On the history of higher Buddhistic philosophic academies “Choyra” in Kalmykia in the first third of the XX century

The article is devoted to the history of philosophic Buddhistic academies. In the beginning of the XX century in the context of the new politico-social processes which were taking place in the Kalmyk Steppe of Astrakhan region(guberniya) some new tendencies in the psyche of the society manifested themselves. One of the signs of that manifestation was the opening of higher religious Buddhist schools in Kalmykia. There were three higher Buddhistic philosophic academies “Choyra ” on the territory of Kalmyk Steppe of Astrakhan region: the one of the Ikitsohurovskiy ulus, the second one of the Maloderbetovskiy ulus and the third in the Denisovski khulul of the Don Kalmyks, The primary objective of their founders (Baaza-baksha Menkedzhuev, Agvan Dorzhiev, Menke Bormanzhinov) way the renovation of Buddhism, the uplift of the clergy educational level.