Buddhism in Russia

Buddhism in Russia is one of the religious traditions in Russia practiced alongside other world religions . Traditionally, Russian followers of Buddhism in the settled Altai Republic , Republic of Buryatia , Republic of Kalmykia , Irkutsk Oblast , Region Transbaikalien or Republic of Tuva on. Most of the Buddhist temples in Russia are located in Siberia and towards Mongolia / China . There are also Buddhist centers in Moscow , St. Petersburg and other major cities. Most of the followers of Buddhism in Russia belong to the Gelug and Karma Kagyu schools. The Russian population has a keen interest in Buddhism and is open to Far Eastern philosophies. Last but not least, the trend of Shaolin and martial arts films from China contributed to increasing the interest in Buddhism, philosophy and meditation in Russia.

History of Buddhism in Russia

In the period between the 17th and 18th centuries Buddhism came with the Kalmyks / Oirats from Nepal / India via Mongolia to Buryatia in southern Russia. The life of the Buddha became known in ancient Russia with the texts about Barlaam and Josaphat , which have their origins in the Buddha legend. During the times of Empress Elizabeth , Buddhism was declared an official religion in Russia in 1741. At that time there were more than 10 Buddhist monasteries and more than 100 Buddhist lamas in Buryats . At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, Russia was one of the great centers for teaching the Buddha. In Kalmukia , lamas were elected by decree of the tsar.

In Russia, Buddhism is a traditional religion of the three peoples Buryats , Kalmuks and Tuvins . A specialty is a mixture with the shamanism , that of the Mongols in Tannu-Tuva . This small region was originally within the borders of Outer Mongolia and was annexed by the USSR in 1944 . It was reported by Russian observers that in this region the Supreme Lama was married to the Great Shaman .

Society's strong interest in Eastern culture, Buddhist scriptures and their language have been the basis for the further spread of Buddhism in recent times. The first Buddhist temple in Europe opened in Saint Petersburg in 1915 . It took several years to build and there was strong opposition from the Orthodox Church to the building of the temple . At that time there were already several hundred Buddhists in the city, including Russians.

After the October Revolution , Buddhists were initially supported but then persecuted in the 1930s. The temple in Saint Petersburg was destroyed. In 1940, Buddhism officially ceased to exist in Russia. Only the Buryat Buddhists were allowed to continue living their religion under Josef Stalin and up to perestroika in the 1980s. With the beginning of the reconstruction (perestroika) the temples were rebuilt and several Buddhist groups were officially registered.

When freedom of religion was introduced in 1991, the Buddhist tradition could be lived safely again. Today Buddhism is one of the four recognized state religions in Russia, alongside Christianity , Judaism and Islam . There are currently Buddhist temples, organizations or centers in large Russian cities such as Vladivostok , Irkutsk , Novosibirsk , Yekaterinburg , Ulyanovsk , as well as Moscow and Saint Petersburg , that spread the Buddha's teaching and make it known.

Tibetan Buddhism is the rooted form of Buddhism in Russia. The temple in Saint Petersburg, as the center of Russian Buddhism, is one of the most important academic schools of Buddhism in Europe. It contains a unique collection of ancient Buddhist scriptures.

The most important modern journals for Buddhism in Russia include "Буддизм России", "Гаруда".

In some places in Russia Buddhism or Buddhist monasteries have to give way to material / industrial interests.