Religions

The oldest world religion, Buddhism originated in India in the 6th – 5th centuries BC and in the 3rd century BC it spread outside India. The northern variation of Buddhism, Mahayana (lit. “large chariot”) reached Tibet in the 7th century, and from there it came to Mongolia in the 13th – 16th centuries. Before the arrival of Buddhism shamanism was the national religion in Mongolia. It co-existed with more ancient cults, such as hunting and trade cults, as well as cults of historical figures and epic characters (e.g. Genghis Khan’s cult).

The first translations of Buddhist canonic texts into the Mongolian language appeared as early as in the 13th century, during the rule of Genghis Khan’s descendants, the first “great khans” Ogedei, Khubilai and Mongke. At Хубилай’s court, a Mongolian khan in China, in its capital Khanbalik (modern Peking) the official court shamans as well as Muslim, Nestorian and catholic missionaries were of Buddhists’ main rivals.

Between the 16th and the 18th centuries 20 legislative documents were issued which encouraged the new religion and prosecuted shamanism. In 1686-1687 Abatai Khan (1544-1588?) who was Genghis Khan’s 16th degree built the first Buddhist monastery – Erdeni-tzu - in Khalka not far from the ancient Mongolian capital Khara Khorum . He brought there images of Buddhist deities and the holy books of “yeallow hats” – the Tibetan school of Gelug. This school’s teaching was seen as the official ideology of the Mongolian state, and the monastery became its main residence. As a result of interaction between Buddhism and shamanism a peculiar religious synthesis that combined features of Buddhist and pre-Buddhist beliefs.

Gate to monastery in South Mongolia deserts.  P. Rykin. 2006		Buddhist lamas. Mongolia. Mongols  P. Rykin. 2006		Obo - place of area deities worshiping.  Mongolia. Mongols. P. Rykin. 2006
Mask of the Tsam mystery. Mongolia. The Mongols. 19th century mid-to-late 19th c.		Lama - guardian of Buddhist temple. Mongolia. The Mongols. Rykin P., 2005.		Sacred tree. Mongolia. Rykin P., 2006.
Marking the area border and spirits worshiping place. Mongolia. The Mongols. Saifieva A., 2006.		Suburghans. Mongolia. Ulan Bator. Saifieva A., 2006.		99 suburghans - canonic element of Buddhist architecture. Mongolia. The Mongols. Rykin P., 2006.
Buddha in khadaks - ritual silk shawls. Mongolia. Rykin P., 2006.		Buddha from a monastery in  South Mongolia. Mongolia. Rykin P., 2006.		A prayer roller. Mongolia. Rykin P., 2006.
Monastery in West Mongolia. Mongolia. Rykin P., 2006.		Yurt of present-day shaman. Mongolia. Ulan Bator. Rykin P., 2005.		Dwellings of shaman. Mongolia. Ulan Bator. Rykin P., 2005.