Telo Tulku Rinpoche was born in the United States of America.

October 27, 1972, (in the world - Erdni Basan Ombadykov). When he was six years old, during the visit of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to Philadelphia, he was recognized as the living embodiment of the Indian mahasiddha Tilopa.

Since that time, all his activities have been inextricably linked with the revival of Buddhism in our republic.

In 1992, at a Buddhist conference, he, as a living embodiment of the Teacher, was chosen as the Shadzhin Lama of Kalmykia.

From then until today, Telo Tulku Rinpoche, as Shajin Lama, has done a great and serious job of restoring and strengthening the Buddhist teachings in the Kalmyk land.

The current state of Buddhism in Kalmykia.

Buddhism in Kalmykia has a long and rich history. By the beginning of the 20th century, there were more than 90 large and small khuruls in Kalmykia, with about 3,000 clergy.

In the 1930s, as a result of Stalin's repressions, almost all the temples were destroyed, and the Buddhist clergy were subjected to severe repressions. To the beginning of the Great Patriotic War Buddhism in Kalmykia was practically destroyed. The eviction of the Kalmyks in 1943 completed the destruction of Buddhism.

The revival of Buddhism in the republic began only in the late 1980s. and was associated with the process of perestroika in the USSR, the beginning of democratization public life. In 1988, the first Buddhist community was registered in Elista, and the first prayer house was opened the same year. Lama Tuvan Dorj, who came from Buryatia, became its rector.

A significant event in the religious life of Kalmykia was the first visit of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, which took place in the summer of 1991 and gave a powerful impetus to the development of Buddhism in the republic. In Elista, the Dalai Lama held three mass prayers, visited khurul, consecrated the construction site of a Buddhist temple complex, met with the leadership of Kalmykia and the public of the capital.

In the autumn of 1992, the Dalai Lama again visited the republic. As on the previous visit, he recited prayers and preached sermons. In addition, he ordained thirteen people as monks, among whom were not only Kalmyks, but also representatives of other nationalities. This ceremony took place in the newly erected temple - sume. During his visit, the Dalai Lama visited the Caspian, Ketchener and Yashkul regions of Kalmykia. He consecrated khuruls in the city of Lagan and the village of Dzhalykovo.

An important event was the creation of the Association of Buddhists of Kalmykia (OBK). In 1991, the first conference of the OBK was held, which approved the charter and elected Shadzhin Lama of the Kalmyk people Tuvan Dordzha. In 1992 the second conference took place. It resulted in the election of Shajin Lama and President of the OBK Telo Tulku Rinpoche (E. Ombadykov). Back in 1992, a youth Buddhist center was established in Elista, which began an active educational activities, which included teaching the basics of Buddhism, the Tibetan language and ancient Indian logic. The center was later renamed the Dharma Center.

It should be noted that the revival of Buddhism in Kalmykia was primarily facilitated by the policy of the current leadership of the republic, headed by the Head of Kalmykia, FIDE President K.N. Ilyumzhinov, who was elected to the post of head of the republic in April 1993. It was thanks to his constant support - financial and organizational - that more than forty Buddhist religious buildings were built, annual pilgrimage trips were organized to holy places for every Buddhist (Tibet, India, etc.) and representatives of the Russian media at the annual press conference of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the 14th at his residence in the Indian city of Dharamsala, the arrival of outstanding teachers of various branches of Buddhism in Kalmykia.

In 1994, the International Buddhist Forum organized by the Dharma Center was held in Elista. The forum was attended by about a thousand believers from Russia, the CIS countries and a number of far-abroad countries, as well as well-known Buddhist lamas from India, Bhutan and Nepal. As part of this event, Buddhist prayers, initiations were held, a charitable telethon and a spiritual and ecological expedition were held.

Later, within the framework of the Dharma Center, religious communities of lay people began to form, oriented towards one or another of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism. One of the first such communities was the Karma-Kagyu Center. In 1995, Elista hosted the opening of a branch of the International Institute of the Karma-Kagyu school, the program of which includes Buddhist philosophy and practice, the Tibetan language.

“Red-hatted” Buddhism is represented in Kalmykia by two more schools - Sakyapa and Nyingmapa, whose communities arose after the arrival of teachers of these traditions in Kalmykia: the patriarch of the Sakya tradition, His Holiness Sakya Tritsin and the Nigmapa teachers Venerable Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche. At present, the hurul of the Nyingma school operates in the village of Iki-Burul.

There are also secular Buddhist organizations in Kalmykia, whose followers adhere to the Gelugpa school of Buddhism, traditional for Kalmyks. In Elista, these are primarily the Chenrezig and Tilopa centers.

A significant event for the Buddhists of Kalmykia was the opening in 1996 of Syakyusn Sume in Elista. The new temple became the center of the spiritual life of our republic. Several tens of thousands of people gathered at the opening of this beautiful temple.

