Schools of Buddhism

This collection hosts interviews with teachers and lamas of various schools of Buddhism as well as stories by laypeople about their religious experiences and understanding of Buddhism.

Many Kalmyks regard the Dalai Lama's visits to Kalmykia as auspicious events in the spiritual and social life of Kalmykia. Believers also feel blessed by the visits of other prominent Buddhist scholars and leaders to the steppe republic, including the 17^th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje (head of the Karma Kagyu lineage), Ole Nydahl (founder of the Diamond Way Buddhism of Karma Kagyu), the 41^st Sakya Trizin (head of the Sakya tradition), the 8^th Arjia Rinpoche (reincarnation of Lumbum Gye, father of Tsongkapa who was the founder of Gelug), and others. With Gelug being the dominant school, all traditional schools of Buddhism are currently represented in Kalmykia. Among them Nyingma is quickly gaining popularity in recent years. The next most popular school is Kagyu. Sakya, however, has the smallest number of followers. All these schools organise seminars, carry out practices, and build Buddhist structures.