The only Buddhist monastery in the Urals. Climbing to the Buddhist monastery of Shad Tchup Ling in the Urals. Exit to the foot of Mount Kachkanar

Coordinates: 58°46′37″ n. w. 59°23′13″ E. d. / 58.77694° N. w. 59.38694° east d. / 58.77694; 59.38694(G) (I)

Story

Founding of the monastery

Lama Sanye Tenzin Dokshit, aka Mikhail Sannikov, became acquainted with Buddhism in the late 1980s in Afghanistan, where he, a career officer and special forces commander, saw mountain passes monuments to the Buddhist civilization that flourished there before the arrival of the Muslims. After the end of the Afghan War, Sannikov left the army, went to Buryatia, to the Ivolginsky datsan, becoming a student of Darma-Dodi Zhalsaraev.

On May 15, 1995, Lama Sanye Tenzin Dokshit began construction of a Buddhist monastery on Mount Kachkanar. His teacher showed him the place for it.

Over the course of 20 years, Shad Tchup Ling has become one of the largest centers for the study of Buddhism in Russia and simply a tourist attraction that attracts thousands of tourists.

Court for territory

Community members tried many times to legalize the buildings, but the rights to the land were claimed by the mining and processing plant, whose quarries are located nearby, and the forestry department.

On February 9, information appeared on the website of the Office of the Federal Bailiff Service for the Sverdlovsk Region about the upcoming demolition of a “Buddhist monastery” on Mount Kachkanar. The life’s work and the fruits of the incredible perseverance of Mikhail Sannikov and hundreds of people who helped him during these years may go to waste, and “the fascinating Buddhist stupas among Ural mountains" - disappear.

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Excerpt characterizing Shad Tchup Ling

- Karagin, Julie and Boris are with them. The bride and groom are now visible. – Drubetskoy proposed!
“Why, I found out today,” said Shinshin, who was entering the Rostovs’ box.
Natasha looked in the direction in which her father was looking and saw Julie, who, with pearls on her thick red neck (Natasha knew, sprinkled with powder), was sitting with a happy look, next to her mother.
Behind them, Boris’s smoothly combed, beautiful head could be seen with a smile, his ear tilted towards Julie’s mouth. He looked at the Rostovs from under his brows and, smiling, said something to his bride.
“They talk about us, about me and him!” thought Natasha. “And he truly calms his bride’s jealousy of me: there is no need to worry! If only they knew how much I don’t care about any of them.”
Anna Mikhailovna sat behind her in a green current, with a devoted will of God and a happy, festive face. In their box there was that atmosphere - the bride and groom that Natasha knew and loved so much. She turned away and suddenly everything that was humiliating in her morning visit came back to her.
“What right does he have to not want to accept me into his kinship? Oh, it’s better not to think about it, not to think about it until he arrives!” She said to herself and began to look around at the familiar and unfamiliar faces in the stalls. In front of the stalls, in the very middle, leaning his back to the ramp, stood Dolokhov with a huge, combed-up shock of curly hair, in a Persian suit. He stood in full view of the theater, knowing that he was attracting the attention of the entire audience, as freely as if he were standing in his room. The most brilliant youth of Moscow stood crowded around him, and he apparently took precedence among them.
Count Ilya Andreich, laughing, nudged the blushing Sonya, pointing her to her former admirer.
- Did you recognize it? - he asked. “And where did he come from,” the count turned to Shinshin, “after all, he disappeared somewhere?”
“Disappeared,” answered Shinshin. - He was in the Caucasus, and there he escaped, and, they say, he was a minister for some sovereign prince in Persia, he killed the Shah’s brother there: well, everyone is going crazy and the Moscow ladies are going crazy! Dolochoff le Persan, [The Persian Dolokhov,] and that’s it. Now we have no word without Dolokhov: they swear by him, they call him like a sterlet,” said Shinshin. - Dolokhov, and Anatol Kuragin - they drove all our ladies crazy.
A tall, beautiful lady with a huge braid and very bare, white, full shoulders and neck, on which there was a double string of large pearls, entered the adjacent benoir, and sat down for a long time, rustling with her thick silk dress.
Natasha involuntarily looked at this neck, shoulders, pearls, hairstyle and admired the beauty of the shoulders and pearls. While Natasha was peering at her for the second time, the lady looked back and, meeting her eyes with Count Ilya Andreich, nodded her head and smiled at him. It was Countess Bezukhova, Pierre's wife. Ilya Andreich, who knew everyone in the world, leaned over and spoke to her.
- How long have you been here, Countess? - he spoke. “I’ll come, I’ll come, I’ll kiss your hand.” But I came here on business and brought my girls with me. They say Semenova’s performance is incomparable,” said Ilya Andreich. – Count Pyotr Kirillovich never forgot us. He is here?
“Yes, he wanted to come in,” Helen said and looked at Natasha carefully.
Count Ilya Andreich again sat down in his place.
- She’s good, isn’t she? – he said in a whisper to Natasha.
- Miracle! - said Natasha, - you can fall in love! At this time, the last chords of the overture sounded and the conductor’s baton began to tap. In the stalls, belated men filed into their seats and the curtain rose.
As soon as the curtain rose, everything in the boxes and stalls fell silent, and all the men, old and young, in uniforms and tails, all the women wearing precious stones on their naked bodies, turned all their attention to the stage with greedy curiosity. Natasha also began to look.