One of the main teachers - followers of the Gelug school is His Eminence Bogd Gegen IX, who repeatedly visited Kalmykia. The visits of the spiritual leader of the Mongolian peoples contributed to the revival of Buddhism among the Kalmyks. During his visits, the Bogdo Gegen traveled around the regions, read sermons, and gave blessings. A particularly fruitful visit was in 2003, during which believers were given initiation into the Kalachakra tantra.

Venerable Lama Yeshe-Loda Rinpoche visited our republic several times. In the early 1990s, Yeshe Lodoy Rinpoche, on behalf of the Dalai Lama, came to Buryatia to teach Buddhist philosophy. In Kalmykia, Rinpoche bestowed initiations into the tantras of Yamantaka, Chakrasamvara and Guhyasamaja.

In 2002-2003 Tibetan monks from Gyudmed Monastery came to Kalmykia four times. Gyudmed is famous for teaching secret tantric teachings here. In addition, its monks are famous for their original throat singing. In Elista, they built three sand mandalas, which symbolize the matrix of the Universe and at the same time the palace of deities. The first was the Green Tara mandala, the second was the Avolakiteshvara mandala, and the third was the Yamantaka mandala. It is believed that the contemplation of the mandala cleanses a person from negative karma, defilements and diseases. At the end of the construction, the mandalas were destroyed, which should remind people of the frailty of life and the need to prepare for the next life. During their visits, the monks of Gyudmed also bestowed the blessings of the goddess Tara, Manla (Buddha of medicine) and Mandzushri (Buddha of wisdom), held ceremonies for the purification of the universe, and lectured on Buddhism.

From August 3 to August 15, 2003, an all-Russian Buddhist retreat was held in Kalmykia on the territory of Citichess under the guidance of Venerable Geshe Jampa Tinley. He became very important event for Buddhists not only in Kalmykia, but throughout Russia. Many Buddhists from different cities(Rostov-on-Don, Ufa, Ulan-Ude, Kyzyl, etc.), as well as from Ukraine.

The most important event of recent years was the visit to Kalmykia by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in 2004, organized by the Head of Kalmykia Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. Despite the brevity, the meeting with the Teacher gave a huge impetus to the revival of Buddhism in our republic.

Another major event in the life of the Buddhists of Kalmykia was the opening at the end of 2005 of a new temple in Elista - Burkhn Bagshin Altyn Syume (Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni), which is the largest Buddhist temple in Europe and built with the blessing of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the 14th ( during the days of his visit in 2004, the Dalai Lama consecrated the site for the construction of khurul) at the personal expense of Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.

And in 2006, under the patronage of Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, the Days of Kalmyk Culture were held in Dharamsala, during which Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, for his outstanding contribution to the revival of Buddhism in Russia and Kalmykia, presented His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, presented the highest award of Kalmykia - the Order of the White Lotus .

For the period 1993-2002. there was a quantitative growth of Buddhist communities. Today there are 35 Buddhist associations in Kalmykia. Much has been done with state support in the construction of Buddhist temples. There are already more than 30 khuruls in the republic.

Behind last years By the efforts of believers and local authorities, large khuruls were erected in the city of Lagan, the settlements of Tsagan-Aman, Yashkul, Iki-Burul, Arshan-Zelmen, etc. Prayer houses were opened in the city of Gorodovikovsk, the Khomutnikovsky state farm, the village of Ketchenery, the village of Troitsky, etc.

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The Foundation for the Promotion of the Preservation of the Cultural and Philosophical Traditions of Tibetan Buddhism "Save Tibet" and the Youth Association of Buddhists in Moscow invite you to a meeting with the honorary representative of His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama in Russia, Mongolia and the CIS countries, the Shadzhin Lama (Supreme Lama) of Kalmykia Telo Tulku Rinpoche. Within the framework of the meeting, a presentation of a new book “Dilova Khutukhta of Mongolia. Political Memoirs and Autobiography of the Reincarnation of a Buddhist Lama".

The Foundation for the Promotion of the Preservation of the Cultural and Philosophical Traditions of Tibetan Buddhism "Save Tibet" and the Youth Association of Buddhists in Moscow invite you to a meeting with the honorary representative of His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama in Russia, Mongolia and the CIS countries, the Shadzhin Lama (Supreme Lama) of Kalmykia Telo Tulku Rinpoche.

Within the framework of the meeting, a presentation of a new book “Dilova Khutukhta of Mongolia. Political Memoirs and Autobiography of the Reincarnation of a Buddhist Lama, which tells about the previous incarnation of Telo Tulku Rinpoche. The book was published in 2018 by the Save Tibet Foundation for the Promotion of the Preservation of the Cultural and Philosophical Traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. The executive editor of the publication S.L. Kuzmin, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Leading Researcher of the Department of Korea and Mongolia of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Telo Tulku Rinpoche will give a talk on the topic “What does it mean to be a tulku? My personal experience” and will answer the questions of the participants of the meeting.

