Buryatia trips | Ivolginsky Datsan - buddhist temple | Ulan Ude sightseeing | Buddhism in Russia

Ivolginsky Datsan - the center of Buddhism in Russia

This is a most important Buddhist temple in Russia and a historical monument.

Since 1937 there were no officially working Buddhist religious centers. All Datsans were closed down and destroyed.
Owing to the old lamas deep efforts (lama is a Buddhist monk), which arrived from the banishments and the concentration camps by 1945 was allowed to set up "Khambinskoe sume" in Verhnaja Ivolga. Since that time Ivolginsky Datsan has been called the main center of Buddhism in Buryatia and in Russia. Ivolginsky Datsan`s complete name sounds like this: "Tuges Bajasgalantay Ulze nomoy Hurden Heed" - "the Monastery the Ring of Teachings bringing happiness and full of joy". For today, Ivolginsky Datsan is a monastic complex, pandido khambo-lama`s residence.

The monastery is a large fenced off compound containing many buildings of various types. The architectural ensemble from the monastery includes: Tsogchen-dugan, Sahuunsan-sume, Maydarin-sume, Devashin-sume, Choyra-dugan, Khambo-lama`s house, the museum, the hotel, clergymen` houses, worship buildings and numerous hurde (prayerful drums).
In the territory of Datsan it is possible to see five stuphas - monuments of remarkable events. Each of them has own architectural decision. One of them is devoted to Agvan Dorzhiev, Sankt-Peterburg Datsan`s founder, another - to Buddha Shakyamuni`s deeds, and three of them are devoted to different Buddha`s aspects. The fifth stupha is devoted to lamas, which served in Datsan. Ivolginsky Datsan follows the ancient custom of adoption worships: great hurals (services) and daily worships among them.
In addition to the rituals, Ivolginsky Datsan`s activities also include parishioner`s treatment with the help of Tibetan medicine, which contain centuries-old experience of application natural medicines.

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