On the stage there were even boards in the middle, painted paintings depicting trees stood on the sides, and a canvas on boards was stretched behind. In the middle of the stage sat girls in red bodices and white skirts. One, very fat, in a white silk dress, sat separately on a low bench, to which green cardboard was glued to the back. They were all singing something. When they finished their song, the girl in white approached the prompter's booth, and a man in tight-fitting silk trousers on thick legs, with a feather and a dagger, approached her and began to sing and spread his arms.
The man in tight trousers sang alone, then she sang. Then both fell silent, the music began to play, and the man began to finger the hand of the girl in a white dress, apparently again waiting for the beat to begin his part with her. They sang together, and everyone in the theater began to clap and shout, and the man and woman on stage, who were portraying lovers, began to bow, smiling and spreading their arms.

Every morning we are born again. And what we do today will be of greatest importance.
Siddhartha Gautama
I continue the story about interesting people. Yes, the story will mainly be about the only mountain Buddhist monastery in Russia, but the monastery is the work of a specific person.
So, spring, Sverdlovsk region, Kachkanar, the mountain of the same name.

01.
I found information about the monastery by chance while preparing spring trip to the Urals. Sensible reports about the visit can be counted on one hand, mostly some articles about litigation with the Kachkanarsky GOK and rumors about imminent demolition. So I had to take my hands in my hands and go before it was too late.

02.
Mount Kachkanar stands next to city of the same name, more precisely, the city is located at the foot of the mountain. The mountain is so-so, far from Elbrus, only 887.6 m. This is the height we had to go to.

03.
The most difficult part of the entire ascent was to pass the GOK entrance. The mountain turned out to be on the territory of the enterprise. I asked the security guard if it was possible to go up the mountain, she replied that it was possible, but we had to get approval from the department, it was in the city, but they weren’t working today (Saturday), and it wasn’t a quick task. But since we came from afar, she simply had to tell us that their work is difficult, the territory is huge and it is simply impossible to keep track of everything. Here she sees it at the barrier, but over there, behind the bushes three meters away, she no longer sees it. They say there is a path there, and further along the road, the main thing is not to get under the BelAZ. After thanking the guard and loudly expressing our regret about the inaccessibility of the monastery due to bureaucratic delays, we went behind the bushes.

04.
Well, then we go up the mountain along an excellent road. Along the way, you can stop at a couple of observation platforms, and even climb onto lighting towers. The quarry is active, so there is something to look at and you need to look both ways.

05.
From the second lookout, a straight old road goes up the mountain, we follow it. As you climb, you literally cross several natural zones in just an hour. You should take your children on excursions here; rarely in such accessibility can you so clearly show changes in nature.

06.
And eventually you come out into a small clearing. If you go straight, you will get to the Camel rock and an alpine lake.

07.
The lake is so-so. It will probably be more fun in the summer, but in May there was still ice on it. Fishermen still sit on the luda of this thickness in the spring

08.
And to the right there begin simply fantastic (for the end of spring) deposits of snow, along which a chain of old tracks can be seen. Let's follow them. Step to the side and you fall almost to your waist.

09.
There is a thick layer of snow underfoot, and streams gurgle under the snow. You can hear them perfectly and you don’t want to fall into them at all. A few hundred meters later, right in the forest, there is a large stack of boards and a sign in the style of “Traveler, throw away your things, leave your fatigue and help build the monastery.” We helped, yes.