The meeting will take place on November 11 (Sunday) at 14:00 in the center " open world"(Moscow, Pavlovskaya st., 18, Expo hall, metro station Tulskaya).

Admission is free, registration is required.

About the book

Dilova Khutukhta of Mongolia. Political Memoirs and Autobiography of the Reincarnation of a Buddhist Lama
The memoirs of Dilov-Khutukhty Bashlugiin Jamsranzhava (1884-1965) occupy a special place among the sources on the history of Mongolia in modern times. Their author is one of the highest lamas of Mongolia, the incarnation of Tilopa (Tib.: Telo) is a sacred figure for the followers of Tibetan Buddhism. The current reincarnation of Tilopa (following Jamsranjav) is Telo Tulku Rinpoche, the honorary representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Russia, Mongolia and the CIS countries, the Supreme Lama (Shajin Lama) of Kalmykia.

Dilova-Khutukhta B. Dzhamsranzhav is known to historians primarily as a religious, political and statesman Mongolia. He was one of the highest reincarnating lamas of Mongolia - Khutukht. During the period of repression in the 1930s, which, under the leadership of the Bolsheviks, was carried out by the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP), he, the only one of the surviving Khutukhts, managed to stay alive and leave the Mongolian People's Republic (MPR). He left behind political memoirs and an autobiography, which, although not without some inaccuracies, give a realistic picture of events and contain important information about a number of little-known episodes of history.

Translation from English by E. V. Gordienko
Managing editors of the Russian edition S. L. Kuzmin and J. Oyuunchimeg
Literary editor of the Russian edition N. G. Inozemtseva
Save Tibet Foundation, 2018.
352 p., 11 illustrations.
ISBN 978-5-905792-28-1

Telo Tulku Rinpoche

- Honorary Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Russia, Mongolia and the CIS countries, President of the Centralized Religious Organization "Association of Buddhists of Kalmykia", Spiritual Director of the Foundation for the Promotion of the Preservation of the Cultural and Philosophical Traditions of Tibetan Buddhism "Save Tibet" (Moscow), Spiritual Director of the Tilopa Center ( Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia).

Telo Tulku Rinpoche was born on October 27, 1972 to a family of Kalmyk emigrants in the United States. At the age of four, the future Supreme Lama of Kalmykia told his parents about his desire to become a monk. And when he was six years old, he had the opportunity to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who advised him to send the boy to study at the Drepung Gomang Tibetan Monastery in India. He spent 13 years there studying Buddhist philosophy under eminent Tibetan teachers. In the late 1980s, during his monastic years, he was recognized as the new reincarnation of the great Indian saint Tilopa, who incarnated twice in Inner Mongolia and three times in Mongolia.

In 1991, Telo Tulku Rinpoche first came to Kalmykia as part of a delegation from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. The first meeting with his historical homeland was followed by an invitation to lead the process of spiritual revival of the steppe republic, which was in dire need of his knowledge and spiritual experience.

In 1992, Telo Tulku Rinpoche was elected the Shajin Lama (Supreme Lama) of Kalmykia. In recent years, under his leadership, more than 30 Buddhist temples and prayer houses have been erected, which were destroyed in the years Soviet power. Since 2005, the residence of Telo Tulku Rinpoche has been located in the main temple of Kalmykia, the Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha, which is recognized as the largest Buddhist temple in Russia and Europe.

While serving as Shajin Lama, Telo Tulku Rinpoche makes great efforts to strengthen the religious and cultural ties that have existed for centuries between the traditional Buddhist regions of Russia and the Tibetan community, led by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

Telo Tulku Rinpoche accompanied the Dalai Lama on his first visits to Kalmykia in the early 1990s, which became Starting point to restore Buddhism in the republic. With his active participation, the long-awaited visit of the Dalai Lama to Russia in November 2004 was carried out, which gave a new impetus to the process of reviving traditional Buddhist values ​​in Kalmykia and Russia as a whole.

At the personal invitation of Telo Tulku Rinpoche, in recent years, the head of the Sakya school, His Holiness Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, the abbot of the Drepung Gomang Yonten Damcho monastery, the ex-abbot of the Namgyal Chado Tulku Rinpoche monastery, leading Buddhist teachers Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, Geshe Lhakdor, Barry Kerzin, Tenzin Priyadarshi, Robert Thurman, Alan Wallace and many others.

