History of Mongolian Buddhism

Kublai Khan appointed a Tibetan lama, Phagspa Lama, to be the spiritual leader of his Yuan dynasty. Phagspa Lama interpreted Mahayana Buddhism so as to make Kublai Khan a Buddhist ‘universal king’ – an important agreement giving Kublai the temporal power and Phagspa the religious power.

Buddhism was adopted as the official religion in Mongolia and the first Buddhist centre was developed at the monastery of Erdene Zuu in the Orkhon Valley. Tibetan lamas came to Mongolia to organize the systematic translation of religious literature into Mongolian, and this in turn encouraged the growth of literacy among Mongols (who were send to Tibet to learn Tibetan and religious practices) and the flourishing of Mongol and Tibetan culture.

In 1639, the Tusheet Khan, who claimed descent from Genghis Khan, proclaimed his five-year-old son Zanabazar as the highest incarnate lama in Mongolia, and bestowed on him the title Ondor Gegeen. Mongolia has had a succession of nine High Lamas, or Ondor Gegeens, who rank after the Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas.

Buddhism under communism

The Buddhist Church in Mongolia remained very powerful and wealthy in the 1920s. It controlled monasteries and temples with large estates and thousands of lamas and monastery serfs. In 1935, a new law was published requiring lamas to leave their monasteries and go to work in society, by which the political leaders meant get proper jobs. As the political purges gained momentum, monasteries were closed by the army and subsequently looted, and precious paintings and religious sculptures were destroyed. Lamas were forced to work on the land, to join the army and even to marry, all of which were contrary to their beliefs. To resist meant to be shot, and many were. Nearly all the many monasteries and temples were destroyed.

Buddhism today

In the summer of 1990 everything changed. Russian advisors withdrew from Mongolia and the country was freed from the anti-religious sentiment of communism. Monks, under the guise of ordinary citizens, returned to practice their faith openly. Family shrines were unveiled and monasteries began to accept new young monks for training. Mongolian abbots are committed to preserving and promoting the teachings of Buddhism in Mongolia. Prior to this there had been some concessional changes, like the visits of the Dalai Lama and the opening of monastery schools in the 1980s. Following the Buddhist religious renaissance of 1990, there have been numerous changes, including people of all ages requesting prayers or a blessing, the opening of monasteries – mostly ger – temples and converted wooden buildings since the rebuilding of permanent monasteries takes time and money; the return of monks to monasteries to teach and learn; hidden treasures silently reappearing in monasteries and temples; small communities of elderly monks emerging from hiding; and women setting up religious communities to become nuns.Despite this, however, perhaps only around 50% of Mongols are Buddhist believers, the rest seeing Lamaism as part of Mongol heritage.