Tibet Foundation - Buddhism in Mongolia Projects
While the Buddhism in Mongolia programme is, for largely administrative purposes, composed of a number of mostly small individual projects, each of these falls in to one of the five broadly defined categories that form the framework of the Programme, reflecting the most pressing challenges that face Mongolian Buddhists.
Traditional Buddhist Education
The majority of the programme portfolio is made up of projects that focus on education as a means of assisting the revival of Buddhism. By educating young Mongolians, mainly monks and nuns, we are contributing towards the development of a monastic and lay community that can return Buddhism to its rightful place at the heart of Mongolian culture in generations to come. This key aspect of the programme includes Education Exchanges, Buddhist Education in Mongolian and Improving Tibetan Studies.
Traditional Medicine
Buddhism in Mongolia is working with the School of Traditional Medicine in the National Medical University of Mongolia to strengthen understanding of the Buddhist foundation of traditional Mongolian medical practice. The School, established in 1989, trains doctors in the theory and clinical practice of traditional Buddhist medicine. The head of the school, Professor Tumurbaatar, requested support from the Foundation to help him "put Buddhism back in to the heart of traditional medicine." With funds from the programme, the School is currently producing a series of four medical textbooks in modern Mongolian language that will greatly assist in the re-establishment of traditional Mongolia medical practice.
Buddhism in Mongolia provided funds to build a traditional medical clinic in the grounds of Pethub Monastery which is operating on a non-profit basis. The Prime Minister, Enkhbayar, and the Mayor of Ulaanbaatar formally opened the clinic in June 2002. The resident doctor is a young Mongolian monk who was trained at the Menba Datsan in Ulaanbaatar. In 2002 he was joined by a Tibetan Amchi (traditional physician) trained at the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute in Dharamsala, whose international travel costs were paid by the Programme.
Traditional Art and Design
As in Tibet, traditional art and design in Mongolia are inextricably linked to Buddhism, the most pervasive influence on Mongolian culture prior to the Communist era. Returning Buddhism to the fore of Mongolian life cannot be achieved without efforts being made to restore the relationship between Buddhism and traditional art and design, and respecting the role they have played in Mongolia 's cultural heritage. Projects in this category are concerned with bringing back the skills and knowledge that were almost completely lost during the Communist era and preserving the few remaining examples of Buddhist art that survived this period. The programme aims to assist those Mongolians who are committed to seeing traditional Buddhist art and design flourish once more. More.
Buddhist Materials for Mongolians
Whereas in the early years of Buddhism in Mongolia the educational projects were mostly targeted at monastics, the scope of our projects has broadened and the intention is to offer more to lay Mongolians of all ages. In 1998 we were asked by a Mongolian kindergarten teacher to produce Buddhist materials for children in modern Mongolian that is easy for them to understand. We took this request very seriously and have made significant progress in this area of work.
Completed projects include the production of "The Monkey King and Other Buddhist Tales" and "Life of the Buddha" video films for children. Both films have already been broadcast on Mongolian national television. Illustrated books to accompany the films have been published through the Dharma Wheel Society in Ulaanbaatar, who cooperate with Gandan monastery and other Buddhist organisations to ensure that all the books and films are distributed throughout Mongolia to those who they will most benefit. More.
Funding the publication of work by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
His Holiness the Dalai Lama has visited Mongolia several times since 1990, most recently in November 2002, each time drawing huge crowds of devotees. Many Mongolians are eager to read the Dalai Lama's teachings, and the Programme has funded the production of several books in Mongolian by and about the Dalai Lama. These include:
• Freedom in Exile: A biography of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, 2002, translated by Dr. Chuluunbaatar of the Buddhist Research Centre, Mongolia National University
• A Biography of the Dalai Lama, 2002, by two journalists using mainly Russian sources with some material provided by Tibet Foundation.
• The Essence of Refined Gold with a commentary by His Holiness the Dalai Lama (September 2003), translated by Dorjgotov.
• His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Speeches and Teachings in Mongolia, 2002.
• The World of Tibetan Buddhism by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to be published in 2004.
