Mongolian Buddhism is the first book to explore the development of
Mongolia's state religion, from its formation in the thirteenth century
around the time of Chinggis Qaan (Genghis Khan) until its demise in the
twentieth century under the Soviet Union.
Until its downfall, Mongolian Buddhism had served as a scientific,
political, and medical resource for the Mongolian people. During the
1930s, Mongolian Buddhist monasticism, the caretaker of these resources,
was methodically and systematically demolished. Lamas were forced to
apostatize, and were either enslaved or executed. Now, after the fall of
the Soviet Union, Mongolian Buddhism has reemerged in a country that
has yet to fully confront its bloody past.
Through historical analysis of Tibetan, Chinese, and Russian accounts of
history, Michael Jerryson offers a much-needed religio-political
perspective on the ebb and flow of Buddhism and the Sangha in Mongolia.