious meaning that is understandable only to a believer.
The most common religious practices of Buddhism are worship and offering. When Buddhists enter a temple or room where there is a Buddha statue, they can approach it, kneel down and bow three times, touching their forehead to the ground, which symbolizes the Buddhist "three treasures". As a rule, offerings to a Buddha statue are made of three kinds - in the form of candles, which symbolize the light of the teaching in the darkness of human ignorance, flowers, indicating the variability of the world, and aromas, which represent the spread of the teaching. But it is quite acceptable to simply place food in front of the statue, which symbolizes mercy.
Solemn services are carried out according to the traditional lunar calendar every month on the days of the new and full moon. Believers come to these services with offerings to Buddha and gifts for the monks. These days, they very often also take special vows - to lead a more ascetic life for a certain period of time (abstain from eating meat, give up jewelry and entertainment, sex life, etc.).
The cult practice of lay followers of Tibetan Buddhism, which has become widespread in our country, is distinguished by a certain originality. It implies the participation of the laity in ordinary daily and solemn services in monasteries and annual major holidays (great khurals) organized there. Any monastery (datsan, khural) is a complex architectural complex of religious, utility, and educational buildings, surrounded by a whitewashed fence. In some monasteries there lived at times 6, 8 and even 10 thousand monks. Along the monastery fence there are so-called prayer wheels (khurde), which are cylinders filled with volumes of sacred literature, mounted on a vertical axis. Illiterate believers actively use them to perform prayer. One mechanical rotation of the cylinder is equivalent to reading all the prayers contained in it.
The inside of any Lamaist temple is filled, or even overflowing, with paintings and sculptures of religious content. In front of the images of deities there is a sacrificial table covered with fabric with sacred ritual objects. There is a separate platform for the llamas, located between the rows of columns supporting the roof. During daily services (often twice or thrice a day), lamas sit on it on silk cushions (the higher the rank of the lama, the higher the platform and the more pillows under it), reading the text of the book distributed to them page by page. All the lamas read their pages at the same time. Sometimes, interrupting the reading, the lamas begin to sing, accompanying religious hymns with the sounds of various ritual instruments.
Lay believers, as a rule, are not present at divine services. They wait near the temple for the end of the prayer service to bow to the ground before the images of the deities and leave modest offerings for them.
A special layer of the Buddhist cult includes the observance of ethical precepts, daily sacrifices before the home altar, ritual fortune-telling for various everyday occasions, and the performance of life cycle rituals, especially funerals. The rituals accompanying death and burial are especially important, since their failure to observe them, even in individual details, will inevitably lead to new deaths in the family. They are based on the doctrine of bardo, the intermediate state between reincarnations. Especially important for future life a state in which “la”, a kind of life force of the deceased, resides for 49 days after death. After death, the La Saints go to heaven along a five-color rainbow. The laity of ordinary lay people must be taken out of the body by a monk-lama. Usually, a monk invited for this purpose sits at the head of the deceased and reads to him the “Book of the Dead” (Bardo Thodol), which describes in detail the wanderings of the soul in the intervals between new reincarnations. Next, the lama is obliged to remove the soul from the body with the help of special rituals, and then send it to heaven.
Buddhist holidays are celebrated according to the lunar calendar and are not as numerous as in other religions. The thing is that the three most significant events in the life of the Buddha - birth, enlightenment and immersion in nirvana - occurred on the same day of the May full moon. This day is considered the main holiday in Buddhism, and it is celebrated in April-May with grandiose carnival processions and daily readings of sacred texts dedicated to the life and rebirths of Buddha. In February-March, the holiday of Buddha revealing the basic principles of his teaching to people is celebrated. In June-July, a festival occurs that marks the beginning of the monsoon season in India. According to legend, Buddha ascended in his meditative contemplation to the seventh heaven and there preached his teachings to the gods and to his mother, who received a favorable rebirth as a result of her premature death. Therefore, it is believed that the monks, who are forbidden to leave the walls of the monastery on this day, strive to repeat the spiritual feat of the Buddha. It is the rainy season that is considered especially favorable for taking temporary monastic vows. On these days, monks receive especially many gifts; they are also given clothes that they will use throughout the next year. In fact, the fabric monastic community selects it in advance, and then within a day you need to sew monastic clothes from it. The finished outfit is given to the laity so that they have another opportunity to make an offering to the monks. Such an elaborate ceremony should encourage monks to set a spiritual example for their lay followers, and their lay followers to demonstrate their charity.
