Buddhism 

Buddhism came to Zabaikalie in the form of lamaism from Mongolia and Tibet in the middle of the 17th century when 100 Mongolian and 50 Tibetan monks settled here. Their active campaign to introduce the new religion to the shamanists was supported by the Buryat aristocracy and Tsar Administration. In 1741 Buddhism was recognized as one of the national religions of Russia. The Gelukpa school was the most common, its founder being Tsonkhava, the reformer of Tibetan Buddhism.

By the end of the 19th century several of the world’s ancient sacred objects delivered from Tibet and India were kept in Buryatia. Among them there was a huge metal statue of Buddha Maidari, Sandal Buddha statue, canonic book “Ganzhur” of 113 volumes and Danzhur of 300 volumes. They contained encyclopedic manuscript of medieval Buddhist teachings in philosophy, medicine, logics, linguistics, astrology and other fields of knowledge. There were also unique medical «Chzhud Schi” and «Vaidurya-onbo», and the only full copy of “Atlas of Tibetan Medicine” of the two preserved in the world. Today the copy of the Atlas is restored and translated into Russian language and stored in the Museum of History of Buryatia.

Buddhists temples became universities where Tibetan, Mongolian languages, Sanskrit, “Five Big Sciences”(religious philosophy, Grammar, Tibetan and Mongolian medicine, technology of arts and craft) and “Five Small Sciences” (poetry, stylistics, metrics, dances and music, astrology) were studied. Buddhist temples used secret rituals, Tsam mystery being one of them.

There were highly educated people among Buddhist clergy. Agvan Dorzhiev, the teacher of Dalai Lama XIII was one of them. With his initiative in 1915, the first Buddhist temple in Europe was built in Saint Petersburg. Brothers Badmaev’s successful medical practice of Tibetan medicine was highly appraised by Russian emperor Alexander the Third. Thanks to their activity and to Agvan Dorzhiev, Tibetan medicine spread in Russia. In 40’s-80’s years of the last century a graduate of Buddhist medical school of Atsagat Buddhist temple Galdan Lenkhoboev contributed greatly to the preservation and development of Tibetan medicine. Today, Tibetan medicine is developing with the government support.

Buddhist clergy is actively working towards Buddhism revival. Old Buddhist temples are being restored, the new ones are being built, Buddhist stupas, symbolic models of the Universe, are being set up in many places all over the region. The Buddhist traditional Sangkha of Russia is a member of the World Brotherhood of Buddhists with the centre of Russian Buddhists located in Buryatia. There is one of Sangkha’s institutions of higher education – Buddhist Institute “Dashi-Choinkhorlin” where young people from many regions of Russia come to study. In 1979, the Head of Buddhists of the world – His Holiness Dalai Lama XIV visited Buryatia.Buddhism is one of the most interesting pages in the history of Buryatia that attracts growing attention. Tourists can visit Buddhist temples, go on tours, consult Tibetan emchi lamas (monks practicing oriental medicine), monks astrologists, buy medicine and religious things and order prayers. 

Lama Itygelov

The name of Lama Dashi-Dorzho Itygelov is known to every Buddhist in the world. There hasn’t been a scientific explanation found to explain his phenomenon yet.

At the beginning of the 20^th century, Lama Itygelov was a Khambo Lama, head of Buddhists of Russia. In 1927, being a high rank jogine, he reached the state of Nirvana. Then he was placed into a wooden sarcophagus and buried seating in meditation. The burial place was kept secret by lamas. In 2002, he was taken out of the ground, in accordance with his will, and placed in the Ivolginsky Buddhist temple.

The event caused sensation in the world. Many studies made for the last several years by famous scientists and research institutes of Russia have shown that the physical characteristics of the body and the brain of lama Itygelov are similar to that of a living body. The Lama is still sitting in mediation posture, his body being warm and soft. He perspires but doesn’t lose weight. He doesn’t need any support and it seems that he gets charged from some energy sources. Scientists believe that the body is in the state unknown to science.

Buddhists believe that in the Itygelov’s body there is Buddha’s spirit and the lama is alive. Buddhists have several versions of Itygelov’s phenomenon.

Dalai Lama the XIV expressed his opinion that Itygelov had gone into a deep meditation but his finest form of consciousness “namshi” is still present in his body. Bogdo Gegen Khalkha Dzhetsun Damba Rimpoche thinks that Itygelov managed to reach the state of imperishable body, as a result of tantric practice, and having left it stopped the reincarnation circle and his consciousness left for the highest spheres. Ganzhur lama Radnaev, vice principle of the Buddhist Institute “Dashi-Cjoinkhorlin”, said that Itygelov’s consciousness might be in the constant movement and keeps contact with his body.

Great number of people from different countries makes pilgrimage to the body and spirit of Lama. People believe that touching his hand or clothes makes wonders and may change life for the better and protect from troubles. A temple designed by Itygelov himself was built to have better access to the body.

In 2005 a manuscript written by Itygelov was found where he forecasted his arrival and revival of Buddhism. His last foretelling has come true.

In the burial place, Khukhe-Zurkhen, a Buddhist stupa has been constructed. In Ulan-Ude there is the Institute of Khambo Lama Itygelov, whose activity is aimed at studying the phenomenon of imperishable body and determining the importance of the event for the world’s history and Buddhist teaching.