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During the thirteenth century, Kublai Khaan's court had representatives of all the philosophies of his empire; Islam, Taoism, Christianity, Confucianism and Buddhism. But out of these, it was Tibetan Buddhism that the great Khaan chose to take on board. Buddhism was really the religion of the aristocracy, and following the Tibetan Empire's downfall; shamanism became predominate again until the mid sixteenth century.
In the second half of the sixteenth century, Yellow Hat sect Buddhism
was adopted for political as well as social reasons. In 1578,
the Altan Khaan, was converted by the Tibetan leader Sonam Gyatso,
and subsequently, the Khaan bestowed upon him the title Dalai
Lama. Other important lamas were reborn in Mongolia. The most
significant one being the Jebtzun Damba, Tibetan Buddhism's third
highest incarnation. The first reincarnation of this lama was
the sculptor and diplomat Zanabazar.
Up to the early twentieth century, Mongolian reincarnate Lamas regularly went to Beijing to bless the emperor. Then in 1911, the eighth Jebtzun Damba, the Bogd Khaan wielded sacred and secular power and declared Mongolia's independence.
In 1921, the communist government came into power. Not only did
they have a problem with the power of he monasteries and the religion
ideologically, but also they didn't like the fact that the monks
didn't work or reproduce. At that time there were 1,110,000 lamas
and 700 monasteries. After the death of the Bogd Khaan in 1924,
they prevented a successor from being found. Some believe however,
that the ninth Jebtzun Damba was reincarnated in Tibet in 1932.
It wasn't until 1999, that as a 67year old man, this Lama visited
Mongolia for the first time. On his visa, he wrote, occupation
- Reincarnation of Tibetan deity!
The purges started in 1929 with the confiscation and redistribution
of property and herds belonging to the monasteries. Arrests and
executions in 1932 led to rebellions and young lamas were conscripted
into the army. In 1937 the bloody purge saw Choibalsans secret
police arrested over 17000 monks and virtually none of them were
ever seen again. Only four monasteries survived and were preserved
as museums of the feudal period.
All religious worship and ceremonies was outlawed until 1990. With the arrival of democracy, the freedom of religion was restored. In the past few years there has been an extraordinary revival of Buddhism. One of the most appreciated gifts to families is a picture of the Dalai Lama. His Holiness drew vast crowds in 2002.
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