10.
The last push along the kurumnik, we jump over the slippery stones and behold, the monastery. To be honest, there were fears of not being able to catch him there.

11.
The monastery is being built, from completely finished buildings, perhaps only the stupa of the Awakening. Through the gates, drums and information board we finally get inside.

12.
We are clearly welcome

13.
No, actually we are glad. A man came out hearing the dogs barking and led us inside to dry off after swimming in the snow and drink tea. “Drinking tea” is perhaps the most frequently used phrase at the top.

14.
This concept does not include tea drinking itself, although of course there will certainly be one, but rather conversations and gatherings. This is the eastern version, this is Asia.
“Where are you from? And then where can I see the photos? On LJ? Is he still alive?!”
Soon they had a logbook shadtchupling

15.
Having warmed up, we go out to explore. This is a stunningly beautiful place! I love mountains, even small ones. There is something primal in them, revealing the subconscious in a person.

16.
A long time ago, the Mansi lived on these lands. No one lived on the mountain itself, but it was considered a place of power and was used to perform religious rituals.

17.
When the Russians came to these places, they became interested in the local deposits. According to rumors, Demidov himself wanted to buy the entire mountain from the Mansi, but something didn’t work out between them.

18.
Then platinum fever passed through these places, but quickly ended. The mining and processing plant was founded in the late 50s of the last century, at the same time the city of Kachkanar was founded on the southern slope of the mountain.

20.
The idea of building a monastery came to its creator in 1995. The creator was Mikhail Vasilievich Sannikov, a very interesting person. He was born into a military family, and for several years he commanded a sabotage and reconnaissance group in Afghanistan.

21.
He was demobilized from the army due to disability with the rank of captain, worked as a nurse in a morgue, as a cook in the river fleet, and graduated from the Nizhny Tagil Art School as an external student.

22.
In the late 80s, at the age of 27, Mikhail decides to go to study at Ivolginsky datsan. He entered and took the monastic name Tenzin Dokshit. I went to Mongolia and after finishing my studies I wanted to move there to live. But fate decreed otherwise.

23.
To be completely precise, his teacher Pema Jang ordered otherwise. The young Lama Dokshit was given the order to build a Buddhist datsan in the Urals. The logic is simple: in the east there are Buryat churches, in the west St. Petersburg Gunzechoiney, in the south datsans of Kalmykia, and in the middle it is empty. There are no Buddhist temples in the Urals. And in order to stand out completely, the temple must stand on the top of a mountain.

24.
We chose Kachkanar, a mountain on the border of Europe and Asia. As I already said, this place has long been known as a place of power. And the name of the monastery was given to Shad Tchup Ling - “place of practice and implementation” (or “Place of study and implementation”, as you prefer). Construction began on May 15, 1995, and during the first years Tenzin Dokshit built it alone.

25.
The first buildings were almost entirely wooden, and a fire that happened in 1998 destroyed everything that had been rebuilt. The Lama and his few disciples had to start all over again.

26.
After a walk along the mountain we drink tea again.

27.
Mikhail is an excellent conversationalist with a unique sense of humor. In general, if you communicated with a Buddhist who was a military man, a pathologist and a river worker, and even with a good education and encyclopedic knowledge in various fields, then you will understand me
For some reason I kept remembering “The Golden Calf”
“Have you read about the disarmament conference? - one pique vest addressed another pique vest. – Speech by Count Bernstorff.
– Bernstorff is the head! - the asked vest answered in such a tone as if he was convinced of this on the basis of his long-term acquaintance with the count. -Have you read the speech Snowden made at a meeting of voters in Birmingham, that stronghold of conservatives?
- Well, what can we talk about... Snowden is a head! Listen, Valiadis,” he addressed the third old man in Panama. – What can you say about Snowden?
“I’ll tell you frankly,” Panama answered, “Don’t put your finger in Snowden’s mouth.” I personally wouldn't put my finger on it.
And, not at all embarrassed by the fact that Snowden would never have allowed Valiadis to put his finger in his mouth, the old man continued:
- But no matter what you say, I’ll tell you frankly - Chamberlain is still a head too.
Pique vests raised the shoulders. They did not deny that Chamberlain was also a head. But most of all, Briand consoled them.
- Brian! - they said passionately. “This is the head!”

