Damba Ayusheev

Damba Badmaevich Ayusheev (born 1 September 1962) is the 24th and incumbent Pandito Khambo Lama.

Biography
In 1980, Damba Ayusheev graduated from Petrovsk-Zabaykalsky Pedagogical College; he subsequently worked as a teacher at Kukursk secondary school in Agin-Buryat Autonomous Okrug.

By the assignment of Aginsky Datsan he entered Zanabazar Buddhist University in Ulan-Bator (Mongolia) in 1983, graduating in 1988 with a specialization in Tibetan Medicine.

He was designated by the Central Spiritual Administration of Buddhists to work for one year as the curator of the USSR Soviet students studying at Buddhist University, after which he served as Amchi Lama at Ivolginsky datsan.

In 1991, Ayusheev was appointed as Shireete Lama (abbot) at Baldan Breybun datsan in the settlement of Murochi, Kyakhtinsky district, the first datsan being at the stage of revival in the territory of ethnic Buryatia at that time. Under his leadership, the new Tsogchen dugan was rebuilt within two years on the place of that demolished in the 1930s.

On 28 April 1995, Damba Ayusheev was elected on an alternative basis as the 24th Khambo Lama, as well as Chairman of the Central Spiritual Administration of Buddhists of the Russian Federation (later renamed as the Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia).

During Damba Ayusheev's time in this post, the datsan was re-erected in Verkhnyaya Berezovka (Ulan-Ude) as the second residence of Khambo Lama, two Buddhist Institutes (at Ivolginsky and Aginsky datsans) were opened where Buryat, Mongolian and Tibetan teachers now work, and new datsans and dugans were opened in the territory of ethnic Buryatia. Buddhism is recognized as one of four traditional confessions in Russia and international relations are widely developing.

Since 2 August 1995, Damba Ayusheev has been a member of the Council for Cooperation with Religious Associations under the Russian President.

Since 23 December 1998, Ayusheev has been a member of the Presidium of Interreligious Council of Russia, and since 3 March 2004, he has been a member of the Presidium of the Interreligious Council of the CIS countries.

Damba Ayusheev is Vice President of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace.

On 4 June 2011, by the Decree of the President of Mongolia, Damba Ayusheev was awarded the Order of the Polar Star for considerable contribution to strengthening Russian-Mongolian relations. This award is the highest award of Mongolia for foreign citizens, and was awarded by Dambyn Darligjava, the Attorney General of Mongolia.

On 17 June 2011, Damba Ayusheev was awarded the medal of Kemerovo Oblast "For Faith and Kindness" at Ivolginsky datsan, by representatives of Kemerovo regional administration.

On 11 February 2013, by the Decree of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, Damba Ayusheev was awarded the Order of Friendship.

In 2022, Ayusheev expressed support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Religious views
D. Amogolonova, a lead researcher of Institute for Mongolian, Buddhist and Tibetan Studies of the Siberian branch of RAS, notes that Damba Ayusheev has critical opinion on Buryat shamanism and the Russian Buddhist organizations non entering into the Buddhist Traditional Sangkha of Russia, and "does not mark the frontiers between confessions and considers everyone who believes in supreme forces by 60% (sic!) as a Buddhist".