Socially Engaged Buddhism of Kalmykia: Land Degradation and the Ecological Initiatives of the Central Khurul

Abstract

In recent years desertification turned into the main ecological problem of the republic of Kalmykia, Russia. With 80% of its territory desertificated Kalmykia is defined as an ecological disaster zone. The article is the result of an expedition of scholars from the East Siberia State University of Technology and Management, Ulan-Ude, Russia, to the Republic of Kalmykia, Russia, in spring 2021. The field work was devoted to the collection of materials about ecological projects of the Central Khurul of the republic of Kalmykia, one of the traditional Buddhist regions of Russia, which were connected to the problem of land degradation. We argue that the ecological initiatives of the Buddhist clergy can be divided into religious, ideological and collaborative. Religious initiatives include activities aimed at improvement of ecological conditions on sacral level, achieved through Buddhist theory and related religious practices. Ideological activities imply cultivation of ecological values in the society by the Buddhist sangha, including both secular ideas of ecological thinking, and purely religious concepts based on Buddhist doctrine. Collaborative activities introduce such environmental initiatives, where Buddhist sangha as a traditional and highly reputable institution engages other social and state organizations into environmental projects, ensuring their interaction.