28.
No, in fact, I was ready to listen to Mikhail Vasilyevich all day, or even two. He told why smoking filtered cigarettes is more harmful than just cigarettes, how pipe tobacco differs from cigarette tobacco (he loves to smoke), the story of the Russians coming to these lands and what happened before that, how ore is mined and why the Kochkanar Mining and Processing Plant wants to evict them from here and much more.

29.
I learned a bunch new information, but never received an answer to my questions about the plans of the monastery, where the money for construction came from and why there are no documents for the land. With Buddhist directness, the lama answered me that we are what we think; that the monastery is not the main thing, the main thing is the process; and money is like food: if it is taken internally according to the body’s needs, then the food becomes food and since the body is alive, then there is food. Excellent tax answer, you can use it

30.
After tea and conversation, break for work. That day they made a shed-shed for all kinds of household needs.

31.
The people here are handy, and whether you like it or not, you will inevitably learn to work with your hands. All sorts of mechanisms were collected around the area and used on the farm. No one will just drag such heavy weights up the mountain.

32.
A couple of years ago there were fewer problems with the delivery of building materials, food, and in general with movement. From the mining and processing plant there was a pass for entry and passage, the car could drive to that site with a sign for Camel.

33.
Since then, the plant’s policy has changed dramatically and even on foot the monks pass through the checkpoint illegally. There is also a path on the northern side of the mountain, but it is suitable for transporting anything only in winter.

34.
Then, with the help of dogs or a snowmobile, construction materials are thrown in. By and large, there are two seasons in the monastery: winter is the time of dropping off building materials and studying, summer is the time of construction and study.

35.
Up here there is no electricity, running water, or steam heating. No official permits, no documents. One on one with the outside world.

36.
The territory of the monastery, in fact, like the whole mountain with all the lakes, Camels, the Gagarin monument and the mass hiking trails The Kachkanarsky GOK wants to finally close it. The basin is expanding, they are starting to develop a new field, and there is a risk that the mountain may be destroyed by explosions.

37.
Shad Tchup Ling is the only mountain Buddhist monastery in Russia, the Kachkanarsky GOK is developing the only vanadium deposit in Russia. It’s hard to argue with money; the plant produces 55 million tons of iron ore per year.

38.
In addition to the monastery, we may also lose a mountain, as happened with one of the Sterlitamak shihans. In 2015, the mining and processing plant plans to launch production at a new deposit at the very foot of the mountain.

39.
One of the main tenets of Buddhism is that everything in this world is changeable and impermanent.

40.
But let's return to the monastery. We came there for a couple of hours, and ended up staying for a bathhouse, dinner and overnight. Where does everything come from on this rocky peak?

41.
Even though it’s May, the schedule is still winter. Studying, shopping for supplies, tea. No one stands over the students with a stick, it’s just that if you came here, it means you want to study, but in order to survive you need to do housework.

42.
This is what the monastery should become at the end of construction. Dogs provide the main assistance in transporting building materials. The guys say that they had a hard time with them until they understood what needed to be done so that they would pull the sled in the right direction. Well, the dogs seemed to understand what they wanted. But there are still cases when the whole bunch breaks away and runs away, taking the sleigh with it.

43.
Mikhail says that the level of students is different. Someone with higher education, and someone needs to improve their school course. There are books in the library for every taste, that's for sure.

44.
According to the schedule, from among the monks, those on duty are appointed to take care of the household, someone is assigned to work at a construction site, and someone goes into the city on business or to buy groceries. In general, it’s like in the army.

45.
The farm has chickens, goats, a cow, and dogs. Everyone needs to be fed, everyone needs to be cleaned up.

46.
Some also need to be milked.

47.
This is a vegetable garden. They say they even grow something. Mikhail graduated from the Perm Agricultural Institute in a year and probably knows some secrets about how to grow potatoes on stones. As I say, he is a very interesting and versatile person.

48.
There is no electricity, the light comes from a kerosene stove, but there is LED lighting powered by a car battery. The laptop runs on it, and the battery is charged during the day when the gas generator is started for work.

49.
The water is local, rainwater. It is collected in a natural reservoir and taken as needed. In winter it all freezes to the bottom and you have to melt the ice and snow.

50.
As the lama says, they have been drinking for several years, the horns and hooves have not grown, so everything is fine. It was difficult in the dry years. It was summer, when there was no rain for several months and we were without water.