The end of the rainy season is celebrated in October-November with magnificent processions around pagodas (stupas) with the recitation of sutras, which marks the successful return of the Buddha to Earth. In many Buddhist countries, it is a common custom to remove Buddha statues from their pedestals and carry them around the streets. Streets, houses, monasteries, stupas, sacred trees are illuminated with oil lamps, candles and colored light bulbs, which symbolizes the enlightenment brought into the world.
In the regions where Tibetan Buddhism spreads, the birthday of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelugpa school, is celebrated. There are also a significant number of holidays and rituals that are celebrated in Buddhist countries and have a traditional flavor in each of them.
Buddhism in Russia
The first evidence of the existence of Buddhism on the territory of modern Russia dates back to the 8th century AD. e. and are associated with the state of Bohai, which in 698-926. occupied part of today's Primorye and Amur region. The Bohai people, whose culture was greatly influenced by neighboring China, Korea and Manchuria, professed Mahayana Buddhism.
In the composition Russian state Buddhism begins to spread about four hundred years ago. The traditional areas where Buddhism is practiced are Buryatia, Tyva, Kalmykia, Chita and Irkutsk regions, and the peoples belonging to Buddhism are Kalmyks, Buryats, and Tuvans.
Kalmyks are the only people in Europe who profess Buddhism. Historically, the Kalmyks are the western branch of the Mongolian ethnic group of the Oirats (Dzungars), who inhabited the north-west of modern China. At the end of the 16th century, due to depletion of pastures and military pressure from China, part of the Oirats moved to the South Siberian steppes and received the name Kalmyks (“Kalmak” - separated). Moving west, they began to trade with the Russians. In 1608, Kalmyk ambassadors were received in Moscow by Vasily Shuisky and received the right to roam the uninhabited outskirts of the Russian state. In the 60-70s of the 17th century, the Kalmyk Khanate was created, located in the lower reaches of the Yaik and Volga, and became part of Russia on the condition of serving the “white king” - the sovereign of Moscow.
During the same period, there was a massive spread of Buddhism among the Kalmyks, who became acquainted with it in the 13th century. Kalmyk taishi (princes) ordain one of their sons as a lama (monk). In 1640, a congress was held in the area of Tarbagatai (Northern Kazakhstan), at which a general Oirat code of laws was adopted - the “Great Code”, according to which Buddhism of the Gelug school became the state religion in all Oirat uluses. The translation of Buddhist literature into the Kalmyk language began, and the legal status of the Buddhist clergy and monasteries (khuruls) was determined. For a long time, the Volga Kalmyks had only prayer tents - sume, of which there were 11 by the end of the 17th century. A spiritual connection with Tibet was maintained; The Dalai Lamas asserted the power of the Khan.
Russian leadership did not interfere with the practice of Buddhism, but encouraged the transition to Orthodoxy, in particular, exempting Buddhist feudal lords from taxes and dependence. In 1724, Khan Baksaday Dorzhi (Peter Taishin), who received a camp church as a gift from Peter I, was baptized. In 1737, by decree of Anna Ioanovna in the name of Princess Anna Taishina (widow of Peter Taishin), a city was created for the settlement of baptized Kalmyks, named Stavropol-on-Volga. But, despite the measures taken by the government, most Kalmyks were reluctant to change their faith and way of life, remaining Buddhists and nomads.
In the second half of the 18th century, the Russian government began to limit the independence of the Kalmyk Khanate, and in 1771 liquidated it. After this, three quarters of the Kalmyk population, led by Khan Ubashi, decided to return back to Dzungaria, but a significant part died on the way. There are about fifty thousand Kalmyks left in Russia. The Khan's power was abolished, as was the power of a single spiritual leader appointed by the Dalai Lama. Instead of him, each Kalmyk ulus elected its own supreme lama. But in 1803, the Russian government approved the “Lama of the Kalmyk people” - the spiritual head of all Astrakhan Kalmyks with a residence near Astrakhan and a salary from the treasury. The Astrakhan Governor-General elected this position from among the submitted candidates, and approved it by the Senate. The lama was in charge of all issues of spiritual life and partly civil issues related to family relations. At the turn of the 18th–19th centuries, stationary khuruls appeared. By the 30s of the 19th century, the number of khuruls in the Kalmyk steppe reached 105, and the number of lamas - about 5 thousand. In 1836, the Russian government limited the number of khuruls and the staff of the Kalmyk clergy, receiving funds from the treasury, to 76 khuruls and 2,650 lamas. The monks who were not included in the staff could continue to exist, but without privileges and maintenance.
