From 17-19 August, Ulan-Ude hosted the International Buddhist Forum “Traditional Buddhism and the Challenges of Modernity”. Buddhists, representatives of Buddhist organizations, monks, as well as eastern scholars, employees of the diplomatic department and doctors of Tibetan medicine gathered at one site. More than 600 people from 13 countries attended the event, as well as the presidents of Buryatia and Kalmykia, where Buddhism is traditionally practiced, Alexey Tsydenov and Batu Khasikov.
Due to the diversity of visitors, the forum looked partly like a scientific and practical conference, partly a summit of states that championed Buddhism (guests came from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Laos, India, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Bhutan, Myanmar, Mongolia, Cambodia) and other countries) is a collection of people who are partly devoted to studying Buddha’s teachings. And the result of such a union was very touching – scientists, officials, monks were able to show each other endless respect and even love, and also signed several cooperation agreements.
The main beneficiary of the event was the Republic of Buryatia itself. He showed foreign guests that he was following the Buddha’s teachings and that it had numerous temples that were of interest to both Buddhists and tourists who had visited before; for example Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Bagan in Myanmar and Lumbini temple complex in Nepal.
On August 18, one of the most important places for residents became the forum’s platform. At Ivolginsky datsan, participants met to discuss the phenomenon of the immortal body of Pandito Khambo Lama Dashi-Dorzho Itigelov, held here.
But “Holded” isn’t quite the right word for proponents of Buddhism – the Hambo Lama is believed to have left his body and entered nirvana in 1927. He is now both an object of worship and a counselor, delivering messages to the monks on a daily basis.
Khambo-laba is sitting in a lotus position behind a glass partition – you have to approach him one by one, mentally ask your question and feel something to help answer it. Perhaps this is the only thing that can be said with certainty about his phenomenon.
Where to start?
You can quickly understand that Buryatian Buddhism is not a popular belief for the sake of painting. It’s enough to chat with the locals (and the people here are extremely talkative) and get advice on where to go. Almost immediately you will be advised to go to the same Ivolginsky datsan and bow to the immortal body of Khambo Lama Itigelov.
It is better to first get acquainted with the historical part and visit the Buryatia Historical Museum named after MN Khangalov, which contains a rich collection of Buddhist sculptures and paintings.
Tibetan Buddhism came to the Buryat population of Transbaikalia from Mongolia in the 17th century, and in 1741 Empress Elizaveta Petrovna legalized the existence of 11 datsans and 150 lamas. For two centuries a strong Buddhist school of fine arts (especially sculpture) was formed here, the tradition of Buddhist mysteries emerged, and Tibetan medicine developed strongly (a copy of the Tibetan medical atlas is currently on display in Berlin). museum).
Which routes attract tourists
As the regional head Tsydenov said at a press conference after the results of the forum, there are already ready routes for pilgrimages to Buddhist holy places and cultural and educational tourism in Buryatia:
“Buryatia is the center of Buddhist tourism, we have many datsans, cultural values, religious shrines, that’s an attraction in itself, people go there.”
The authority listed the main values: in addition to Ivolginsky datsan, this Zandan Zhuu, “the only lifetime statue created from the image of Buddha reflected in the river” and the face of the goddess Yanjima – discovered in 2005 a group of Buddhists from Buryatia led by Pandito Khambo Lama Ayusheev by on a rock located near the rocky Ulzy-Khaan mountain in the Barguzinsky district. People come here to appeal to the goddess for help in having children.
“We already have well-established routes with Buddhism and we understand that it will only flourish as both pilgrimage and cultural and educational tourism. So everyone, welcome to Buryatia,” Tsydenov concluded.
On the advice of the llama
There are 28 Buddhist temple complexes (datsan) in Buryatia, each of which is interesting in its own way.
According to Lama Dymbryl Dashibaldanov, Doctor of Buddhist Philosophy, the Rector of the Buddhist University is named after “Dashi Choynhorlin”. The Darzha Zayaev Dam route should include a visit to the Aninsky datsan, which houses relics of Buddhism.
This monastery was founded in 1795 and Khambo Lama Itigelov studied here for 23 years. In the 30s of the last century, datsan was closed. It was restored in the 1990s.
“And in the Kyakhtinsky district, in the Baldan Braybun monastery, there is the mantra “Om mani padme hum”, which spontaneously appeared on a rock, Dashibaldanov said.
Datsan “Baldan Braybun” was founded in the 1730s by Pandito Khambo Lama Damba-Dorzha Zayaev – from here Buddhism spread to Buryatia. The dugans, that is, the temples located on the territory of the complex, were destroyed in the 30s, but until now you can see the remains of their foundations when you visit the datsan, which was reopened in the 90s.
How to behave in a datsan
Buddhists are tolerant of mistakes, so there is no need to prepare for a monastery visit. It is enough to follow the simplest moral rules – do not make noise, do not smoke, do not take pictures during prayer.
In Buryat datsans and elsewhere, you can find spinning rollers on the stands even when leaving the airport. You can bend them, and you even need it – they contain mantras.
It is important to enter and exit Dugan correctly. The central entrance is “official” as they explain on Ivolginsky datsan. So only priests can use it. Left and right entrances have been created for the layman: one must enter on the left and exit on the right. Clockwise, relative to the sun. You must be quiet during prayer, but you can approach the monks for a blessing (in turn and again through the sun).