Dzogchen Community of Mongolia

Address: Mongolia zip 210646 P.O. Box 46a/181 Founded by

Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche
Tradition: Vajrayana, Dzogchen of Nyingma and Drugpa
schools.
Phone: (976) 9925 8471
E-mail: mondzogchen@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.geocities.com/dugarov_dorjo/dzogchen_in
side.html
Find on:
Manager and coordinator of international
contacts: Dugarov Dorjo Batodalaevich

Collections from the M. N. Khangalov Museum on the

History of Buryatia (MIB)
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http://frontiers.loc.gov/intldl/mtfhtml/mfdigcol/MIB_coll.html

Georgii Orlov, Bishop of Trans-Baikal and Nerchinsk

(http://frontiers.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?
intldl/mtfront:@OR(@field(NUMBER+@band(mtfxph+ech0048))))

The most ancient traditional religion of Buryats and Evenks have been Shamanists since the oldest times. In mid17th century, first Russian Orthodox churches and chapels appeared in Buryatia, and some time later, Mongol
and Tibetan lamas (Buddhist priests) came to Buryatia to actively spread Buddhism among Buryats.
In 1991 the Buddhists of our Republic celebrated the 250th anniversary of official recognition of Buddhism in
Russia, although historical research reports earlier contacts with representatives of the Buddhist faith from
Mongolia and Tibet. Today, not only is the center of Buddhism in Russia -- Ivolginsky datsan (Buddhist temple) -located in Buryatia, but also the first Buddhist women's monastery (convent) is under construction, its foundation
having been approved by Dalay-Lama himself during his visit to Russia in 1992.
The first Russian explorers introduced Christianity to Buryatia in the 17th century.
In 1917, 44 datsans (Buddhist temples), 144 minor temples, 211 Russian Orthodox temples, 81 Old Russian
Orthodox Believers' prayer houses, 7 Jewish synagogues, 6 Moslem mosques, 5 Baptist communities, and 1
Catholic church were located on the territory of Buryatia. By mid-30's all of these places of worship had been
closed, and it was not until the last decades of the 20th century that their restoration began. By 1995 16 Buddhist
datsans were functioning in Buryatia. The Association of Buddhist "parishioners" and Public Academy of Buddhist
Culture have been created,
4 Russian Orthodox parishes are currently functioning in Buryatia: two in Ulan-Ude, one in Kyakhta, and one in
Barguzin. Sermons are performed in the Odigitrievsky Cathedral (built 1741) and in Sretenskaya Church (Baturino
Village of the Pribaikalsky District). Old Russian Orthodox Believers' Church and prayer houses are undergoing a
revival in Bichura, Novaya Bryan' and other places of residence of Old Russian Orthodox believers.
Today there are 14 Buddhist datsans, 12 Buddhist communities, 17 Orthodox temples and parish churches, 7
Ancient Russian Orthodox communities, and over 20 religious denominations and movements of various kinds in
Buryatia.
Besides, communities of Baptists and Seventh Day Adventists are active in Ulan-Ude; in Severobaykalsk, a new
Pentecostal church was opened a few years ago. There are also Krishna and Bahai communities in Ulan-Ude. In
Kizhinga, in 1991 there was opened a temple complex called Jarun Khashor, which unites different Buddhist
denominations. Alongside the confessions above, in some regions of Buryatia the positions of pagan religion Shamanism - are still strong.
This past decade witnessed a significant increase in the number of religious associations as a result of the
general intensification of religious activity in Russia and Buryatia, as well as due to the positive changes in
religious legislation that now provides more rights to believers.

from: http://egov-buryatia.ru/eng/?id=33
Traditionally, Buryats adhered to belief systems which were based on the deification of nature,
belief in spirits and the possibility of their magic influence on the surroundings. They were led

by shamans, who systematised tribal beliefs and cults. From the second half of the 17th century,
beliefs and cults in the shamanic form were displaced by Buddhism, which became widespread in
ethnic Buryatia. By the end of the 19th century, the majority of Buryats were part of the Buddhist
tradition. A synthesis of Buddhism and traditional beliefs that formed a system of ecological
traditions has constituted a major attribute of Buryat culture. [21]
As of a 2012 official survey[19] 27.4% of the population adheres to the Russian Orthodox Church,
19.8% to Buddhism, 2% to Rodnovery(Slavic folk religion), Tengrism or Buryat shamanism, 4%
declares to be generically unaffiliated Christian (excluding Protestants), 1% are Orthodox
Christian believers without belonging to churches or are members of other Orthodox churches,
1% are members of Protestant churches. In addition, 25% of the population declares to be
"spiritual but not religious", 13% to be atheist, and 10.8% follows another religion or did not give
an answer to the survey.[19]
Tibetan Buddhism and Orthodox Christianity are the most widespread religions in the republic.
Many Slavs, who constitute around 67% of the population, are Russian Orthodox. Since the
breakup of the USSR in 1991, a small number have converted to various Protestant
denominations or to Rodnovery, Slavic native faith. There are also some Catholics among the
Slavs. Most of the Germans (0.11% of the population) are also Orthodox, so are some other nonEuropean groups like Armene (0.23%), Georgian (0.03%), and Soyot (0.37%). Buryats constitute
30.04% of the total population.
Most urban Buryats are either Buddhist or Orthodox, while those in the rural areas often adhere
to Yellow shamanism, a mixture of shamanism and Buddhism, or to Black shamanism. There are
also Tengrist movements. Siberian Tatars are around 0.7% of the population. However, due to
isolation from the main body of Tatars, many of them now are either non-religious or Orthodox.
Islam is followed by immigrant groups like Azeris and Uzbeks, who constitute another 0.7% of the
population.
From:

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%2F1euh9yD1irvJyVM5%2B0YaZfKjDXh9vC5heuIFMNnAN3A
%3D&name=Sreda_blok_press_sm2.pdf&c=5774f016bc5c

: , 62% , 38% ,
20% , 6% , 1%
- (. 1962)