In connection with the departure of the majority of the Kalmyk population to Dzungaria and the severance of ties with the spiritual centers of Mongolia and Tibet, already from the end of the 18th century, signs of transformation of religious life began to appear. Along with the centralization of spiritual power and an increase in the number of monks, the conscious perception of the foundations of the Buddhist faith was replaced by ritualism and superstition. Specific features of traditional Kalmyk Buddhism also emerge: the close connection of monasteries and clergy with clan communities (khuruls, as a rule, were “assigned” to specific clans); the presence among the Kalmyks not only of representatives of the Gelug-pa school, but also of other traditions.
The Buryats are the largest Russian ethnic group, historically professing Buddhism. In Buryatia, as elsewhere, the Buddhist cult interacted with traditional cult systems, transforming under the influence of local archaic beliefs: the veneration of the spirits of the earth, mountains, rivers and trees, the cult of holy places. The Buryat ethnic group took shape in the 17th-18th centuries on the basis of the northern branch of the Eastern Mongols, after they became part of the Russian state. The active spread of Buddhism among the Buryats dates back to the same period. But the Russian government, accepting the Buryats as its citizenship, obliged them “to Orthodox faith do not force,” although voluntary Christianization was encouraged. As a result, some Buryats remain faithful to traditional shamanism, while others accept Buddhism and Orthodoxy.
The connections between the Buryats and Mongolian and Tibetan Buddhists were especially strong during this period. In 1712, fleeing the Manchu occupation, one hundred Mongolian and fifty Tibetan lamas arrived in the settlements of the Selengian Buryats. The spiritual head of the Buryat lamas was considered the highest Buddhist hierarch of Mongolia, Jebtsung-damba-hutukhtu, located in the city of Urga (modern Ulaanbaatar), who initiated lamas and approved hierarchical titles, but at the same time was under the control of the Chinese government, relations with which were sometimes tense. With the signing of the Treaty of Kyakhta in 1727, which demarcated the Russian-Chinese border, the Russian authorities began to prevent Mongol lamas from entering Russian territory. This decision laid the foundation for an autonomous Buryat Buddhist organization, but since this ban was not strictly observed, permanent ties between Buryat Buddhism and the spiritual centers of Mongolia and Tibet were preserved.
Having decided to formalize Buddhism legally, the Russian government in 1741 issued a decree, according to which one hundred and fifty lamas of eleven mobile datsans were sworn in in Transbaikalia. In the same year, by decree of Empress Elizabeth, the “Lamai religion” was recognized in Russian Empire officially. Lamas were exempt from paying taxes and received the right to preach Buddhism to “nomadic foreigners,” Buryats and Evenks. In the middle of the 18th century in Transbaikalia, instead of mobile datsans-yurts, they began to build stationary wooden ones. The center of Transbaikal Buddhism until 1809 was the Tsongol datsan, and then the Gusinoozersky datsan. In 1764, its abbot Damba Dorzhi Zayaev received from the Russian government the title of “Chief Bandido-Khambo Lama (“learned abbot”) of all Buddhists living on the southern side of Lake Baikal.” Thus, at the turn of the 18th – 19th centuries, Buddhists in Russia (Kalmyks and Buryats), on the initiative of the government, received an independent organization, financial and political support from the clergy. Buddhism in Russia receives the status of a “permitted” religion, along with Protestantism, Catholicism, and Islam, which implies the possibility of preaching in a certain ethno-confessional environment. The Buddhist clergy, in response to this situation, declares all Russian autocrats - “white kings”, starting with Empress Catherine II, the earthly incarnation of the merciful goddess Tsagan-Dara-ehe (“White Tara”). In 1796, there were 16 datsans and 700 lamas in Transbaikalia. By the middle of the 19th century, their number reached 34, and the number of lamas was five and a half thousand. On average, there was one lama per 20 thousand people, but in some tribal communities the ratio of monks to the male population was one to two, and such lamas differed little in lifestyle from the rest of the population. The rapid growth in the number of lamas is, first of all, the result of a custom according to which in Buryat families one of the sons was dedicated to lama. But the Russian authorities were alarmed by this situation, as it led to a reduction in tax revenues. In 1853, it was decided to reduce the number of datsans and the number of lamas. The “Regulations on the Lamai clergy of Eastern Siberia” provided staffing table for 34 datsans and 285 lamas receiving land and monetary support (500 dessiatines - for the Bandido-hambo lama; 30–60 dessiatines (depending on the degree of dedication) - per lama; 15 dessiatines - per student). Lamas who were not included in the state had to return to their villages. The creation of new datsans was prohibited, and the construction of new temples (“idols”) was permitted only with the permission of the governor general. But, despite this order, the number of datsans and lamas still increased.
