Buddhism and Politics in Inner Asia

Introduction. The article focuses on the history of Tibetan Buddhism in Inner Asia. Goal. It analyzes the main peculiarities of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and the turning points of its history in the context of contradictions between Inner Asian polities, the Russian and Qing empires. Materials and Methods. The paper is based on the fundamental historical works dealing with Inner Asia. The methodology applied is determined by the understanding of Tibetan-Mongolian Buddhism as a cultural unity within which regional traditions share similar institutional forms. Results and Conclusions. The paper notes a peculiar feature of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition is the personality cult of the Teacher worshipped as an ‘incarnate’ Buddha ― tulku (Tib. sprul-sku); model of relationship between the latter and secular powers expressed by the concept of choyon (Tib. mcho-yon ‘lama-patron’); theocratic form of government manifested by the formula ‘unity of religion and politics’ (Tib. chos-sridzung-‘brel). A crucial milestone in the history of Inner Asia was the emergence of the Qing and Russian empires. The destruction of the Dzungar Khanate and delimitation of borders between China and Russia led that Inner Asia no longer existed as a cluster of struggling polities, and the subsequent historical era completely transformed the place and role of the Mongols and Tibetans in the region. The main stream policy of both the states towards Buddhism and its communities was decentralization and fragmentation, on the one hand, and patronage, on the other. This, along with efforts of Buddhists proper, resulted in that by the early 20th century Inner Asia was housing immense spaces of Tibetan Buddhism with religious centers in Lhasa, Beijing, and Urga. Despite the Buddhist tradition was not united structurally, it was still distinguished by cultural homogeneity based on the spiritual authority of the Gelug sect and the latter’s hierarchs — Dalai Lamas, Panchen Lamas and Jebtsundamba Khutukhtus, similar monastic educational systems, institution of incarnate lamas, classical Tibetan language and Buddhist Canon, Vajrayana cult system.

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