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Buddhist Revival in Russia

zidanguszidangus Veteran
edited August 2011 in Buddhism Today
This is a nice article I read about Buddhism making a comeback in Russia after the persecution it suffered for so long under communism. Its a shame that the Russian government will not allow the Dali Lama to visit the Russian Buddhist temples though, due to their close relations with China; nethertheless still nice to see more people finding the Buddhist path in this country.

http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=3,10315,0,0,1,0

Comments

  • DaltheJigsawDaltheJigsaw Mountain View Veteran
    Wonderful news!
  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    edited August 2011
    I have a completely different take on why they won't give a visa to the DL. On the several occasions that they have given him a visa, it's only for a short stay, only enough time for him to go to Kalmykia, in Western Russia, with the exception of one visit during Yeltin's presidency, when the DL was allowed to go all the way to Tuva and Buryatia. Under Putin, he has only been allowed to visit Kalmykia. The president of Kalmykia is a crony of Putin's. I think they won't let the DL go to the other Buddhist republics because there are strong "nationalist" movements there, meaning Native Rights movements, and the DL's visit would only encourage these movements. So from this perspective, the reason the DL can't get a visa for Russia is the same reason why he can't get one for China--ethnic politics. I think the relations-with-China line is just an excuse, a cover for Putin's strong anti-ethnic policies.

    I worked in Indigenous people's rights in Russia in the 1990's in Siberia and the Russian Far East. In the 1990's it was possible to do human rights work there, but not under Putin.

    FYI, Ivolginsky Datsan (the monastery featured in the film) was allowed to operate throughout the Soviet era, it was never closed. As soon as Yeltsin took over in 1991 smaller temples and monasteries started to spring up all over the countryside. Some only needed to be restored, others completely rebuilt. Where the funds for this came from, at a time when the country was in an economic collapse, I don't know. Much of the labor must have been volunteered. It was a wonder to behold! A very exciting time to be there. And of course, most of Russia's Buddhists aren't Russian at all, they're Mongol, as you can see in the film, and they speak Buryat-Mongol when they're not speaking to foreigners, lol . They're "Russian" only in the sense that they're citizens of Russia.

    A large monastery in St. Petersburg built during the time of the 13th Dalai Lama was re-opened in the 1990's, run by Mongols, but many ethnic Russians attend that one.
  • NOTaGangstaNOTaGangsta
    Good! Beer was food there. THere are also ciggie ads for young girls!!!

    The teaching will do some good!
  • zidanguszidangus Veteran
    Thanks CW, your points are very legitimate, but I think the Chinese connection also plays a big part in their decision to not give the visa so easily.

    http://blogs.voanews.com/russia-watch/2011/07/12/why-cant-the-dalai-lama-visit-russia/
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