The Mongols from early times were interacting with Buddhists culturally and spiritually. There is evidence that Buddhist religion developed during the Hun period, the earliest ancestors of the Mongols. According to historical sources, the main object of sacrifice of the population inhabiting the southwest territories of the Hunnu Empire was a 3 meter tall Golden Buddha. In the following period of the Hun state Buddhism played a significant role for the nomads of Mongolia. "We'll accumulate merits by performing good deeds and will make them grow by performing meritorious acts", ordered the leader Mu Yin of the Sumbe Mu Yin banner of the Mongol nation.
According to history, the Nyrun (4th-6th century) state of the Mongolian nation made Buddhism into the state religion. A Lama by the name of Dharmapria, who settled in the western areas of present day Gansu, was promoted in 420 to teacher of the Nyrun state. Buddhism was widespread in Mongolia starting from the middle of the Turkish khanate, founded after the Nyrun state, and existing up to the end of Uighur state (9th -11th century). The Kidans, before their own state emerged, set up the first Buddhist monastery in 902. Chinggis Khaan, after the foundation of a united Mongol empire, wrote in a letter to Tibetan Lama Sajiin Khambo in 1206: "Though I want to invite you, my state affairs are not finished yet. Pray for me". In one of his following letters, Chinggis Khaan exempted the superior of the Tibetan religion from tax.
Some of Chinggis Khaan's close associate ministers were conversant in Buddhist religious teachings. Encouraging the Buddhist religion, Ugedei Khaan (1229-1241) began to erect a big Buddhist suburgan in Kharakorum, which later, in 1256, was completed during the time of Munkh Khaan's rule. Buddhism flourished during the time of the Mongolian Yuan dynasty. The founder of the Yuan dynasty, Khubilai Khan (1215-1294), pursuing the state policy of the Mongol khaans, who revered and supported Buddhism, invited Pagva lama Lodoijaltsan of Tibetan Sajii sect to his palace in 1260 to write his books, and promoted him to the post of head lama of Yun state in Shand city, and handed him the seal of the state teacher.
The successors of Khubilai welcomed the head lamas, publicists of the Buddhist ideology and granted them the titles of state teachers. During the second half of the 16th century, with the help and support of Mongolian statesmen, religious scholars and Tibetan religious leaders, Buddhism was revived in Mongolia for the third time. Undur Gegeen Zanabazar of Khalkh, Zaya Pandida Luvsanperenlei, Zaya Pandida Namkhaijamts, Enlightened lama Choizad, Neij Toi, Pandida Ayush-gun of Huhhot, Altan Khan of Turned, Avtai Sain Khan of Khalkh, Ligden, Galdan Boshigt khaan of Oirad, Tumen Sain Noyon Khan and many other nobilities played a significant role in the development of Buddhism in Mongolia.
For example, Altan Khan of Turned (1507-1589) invited the Tibetan lama, Yondonjamts, to Mongolia and bestowed on him the distinguished title of Ochirdari Dalai Lama, and the prestigious title of Dalai Lama thus emerged. Since then, some Mongol khaans encouraged Buddhism and strove to use Buddhism in the reunion of their disintegrated nation with the help of spiritual devotion. Ligden Khutagt Khaan (1592-1634) decreed to translate the Ganjuur and Danjuur shastri sutra into the Mongolian language in 1628-1629. Thirty five scholarly saints led by Gungaa Odser participated in performing this work. From this time the Mongols actively participated in spreading Buddhism.
Along with the translation and explanation of works created by Indian and Tibetan scholars, the learned saint lamas of Khalha and Oirat in particular, began to write books on religious philosophy. Considerable amount of works on Buddhist philosophy composed by such renowned religious saints as Nagarjuna, Asanga, Vasuvandu, Dignaga, Dharmakirti and Dharmottara were translated into the Mongolian language, thus serving as valuable research materials. Mongols also wrote many religious books in the Tibetan language. The number of people who wrote books in the Tibetan language numbered more than 200, and the books they composed reached several hundred.
Buddhist culture has been studied in perfect order from the second half of the 17th century and from the foundation of Ikh Huree. Ikh Huree was one of the biggest cultural centres for many hundred years not only for Mongolian Buddhists but for Buddhists around the world. The religious school of Gandan, established in 1739, produced highly educated and celebrated lamas of the time, who were renowned not only in Mongolia but in the Orient as well. There were thousands of monasteries, temples, Buddhist prayer places and libraries. Buddhist temples and monasteries were the places of cultural and intellectual life in Mongolian society.
Buddhist religious knowledge and intellectual development in Mongolia, until the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, was amongst the best in the world. A great number of sages and saints, who specialised and penetrated into the philosophic depth of Buddhist religious doctrines and professionals in Buddhism, were born in Mongolia. Buddhism in that particular time performed the role of an official ideology, which significantly strengthened Mongolian relations with other oriental countries.
Buddhism gradually replaced indigenous shaman traditions and rituals, by introducing the cultural achievements of India and Tibet into the wild steppe lands and playing a decisive role in developing culture and civilization. The best Buddhist masterpieces of art are kept in the Gandan monastery, and in other temples, monasteries and museums of Mongolia. Canons and doctrines of the Buddhist philosophy which are dispersed throughout the country deeply impacted Mongolian culture, the intellect of the Mongolian people, its traditions and customs, and became the religion of the Mongolian nation.