The third people on the territory of Russia who traditionally profess Buddhism are the Tuvans. This is the only Turkic-speaking ethnic group, although heavily Mongolized, that adopted the world's oldest religion. The first Buddhist missionaries appeared in the Sayan Mountains in the first centuries of our era, which, in particular, is confirmed by rock paintings on the territory of modern Khakassia. Then, in the 6th century. The elite of Turkic society begins to accept Buddhism. However, the widespread penetration of Buddhism into these territories was associated with the power of the Mongols, who adopted Tibetan Buddhism (Lamaism). The mass introduction of the ancestors of Tuvans to the fundamentals of Buddhism occurred in the 16th–17th centuries. The first mobile monasteries (khuree) appeared in Tandy-Uriankhai (then name of Tyva) in the 20s of the 18th century, and in 1753 Buddhism was recognized as a state religion along with shamanism.
From 1757 to 1911, Tandy-Uriankhai was subordinate to the Manchu rulers of China, who were never able to establish their direct dominance here. This made it possible to preserve the cultural and ethnic identity of the Tuvans; in addition, ties with the Buddhist spiritual centers of Mongolia and Tibet were strengthened. As a result of long coexistence with shamanism, Tuvan Buddhism adopted its traditions: the cult of ovaa - the spirit masters of the area; cult of eerens - family guardians. Along with lamas, shamans often took part in Buddhist ceremonies, and in khuree there was a special category of spiritual persons - burkhan boo (“shaman lamas”). In the 70s of the 18th century, stationary khurees began to be built on the territory of Tyva. The Mongolian hierarch Jebtsun-damba-hutukhta in Urga was considered the highest spiritual head of Tuvan Buddhists, and all Tuvan lamas were subordinate to the abbot of the Lower Chaadan khuree (daa-lama).
The period at the turn of the 19th – 20th centuries was the time of the flourishing of Buddhism and the intensification of religious life, which largely coincides with the trends observed in both Orthodox Christianity and Islam on the territory of the Russian Empire. During this period, a movement for the renewal of Buddhism arose among the Kalmyks. Beginning in 1906, the communities of the Kalmyk uluses themselves began to elect chief lamas, and in 1917, 28 large and 64 small (mobile) khuruls operated in Kalmykia, they were served by about two thousand lamas, and two academies operated. This period can be called the heyday of the Buddhist culture of Transbaikalia. Higher philosophical schools operated in Gusinoozersky, Tsugolsky, and Aginsky datsans.
The history of Russian Buddhism is connected with the name of the Buryat Agvan Dorzhiev (1853-1938), an outstanding religious figure, founder of a Buddhist temple in St. Petersburg. He was the closest confidant of the young Dalai Lama XIII (1876-1933). Since 1908, Dorzhiev lived for a long time in Russia, fulfilling the mission of the unofficial representative of the Dalai Lama to the Russian government. At the initiative of Dorzhiev, the 13th Dalai Lama turned to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a request to open a Buddhist temple in St. Petersburg, which, following foreign policy arguments and the desire to strengthen the loyalty of the Buryats and Kalmyks, was granted. At that time, the Buddhist community of St. Petersburg was extremely small: only 184 people - Kalmyk, Buryat and Mongolian merchants, as well as diplomatic workers from China, Japan, and Siam. Worship took place there in 1913 and it became the first Buddhist temple in Europe.
In Tyva in 1912, after the fall of the Qing Empire as a result Xinhai Revolution, pro-Russian sentiments prevailed. The Kurultai, with the participation of the highest lamas, appealed to the Russian government with a request to accept Tandy-Uriankhai into Russia, and in June 1914, Tyva (under the name Uriankhai Territory) became part of Russia. The capital became the city of Belotsarsk, now Kyzyl. One of the conditions for entry was the preservation of Lamaism. The Russian administration did not interfere in the spiritual affairs of the territory.