51.
This is how it lives somehow unique place. It is clear that not everything is legal, it is clear that outwardly it looks more like a labor community, but I would really like the GOC to find an opportunity to leave the monastery and the mountain alone.

52.
We wish the monks good luck and strength of spirit. As far as I know, now, six months later, their situation has not changed.

Mount Kachkanar located near the city of the same name in Sverdlovsk region, approximately 260 kilometers from Yekaterinburg.

Kachkanar is one of the most high mountains Middle Urals, reaching a height of 887.6 meters above sea level. It is composed of gabbro, peridotite and pyroxenite rocks.

Toponymists believe that the name of the mountain comes from the Turkic words “kachka” - bald and “nar” - camel.

Near the mountain lies the border of two parts of the world - Europe and Asia, as well as two regions - the Sverdlovsk region and Perm region. Near the mountain there were gold and platinum mines.

The first scientific description of Mount Kachkanar was made by a traveler in the Urals in 1770 Academician P.S. Pallas in the book “Travel through different provinces of the Russian Empire” (1786). The Voguls showed Pallas two mines where magnetic iron ore had previously been mined.

In the 1860s, the Kachkanar massif was studied by the famous geologist A.P. Karpinsky, who later headed the Academy of Sciences.

In 1957, construction began at the foot of the mountain Kachkanarsky mining and processing plant, soon one of the youngest cities in the Sverdlovsk region grew up here - city of Kachkanar.

Currently, the development of titanomagnetite ores of Mount Kachkanar continues, existing huge quarries are being expanded, and new ones are being planned.

Mount Kachkanar has two peaks - northern and southern. They are called the "Northern Horn" and the "Noon Horn" respectively. Each of them is beautiful in its own way, each offering a magnificent view (the city of Kachkanar is visible only from the southern peak).

At the top of the mountain there are many strangely shaped rock remains. Many of them have their own names. The most famous remnant is camel rock.

In 1995, on the top of Mount Kachkanar, Buddhist monastery "Shad Tchup Ling"(translated from Tibetan - Place of practice and implementation). Its founder is Mikhail Sannikov. The monastery has long become the main attraction of Kachkanar. Many tourists come to visit the only Buddhist monastery in the Urals; the inhabitants of the monastery do not refuse anyone. There are two stupas built in the monastery, which are considered shrines.

However, very soon the monastery, built over many years by the hands of several enthusiasts, may be wiped off the face of the earth. EVRAZ, which owns the Kachkanarsky Vanadium Mining and Processing Plant, demands the demolition of “unauthorized buildings.” Enterprises and authorities at all levels are on the side.

So, instead of a monastery on this picturesque place another quarry should be formed by 2015... At the same time, while destroying the only local attractions (the mountain and the monastery), the authorities of Kachkanar are talking about grandiose plans for the development of tourism.

In general, have time to visit Mount Kachkanar and the only Buddhist monastery in the Urals before it’s too late!..

How to get to Mount Kachkanar

1. Exit to the foot of Mount Kachkanar

From the administrative square of Kachkanar (see photo), onto Krylova Street (north) towards the bus station (200 m).

Kachkanar city administration building

Further along Krylova to the fork of the Western Quarry - the village of Valerianovsk. We are heading towards the Western Quarry. We pass the peninsula with the dispensary" Cape Verde" (on the left) and we go out to the dam. On the right Railway, on the left is a bay with a tower rising from the water. We pass the dam and see a parking lot on the left. At this point, we consider the first stage to be completed.

2. We go to the southern peak

The southern peak of Mount Kachkanar (yes, the mountain has two high points, and the highest, northern one, is not visible from the city), although it is not the highest point, it is worth visiting. The path there is not as well-trodden by tourists as to the northern peak. The view of the city of Kachkanar is only possible from the southern height. The summit rocks are compactly located. The path is about 6 kilometers with a constant uphill climb. The slope is small, so it can be overcome in one transition.

If you have a car, you will have to leave it on the site. On the left we find a path running along the shore and move along it. You need to walk to the old ski slope (600 m). You can walk along the shore, but it’s better to go uphill, so that later you’ll have to crawl up the clearing less often. The climb is steep. Having climbed to the very top, we follow the road to the left.

