Page 96 [96]
OCR
BAATR U. KITINOV with his obituary, have played a significant role among Oirats in Xinjiang, supporting the policy of the state power." It is interesting to point one more important cleric — Delek lama, who, after destroying of the Dzungarian Khanate by the Oing army in 1758, arrived to the Kalmyks, and became Shajin lama." Upon his arrival to ruling Kalmyk Donduk Dashi Khan (r. 1741-1761), Delek proclaimed himself “a senior reincarnation,” i.e. a khutuktu. He was obviously of an exceptional personality with the outstanding abilities; according to Ubashi Khan (r. 1761-1771), this lama “... upon his arrival and still being unknown to many people, has shown a number of surprising deeds.””® However, his rule was not long as very soon (about the end of October 1759) his own shabinars” (most likely, given to him by Donduk Dashi) sent a complaint to the khan, reporting “on his [Xhutuktu’s] most unlikely behaviour and damage to their burkhans inflicted by him and other improper acts, etc. ...”°° Indignant at this behavior of the religious personality, Donduk Dashi took him off from his high position and even put him under arrest. On receiving this news, N. Spitsin, the representative of the Russian authorities to the Kalmyks, thought it was not appropriate for a lama to be under arrest and insisted on his release. In January 1761, Donduk Dashi died and his son Ubashi succeeded him as khan of the Kalmyks. On 28 March 1761 N. Spitsin received a letter from the new khan concerning Delek lama: “Now we have some doubts concerning him as it has become known, that not only now but at the time of huntaiji he had made wonders, this was reported by Zengors, both by nobles and ordinary people, who had seen and heard about them ... Besides, curious times have come since last year as he by accident makes the ground dry and produces irregular thunderstorms and rainbows and also fire fall ...” Ubashi accused the lama of causing his father’s death and in fact had refused to regard him as the spiritual person: “...1t was really strange that khan died so suddenly, nobody had had any premonition. It has been revealed to us in our books that the khan became the victim of the monk’s magic actions ... Taking into consideration all of this, we do not trust him any longer.” Ubashi did demand N. Spitsin to “send this lama to some distant place far away from the Kalmyks for his indecent acts. ...”** Aware of the predicament in which both the secular and religious leaders of the Kalmyks found themselves, N. Spitsin addressed his request to the Imperial Collegium for Foreign Affairs to St. Petersburg. In summer 1761 he received an order to send khutuktu Delek lama to the Collegium, accompanied by one of his own people. In autumn of the same year Delek lama was For instance, see: Kitinov, V. U.: Lama Andzatan: inkarnacii ucitjelja. Vjestik Rossijskogo univjersitjeta druzby narodov. Vsjeobscaja istorija 2 (2016), pp. 27-35. Shajin lama headed the Kalmyk Sangha. °8 The National Archive of Kalmyk Republic. Collection 145, list 1, case 429, p. 30. Shabinars — the laymen, who belonged to monasteries and temples. 30 The National Archive of Kalmyk Republic. Collection 145, list 1, case 429, p. 29. >! The National Archive of Kalmyk Republic. Collection 145, list 1, case 429, p. 30. » The National Archive of Kalmyk Republic. Collection 36, list 1, case 330, p. 91. 94