Reincarnation of Tilopa Telo tulku holds the position of Chief Lama, Shajin Lama, Kalmykia. His secular name is Erdni Basanovich Ombadykov. However, after he was recognized at the age of 8 as a new rebirth of the famous Mongolian line of Dilova-Khutukht, one can now learn about his secular name only from Wikipedia

Rebirth of Tilopa. Telo Tulku holds the position of Chief Lama, Shadzhin Lama, Kalmykia. His secular name is Erdni Basanovich Ombadykov. However, after he was recognized at the age of 8 as a new rebirth of the famous Mongolian line Dilova-Khutukht, one can now learn about his secular name only from Wikipedia. After Erdni Ombadykov was recognized as a reincarnation by the 14th Dalai Lama himself, he began to wear his official title - Telo tulku, where Telo is the Tibetan pronunciation of the name of the great Indian yogi Tilopa (Dilova in Mongolian). To be recognized as the reincarnation of Tilopa is a great honor and high prestige. So Erdni Basanovich at the age of eight became one of the most respected tulkus (reborn) of the Buddhist world.

American roots. The current rebirth of Tilopa was born in 1972 in the first capital of the United States of America, the city of Philadelphia, in a family of Kalmyk emigrants. About 2,000 Kalmyks live in the United States today. English from childhood became the native language of the little Kalmyk degenerate, but after his parents, on the advice of the XIV Dalai Lama, sent their son to study in India, Tibetan became his second native language.

Disciple of the Dalai Lama. The traditional place of study for Kalmyk lamas in Tibet was the Gomang faculty of Drepung Monastery, which was recreated by Tibetan refugees in India. Telo Tulku studied for 13 long years. During his years in India, Telo Tulku became a close disciple of the 14th Dalai Lama and accompanied him during the visits of the Tibetan hierarch to Russia in the early 1990s. Either on the initiative of the chief Tibetan hierarch, or at the request of the Kalmyk Buddhists themselves, in 1991, 19-year-old Telo Tulku was elected Shajin Lama of Kalmykia.

New Shajin Lama. Before Telo Tulku, the position of the Supreme Lama of the Kalmyks was held by the Buryat Lama Tuvan-Dorzhi, who was sent to Kalmykia by the Central Spiritual Administration of Buddhists, the only official Buddhist organization in the USSR in the first years after its collapse. Probably, the Kalmyks themselves considered the fact that the position of the Supreme Lama of the Kalmyks was occupied by the Buryats as a temporary and forced decision. Therefore, as soon as the figure of Telo Tulku, a high-status and well-educated Kalmyk, appeared on the horizon, the choice became obvious.

Achievements. Kalmykia recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of Telo Tulku as Supreme Lama of the Kalmyks. Over the years, the authority of an active Buddhist figure has been added to the charisma of the reborn. Indeed, in addition to the achievements of the Shajin Lama routinely listed in the media, including the restoration of dozens of monasteries, the construction of the largest Buddhist temple in Russia and Europe, there are others. It would not be an exaggeration to say that in these 20 years Telo Tulku has gained popularity and love among the Buddhists of Kalmykia, who are proud of his education, manners, modesty and closeness to the Dalai Lama. Telo tulku holds meetings with young people, teaches them how to cook vegetarian dishes, gives lectures on how stay buddhist in an urban setting. The age of the Shajin Lama, his urban upbringing, openness modern world which he inherited from his teacher.

Disciple of the Dalai Lama. The high authority of the 14th Dalai Lama adds respect to Telo Tulku as well. The connection between them can serve as an example of the pure teacher-student relationship so valued in Buddhism. Telo tulku maintains this status as a personal disciple of the leader of the Tibetan Buddhists. The figure of the Kalmyk hierarch stands behind all the initiatives to invite His Holiness to Russia. It was Telo Tulku who, more persistently than other Buddhist leaders in Russia, convinced the Russian authorities of the need to respect the rights of Buddhists in Russia, without stopping at direct criticism of the Minister of Foreign Affairs: “... I was full of hope when Sergey Lavrov, a diplomat from capital letter, representing the Russian Federation in the UN. I was sure that he would find a diplomatic solution acceptable to both parties: Russian citizens of the Buddhist faith, and business partners from the People's Republic of China. But now, reading the transcripts of his statements, I'm starting to think I was wrong." Such an emotional statement, so unusual for a religious leader, made by him after another refusal of a visa to the Dalai Lama, is explained, it seems to me, not by a lack of experience, but by really sincere emotions. These same emotions made him defiantly refuse to participate in the International Religious Summit, which was held in Moscow in 2006, when the Dalai Lama was not on the list of invited leaders. Then the claims of Telo tulku were addressed to one of the organizers of the event, then Metropolitan Kirill. All this does not add love to the leader of the Kalmyk Buddhists on the part of the officials of Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church.