View from the old ski slope

After 100 meters we go out onto the road and go right, after 100 meters we turn left. We walk along the forest road without turning anywhere. At first unimportant, the road gradually widens and becomes better. After about 3.5 kilometers, you must not miss the path to the top. The road at this point goes to the right, and the path goes straight. The beginning of the path (N 58g 44m 58s; B 59g 24m 52s) is usually marked with ribbons on the trees. We go onto the path and after about 15-20 minutes we come out to the rock massifs. It’s better to remember or mark the exit of the path so that when you go back you don’t get lost in the surrounding area.

The rocks of the southern peak used to have slabs with names. Now all that remains of the slabs are holes in the stone.

Views from the southern summit

3. Let's go to mountain lake

Before the northern peak, on the mountain there is lake. Apparently they took samples of ore and dug a pit, which was subsequently filled with water. You can stop near the lake for a rest or overnight. There is a barbecue and a gazebo.

Lake on the site of a former mine

There is a road to the lake itself, but you can drive by car only with passes, since the road passes through the territory of the Kachkanarsky Mining and Processing Plant.

From the site (see point 1) we move further along the road. After about 2 kilometers there will be a security post at the Kachkanarsky GOK. If you are driving, feel free to leave the car in front of the post. Then we go on foot. We reach the buildings and follow the road to the left. After 300 meters, on the left, there will be a checkpoint ski slope(see photo), but we go straight with a slight deviation to the right.

Passage to the ski slope

Almost immediately there will be a wide road to the right, but we don’t need to go there, we go straight up the mountain with a slight slope. After turning left the road will go around Western Quarry. There will be many paths to the right. You can follow them to the edge of the pit and watch the quarry at work.

Western Quarry

I’ll say right away that the Western Quarry has Observation deck which will be on our way. Now we have reached the turn of the road to the left (about 1 kilometer away), we go there. But, if you go straight a little, on the right there will be an observation deck of the Western Quarry at the highest point.

Observation deck of the Western Quarry

But let's get back on the road. Distance from observation deck The lake is approximately 4 kilometers away.

Road

A little before reaching the lake, the path to the Buddhist monastery begins.

The beginning of the path to the Buddhist monastery

4. We go from the mountain lake to the Camel rock and to the top of Mount Kachkanar

To climb the mountain, you need to go around the lake (preferably on the left), follow the path to a clearing and start climbing. After about 700-800 meters, rock outcrops will begin and a platform with a gazebo will appear. From the site you need to turn onto the left path. Let me make a reservation right away that if you go to the right, the path will lead straight to the Buddhist monastery. But we are going to the Camel, and I’ll tell you about the monastery further. Passing through rocky rubble Camel rock appears in all its glory.

Rock "Camel"

After looking at the panorama and climbing the rock, we go further to the top, which is already visible from the Camel.

View from "Camel"

The path to the top begins immediately behind the Camel. After walking for 10-15 minutes we approach the top of Mount Kachkanar from which a panorama opens to the north. The most high point marked by a concrete structure with a pipe. Directly below the mountain is the village of Kosya, a little further from Pokap, in the northeast you can see the buildings of the monastery.

The top of Mount Kachkanar

View from the top of the villages of Kosya and Pokap

View of the monastery buildings from the top of Mount Kachkanar

Gagarin's Rock

5. We go from the mountain lake to the Shad Tchup Ling monastery

As I already mentioned, you can also get to the Shad Tchup Ling Monastery via the road leading to the top. But you need to understand that the monastery is not just a landmark and just coming to stare there is not welcome. If you want to be given attention and given a tour, and also treated to local tea, then it is better to plan such an event. It is not customary to come to the monastery empty-handed. Food is welcome: sugar, tea, cookies, cereals, etc. Also, near the beginning of the path to the monastery there are building materials, and if you take bricks, boards, or whatever else is there, it will be good.

So, the beginning of the path to the Shad Tchup Ling monastery is not far from the lake on the way from Kachkanar. There is no way you can miss this place. You can see piles of building materials, old cars, a sign reminding “Friend. When you go to the monastery, take some bricks, don’t allow empty runs,” as well as a sign for tourists indicating that it is not at all necessary to go through the monastery to the Camel.

After about a kilometer, a large clearing with a cable crossing will appear, along which construction materials are dragged into the monastery.

Glade with cable crossing

“Message board” of the monastery

The monastery has two stupas, living quarters, a bathhouse, a guest house, and a farmstead. Constant construction is underway.

