On the Issue of Foreign Policy Activities of Buddhists of the USSR in the Context of the Religious Policy of the Soviet State (1950s–1970s)

Introduction.  At present, when there is an intensification of cultural exchanges, political and economic contacts between Russia and Asian countries, it may be useful to study the experience of the history of relations between Buddhist organizations of different countries in international non-governmental organizations in the post-war decades. The purpose is to study some details of the international activities of the Buddhist clergy in the 1950s–1970s, namely: the features of interaction between Soviet state bodies and the Central Spiritual Administration of Buddhists and some aspects of the history of the participation of Soviet Buddhists in international non-governmental organizations. Materials. The main sources of the article were materials of the State Archive of the Russian Federation, as well as other archives of the country. A number of archival documents are being introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. Conclusions. The institutionalization of Buddhism was carried out under the full control of the Soviet state, but at the same time it contributed to its development and spread, albeit in a limited form in various regions of the country. The direct foreign policy activity of Soviet Buddhists, in the conditions of the Cold War, was subordinated to the guidelines of the party, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the relevant competent departments. The Buddhists of the USSR were the agents of state policy in the international arena in the East. Since 1970, after the formation, on the initiative of the Soviet government, of the international organization “Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace”, Mongolia has become a key Buddhist diplomatic partner of the USSR. In the context of the formation of a “new world order,” people’s Buddhist diplomacy today can become one of the main actors in international relations.

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