Millions of Buddhists were killed during Muslim invasions over the last 1000 years in India. The communists did the same in Central Asia in the last century. But Buddhism survived, proving a statement attributed to Buddha himself, namely that Buddhism, being common sense, can only be destroyed from within, i.e., by inner splits and politics. For that reason, I have tried several times to meet with the leaders of monastic Buddhism in Russia. In the winter of 2008, we finally had success. During our annual month on the Trans-Siberian Railway, with 200 friends visiting centers between Vladivostok and Saint Petersburg, our organizers for the Russian tour, David and Tolek, made it possible. At the datsang1 near Ulan Ude in Siberia, I was able to meet with Hambo Lama, leader of the Buryats and other Russian Buddhists.
As David told it, “Tolek and I had been searching for the abbot of the datsang, in order to get permission for our group to see the preserved body of the previous Hambo Lama Itygilov. This was something which had been promised to us on the previous winter tour of 2007. But instead of being taken to the abbot, we were led directly to the present Hambo Lama, who received us and immediately checked us out. He joked with us from the beginning, challenging me to tell him why Kagyupas are better than Gelugpas. Demanding that we define what Buddhism really is, he told us if we gave the correct answer, the group would be allowed to see the precious body, but otherwise, we would just have to go home.
“The Hambo Lama didn’t know that Lama Ole was in the datsang and was surprised to hear it. As soon as he found out, he asked immediately to see him.”
So, David found me on our third round of the temples, saying mantras that the activity of this datsang might reach many beings and that our long-held wish for cooperation between Russia’s monastic schools and the lay Buddhist schools in Russia could begin.
Here is what I remember of a most pleasant meeting: I was led into a small room in a log cabin, where three or four Buryat lamas were sitting on the right. One could feel at once who the Hambo Lama was, even though he wore no ornaments or anything that would distinguish him. This powerful, energetic man took us into a long room on the left, where we could sit across from each other at a narrow table. It was a beautiful room with lots of light and good windows at the back and front.
Then he started talking, and he actually spoke more than we did. I could clearly tell that the Buryats do not feel fully accepted by the Tibetans and Mongolians, who often behave like their teachers. I thought, wow, if it’s the same Buddha and the same teachings, why is this necessary? Then we talked for a while about our view of Buddhism and the world, and I think we agreed on most things, even though his approach was more intellectual and mine was more meditative. But I will say that I liked him right from the beginning. Actually, in his behavior, he was very similar to Kunzig Shamarpa, always provoking a bit to see one’s reaction. On the other hand, when he himself was challenged, he enjoyed that. He was a strong man and liked opposition. In this way we had a lot of fun. But of course, he was the host, and I was the guest, so I was naturally more polite. But I really liked him—and also enjoyed his strong snuff tobacco.
We covered quite a few things. We shared stories about several important lamas, especially the very famous previous Hambo Lama Itygilov, in whose honor the datsang had been rebuilt. He was the one whose mummified body was recently found sitting and intact after 70 years in a hole in the ground. It was an amazing event, but at the time of the discovery, they chose to hide the mummy again because the Communists might still have destroyed it. He wanted to know if I could imagine how a body could be preserved so long. We were very impressed, even as we did not think that he would let us see the mummy. But apparently, he was just checking to see if we had the right devotion or a good idea of what was going on.
I mentioned other extraordinary cases from our lineage that I had observed. He then told us that this Hambo Lama was reborn five times in India, five times in Tibet, twice in Buryatia—then this last time showing this enlightened miracle of preserving his body. Then came a point that we did not grasp completely, namely whether the Hambo Lama’s mind was now both with his body and everywhere or only with the body. Here he gave an example from Nagarjuna of the flame of a candle.
Now, mutual trust having been established through this exchange, he presented his greatest gift. We, as fellow educated Buddhists, could visit the noble Lama Itygilov and have his blessing. He stood up and asked us to follow him. I always stayed a bit behind to give him the chance to change his mind, but he kept giving us signs to come along. He really wanted us to see the great lama. We were not pressuring him in any way.
Monastic rules required that only our hundred men could go, in groups of five. He climbed the last steps, and then asked us to come in. There were some fine old paintings of the main buddha forms on the wall and some statues, but the most important thing was the glass cabinet with a figure inside. This really had a most special feeling to it. I mean, being Kagyus, we know about blessing, don’t we? That’s what our lineage is about. And here there was no doubt. When I came in front of this little figure sitting there, a very tangible blessing filled the room.
The lama was seated in meditation-posture, but with his head slightly bent. Hambo Lama Itygilov had a round Mongolian-type head with refined features; and the Hambo Lama guided my hand to feel that there was hair growing on the lama’s head. I was a bit embarrassed when he also wanted to show me the lama’s knee, and I said that the blessing was fully convincing already and that I didn’t need to see the knee. With a chuckle he then he said, “I am a Buryat, so I can also cheat you.”
I put my head against the pillow the mummy was sitting on, and I was glad that we could go there. Then our friends came in; and the Hambo Lama presented each one with a blue khatak, after first tying a knot in each one and touching the five energy centers of his teacher with the knots.
After we were all outside again, we said a warm but hasty goodbye, and I promised to support him and to spread my good impressions of Buryatian Buddhism wherever possible. My last words were that we were now friends, that whenever possible we should work together without fail, and that the benefit of one was the benefit of all.
It was a very pleasant visit, with a very engaged and bright lama. And it was a bit like playing chess: joking with each other, while each one checked out the ideas of the other. It was very nice. I definitely think that, if our Buryats are not feeling accepted by Mongolians and Tibetans, we should support them, as we already do through our meditation groups which awaken the lay population. They have a transmission and there is a blessing there.
This visit with the Hambo Lama and the blessing of the Hambo Lama Itygilov stem from special colleague benefits that lamas give to one another. If you feel an interest in your field of activity, you will show people a lot more than if they are just shopping for something exotic. I saw it as a gift from one lama to another. If the Hambo Lama comes to our centers, which I hope he does, we should also show him the holiest things we have. He went beyond all divisions, checked us out a few times, saw that we knew Buddhism—and then things were fine.
- Datsang is the term used for Buddhist monasteries throughout Mongolia, Tibet, and Siberia in Russia, usually belonging to the Gelugpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Traditionally, in Russia before the 20th century, datsangs existed only in the Siberian regions of Buryatia and Transbaikalia. ↩︎