M.V. Malakhov wrote about Kachkanar in the 19th century:

“I climbed Kachkanar from the east, from where access is considered less convenient than from the west. Having passed Mount Elovaya, which is the eastern spur of Kachkanar and covered with fragments of rocks very similar to Kachkanar in its general character and content of magnetic iron ore, we began to climb Kachkanar The entire rise is covered with boulders; the bulk of them consists of grains of augite with veins of magnetic iron ore. We observed its first significant occurrence on the large terrace of the Isovsky slope of the mountain in typical coarse-grained augite rock. The co-occurrence of iron and this rock here is apparently not accidental. , which is confirmed by further observations throughout the entire rise to. northern peak From this occurrence, magnetic iron ore was found at every step, but in small veins only, as well as on the northernmost peak. Heading from here along the slope of the Kachkanar peak, you have to go down into the hollow separating both peaks. Further, the signs of magnetic iron ore disappear and sharply appear again in the vast placer of magnetic iron ore located at the base of Kachkanar."

A trip to Kachkanar can be combined with a visit to Mount Kolpaki.

Monastery on Mount Kachkanar

Welcome to Mount Kachkanar!

I first learned about this place only a year and a half ago. And I immediately got excited about the idea of going up to this Buddhist monastery, located in Russia, in the Urals, at the junction of Europe and Asia.

And so, last weekend, my dream came true - I climbed to the top of Mount Kachkanar.

The place for the construction of a Buddhist monastery was not chosen by chance. This is not an easy place. It has a special energy.

Even the ancient Mansi revered Mount Kachkanar as a special cult place. Ritual ceremonies with sacrifices to pagan gods were held here.

There is a belief that in one of the caves, which was located exactly on the side from which we came, that is, from the village of Kosya, a great ritual took place during Ermak’s campaign in Siberia. The ruler of the Siberian Khanate, Chingizid Kuchum, not wanting to obey, but feeling the strength of the enemy, ordered a great ritual to get the shamans to answer his questions. The shamans agreed in one opinion - resistance to Ermak’s army is useless, one should submit. However, Khan Kuchum still did not care about the shaman’s warning. Ermak's squad defeated the khan's army. Kuchum himself then fled. But this cave-temple has not yet been found; the entrance to the cave was blocked. There is also a belief-warning - there is no need to search for a sanctuary. If it is found and the rubble is dug up, a catastrophe on a large scale will occur, destructive for thousands of people.

So, we are already close to the top. The height of Kachkanar is 887.6 meters, it is one of highest peaks Middle Urals. At the top of the mountain, nature has created amazing stone outcrops. It is here that the famous mountain-stone “Camel” is located - this huge stone giant seems to be lying down to rest. According to one version, the name of Mount Kachkanar is of Turkic origin. And the word consists of two: “kachka” - bald, “nar” - camel.

The rules of behavior on the territory of the monastery are simple and clear.

The creation of the monastery takes us back to the events of 20 years ago. Lama Sanye Tenzin Dokshit (Mikhail Sannikov) in 1995 Completes his studies at the Buddhist Institute at the Ivolginsky Datsan in Buryatia. After that, he arrives at Mount Kachkanar, where he lays the foundation on May 15, 1995. the first stone of the monastery. Lama Sanye Tenzin Dokshit had never been to these mountains. The path was shown to him by his Teacher Pema Jang (Darma Dodi Jalsarawe, 1904-1997). He told him not only the coordinates of the place for the construction of the future monastery - Mount Kachkanar, but also the name. Shad Tchup Ling translated from Tibetan means “Place of practice and realization.”

Today, the monastery has gathered Buddhist practitioners from different cities of Russia under its roof. The main task set at Shad Tchup Ling is the development of the scientific, yogic and monastic traditions of Buddhism in the Russian cultural space. The organization of training and practice is carried out through specially designed training programs, rituals, services, traditional events, individual and collective Buddhist practices.

The monks greeted us hospitably in the community. They fed us porridge and gave us hot tea.

Duty in the kitchen and other duties in the monastery according to the schedule. On the day we were there, Arseny was cooking.

Life in the community goes on smoothly, according to a schedule.

The monks eat according to the following menu, minor changes are possible.

