2. Highlights & Heroes of Mongolian Buddhism

The Dalai Lama

Altan Khan conferred on him the title of Dalai Lama or, Ocean of Wisdom. Sonam Gyatso, His Holiness the 3rd Dalai Lama, was considered the emanation of Chenrezig, the Buddha of Compassion. He dedicated his life to teaching the dharma to the people of Mongolia and Buddhism began to flourish in popular culture.

The Mongols based their Buddhist doctrine, practice and communal organization on Tibetan models. But they developed and adapted them in a distinctive way. Examples can be seen in the extraordinary art and architecture used in the building of the first Buddhist monastery in Mongolia.

Erdene Zuu, built in 1586 by Abdon Khan, near the old capital of Karakorum. Erdene Zuu was said to have had 10,000 monks, 108 Som dancers and 30 temples. It was surrounded by 108 stupas. The extraordinary artist and sculptor, Zanabazar, born in 1635, became the first Khalkha Jebtsumdampa, or Bogd Khan.

During his reign, as head of state, Zanabazar brought a new way to Mongolian education, culture, society, and political life. His disciples established the capital of Mongolia in Ulaanbaatar. The symbol that he created became the Mongolian State Coat of Arms emblem.

courtesy of FPMT Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Buddhism continued to grow in popularity and influence in Mongolian society. Within a few decades, Mongolian culture had transformed to include over 700 monasteries and one-third of the male population were ordained monks.

Mongolian monks and scholars excelled in the study of philosophy. So much so, that when the 13th Dalai Lama came to visit in 1904, Mongolian monks defeated him in the art of debating Buddhist philosophy.

The Eighth Jetsumdampa was the secular and spiritual leader of Mongolia until his death in 1924. The period of Soviet domination began and the threat to the survival of Mongolian Buddhism became extreme.

 

Dark Days →

 

Right-click to download

  • conferred: to give or award
  • emanation: __
  • flourish: to grow in a strong, healthy way
  • distinctive: having a quality or characteristic that makes something different and easily noticed
  • reign: the period of one leader's rule
  • disciples: one who follows a religious teacher
  • influence: the effect that something has on the way that something works or develops
  • transformed: changed into something different
  • excelled: to be very good at doing something
  • debating: formally discuss a topic and defend a viewpoint
  • secular: not connected with spiritual or religious matters

Ref: Google Dictionary, Oxford Learners Dictionaries, kids.wordsmyth.com, MacMillan Dictionary, Word Hippo

  • conferred: өгсөн - өгөх буюу шагнах
  • emanation: хувилгаандүр
  • flourish: цэцэглэнэ - хүчтэй, эрүүл замаар өсч хөгжих
  • distinctive: ялгаатай - ямар нэг өөр, амархан мэдэрч буй чанар, шинж чанарыг агуулдаг
  • reign: хаанчлах - нэг удирдагчийн дүрэм
  • disciples: шавь нар - шашны багш дагадаг хүн
  • influence: нөлөө - ямар нэгэн зүйл ажил хийгдэж, хөгжих замаар ямар нэгэн зүйл нөлөөлдөг
  • transformed: өөрчлөгдсөн - өөр зүйл өөрчлөгдөв
  • excelled: шилдэг - ямар нэг зүйл хийхэд маш сайн байх
  • debating: хэлэлцэх - хэлэлцэх сэдвийг албан ёсоор хэлэлцэн, үзэл бодлоо хамгаалах
  • secular: иргэний харьяалал - сүнслэг ба шашны асуудлуудтай холбоогүй байдаг

Source: Translate.Google.com

  • conferred: берілген - беру немесе беру
  • emanation: эманация
  • flourish: гүлденген - күшті, сау жолмен өсетін болады
  • distinctive: ерекше - сапасы немесе сипаты бар, ол өзгеше және оңай байқалады
  • reign: билік құрды - бір көшбасшы ережесінің кезеңі
  • disciples: шәкірттері - діни ұстазға ұнамды
  • influence: әсер ету - бірдеңе жұмыс істейтін немесе дамып келе жатқан жолмен әсер етуі мүмкін
  • transformed: өзгерді - басқа нәрсеге айналды
  • excelled: жоғары - бірдеңе істеу өте жақсы
  • debating: пікірталас - тақырыпты формальды түрде талқылау және көзқарасты қорғау
  • secular: зайырлы - рухани немесе діни мәселелермен байланысты емес

Source: Translate.Google.com

 

← Mongolian Buddhism  Dark Days →