"Buddhism of Russia (Narthang Bulletin) №2 (1992)" - читать интересную книгу автора

IV. News from Communities.

1. St.Petersburg Buddhist Temple's community.

The Temple was built before the 1917 Revolution. Construction was initiated by H.H. Dalai Lama XIII Tibetan Gyatso and his preceptor and counsellor well-known Buryat Lama Agwan Lobsang Dorjieff. First Temple service was performed on 21 February 1913 and dedicated to celebration of 300 Anniversary of Romanov Royal House. The Temple was consecrated on August 1915. The Temple did function intermittently until 1937, when larger part of the Temple Staff was imprisoned. After this the Temple was occupied by different government organizations.

Only on 1989, because of start of democratization of political life in former USSR, it because possible to register Buddhist Society of Leningrad, and there was taken decision to return the Temple to Buddhist community. On June 1991 Lama Tenzin Khetsun was elected the Abbot of the Temple. Now in there are living and studying about 20 novices, who is taken first vows. There is Publishing Department in the Temple, which has reissued a manual of Tibetan medicine "Gyu-zhi", calendars, tankas etc. There is planned to be republished translation by G.Chybikov of classical work of Tsonkhapa "Lam Rim Cheng Po". International Department is organizing contacts with centers of Buddhism abroad. In the Temple is functioning The Center of Buryat Culture. The Temple also has founded The University of Buddhist Culture. The studies will begin in October of this year in the building of "Znanie" Society.

The repair and restoration of the Temple require of considerable financial means, so help would be welcome.

Address: St.Petersburg Buddhist Temple, Primorsky Av. 91, St.Petersburg 197228, Russia.

Report of Temple's Abbot.

2. Buddhists of St.Petersburg went to Germany.

On 9 August this year A.Pubants went to Germany for a month. He was invited by the Head of Hamburg Tibetan Center Geshe Nawang Thubten for learning and preparing for edition lectures of Geshe, which he have presented in May of this year.

At the same time the employees of St.Petersburg Buddhist Temple Z.Munkueva and E.Harkova also went there for studies on Vinaya.

3. On August 1992 Tibet Friends Society (TFS), non-commercial and cultural organization, was established by the religious union "Buddhist House" in St.Petersburg. Its aim is spreading in Russia the authentic ideas of Tibetan culture and the life of Tibetan people. TFS prepares to uphold contacts with Cabinet of H.H. Dalai Lama, His representation and "Tibetan Houses" in different countries, Tibetan agencies of mass information, to help all interested persons and organization with information on Tibet and contacts with Tibetans, to invite religious, public and creative groups to spread books, films about Tibet, articles of traditional Tibetan arts and craft etc.

All persons and organizations, which accept TFS' aims and take part in its work, can become TFS' Members.

Address: 193015, St.Petersburg, Tavricheskaya 95-82, tel. 274-44-39, Kozhevnikova M.