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VLADIMIR USPENSKY the First Buddhist" Meeting was convened in the Atsagat Chuluutai Monastery. Altogether 102 deputies and scholars gathered there and agreed that new religious regulations were needed, based on the principles of the Vinaya matched with the needs of the present time. After this in December 1924 the Second Buddhist Meeting was held in Verkhneudinsk.? Its 43 deputies jointly examined the principles accepted by the previous meeting and again confirmed them. Although the Central Committee for Religious Affairs" tried — the best of its abilities — to purify and improve our religion by implementing the principles approved by these two meetings it could not totally implement them. This is because a small number of monks in some monasteries [who were] under the leadership of rich lamas and former lords were following the reactionary principles of the past and indulged in commerce, drinking alcohol, internecine feuds, gambling and other immoral things. In order to maintain their carefree living, they criticized the principles based on the Vinaya and impeded their implementation. In January 1927 the First Congress of Buddhists of the USSR was convened in Moscow. It was attended by 70 delegates representing [Khalkha] Mongolian, Tibetan, Buryat and Kalmyk peoples. This Congress thoroughly examined these principles and regulations adopted by the Second Buddhist Meeting of the Buryat Mongol People, much praised them and adopted [them]. Meanwhile, [the Congress] approved a resolution which said that along with adopting these principles as foundational and implementing the regulations of religious affairs and principles of monastic life, the active opposition of the reactionaries should be criticized and combated. During the period of time between the congress in Moscow and the composition of this letter a small group of our Buryat monks who did not want to abandon [their] immoral conduct have been making obstacles in implementing the regulations and principles composed on the basis of the Vinaya. In order [to achieve] this purpose they continue to preach openly or secretly to believers. These monks not only resist the opening of councils at their monasteries in accordance with the regulations, they misrepresent the religious regulations and establishments to the believers. In addition, they are working to hinder the activities of the Central Committee for Religious Affairs. In these fortunate times blessed with the [eight] leisures and [ten] endowments [of the perfect human rebirth],'' let the Central Committee for Religious Affairs and all of us monks, unite and make joint effort. After having got rid of these reactionaries and purified the precious Religion we shall lead the way following the path of righteousness. If we compare Czarist rule with the situation under Soviet rule, it is obvious that exceptional and unexpected freedom is given to the practice of Religion. On this point we are in agreement. Lit. “religious,” Mong. Sajin-u. Mong. Degedii Ude, present-day Ulan-Ude. Russ. Cjentral’nyj duhovnyj sovet buddistov. 1 Tib. dal brgyad ‘byor bcu. 122
