Datsan
Encyclopedia
Datsan is the term used for Buddhist university monasteries
in the Tibet
an tradition of Gelukpa located throughout Mongolia
, Tibet and Siberia
. As a rule, in a datsan there are two departments—philosophical and medical. Sometimes to them is added the department of the tantric practices
where the monks study only after finishing education in the philosophical department.
In pre-revolutionary Russia, datsans traditionally existed only in the Buryat
territories, most of those now included in Buryatia and Transbaikalia (a number of datsans there has been reconstructed or started since the early 1990s). There was a difference with Tibetan administrative idea: in Tibet, several datsans were education-centered parts of larger organizations, as Drepung
, Ganden
, and Sera Monastery
in Gelugpa tradition. In Russia, datsans were not parts of a larger entity, but rather independent educational and religious centers. In Buryat Buddhism, terms "Buddhist monastery" and "Datsan" are interchangeable, as other monastery organization forms found in Tibetan Buddhism elsewhere, were not present.
government and others in the Zabaykalsky Government. The first datsan in Europe was Gunzechoyney datsan in St. Petersburg.
Between 1927 and 1938 all 47 datsans existed in Buryatia and Transbaikalia were closed or destroyed. In 1945 the Ivolginsky datsan
was opened, and several years later the Aginsky datsan resumed operations. The following ten datsans were not opened until 1991.
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in the Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
an tradition of Gelukpa located throughout Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, Tibet and Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
. As a rule, in a datsan there are two departments—philosophical and medical. Sometimes to them is added the department of the tantric practices
Tantra
Tantra , anglicised tantricism or tantrism or tantram, is the name scholars give to an inter-religious spiritual movement that arose in medieval India, expressed in scriptures ....
where the monks study only after finishing education in the philosophical department.
In pre-revolutionary Russia, datsans traditionally existed only in the Buryat
Buryats
The Buryats or Buriyads , numbering approximately 436,000, are the largest ethnic minority group in Siberia and are mainly concentrated in their homeland, the Buryat Republic, a federal subject of Russia...
territories, most of those now included in Buryatia and Transbaikalia (a number of datsans there has been reconstructed or started since the early 1990s). There was a difference with Tibetan administrative idea: in Tibet, several datsans were education-centered parts of larger organizations, as Drepung
Drepung Monastery
Drepung Monastery ,, located at the foot of Mount Gephel, is one of the "great three" Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet...
, Ganden
Ganden Monastery
Ganden Monastery or Ganden Namgyeling is one of the 'great three' Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet, located at the top of Wangbur Mountain, Tagtse County, 36 kilometers ENE from the Potala Palace in Lhasa, at an altitude of 4,300m...
, and Sera Monastery
Sera Monastery
Sera Monastery is one of the 'great three' Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet, located north of Lhasa. The other two are Ganden Monastery and Drepung Monastery. The origin of the name 'Sera' is attributed to a fact that the site where the monastery was built was surrounded by wild roses in...
in Gelugpa tradition. In Russia, datsans were not parts of a larger entity, but rather independent educational and religious centers. In Buryat Buddhism, terms "Buddhist monastery" and "Datsan" are interchangeable, as other monastery organization forms found in Tibetan Buddhism elsewhere, were not present.
List of datsans in Russia
Datsans were officially acknowledged in the Imperial Russia in 1734. By statute of 1853 there were two recognized datsans in the IrkutskIrkutsk
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
government and others in the Zabaykalsky Government. The first datsan in Europe was Gunzechoyney datsan in St. Petersburg.
Between 1927 and 1938 all 47 datsans existed in Buryatia and Transbaikalia were closed or destroyed. In 1945 the Ivolginsky datsan
Ivolginsky datsan
Ivolginsky datsan is the Buddhist Temple located in Buryatia, Russia, 23 km from Ulan Ude, near Verkhnyaya Ivolga village.-History:The datsan was opened in 1945 as the only Buddhist spiritual centre of USSR...
was opened, and several years later the Aginsky datsan resumed operations. The following ten datsans were not opened until 1991.
- Khambyn Khure datsan (Улан-Удэнский Дацан Хамбын Хурэ) in Ulan-UdeUlan-UdeUlan-Ude is the capital city of the Republic of Buryatia, Russia, located about southeast of Lake Baikal on the Uda River at its confluence with the Selenga...
- Aginsky datsan (Агинский Дацан) in Aginskoye
- Kurumkansky datsan (Курумканский Дацан) in KurumkanKurumkanKurumkan is a small town, the administrative center of Kurumkansky District in Russia.The name Kurumkan came from Evenk language which means a stone river. It is located on the north and the distance between Kurumkan and Ulan-Ude is 413 km. The population in 2008 was 6278. There is a bus that runs...
- Sartuul Gegetuy datsan (Сартуул Гэгэтуйский Дацан) in Gegetuy
- Egituysky datsan (Эгитуйский Дацан) in Egituy
- Sanaginsky datsan (Санагинский Дацан) in Sanaga
- Ivolginsky datsanIvolginsky datsanIvolginsky datsan is the Buddhist Temple located in Buryatia, Russia, 23 km from Ulan Ude, near Verkhnyaya Ivolga village.-History:The datsan was opened in 1945 as the only Buddhist spiritual centre of USSR...
(Иволгинский Дацан) in Verkhnyaya Ivolga - Kizhinginsky datsan (Кижингинский Дацан) in Kizhinga
- Baldan Breybun datsan (Дацан Балдан Брэйбун) in Murochi
- Tugnuysky datsan (Тугнуйский дацан) in Mukhorshibir
- Okinsky datsan (Окинский дацан) in Orlik
- Tamchinsky datsan (Тамчинский дацан) in GusinoozyorskGusinoozyorskGusinoozyorsk is a town and the administrative center of Selenginsky District of the Republic of Buryatia, Russia, located on the northeastern shore of Lake Gusinoye, southwest of Ulan-Ude. Population: 13,800 .-History:...
- Kyrensky datsan (Кыренский дацан) in Kyren
- Khoymorsky datsan (Хойморский дацан) in Arshan
- Ugdansky datsan (Угданский дацан)
- Ust-Ordynsky datsan (Усть-Ордынский (Абатанатский) дацан) in Ust-OrdynskyUst-OrdynskyUst-Ordynsky is a settlement in and the administrative center of Ust-Orda Buryat Okrug in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. It is located on the right bank of the Kuda River 62 km northeast of Irkutsk. Population:...
- Aninsky datsan (Анинский дацан) in Ana
- Chesansky datsan (Чесанский дацан) in Chesan
- Tsugolsky datsan (Цугольский дацан) in Tsugol
- Saint Petersburg Tibetan Temple
- Gunzechoyney datsan (Дацан Гунзэчойнэй) in Saint PetersburgSaint PetersburgSaint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
- Gunzechoyney datsan (Дацан Гунзэчойнэй) in Saint Petersburg