Buddhism in Saint Petersburg

The article is structured around the principal historical phases of Buddhism’s development in Russia. The first section surveys the emergence of Buddhist traditions among the Buryats, Kalmyks, and Tuvinians and their political integration into the Russian Empire. The second examines Saint Petersburg’s development as a center of Buddhist and Oriental Studies, highlighting academic translation, textual research, field expeditions, and the scholarly school associated with Stcherbatsky. The subsequent sections trace the establishment of the Buddhist datsan in Saint Petersburg, its relationship to Russian-Tibetan diplomacy, the persecution of Buddhist clergy and scholars during the Soviet era, and the gradual revival of Buddhist Studies. The final discussion addresses the emergence of new Buddhist communities in post-Soviet Saint Petersburg, including Tibetan Buddhist organizations founded or supported by European converts and teachers from India and Nepal.