“In spite of distance, we are close to one another by heart”
H.E. Mr Gonchig Ganbold responds to questions from India Empire Magazine...
Mongolia considers India as a Spiritual Neighbor. What do you have to say on that?
Mongolia and India are indeed closer by heart despite geopgraphic distance. We are sitting on the northern and southern edge of the Buddhist Asia. With Buddhism, Mongolians accepted its philosophy, rites, rituals and culture. Henceforth though not share common border we are spiritually intertwined.
The spread of Buddhism was encouraged by cultural and literary linkages between the two nations. Professor Raghu Vira, founding member of the International Mongolists Congress, who had visited Mongolia before the establishment of diplomatic relations discovered that Mongolia’s spiritual and literary heritage was Altangerel-Swarnaprabasa sutra or Golden light the Vajracchedika. Mongolian academician Ts. Damdinsuren emphasized that there are thousands of sources that flow to Mongolia from Ganges valley and snow clad Himalayan mountains. Both Mongolia and India especially between V and VII centuries were in close contact. Intellectual development in its turn inspired Mahayana Buddhism and its philosophy.
Translation of Indian literature, including theory, practice and poetry developed in Mongolia. Besides the teachings of Lord Buddha, non religious culture and literary works were also disseminated and have major implications even today. A rich literary heritages of Indian origin that found a home in Mongolia for centuries is reservoir of sources.
Later, Chinggis Khan’s descendants came to Indian subcontinent and even Great Mughal Empire traced its lineage back to them. These civilizational links contributed immensely to the cultures of our two nations (Dolgoryn Chuluunbaatar, Ikh Mongol Uls/Great Mongol State, Ulaanbaatar: Master Page, 2007, p 266).
Mongolians composed of their own versions of the medicinal and other treaties so Mongolian has a vast archive of ancient and rare documents relating to ancient India.
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