Mongolian Buddhism: The Rise and Fall of the Sangha is the first book to explore the development of Mongolia's state religion, from its formation in the thirteenth century around the time of Chinggis Qaan (Genghis Khan) until its demise in the twentieth century under the Soviet Union. The focal point is the religious genocide in Mongolia during its years as a Soviet satellite under the iron fist of Joseph Stalin.

The significance of this massacre goes well beyond the confines of religion. Until its downfall, Mongolian Buddhism had served as a scientific, political, and medical resource for the Mongolian people. During the 1930s, Mongolian Buddhist monasticism, the caretaker of these resources, was methodically and systematically demolished. Lamas were forced to apostatize, and either enslaved or executed. Now, after the fall of the Soviet Union, Mongolian Buddhism has reemerged in a country that has yet to fully confront its bloody past.

Through historical analysis that employs Tibetan, Chinese, and Russian accounts of history, the author offers a much-needed religio-political perspective on the ebb and flow of Buddhism and the Sangha in Mongolia, on the Asian periphery.

Mongolian Buddhism: The Rise and Fall of the Sangha, Michael K. Jerryson, Silkworm Books, Paperback, 240 pages, $30.00

Michael K. Jerryson is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He was a visiting lecturer at the College of Religious Studies at Mahidol University, Thailand, and is currently at the National University of Singapore, researching the relationship between southern Thai monks and violence.