Relations with the Buddhists of Buryatia and Tuva. Telo tulku's visits to Buryatia cannot be called frequent. During his last visit, Telo Tulku met with Khambo Lama Damba Ayusheev. After the meeting, in an interview with SaveTibet.ru, he could not contain his annoyance at what he thought was Ayusheev's lack of zeal in organizing the Dalai Lama's visit to Russia. Relations between the two leaders can be described as cool. The degree of these relations fell even lower after their interests clashed in another Buddhist region of Russia - Tuva. After the election of Suldym-bashka as the new Kamba Lama of Tuva in 2010, the latter led the line of rapprochement with Kalmyk Buddhists, while Buryatia had previously remained the main reference point for Tuva Buddhists. The emerging confrontation, which, fortunately, does not take on open forms, is explained by the difference in the strategic priorities of Telo tulku and Khambo Lama.

strategic priorities. The current Shajin Lama of Kalmykia is often accused of a lack of loyalty to Russia. The reason for such suspicions is not only the fact of his birth in the United States, but also his poor knowledge of the Kalmyk and Russian languages. Despite twenty years of living in Russia, Telo Tulku still does not feel free to speak, so to speak, "profile" languages, gives interviews and makes addresses or official congratulations on holidays in English and Tibetan. The obvious bias of the Kalmyk hierarch's policy towards His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the diaspora of Tibetan refugees in India has already been used by his opponents in Kalmykia. A number of Kalmyk lamas accused Telo tulku of ignoring lamas of Kalmyk origin and creating conditions for the dominance of Tibetans in Kalmykia. It is possible to treat such accusations in different ways, but it is quite obvious that Telo tulku does not try to hide his sympathy for the Tibetan refugees. He is the constant organizer of all major Russian events in "Tibetan India". Largely due to this position, Telo Tulku gained high prestige among Russian Buddhists, who regularly travel to India for the teachings of the Dalai Lama. But he has to pay for this with the distrust and coldness of the Russian authorities, who prefer to focus on the loyal and predictable Pandito Khambo Lama.

Alien in Russia. Despite the ardent love of his Kalmyk followers and young Russian neophytes, Telo tulku remains a stranger to the Russian political elite. Officials are annoyed by the principled and sometimes overly emotional position of the Shajin Lama on the Tibetan issue, his orientation towards the Tibetan diaspora, which is not recognized by the official authorities of Russia. One of the Russian researchers even regards the appointment and activities of Telo tulku as "the refusal of the Kalmyk Buddhists to revive their religion in the Russian regional format and the fairway laid by the Buryat traditionalists." All this, coupled with the American origin of the Shadzhin Lama and the use of an interpreter when communicating with his own people, provides sufficient grounds for his marginalization in the Russian political space. However, the sincerity, perseverance and love of the followers is the best guarantee of Telo Tulku's firm position in his post.

Never lose hope

In Buddhism there is a concept of "good karma". Famous Buddhist teachers who come to Kalmykia sincerely rejoice at how the teachings of the Buddha are being revived here, wondering how the Kalmyk people managed to maintain faith and devotion to their religion in the most difficult trials. But positive changes would not be so tangible if one day a humble young monk did not come to us with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His name meant little to the Kalmyks. But good karma has already manifested. The venerable Geshe Dugda, Ph.D., once said about this: “The Kalmyk people have good karma, because they have a precious mentor, Telo Tulku Rinpoche. However, such great mentors are not born where they are not needed. Of course, much remains to be revived; patience and diligence are needed along this path. The Tibetan people have adopted the teachings of the Buddha from Indian teachers for five centuries! But look what a breakthrough the Kalmyk people have made in just fifteen years.”

The future head of the Buddhists of Kalmykia was born into a family of Kalmyk emigrants in the United States. At the age of four, he began to tell his parents that his place was not here, that he wanted to become a monk. During His Holiness's visit to America, the baby's mother met with him and asked for advice. His Holiness recommended that parents enroll their child in a Buddhist monastery in India. First, his mother brought him to one of the newly created Tibetan monasteries, where the seven-year-old boy flatly refused to enter, saying that this was not his abode. And they went south, to the state of Karnataka, where a small group of monks, who left Tibet after the Dalai Lama, uprooted the forest in the desert jungle, clearing the site for the construction of the monastery.

The largest monastery-university of Drepung Gomang was founded in 1416 by the closest disciple of Lama Tsongkhapa, Jamyang Choyzhe, not far from the capital of Tibet, Lhasa. It soon became the largest educational center countries. People called it the Temple of a Thousand Doors. Here, many monks who have attained the understanding of voidness have entered and exited through the walls, as if open doors. Here, overcoming thousands of kilometers and the incredible hardships of a dangerous journey, Kalmyks, Buryats and Mongols came to gain knowledge of Buddhist teachings.

