Abstract: The third issue of the theological almanac “Buddhist Studies” was published in December 2020 under the Institute of Mongolian, Buddhist, and Tibetan Studies of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The issue retains the traditional structure of the annual book, which covers the problems of philosophy and soteriology, history of Buddhism, its historiography, translations of Buddhist texts, and other aspects of Buddhist teaching, as well as noteworthy events in life of the Institute and Buddhology overall. The peer review covers the central scientific problems, which manifest as the subject of research in the almanac and their importance for modern Buddhology. Brief analysis is conducted on the content of the journal and the fundamental theoretical problems brought up therein. It is indicated that Buddhism, as the world religion and philosophy, is oriented towards the formation of spiritual personality, traditional moral-ethical values, such as compassion, mercy, tolerance, peacefulness, etc. Such personality model deeply contrasts with the selfish consumer personality that is oriented towards wealth and sensual pleasure formed by the modern liberal-capitalist system. As a result of escalating moral-ethical crisis that takes place in modern society, and search for the ways to overcome it, attention of the researchers is drawn to the traditional spiritual teachings; therefore, Buddhology plays an important role in promoting the traditional spiritual values and countering the modern all-round crisis of the liberal model.

Abstract: This article examines interrelation between the concept of Confucianism and sustainable development, as well as their theoretical mutual influence in the context of the development of China’s modern social-humanistic thought. The research employs the methods of comparative analysis, system and structural approaches. The subject of this study is mostly modern scientific articles from the publication “Confucianism and Sustainable Development of Mankind” of November 16-19, 2019 based on the VI Congress of the International Confucian Association in Beijing, as well as the research of the Chinese authors on the topic. Special attention is given to the impact of the traditional spiritual heritage upon substantiation of the modern concept. The main conclusion lies in the statement that the ideas of Confucianism are widely used for the theoretical justification of the concept of sustainable development, namely from the ethical perspective, which proves rather declarative-propagandistic nature of these works. Similar focus on the humanistic and ethical aspects of Confucianism as a reputable evidence of the modern concept of sustainable development on the level of scientific abstraction and theorization levels out the systemic problem of economic and sociopolitical structure as the key source of the all-round crisis. Namely this structure reproduces the consumer type of personality as the foundation of capitalistic system, which in many ways contradicts the traditional spiritual values. This may lead to humanization of the traditional spiritual doctrines, including Confucianism, which is oriented towards humanistic values of individualism and primacy of a human. Such influence of the liberal-humanist ideology on Confucianism distorts its basic worldview attitudes as a conservative patriarchal ideology, and turns it into the instrument of ethical manipulation.

Abstract: Buddhist education represents the key instrument in reproduction of the Buddhist model of personality and Buddhist sangha. With the development of Buddhist doctrine, the three basic personality models have formed – Arhat, Bodhisattva, and Buddha, introduced trough the focus on a teacher. In China, Buddhism faced the established by that time traditional models of personality of a benevolent husband in Confucianism and a profoundly wise husband in Taoism. During the continuous interaction with Chinese culture, took place the complex processes of Sinification of Buddhism, when the image of Bodhisattva became the fundamental model of personality, oriented towards social virtue. Chinese Buddhists made a substantial contribution to the theory and practice of Buddhist education, manifesting as the mechanism of personal improvement. The research methodology is defined by the basic conceptual approaches towards examination of the spiritual culture as a whole, and Buddhist doctrine in particular, in the context of its functional significance for the society. The scientific novelty and main conclusions consist in the recognition of Buddhist education as the key instrument in reproduction of the Buddhist religious and cultural tradition. The multilevel orientation towards the diverse types of personality in Buddhism reflected the comprehensive character of its education, aimed at the various levels of people’s spiritual development. The selection of Bodhisattva model in Chinese Buddhism is determined by its social focus and complementarity to the images of benevolent husband and profoundly wise husband, which substantiated the formation of the Chinese religious syncretism and sustainability of the of China’s spiritual culture overall.