“РАНГДЖУНГ ЄШЕ” В УКРАЇНІ: ТИБЕТСЬКА БУДДІЙСЬКА ТРАДИЦІЯ, АДАПТАЦІЯ, ІДЕНТИЧНІСТЬ ТА УКРАЇНСЬКИЙ КОНТЕКСТ (НА ПРИКЛАДІ ГРОМАД КИЄВА І ЛЬВОВА)

Abstract

In the article, on the example of Ukrainian Buddhist community “Rangjung Yeshe” (centers in Kyiv and Lviv), the problem of identity of Ukrainian Buddhists and features of self-consciousness is analyzed using the approaches and methods of cultural anthropology. Through in-depth interviews in the communities of believers in Lviv and Kyiv (2020–2021), it was possible to identify a number of aspects of social life, worldview, social background of Ukrainian Buddhists and the impact of all these areas on community change. A special place is given to the relationship between Ukrainian and Buddhist identities, and in principle the theme of the coexistence of the Ukrainian and the Buddhist in different dimensions, in particular in culture, language, socio-political sphere.
The topic of adaptation of the Tibetan branch of Buddhism in the Ukrainian conditions is raised: it was important to note how members of the community perceive these processes and possible changes, how they would like the Ukrainian sangha to develop in the future. Almost all interviewed believers perceive such phenomena as inevitable, necessary and quite natural. They lend to understand other phenomena where Buddhism changes in a new context as “skillful means”. Thus, the idea of deeper adaptation and even transformation of Tibetan Buddhism under the influence of the Ukrainian cultural and socio-political ideological context, etc. deserves attention.
The Ukrainian sangha, rather, falls under the group of “traditional”: they preserve hierarchy and teachings within the Tibetan Vajrayana, but show considerable flexibility. At the same time, the Ukrainian Buddhist community skillfully combines both Ukrainian and Tibetan (Buddhist) culture and traditions. The choice of Buddhism did not change the Ukrainian identity of the adherents, but on the contrary, sometimes supported it. This is considered in the context of socio-political transformations in Ukraine.
Another aspect raised in the article is the issue of proselytism and the reasons for coming to Buddhism. Interestingly, in addition to the expected vacuum of religious life in the post-Soviet (post-socialist) countries, which prompted, after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, a religious revival, interest in religions, including Oriental, like Buddhism, Ukrainian Buddhists by the nature of their “conversion”, for reasons why they came to dharma have much in common with Western Buddhists. “Rangjung Yeshe” – by the nature of their activities can hardly be called an active proselytic movement: this is due to the teachings of the Buddha and traditional Buddhist tolerance. At the same time, tolerance in relations with other religions and religious communities is a characteristic feature of Ukrainian followers of the Buddha’s dharma.
There are parallels between Ukrainian and Western Buddhists which are worth noticing. Their development and the theme of adapting the teachings of the Buddha and Buddhist practices in the Western context is the experience that is interesting to compare with the processes in Ukraine. In particular, we can see some common features that Tibetan Buddhism has in Britain (for example, Karma Kagyu) and in Ukraine (“Rangjung Yeshe”).