The Third Spread

Third spread: 16th to early 20th century

After the collapse of Yuan Dynasty of Mongolia in 1368 the state support for Tibetan Buddhism declined. During the second half of the 16th century, with the support of Mongolian Khans, Buddhism was revived in Mongolia for the third time. Altan Khan of Tumed (1507-1589) played an important role for this revival. He invited Tibetan Lama, Sonam Gyatso (1542-1588) in Khukh khot city and bestowed on him the title of Vajradhara, the Dalai Lama. Abtai Sain Khan (1554-1588) met the Third Dalai Lama Sonam Gyatso in 1578 and later had established Erdene Zuu monastery in Mongolia between years of 1585-1586. Both Altan Khan and Abtai Sain Khan made Tibetan Buddhism as a state religion and prohibited the shamanism. Once again due to state support Buddhism flourished in Mongolia. Many Mongolian Buddhist scholars played a significant role in the further development of Buddhism in Mongolia such as Undur Gegeen Zanabazar (1635-1723), the First Jebtsundamba, the reincarnation of Tibetan famous historian Taranata (1575-1634), Zaya Pandid Luvsanprenlei (1642-1716), Zaya Pandid Namkhaijamts (1599-1662). By the time of early 17th century Buddhism was firmly established as a state religion in Mongolia. In 1640, the Law of Mongol-Oirad had declared Buddhism as a state religion. In the following centuries large Buddhist monasteries were established throughout Mongolia and number of monks constantly increased. In 1785, the number of monks in Mongolia was 70 thousand but in 1868 there were over 100 thousand monks only in Ikh Khuree city, at that time the capital city of Mongolia. During his visit to Mongolia in 1904, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama Thupten Gyatso acknowledged that Mongolia was the center of Tibetan Buddhist world.