Russian state, orthodoxy and buddhism in buryat spiritual space in the late xixth - early xxth century

The paper deals with Russian imperial policy towards Buddhism in the late XIXth - early XXth century, focusing on Buryatia. The changes in this policy were primarily conditioned by the state interests in the east of the country, which promoted the establishment of a dialogue with the Buddhist clergy in order to prevent foreign influence on Buddhist Buryats. At the same time, the only state religion - Russian Orthodoxy - tried, often coming into conflict with legislation, to suppress the influence of Buddhism, especially among the Baikal Buryats. The Christianization of the ethnic non-Russians was seen not only in religious and ideological terms but also as the achievement of the religious homogeneity of the country and Russification, which would, according to Orthodox leaders, contribute to strengthening the Russian identity of the subjects of Russian Empire.