The events of 1917 became a turning point in the history of the country and the fate of religions on its territory. Buddhism was no exception. After February Revolution In 1917, the Petrograd Buddhist Temple became the center of the national life of the Buryats and Kalmyks, but after the October Revolution, difficult times came for it. Fleeing persecution, the lamas who served there left the city. The temple housed military units and was completely looted. In the summer of 1918, Dorzhiev was arrested.
After February 1917, active renovation processes took place in the Kalmyk religious environment, as a result of which it was planned to significantly increase the number of khuruls and introduce the teaching of Buddhist doctrine in secular Kalmyk schools. But during Civil War many khuruls were destroyed, part of the clergy emigrated. In Buryatia, the renovation movement is also intensifying, which proclaims the ideas of election and collegiality of spiritual power, national liberation and cooperation with Soviet power (flags with a hammer and sickle began to fly over the datsans). During the Civil War, this idea, supported by part of the Buddhist clergy, came into confrontation with the actions of one of the leaders of the white movement, ataman of the Transbaikal Cossacks G. Semenov, who had Buryat roots. The leaders of the renovation movement, fearing reprisals, fled Transbaikalia. During the same period, the third, so-called “Balagat” movement, led by the ascetic lama Lubsan-Sandan Tsydenov, took shape. In 1919, he proclaimed the creation of the state “Kodunay erhij balgasan”, which is considered theocratic, since it was headed by a clergyman. Tsydenov preached leaving the official datsans, which distorted the true teaching. The leadership of the Balagat movement was persecuted by both whites and reds. Over the course of three years, Tsydenov was arrested several times. From prison, he appointed as his successor an eight-year-old boy, Bidia Dandaron, whom he considered to be the reincarnation of one of the Tibetan lamas. The revolution again confronted Tuva with the choice of a further path of development. In 1921, the People's Republic of Tannu-Tuva, which was in allied relations with Soviet Russia, was proclaimed at the All-Tuvin Constituent Khural.
The end of the Civil War and the establishment of Soviet power became a new, although not long-lasting, stage in the religious life of Russian Buddhists. In order to maintain support from the population of the national borderlands, their beliefs are not persecuted. But at the same time, the Soviet leadership is trying to strengthen the split between “traditionalists” and “renovationists” that emerged at the beginning of the twentieth century, supporting the latter. Moreover, the idea of reorganizing life on communist principles found sympathy in the ranks of the renovationists. Agvan Dorzhiev, who was released from prison on Lenin’s orders and became the head of the Buddhist renewal movement, directly stated “Buddhism is Marxism.” He was appointed representative of the Dalai Lama's government in Soviet Russia, which was supposed to be used to “export the world revolution.” Thanks to his efforts, the Petrograd Buddhist Temple became the seat of the Tibetan diplomatic mission, which made it possible to resume worship there and make it the center of all-Union Buddhism and Buddhology.
In 1920, the Kalmyk Autonomous Region was formed as part of Soviet Russia, in which there were 35 khuruls with 1 thousand clergy. Several Buddhist councils took place in Transbaikalia (1922, 1925, 1928), at which attempts were made to reorganize the confessional life of Buddhists in Buryatia. The authorities supported the initiatives of the renovationists in confrontation with the traditionalists. In 1923 there were 43 datsans in Buryatia. In the independent Tuvan People's Republic (renamed in 1927), despite its pro-Soviet nature, the first ten years of its existence were favorable to Buddhism. By the end of the 1920s, the number of khurees in Tyva reached 28, and the number of lamas - 3.5 thousand.
