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MONGOLIAN FEMALE PRACTICIONERS; QUEENS AND KHANDROMAS — PAST AND PRESENT
Xandroma GarCinsaju (1924—until Today)
She was born in Culüt Sum, Arxangai Aimag. She became a disciple of Siwa Siret and
took her name from that lama. Also she had another teacher named Gelen Sowd, who
was a vegetarian. She received the transmission of Naroxajo Coinxor from her teacher
and constantly practiced it in her life. Nowadays, she has been giving this transmission
to her disciples and performing the relevant puja with her disciples. She is known for
her ability to heal sick people.
Later Generation
After democracy was established in Mongolia, people obtained the religious freedom
genuinely. Since then, Buddhism has been coming back into the daily life of people.
Nunneries and women’s centers have been opened. Therefore, it gave great opportu¬
nities to girls to study Buddhist philosophy and traditions. We see that the revival of
Mongolian Buddhism is inseparable from the engagement of the late Kushok Bakula
Rinpoche. He was really concerned about the education of these girls. So he ordained
his female disciples for the first time and sent them to Dharamsala for their further
studies.
Also our teacher, Naidan lama, gave xandromas from Tégs Bayasgalant, Naroxajod,
and Dar’ Ex important transmissions of Xajo, Tara, the Chod Practice of Nyingmapa
Tradition and, particularly, the Mani Retreat by Ondér Gegeen Dsanabadsar (Khal.
Ondér Gegén Janabajar), the first incarnation of the lineage of Bogd Jebtsundamba
Khutagt (Khal. Bogd jawjandamba xutagt). Also he set up the orders of our pujas. So
all these centers have been performing the pijas until today.
His Holiness the 9" Bogd Jebtsundamba Khutagt, our Root Guru, granted us, dis¬
ciples studying in Dharamsala, the transmission of Xajo and Xandro Dagini’s Chod
Practice which gave us a great passage to the Tantric Tradition. In 2011, my Root Guru
gave permission to uphold the Khandro Nyinggyud (Khal. Xandro Ninjüd) transmis¬
sion in the future. So it became the very foundation for establishing Khandro Nying¬
gyud Centre for women’s education and practice. Recently, our center had organized
the Great Chod Prayers for flourishing this rare transmission for four times. At these
prayers, both monks and nuns, xandromas participated widely. In order to recognize
the participation of xandromas and nuns in the spread of Mongolian Buddhism, we suc¬
cessfully organized the first conference on Buddhist women in Mongolia in 2014. The
importance of this conference was about the proper education of women on Buddhism.
What I have observed in recent years, what I observe is that the most of the audience
or learners at various Buddhist centers are active female practitioners in Mongolia.
I firmly belive that women with the proper Buddhist education can change or build
a better society I firmly believe.
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