Tibetan Buddhism in Russia

Tibetan Buddhism is the state religion of the Russian Republic of Kalmykia. This clip offers a brief examination of how Buddhist beliefs and practices have survived persecution in this part of the world. Presenter Reverend Peter Owen-Jones visits a Tibetan Buddhist community in the Kalmyk region of southern Russia, the only Buddhist state in Europe. He describes the oppression and deportation of Buddhists by Stalin and observes a service in the temple. The Dalai Lama is revered by the Buddhists, but is denied permission to visit by the Russian authorities. A large apartment built for his visit has never been used.