Kalmyks preserved the names of those few who studied in Drepung Gomang in different centuries, achieved high spiritual realizations and brought a lot of benefits to their people. One of them is a Buddhist monk, a prominent political figure in Central Asia in the middle of the 17th century, the creator of the Kalmyk script (todo bichig), a scientist, educator, poet and translator of many sacred texts by Zaya Pandit.

Until 1959, more than 10,000 monks studied at the monastery. After the invasion of Chinese troops into Tibet, many, following the Dalai Lama, left their homeland.

In India, according to the chronicles of the Drepung Gomanga Monastery, there were over a hundred monks in the monastic community. Geshe Lobsang, a Buddhist monk from Kalmykia, was chosen as abbot. He did everything to build a new Drepung Gomang in the state of Karnataka. During the day, the monks cleared a place from the jungle, built a road, and studied in the evening.

Telo Tulku Rinpoche arrived at the monastery when there were about 70 monks. The old lamas immediately drew attention to him. In the early days, during a prayer service, a seven-year-old boy declared that the rector was obliged to cede the throne to him, since this was his place, and it was he who should sit there. The baby was different from other children in many ways, and a letter was sent from the monastery to the Dalai Lama. By order of His Holiness, special studies were carried out, and the reincarnation of the great mahasiddha Tilopa, the great Indian yogi, was determined in the boy.

Tilopa was born in 988 in Bengal (India) to a Brahmin family. He studied in a monastery, wandered, then went to the tantric masters, studied with them, became the holder of all the lines of teachings and the founder of the Kagyu school.

A few centuries later, in 1980, a solemn ceremony took place in Drepung Gomang, and the boy from the Kalmyk family was recognized as the next incarnation of Tilopa, receiving a new name - Telo Tulku Rinpoche.

In the Tibetan tradition of Buddhism, it is believed that after reaching Enlightenment, Tilopa did not stop being reborn, and to this day exists in the world. The first six incarnations of Tilopa appeared in Tibet. From the seventh - began to be born in Mongolia.

Dilova-Khutukhta (1884 - 1965), - the previous rebirth of Tilopa, after the revolution he was forced to leave Mongolia, emigrate to Inner Mongolia, then to Taiwan, then return to China again. From there he went to Tibet, from Tibet to India, and eventually emigrated to the United States, where he lived in the Kalmyk community.

In Mongolia, the Dilova-Khutukhty Monastery is now being restored, and at every opportunity, the laity asks Telo Tulku Rinpoche to return to them. To which the Shajin Lama of Kalmykia replies that his people need him..

Journalists often ask Telo Tulku Rinpoche: what is it like to be the reincarnation of a great mahasiddha?

First of all, says Rinpoche, it is a big responsibility. - I have a big name, a big title, and if I'm concerned about something, it's only that I have to carry this great legacy that my great predecessor left. This is the main goal of rebirth - to preserve and pass on the traditions of predecessors.

The first time Telo Tulku Rinpoche came to Kalmykia was in 1991 as part of a delegation from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Finding out that our compatriot was among the Buddhist monks was a true shock for many. A year later, the Buddhist communities of the republic turned to him with a request to lead the spiritual revival in the republic. So, in his incomplete 20 years, he became the Shajin Lama of Kalmykia and headed the Union of Buddhists of the Republic.

When I became the Shajin Lama, - recalls the spiritual leader of the republic, - I was very young, and it was not easy for me. Find yourself in an environment that is unfamiliar to you. Lack of experience. Those were probably the two biggest challenges. Not to have at hand either an adviser or a teacher, people whom you could trust infinitely. A great responsibility fell on my shoulders. And my mind was not yet ready for the difficulties that had to be endured, being the spiritual head of the Kalmyk people. It must be said that between monastic life and mundane there is a big difference. I was not ready for this responsibility. I listened to many teachings, I listened to comments, instructions. But I didn't have the opportunity to practice these instructions. And it is not easy to turn theory into practice.

During the years of militant atheism in the Kalmyk steppes, all Buddhist temples and places of worship were destroyed to the ground. Of the monks who escaped execution, only a few survived in hard labor and in exile. In the years when khuruls were smashed, the wind carried pages of precious sacred texts across the steppe, broken statues lay in the courtyards of monasteries, and ritual utensils and figurines of Buddhist deities rattled on carts.

There was nothing left that could be preserved for posterity. The Kalmyks did something incredible - they retained a strong pure faith and devotion to their religion. People did not know prayers, they did not know how to fold their hands correctly in a prayerful gesture, but in their hearts an unquenchable fire of faith burned.

