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Adygbay Ch. Buddhism in the Spiritual Culture of Tuva: Historical Milestones and Contemporary State

Chechek Adygbay
Independent researcher
Novosibirsk, Russian Federation
ORCID: 0000-0003-2644-039X
E-mail: adygbay@yandex.ru

 

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ABSTRACT. The article presents a brief analysis of the influence of Buddhism on the spiritual culture of people in historical retrospect, highlighting the importance of Buddhist culture for the development of enlightenment and education, and provides a concise overview of scientific research on Buddhism in the Republic of Tuva. Buddhism in Tuva has been studied by historians, philologists, cultural experts, religious scholars and sociologists. The process of reviving the Buddhist tradition served as a motivating impulse for the beginning of research in various spheres of spiritual culture. The intelligentsia, the Buddhist clergy of Tuva, representatives of science and education, culture and art, public organizations and Buddhist communities participated in the recreation of the spiritual tradition. Tibetan monks and spiritual teachers who were sent to the republic under the terms of the bilateral agreement in 1992 made a significant contribution to the revival of Buddhism in Tuva. In the context of the development of modern Buddhism in Tuva, the influx of graduates with higher Buddhist education into the republic will lead to the strengthening of the Tuvan Sangha and the development of mutual cooperation with Buddhist regions of Russia. The historical heritage of Buddhism allows for an in-depth study of the spiritual values and life orientations of contemporaries at this new stage of society’s development. In the post-Soviet period, previously closed archival documents on the repression of representatives of the Buddhist clergy of Tuva became available, which made it possible to bring science and religion closer together. The study of Buddhism in the context of global modernisation actualizes issues of moral education of the younger generation.

 

KEYWORDS: Buddhism, Tuva, repression, revival, education, Buddhist studies

 

FOR CITATION: Adygbay Ch. Buddhism in the Spiritual Culture of Tuva: Historical Milestones and Contemporary State. Kunstkamera. 2025. 3 (29): 156–166. (In Russian). DOI: 10.31250/2618-8619-2025-3(29)-156-166

 

DOI 10.31250/2618-8619-2025-3(29)-156-166
UDC 374:294.3(571.52)

 

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