Someone from our group called this lifestyle and variety of diet quite ascetic. Alexey, who communicated with us perhaps the most, corrected that he did not see anything ascetic here. Nun Satima, who had lived here for almost 12 years, also grinned and continued her knitting, smiling. No, perhaps this way of life does not limit, but rather brings a person closer to freedom and helps to move forward on the path to self-improvement. In general, everyone makes their own choice in this life.

Alexey, who worked as a teacher in the world in English, Buddhism is practiced here. He has been living in the monastery for more than five months and plans to leave the monastery no earlier than July-August. He gave us a fascinating tour.

Alexey told us about the history of the monastery, introduced us to all the buildings, showed the main shrines of the monastery - the Buddhist Stupa of Awakening, the statue of Milarepa, etc.

The only animals currently living in the monastery are dogs. One of the dogs, left behind by a Frenchman who visited the monastery, recently gave birth to cute puppies.

Firewood collection (in winter), construction work (in summer) are the main labor activities in the monastery.

Solar panels are a special pride of the monastery residents. When used economically, there is enough energy to charge batteries and even access the Internet.

From the top of Kachkanar you can see the Konzhakovsky stone, Mount Oslyanka, and other peaks of the Urals.

We didn’t get to the monastery on a bath day, according to the schedule. But they looked into the bathhouse.

After the excursion, we returned again to the warm house where the dining room is located.

I was stuck at the bookshelf, surprised by the variety of books. In the monastery library there are books not only about Buddhism, yoga, but also fiction, as well as books on the theory of relativity, an explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, textbooks in English...

I was curious and looked at the logbook. It was then done manually. Apparently, the very first years of construction of the monastery.
Now you can read themselves Logbook of the Buddhist community Shad Tchup Ling, where, according to tradition, the weather and the main activities and events in the life of the community are briefly recorded each day.

Satima's favorite pastime is knitting. It seems to me that all these cute hats and socks are knitted by her hands. But maybe I'm wrong.

Alexey demonstrates the caps.

Visitors to the monastery can buy some warm knitted items as souvenirs. Or choose a mandala made by the hands of monks. They are offered here in all sorts of colors and configurations. The main thing when choosing is to understand that the color, symbols, and mandala design reveal direct and indirect connections with your own Universe. Listen. And the Universe will not deceive you.

Let's talk. We're warming ourselves. Drinking tea.

Alexey talks about the plan for building the monastery. According to the forecast, it is designed for 300 years. Now only 20 years have passed. The scale of construction is amazing. The idea that some rocks will have to be destroyed is not entirely clear. Is it really not possible to integrate all the buildings into the rocks, as is done now? Maybe I didn't understand something...

And here is Lama Sanye Tenzin Dokshit (in the world Mikhail Vasilyevich Sannikov). He was born on November 30, 1961 in the city of Votkinsk, Udmurt Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, into a family of hereditary military men. Fought in Afghanistan. In 1987, he retired due to disability with the rank of captain; for several months he worked in the morgue of the Leninsky district of Perm as an orderly and as an assistant to a pathologist. Studied as an external student in Nizhny Tagil art school, worked briefly as a cook at Kamskoye river fleet. In 1989 Mikhail Sannikov entered the Ivolginsky datsan, where he took monastic vows under the name Tenzin Dokshit. In December 1994 he received lama initiation. And since 1995 he founded a Buddhist monastery on Kachkanar.

We haven't talked much with Tenzin Dokshit. He spoke with a kind smile, briefly and clearly, simply and wisely at the same time. This is probably how Teachers communicate.

It's time for us to go down the mountain.
This trip took place almost a week ago, and the impressions will not be digested soon. Some of our group came with a fair amount of skepticism in advance. He left with it. Someone expected to see a ray of light, something good, real, without gloss and glamor, at the same time. He saw him. I count myself among them. I liked the atmosphere in the monastery, the ease of communication between people, the schedule of their classes, the desire to practice Buddhism, which is why they came here. I myself am far from practicing Buddhism and meditation (I don’t count the couple of books I’ve read), but two years ago the practice of phowa gave me a lot when I was lucky enough to attend the meditations of Lama Ole Nydahl. This is a separate conversation. The purpose of writing this post was not to go into details of Buddhism. I wanted to describe the Buddhist monastery of Shad-Tchup-Ling in Kachkanar, as I and my impressions saw it, at least on a subconscious level. This attempt may not have been entirely successful. Just to understand for yourself, you have to go there. And not for a couple of hours. You need to live, work, and practice Buddhism in a monastery.