But faith without knowledge is blind, - says Telo Tulku Rinpoche, - When we talk about Buddhism, there are several factors. Buddhism for us is not only a religion, but also a part of our culture, our way of life, our mentality. The Buddhist worldview, first of all, is non-violence, compassion, here we, to a greater or lesser extent, follow these principles in Kalmykia. But we must not forget that we are still continuing this process of teaching people the true essence of Buddhism. We have lost a lot.

It should be noted that everything in the republic started from scratch. The first prayer house in Elista, the first office of Rinpoche - a rented room in the design institute, the first temple built using the folk construction method with donations from the people of Kalmykia. People of different nationalities and religions took part in the construction of a Buddhist temple in the suburbs of Elista. It was a single inspirational impulse.

In August 2007, he arrived in Kalmykia, then the chairman of the department for external church relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Kirill (now Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia). The distinguished guest in Elista performed two ceremonies: he consecrated the monument to Sergius of Radonezh and the construction site Orthodox Cathedral in Elista, which were attended by Telo Tulku Rinpoche and the monastic Sangha of the republic.

During the consecration of the site for the construction of the church, the Shajin Lama of Kalmykia said: “Today is a wonderful day for all the believers of Kalmykia. On behalf of the Buddhists of Kalmykia, I want to congratulate and greet our Orthodox brothers on the consecration of the foundation stone of the new cathedral and the monument to Sergius of Radonezh. People of different nationalities and religions live in our republic, they all live in peace and harmony, in friendship and mutual understanding. I am happy and glad about it. On behalf of the Buddhists of Kalmykia, we are making a donation for the construction of a new temple in the amount of 10 thousand dollars, this is a donation from the bottom of our hearts, with good motivation, and I think that in the future we will always help and support each other.”

Long before this event, truly friendly ties were established, developed and strengthened between representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Union of Buddhists of Kalmykia. They have not yet found the proper formalization, but representatives of three confessions met and talked about the revival of spirituality, the preservation and promotion of universal values: Buddhism, Christianity and Islam. Until now, in all significant events, people can hear an Orthodox priest, a Buddhist monk, an imam. And for all, such representation is a matter of course. In March 2004, the Interreligious Council was established, and for more than ten years it has been successfully operating. Kalmykia is an excellent example of inter-religious harmony, peace, concord and mutual understanding of spiritual brothers. “Dear brothers and sisters! - said in one of the messages of the Interreligious Council, - we appeal to all citizens of Kalmykia with an appeal to love and respect each other, to show care and attention to those who need support - the elderly, orphans, people with disabilities.

Telo Tulku Rinpoche puts enlightenment and educational goals at the head of his work. This will help, he believes, every person, overcoming difficulties, to become for real happy:

Many people ask themselves the question: “What is the meaning of life?” Some say: "The purpose of my life is to become a doctor." Okay, you've reached your goal of becoming a doctor. What's next? Are you still not satisfied? People keep looking and asking. First they look in the material sphere, but when they satisfy their most daring material and economic expectations, they find out that they still do not feel happy, they are still not able to find a balance. This shows that people need spiritual truth. Each of us desires happiness and does not desire suffering. When people suffer greatly, they seek salvation in alcohol, drugs, and the like. In fact, in order to overcome this problem, we need to share our love, compassion, kindness, be able to forgive, show tolerance. It is important to teach people to lead a correct, healthy lifestyle. And such a way of life is not limited only to physical health, mental health is also necessary. Of all living beings, only man has a developed intellect. We are potentially able to distinguish between a negative action and a good one. You just need to show people how to do it. This is what the Buddha taught us. Suffering is the nature of our life. And in order to reduce them, we need to cultivate compassion, love, kindness, tolerance, the ability to forgive, everything that makes your life happy.

The modern world is changing rapidly. The way of life has changed, the way of thinking has changed, the mentality has changed. But the teachings of the Buddha have been unchanged for thousands of years. Telo Tulku Rinpoche often says that the essence of the basis of religious teachings is one - to make a person kinder. If in life a person practices a good heart, if he is a good and decent person, this becomes the source of his happiness. No matter how amazing material progress may be, it does not give inner comfort, does not create peace of mind.

Today we can confidently say that internal balance provides religious, spiritual teachings. Buddhism as a doctrine, as a philosophy, as a faith is not divided. Culture is the life of people, traditions, mentality. The Buddha's teaching, as a certain way of thinking, reveals the path that leads to happiness. According to the Buddha, happiness in this life can be achieved by practicing love and compassion for all living beings. The Buddha teaches a moral way of life, teaches you to find harmony in life on a spiritual level.

Telo Tulku Rinpoche often emphasizes one of the unique features of Buddhism in his talks.