But from the second half of the 1920s in the USSR, ideological pressure on religions increased, and after this, persecution of its representatives began, which turned into mass repressions by the beginning of the 1930s. In 1926, by decree of the state leadership of the Buryat-Mongolian Autonomous Republic, the property of datsans was nationalized and religious schools were closed. Religious buildings were destroyed, works of Buddhist art were plundered and destroyed, books and manuscripts were confiscated, and lamas and novices were massacred. By November 1938, more than 1,800, and according to other sources, more than 15,000 representatives of the Buddhist clergy were arrested. The last datsan was closed at the end of 1930. By the early 1940s, the Kalmyk Buddhist organization was completely destroyed. Under pressure from the Soviet leadership on the authorities of the Tuvan People's Republic, the persecution of Buddhism also began. The Leningrad Buddhist Temple was closed in 1935. The lamas and other people who lived at the temple (Buryat educators, Russian orientalists) were arrested and shot in 1937. Dorzhiev left Leningrad in January 1937 and arrived in Buryatia, his homeland, where in November of the same year he was arrested and died in a prison hospital in Irkutsk. Since 1938, the building of the Leningrad Buddhist Temple has been used by the state as a physical training base. Thus, by the beginning of the 1940s, on the territory of the USSR and the Tuvan Republic under its control, there was not a single Buddhist monastery or temple left, not one allowed by the Lama authorities (although some of the representatives of the Buddhist clergy who remained at large secretly carried out rituals).
During the Great Patriotic War The difficult situation with religious life among Buddhist peoples is only getting worse. From August 1942 to January 1943, a large territory of Kalmykia was occupied by fascist troops, who allowed the practice of worship. Several houses of worship were opened. But some lamas refused to cooperate with the Germans, while others, on the contrary, not only resumed religious activities, but even emigrated with the occupying forces. On December 28, 1943, for collaboration with the Germans, the Kalmyks were declared enemies of the people, and the Kalmyk Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was liquidated. The population was deported to the eastern regions of the USSR, where persecution of former clergy continued. With dispersed settlement, it became impossible for believers to turn to them. If possible, the family took away religious objects with them, but the bulk of the temple things were irretrievably lost. Buddhism among the Kalmyks continued to be preserved only at the everyday level, within the framework of family traditions. The Tuvan People's Republic was incorporated into the USSR in 1944, and the processes taking place in it became even more interconnected with the all-Union ones.
In the post-war period, the legalization of religions and a softening of policies in relations between the Soviet state and the religions existing in the country are planned. But this process only partially affected Buddhism. In 1945, the freed lamas turned to Stalin with a request for permission to open some datsans in Buryatia, to which consent was given; two were opened - the Ivolginsky and Aginsky monasteries. In 1946, with the consent of the authorities and on the initiative of believers and a group of lamas, a meeting of the clergy was held in Ulan-Ud, at which the Regulations on the Buddhist clergy in the USSR were adopted, containing the basic principles of cooperation between the Buddhist sangha and the Soviet state. This document emphasized the patriotic motives of the Buddhist clergy and their loyalty to the socialist system. The Central Spiritual Administration of Buddhists of the USSR (CDUB) was recreated, headed by the Chairman of the Bandido Hambo Lama P. Dorji. This structure, like other centralized religious organizations in the USSR, was involved in the propaganda of Soviet foreign policy. Thus, the Buddhist organization was restored, but under the strict control of the authorities and only in Buryatia. There were still no Buddhist communities in Tyva and Kalmykia. In addition, due to ideological pressure, many Buryat believers were afraid to visit datsans.
Khrushchev’s policy towards religions cannot be called a “thaw”; ideological pressure and anti-religious propaganda are only intensifying. Therefore, the already difficult situation of Buddhism among the peoples who traditionally profess it does not change in any way. True, in 1957 the Kalmyks were rehabilitated and the Kalmyk Autonomous Republic was restored, but religious life was still unofficial, underground.
Since the mid-1960s, interest in Buddhism has been observed in the circles of the intelligentsia in Leningrad and Moscow. Small groups of Russian (European) youth and intellectuals interested in Buddhism form here. In 1968, the building of the Leningrad Church was declared an architectural monument of local significance. In the same year, the USSR was visited by Lama B. Rimpoche, who secretly met with representatives of Moscow, Leningrad, and Baltic Buddhist groups, thereby establishing their connection with world Buddhism. The above-mentioned B. Dandaron was rightfully considered the spiritual mentor of these groups. By that time, having spent 20 years in the camps, becoming a researcher and a lama, he formulated teachings at the intersection of traditional Tibetan Buddhism, European philosophy and science, which made him popular in this environment. But this causes concern to the authorities, and in 1972, in the so-called “Dandaron case,” he was accused of creating a sect, sentenced to 5 years and died in a camp, and a number of his followers were sent to compulsory psychiatric treatment. But secret, although very small communities of Buddhists continue to exist in the future.
