religious space of the Russian Federation is quite diverse.Occupying a very large territory, and uniting under its political jurisdiction of a great many nations and ethnic groups, the country is an area where there are different traditions and religions of east and west, north and south.Christianity and Islam - the two world religions, common in our state.Together with them, and the third shows that many people profess Russia - Buddhism.About where spread this religion in our country, and we'll talk further.
Buddhism in Russia
Buddhism - a unique religion, not unlike any other.Inside, a variety of Buddhist and schools also vary greatly.Genesis owes its religious genius of India, in his native Buddhism lost its weight.Today, the traditional countries professing Buddhism, are Korea, Japan, China, Nepal, and others, among which stands Tibet.To date, the Buddhism in Russia represented almost all the major Buddhist faiths.Among them there are different schools of Mahayana, Vajrayana, Theravada, Zen, Chan and many other traditional and not-so association.However, most people who practice Buddhism in Russia, are adherents of Tibetan religious tradition.
Buddhist Ethnography Russian
offer to answer the question: what the people of Russia Buddhists today?
Due to political developments and intercultural contacts, Buddhism first took root among the Kalmyks and Tuva.It happened in the XVI century, when the territory of these republics along with the peoples inhabiting them were part of the Mongolian state Altan Khan.A century later, Buddhism was introduced in Buryatia, where he successfully competed with the traditional religion of the Siberian nomads - shamanism, or otherwise tengrizmom.
Buddhism in Buryatia
Buryatia - Russia republic whose borders begin from the eastern shores of Lake Baikal.Being attached to the Russian Empire, it was resistant to Russification and Christianization avoided.On the other hand, the close cultural, commercial and political ties with Mongolia, and through it with Tibet, made popular among the Buryat Buddhist teachings.The first stone datsans here were built in the XVIII century.
Though among Buryat Buddhist peoples - the latter who took the religion, today they represent the Buddhist majority and represent Buddhism in Russia.Buryatia is the administrative center of Russian Buddhists - Traditional Buddhist Sangha of Russia, as well as the main shrines and places of worship.The most important of these is Ivilginski temple - the residence of Bandido Hambo Lama - the spiritual leader of a large part of Russia's Buddhists.
Along with Buddhism, a fairly common among the Buryat shamanism is a traditional, or so-called black faith.
Buddhism in Tuva
Tuva, a republic, which was adopted in Russia in the early XX century, namely in 1911.Tuvinians today profess the same form of the doctrine that the Buryats - the Mahayana tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.However, it was not always: the first centers of Buddhist teaching, mainly in the form of Hinayana, on the territory of Tuva, appeared in the II century BC, during the Turkic khanate.Later Tuvan tribes were under the Uighurs reclaimed land of Tuva Turki.Uyghurs professed the Manichaean religion, however, experienced the influence of Buddhism.Develop written, Uighur scholars began actively to translate Buddhist texts from the Chinese and Sogdian languages.Over time, interpreters have focused on the Tibetan treatises, which determined the further dominance of the Tibetan tradition.This trend was reinforced by the influence of the XIII century Mongolian teachers assimilated the Buddhist tradition of Tibetan lamas.
first monasteries were built in Tuva in 1772 and 1773 respectively.Although the Buddhist community of Tuva, basically adheres to the line Gelug, assuming the monastic clergy, local traditions sanction married lamas Institute, which is its unique feature.As in Buryatia, Tuva on religious grounds are divided into two camps - shamanists and Buddhists.
Buddhism in Kalmykia
Kalmykia is the only European region with a predominance of the Buddhist population.Being a hereditary Western Mongolian tribes Kalmyk ancestry goes back to Oirats join the ordinances of the Buddhist religion in the XIII century thanks to the entry into the empire of Genghis Khan.However, at this time, Buddhism was the only religion of the political elite Oirats.Popularization of the doctrine among common people occurs only in XVI-XVII centuries.And, as in the case of Buryatia and Tuva, Kalmyk Buddhism also holds Tibetan religious traditions.Especially this relationship between Tibet and Kalmykia strengthened after recognition in the early XVII century Oirat boy degeneration of the Third Dalai Lama.
spread of Buddhism among Oirats facilitated by the establishment of a separate ethnic Kalmyk.The structure of the last includes Oirat tribes, embraced Buddhism and settled to the west within the Russian state.At the same time, subject to the Russian emperor, Kalmyks formed his own administration - Kalmyk Khanate.The latter lasted until 1771, when the decree of Empress Catherine II, was abolished.Later Kalmyk Buddhism developed, acquired a national character and, like the Buryat and Tuva Sangha, led a religious struggle with shamanism.
Buddhism in the Soviet Union
After the October Revolution in Russia Buddhism was subject to the then-fashionable spiritual trends - renovationism.Synthesis of dharma and Marxism was intended to reorganize the Buddhist community.As part of this movement in Moscow on 20-ies.even the All-Russia Buddhist Council.But then the Party's policy changed and religious organizations began mass repression.Monasteries were closed, churches were destroyed, and the clergy persecuted.Prior to the post-war "thaw" the peoples of Russia, Buddhist, lost more than 150 monasteries.In Buryatia from 15,000 lamas in 1948 left at least 600 people.With regard to Tuva and Kalmykia, then both regions, there were only a few dozen survivors of clergy from 8000.
Russian peoples professing Buddhism today
before perestroika Buddhist body coordinating the activities of Buddhist organizations, CBB was the Soviet Union (Central Spiritual Administration of the Buddhists of the USSR).In the early 90s it was renamed the Russian CBB.Now this body is called the Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia and includes in its membership the Buddhist community of Buryatia.Religious associations Tuva and Kalmykia remain independent.However, the authority BTSR in Buryatia and abroad recognize not all.As a result of political and ideological differences Buddhist Society has undergone a series of splits and besides the main associations has several independent associations and independent communities.
In any case, Buddhism in Russia is represented, as before, the three major regions - Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia.
Other Buddhist community in Russia
Traditional Russian peoples professing Buddhism, are now not only bearers of Buddhist culture and traditions.Recently, a religion much popularized among young people and intellectuals.In large cities continue to open various religious centers.Among them, in addition to traditional schools of Tibetan Buddhism, there are representative of Korean, Chinese and Japanese Zen Buddhism, Theravada and Dzogchen.Russia in the past few years, visited many spiritual teachers.In turn, among our fellow citizens, there were also representatives of the Buddhist monks and clergy.
Conclusion
Fashion Buddhism in Russia is not unique in this sense, our country shares a common European charm of the East.Often, buying in quantity, the domestic buddofiliya loses in quality, which is fraught with the spread of Russia's surface, marginal variant of Buddhism.
However, Buddhism - a religion in Russia is as traditional as Christianity and Islam.Therefore, its status and future prospects are of great importance for the successful development of Russian culture.
