«Two Buddhisms» on the VKontakte Social Network: Religious Conversion and Ethno-Religious Tradition

Abstract

This article presents the results of a study of contemporary Buddhist communities in Russia through the conceptual framework of the “two Buddhisms” dichotomy. The empirical basis of the study consists of a large-scale analysis of digital traces, namely publicly available attributes of user profiles on the VKontakte social networking platform. This approach makes it possible to partially compensate for the lack of official statistical data and to obtain a substantial body of self-descriptions produced by users who identify themselves as Buddhists. The study focuses on an in-depth comparison of two macro-groups: Buddhists residing in historically Buddhist ethnoreligious regions—the Republics of Buryatia, Tuva, and Kalmykia, as well as Zabaykalsky Krai—and converts living predominantly in large cities outside the historical areas of Buddhism in Russia. A comprehensive analysis of digital profiles reveals substantial and systematic differences between these groups in their sociodemographic, political, and value orientations. Traditional (ethnoreligious) Buddhism functions primarily as a mechanism for reproducing collective ethnonational identity, relying on intergenerational religious socialization and locally embedded institutional structures. This group is characterized by a relatively balanced gender composition, a more even age distribution, and a high degree of family embeddedness. In terms of values, it demonstrates a strong orientation toward family, communal continuity, and social regulation, including a pronounced rejection of harmful habits. Modernist convert Buddhism, by contrast, emerges predominantly as a result of conscious individual choice. It is sustained through horizontal social networks and is approached by its adherents as an individual project of self-development. Converts are characterized by a more abstract aspiration toward “improving the world,” a lower proportion of married individuals, and a more flexible ethical orientation based on personal awareness. Their demographic profile also differs markedly: men are substantially overrepresented, while the average age is lower. Politically, urban converts demonstrate a greater tendency to change ideological self-identifications, display political indifference, and, in some cases, express specific monarchist sympathies. The study demonstrates that the concept of “two Buddhisms” provides a productive explanatory framework for the analysis of contemporary Buddhism in Russia. It enables a systematic description and interpretation of processes of sociocultural transformation, internal differentiation, and the geographical expansion of Buddhist presence in the country.