Mongols chose Buddhism?

Question

For a research project, I'm having to explain why the Mongolian empire, which onced had a very rich spiritual tradition, dropped it and went to Islam. Then, they eventually dropped this and went over to Lamaistic Buddhism. Does anyone know why? Perhaps there's a good explanation.

Please, no sarcastic or foolish answers. Save that for the humor section.

Answer 1

i don't know where you get the idea that Mongolians were islam.
Saying Genghis Khan was buddhist is bullshit, xing bing whatever your name is. Early Mongolians and Genghis khan himself were a shamanist and it was a official religion . But there were number of Mongolian tribes that practice Christianity, Islam and it was free to practice your own religion. In kharkhorin there were12 Buddhist temples, 2 Muslim mosques and 1 Christian church at that time.

"After Mongol rule over China ended in 1368 the practice of Buddhism diminished among the Mongols, deteriorating into mere superstition or giving way once again to the indigenous religious conceptions of the Mongols and to shamanism. It was not until the sixteenth century that a second wave of Buddhist conversion began, brought about by the military expeditions of Allan Khan of the Tumet (1507-1583) into the eastern border districts of Tibet, which resulted in contacts with lamaist clerics. Within the short period of fifty years, beginning with the visit of the third Dalai Lama to Allan Khan's newly built residence, Koke Khota, in 1578, practically all of the Mongolian nobility was converted to Buddhism by the missionary work of many devoted lamaist priests. "

oh yeah did ya know that first dalai/ocean/ lamas were mongolians!!! but choosing mongolian as a dalai lama was ceased due to political matters.. peace

Answer 2

I am not sure, but ever since the time of the Great Khan they have had a very high literacy rate. It might be related. I wonder if the dropping of religions might be related to the times when those religions became dogmatic and began suppressing individual thought. The Mongolians are not only very literate but are quite independant people.

I wish I had a decent answer to your question instead of mere suggestions.

They also occupy a strange piece of real estate. The strength of the religions around them have varied with the strength of the religious empires. The direction of the trade routes over time might have mattered too. At one time the Silk road went through their lands, skirting the north edge of Takla Makan to the Middle East. I think later the Southern route along the Kun Lun Shan might have brought them into more contact with the Tibetans.

Answer 3

Both Islam and Central Asian Lamasic Buddhism are horse-warrior religions. You're talking about nomads here, and that's the kind of religion they appreciate.

The Lamasic Buddhism in Mongolia was the religion of Genghis Khan, who led one of the most brutal lives in the historical record while practicing it. It's a "Tibetan" Buddhism in which the wrathful practices are actually enacted, that is, it has absolutely nothing to do with what has been presented in the West.

Genghis Kahn became the Emperor of China in 1206 CE. I believe that he was responsible for the spread of Lamasic Buddhism in Mongolia. That was well after the life of Mohammed the Prophet of God, who I believe was 8th century. I don't know when the Mohammedans reached that part of the world, but they were mounted, and they moved fast, and they probably got there before Genghis arose and changed everything in Central Asia and China.

I hope that helps you get started.


Namu Amida Butsu
Xing Ping

http://blog.myspace.com/res6zeam

Answer 4

the government offered tax cuts to help encourage buddhism

Answer 5

Buddhists can eat pork and they don't have to pray as regular as a Muslim should.

Answer 6

one story sounded better than the other. After all, all religions are man made

Answer 7

because that religion doesn't cause violence is my idea.

Answer 8

Research it and please come back and tell us your interesting results.