Sociology of Buddhism in Russia

The aim of this paper is to describe the development of sociology of Buddhism and to explore the peculiarities of its theoretical and methodological making. Sociological studies have essentially influenced the theoretical and methodological approaches to the scientific study of Buddhism. However, paradoxically, sociology and anthropology of Buddhism possess semi-marginal field in the Russian Buddhist studies. Sociology from the very beginning theoretically attached to the field of Buddhist studies. Such outstanding theorists as Emile Durkheim and Max Weber had used Buddhism as an important point to construct their vision of social theory of religion.