Since the second half of the 1980s, under the influence of socio-political processes, religious life in the country has been intensifying. Buddhism was no exception. In 1988, the Leningrad Society of Buddhists was created, which two years later sought to transfer the temple into the hands of believers and transform it into a datsan. The temple community unites both Buddhists and Kalmyks, as well as Russian Buddhists, which subsequently leads to contradictions and splits. The monopoly existence of the Gelug school is being replaced by many Tibetan traditions, common to which remains the recognition of the high authority of the Dalai Lama and sympathy for the freedom of Tibet.
One such tradition can be called Karma Kagyu. The first Buddhist center of the Karma Kagyu school was registered in Leningrad in 1991. The religious association includes more than forty communities and one and a half thousand believers. The practice in many centers in Russia, the CIS countries and the West is led by the Danish Lama Ole Nydahl.
During perestroika, the revival of Buddhism began in Buryatia, which became a hotbed for the spread of Buddhism among other Siberian peoples. At the beginning of 1990, twelve datsans began to operate. By the end of the 20th century, 90 percent of the Buryat population called themselves Buddhists. Since 1992, the Central Spiritual Administration of Buddhists in Ulan-Ude received the status of an all-Russian Buddhist structure. In 1991, at a conference of Buddhists of Kalmykia and the Astrakhan region, the Association of Buddhists of Kalmykia was created, independent of the Central Spiritual Administration of Buddhists in Ulan-Ude. Kalmyk lamas began to study in Mongolia and India. By the end of the 20th century, 14 khurals and prayer houses operated in Kalmykia. In the Republic of Tuva in 1993, there were nine Buddhist communities.
The Spiritual Council of Buddhist Ministers, held in Buryatia in 1996, adopted a new charter, in which the Central Spiritual Administration of Buddhists of Russia was renamed the Traditional Buddhist Sangha of Russia. The head of this organization was Bandido Hambo Lama Damba Ayusheev. Activities of this new organization associated with the restoration of traditional Buddhism (participation in rituals, astrological assistance, Tibetan medicine, prayers), its assessment as the original religion of the Buryats, and the eradication of shamanistic traditions. The centralized organization of the Sangha is based on the subordination of datsans (Buddhist monasteries) to it. Hambo Lama took a firm position regarding the preaching of Buddhism only from the Gelug school, and the Sangha should treat the rest, such as Zen Buddhism or Karma Kagyu, “as the Orthodox treat the Pentecostals.” Ayushev expresses hopes that the Traditional Sangha will unite all Russian Buddhists belonging to the Gelug school, but Kalmykia and Tyva are creating their own centralized organizations, and dissatisfaction with the authoritarianism of the Hambo Lama has led to splits among Buddhists in Buryatia itself.
Thus, in modern Buddhism in Russia there are two main types of Buddhist organizations. The first is the communities of the traditional school of Tibetan Buddhism Gelug, distributed primarily in the territories inhabited by Kalmyks, Buryats, and Tuvans. It is quite conservative, and involves many years of training in a monastery with strict discipline. The majority of believers are the rural population, involved in Buddhist practice, rituals and services that are held in Buddhist monasteries (datsans, khuruls, khurees). In their minds, religious and everyday faith largely prevails; as a rule, they do little to study Buddhist philosophy.
The second is various communities and groups that consider themselves to be schools of Buddhism that do not belong to the Gelug school, and sometimes are not even associated with Tibetan form Buddhism. In scientific literature it is called “global Buddhism” and is associated with the European development of the spiritual culture of the East. Currently, it represents a certain intellectual and spiritual source of a philosophical and religious nature, accessible to everyone, which, in fact, confirms the status of Buddhism as a world religion. It is becoming increasingly secular and transnational. His followers tend to come from a variety of nationalities. But they often have a higher level of education and are more interested in the philosophy of Buddhism and various Buddhist practices. Currently, there are already more than 200 Buddhist communities, groups and organizations in Russia.
Researchers believe that the total number of Buddhists in Russia of all nationalities, schools and directions is about a million people, which is less than one percent of the country's population. Despite this, Buddhism is recognized by the 1997 “Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations” as one of the traditional religions for modern Russia, playing a significant role in the history of its peoples, the development of culture and spirituality.
Brief summary
Buddhism is the oldest of the world's religions, which arose in India in the middle of the 1st millennium BC.
The founder, Siddhardha Gautama, a prince from the Shakya family, who achieved enlightenment and became Buddha, laid the foundations of the religion.
