Oldal 89 [89]
OCR
INCARNATIONS AND THE SPIRITUAL LEADERS AS SUBJECTS AND OBJECTS OF THE POLITICAL ACTIVITY OF THE OIRATS AND KALMYKS (MıD-17"" — mMIp-18™ CENTURIES) Baatr U. Kitinov Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Moscow The spiritual leaders (lamas), being the object and subject of the political activity of the Oirats and Kalmyks, had been deeply involved in politics, beginning from the time of Choros Esen taisha. Highly estimated lamas of the Tibetan origin (the Dalai Lama, Panchen Lama, Ensa Tulku (Tib. dBen sa) — perhaps, he was of Oirat origin) should be considered mainly as objects than subjects of the Oirat (Khoshut, Torgut and Jungar) political activities; such attitude allowed these nomads to be deeply involved into Tibetan affairs, because this was the way to strengthen their Oirat tulers’ (Gushi, Daichin, Galdan) positions from the outer spiritual leaders. In case of such lamas (Sixth Dalai Lama) had been (or had been trying to be) included into Oirat political system, the situation usually led to the collapse of such administrative structure (Lhabzan Khan, Tsevang Rabden). The Oirat and Kalmyk lamas, being the subjects of their secular leaders’ political system, obeyed to the orders of their secular leaders and acted as magicians, ambassadors, etc. (Lobsang Phuntsok, Shakur, Anjjatan and Delek lamas). Such lamas’ positions as dependent leaders usually led to the struggle and mutual disagreement between religious and secular rulers in Oirat and Kalmyk societies; this situation also led to the rising involvement of the outer forces (Russian and Qing empires) into Oirat and Kalmyk affairs. The issue of the role of incarnations and the spiritual leaders in the politics of Oirats and Kalmyks, known also as the western Mongols, is very vast and complex. The specific situation with lamas in the Oirat societies originated from their complete dependence on their leaders. There was the special matter to the interest of the secular power in Buddhism: this was an idea of unity which had the crucial importance in terms of the Oirat confederations. This very feature of Buddhism which helped to sanctify a united state against factionalism was an advantage at its early stage of establishment in India where Buddhists were allies of the rulers of the old Indian states in their struggle against clan autonomy.’ Therefore, it may be concluded with a certain degree of confidence that /amas tried to win their khans’ support and thus contributed to the growth of their centralized states (usually understood as khanates) which in fact were built in the mid-17" century in Central Asia (Dzungaria and Kukunor regions) and the North Caspian region (second half of the same century). Besides, the earliest time, when Buddhism had a strong position as the ideological ' Bongard-Ljevin, G. M.: Indija epohi Mau jev. Izdatjel'stvo Nauka, Moskva 1973, p. 235. 87
