Transbaikalian Buddhism in Christian Perspective

During the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, Tibetan Buddhism of Gelug-pa lineage grew rapidly in East Siberian Transbaikal (Zabaikalie), establishing its organizational structure and gaining followers among the native population. Interactions with Russian Orthodox missionaries, and with Catholic and Protestant exiles, settlers, businessmen, and tourists resulted in an abundance of written and published sources that reveal the subjective understandings of their authors. This talk will examine cognitive patterns in the ways of presenting Tibetan Buddhism while considering the validity of explaining diverse and complex Siberian phenomena through a “Western” or “colonial perspective.” It will specifically address the differentiations within the “Christian perception,” pointing out specifics of the Russian Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant interpretations.