Buddhism is not only a religious teaching, it is a philosophy, it is a science,” he says. reducing stress as helping to nurture and enhance love, compassion, and kindness. Not only Buddhism, but also other religious teachings can influence the improvement of the mental state of people. But it is impossible not to say about religious fanaticism. I believe that those people whom we call radicals, extremists, terrorists use religion for their own selfish purposes. We can observe radical manifestations in Russia as well. Many people, not understanding and seeing these manifestations, come to the conclusion that other religions are bad. Those who use the teachings for their own purposes form a wrong understanding of religion. They discredit their religion by misinterpreting the provisions of the creed. Most people have not read the Quran. They don't know what jihad really means. According to the Qur'an, this means that one must fight disbelief in oneself, in other words, strive to eliminate one's shortcomings. And some radicals present it as a fight against infidels. This is how they discredit their faith. All this is due to ignorance.

Telo Tulku Rinpoche once said at a meeting with journalists: “The past is gone forever, you cannot return it. The future is not yet here, what it will be depends on what we are doing now in the present.” And from the first days of his activity, he laid the seeds of the future. The formation of a monastic community, the creation of a translation department, support for socially significant projects for the publication of Buddhist books, books of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the revival of pilgrimage traditions. In addition, he gave great attention and assistance to teachers in the Russian experiment on the study of the foundations of religious cultures and secular ethics, the platform of which was Kalmykia.

Then Telo Tulku Rinpoche said that there was no reason to worry: in the republic there is a central khurul “Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni”, whose monks can help teachers. Seminars, lectures, courses, round tables were organized to introduce the basics of Buddhism.

Society faces a huge number of problems - political, economic, moral. To overcome these difficulties, again, spiritual discipline and a code of moral principles that correspond to reality are needed. It would not be superfluous to seriously think about what the Buddhist approach to solving pressing social problems consists of, and find a way to offer society elements of Buddhist ethics. I am sure that this will be beneficial - it will contribute to his recovery.

Telo Tulku Rinpoche considers the introduction of the subject “Fundamentals of Religious Culture and Secular Ethics” into the general education program as a correct and timely step:

This is very good idea teach the basics traditional religion in schools, it benefits the individual. We live in a society in which people are separated from each other by belonging to religious cultures: for example, “you are a Buddhist, I am a Muslim”, but I believe that the world will become more harmonious if we all begin to communicate more, enter into a dialogue with others despite differences in religious views.

If we talk about the foundations of Buddhism, then knowledge in this area, based on the education in a person of love, compassion and such important quality how altruism, when you consider others more significant than yourself, helps to harmonize relationships in the family and society.

At school there is not a single subject on how to become a good, decent person. When we talk about how to become a good man, it is not necessary to start from any religious tradition. These are questions of secular ethics. Secular ethics is not based on any religious tradition, but promotes and develops universal human values. This needs to be learned. Just as we teach love to our own children, we must educate the rising generation as a whole. When we talk about Buddhism, in which several directions can be distinguished, then we should not talk about teaching religious doctrine, but, first of all, about teaching the basics of culture and Buddhist philosophy. Some work is being done in this direction, and it is not so easy.

An important event for the Kalmyk people was the appointment of Telo Tulku Rinpoche as the honorary representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Russia, Mongolia and the CIS countries. For him it was a complete surprise, for the Kalmyks another reason for joy. His new responsibilities include a lot, including the promotion of universal values, the development of interethnic harmony, the support of Buddhists in Russia, the CIS countries and Mongolia.

When journalists ask the Shajin Lama about his ideal, bright spiritual personality, he invariably says: I consider myself very lucky to be a disciple of His Holiness. I was very fortunate to spend time in his company. I traveled alongside him, attended his meetings with government officials, intellectuals, actors, ordinary people. It is very difficult to have such a state of consciousness, to be full of mercy like him. I look to the Dalai Lama as a role model. I have met many people, many politicians, many celebrities, but I have never met anyone like the Dalai Lama. He is an amazing person, he has so much compassion! He cares about problems environment the planet on which we live. He cares about peace on earth, he thinks about humanity. I know this as his friend, student and follower. And my duty and my duty is to uphold these values.

The Kalmyks are the only Asians in Europe who, several centuries ago, set off on wanderings in search of the promised land. They found their home in the Volga steppes, tied their fate with Russia.

We have a lot of financial problems, problems of the quality of education, quality of life, but no matter what difficulties we experience, we must not forget about the other side of life - the spiritual. The main thing at the same time is good motivation, do not pay too much attention to things of an external nature, the main thing is what is inside. Money matters in the world, but it cannot solve all problems. Remember the difficulties that we once had, that we experienced, and never give up, do not lose hope, we have all the opportunities for a bright spiritual life. And I believe that Buddhism will definitely make its contribution not only to the formation of our republic, but also to the stabilization of Russia. I absolutely believe in it,” once said the Supreme Lama of the Kalmyk people Telo Tulku Rinpoche.

Nina SHALDUNOVA