On the history of Buddhism in the Buryat-Mongolian (Buryat) Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in the late 50s of XX century

The article, based on documents of the State archive of the Republic of Buryatia (SARB), characterized by a history of Buddhism in Buryat-Mongolian (1958 Buryat) Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (BMASSR/BASSR) in the minor at the time, but indicative of the reporting period, the late 1950s. The Author notes that today, with a significant variety of scientific and popular publications on Buddhism in Buryatia, a complete, detailed picture of its history in the postwar period is not created. This is what predetermined the appeal to the sources. It should be noted that some researchers addressed parts of the documents considered in the article, but they did not give a complete, detailed description of all of them. Several conclusions were drawn from the study. First, in the author's opinion, the history of Buddhism in BMASSR (BASSR) in the postwar period is insufficiently studied. Secondly, Buddhism in Buryatia received the greatest development in the region against the background of other religious teachings. And official Orthodoxy, the old believers also had in Buryatia fairly widespread, but Buddhism “stood alone”. Third, Buddhism was developed in two components. The first is institutionalized, i.e. within the framework of an officially registered religious organization, a registered Church and clergy. The second, respectively, is not institutionalized, i.e. at the household level, in the form of services of wandering lamas. Fourth, the source for the study was the reports of the authorized Council for religious Affairs under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, which, in turn, contain only fragmentary data. Fifthly, the work of the Board Commissioner in BMASSR (BASSR) on analysis and characterization (as well as concrete actions) was not assessed in the best way by the Board management. The General conclusion of the study is the idea of the need for further painstaking work with sources, mainly archival documents, to recreate the most complete history of Buddhism in Buryatia in the postwar period. The reconstruction of the history of Buddhism in Buryat-Mongolian Autonomous Republic (BASSR) it is necessary to write, in the end, the General history of religious processes in the region in Soviet times. On the other hand, it is important for comparative analysis of the development of religious relations in neighboring regions.