Indian Society for Buddhist Studies

Author(s): Prachya Vidyapeeth
Publisher: Prachya Vidyapeeth

Page 89

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Dynasty. During the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1911, Mongolia declared independence, but had to struggle until 1921 to firmly establish de-facto independence from the Republic of China, and until 1945 to gain international recognition.
Buddhism, as in the day of Chinggis Khan, remains an instrument of politicians as well as of the religious today. One region particularly affected by Mongolian Buddhism, for example, is Altai Khan, where the influence of Mongolian Buddhism has been so strong.
It is through Buddhism, then, that political alliances are forged and maintained and regional identities are solidified. As it was in the past, so, too, is this idea of religion as an instrument of political connection still persuasive today in modern-day Mongolia. By the beginning of the twentieth century, Outer Mongolia had 583 monasteries and temple complexes, which controlled an estimated 20 percent of the country's wealth. For centuries the Mongols have professed Buddhism adopted from Tibet. The Mongolian Khans closely contacted with the Tibetan lamas who in their turn actively participated in the spread of Buddhism in Mongolia. With the Buddhism they brought a system of the monastic training and the Tibetan language.
In the Post-Cold War era, China has taken major steps to normalize its relationship with Mongolia, emphasizing its respect for Mongolia's sovereignty and independence. The Buddhism in Mongolia is essentially Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelug paschool in traditional. The Buddhism penetrated Mongolia from India via Central Asia. Thus many of the Buddhist terms of Sanskrit origin, which are still used in Mongolia, were adopted via the Soghdian language. The process of a revival of the Buddhist Sangha in Mongolia has begun since 1990 when the religious freedoms were proclaimed. This paper will focus the present status and tendencies of the Mongolian Buddhism, which has got a new safe and its own unique characteristics after II world war with considering the main stages of the history of Buddhism in Mongolia.
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