Manjusri Monastery
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Manjusri Monastery, Mongolia
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| Coordinates | 47°45′52″N 106°59′32″E / 47.76444°N 106.99222°E |
| Monastery information | |
| Location | Bogd Khan Mountain, Zuunmod Sum, Töv Province, Mongolia |
| Founded | 1733 |
| Type | Tibetan Buddhist |
| Architecture | Chinese, Mongol and Tibetan influences |
Manjusri Monastery (Mongolian: Манзушри Хийд, Manzushir Khiid; alternately translated as Manzushir) is a former Buddhist monastery established in 1733 and destroyed by Mongolian communists in 1937. Its ruins are located approximately 15 kilometers (as the crow flies, 43 kilometers by car) south of the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar on the south slope of Bogd Khan Uul mountain.
The monastery, dedicated to Manjusri (Tib: Jampelyang - the Bodhisattva of Wisdom), was first established by the sainted monk Luvsanjambaldanzan in 1733 as the permanent residence of the Reincarnation of the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. It came under the personal administration of Mongolia’s religious leader Bogd Gegeen in 1750. Over time, the monastery expanded became one of the country's largest and most important monastic centers with 20 temples and more than 300 monks. Religious ceremonies often involved more than 1000 monks. The lamasery housed a collection of valuable and rare Buddhist scriptures, including golden script on silver leaf.
On February 3, 1921 the Bogd Gegeen sought refuge at the monastery after occupying Chinese troops released him while fleeing the advance of forces loyal to Baron Ungern von Sternberg. The Bogd Gegeen named the monastery’s chief abbot, Manzushir Khutagt Sambadondogiin Tserendorj, prime minister during Ungern von Sternberg’s puppet regime (February to July 1921).
The monastery’s fortunes changed after the Outer Mongolian Revolution of 1921. In the early years following the revolution, Tserendorj allegedly collaborated with the physically weakened Bogd Khan on various counter-revolutionary schemes, including sending messages for assistance to Japan. After the Bogd Khan died in 1924, the monastery and its inhabitants suffered waves of persecution as the socialist regime sought to eliminate the influence of institutional Buddhism within the country. In 1929 – 1930 Tserendorj had his personal property confiscated by the state and in 1936, at the start of Stalinist purges, he was one of 24 lamas arrested by Khorloogiin Choibalsan’s Interior Ministry for belonging to a "counter-revolutionary group." In February 1937, the monastery’s last remaining 53 lamas (most older than 50–60 years) were arrested and many were later shot. All 20 temples of the monastery were then destroyed. The valuable Buddhist scriptures were moved to the Mongolian National Library. After a year long trial Tserendorj was found guilty and publicly executed in front of the national theater (present day Sukhbaatar Square) in October 1937.
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Wikipedia