Khambo Lama

A Khambo Lama (Standard Tibetan: མཁན་པོ་བླ་མ; Mongolian: Хамба лам; Russian: Хамбо-лама) is the title given to the senior lama of a Buddhist monastery in Mongolia and Russia. It is sometimes translated to the Christian title abbot.

It is the title of the spiritual leader of Buddhists in Buryatia (from the 18th century); the leaders of Buddhists in Tuva and Altai; and the head of Mongolian Buddhists.

It is derived from the Buddhist academic title Khenpo.

Current khambo lamas

Mongolia

• Khambo lama of Gandantegchinlen Khiid - Khamba Lama, Gabju Demberelyn Choijamts

Khamba Demberelyn Choijamts

Russia

• Buryatia - Pandito Hambo Lama XXIV - Damba Badmayevich Ayusheev
• Tuva - Kamba Lama V (Tuva) - Saldum Baska (Tsultim Tenzin)
• Altai - Hambo Lama - Mergen Vasilyevich Shagayev

Gallery

• 
  Khambo lama of the Tamchinsky datsan in 1886
• 
  Late 1800s photo of Khamba Lama of the Selenginsk

See also

• Buddhism in Mongolia
• Buddhism in Russia

References

• Чимитдоржин, Г. Г. Институт Пандито Хамбо лам. 1764—2004: сборник биографической информации/Буддийская Традицион. Сангха России, Буддийский ин-т «Даши Чойнхорлин». Ин-т монголоведения, буддологии и тибетологии СО РАН. — Улан-Удэ: Изд-во буддийского ин-та «Даши Чойнхорлин», 2004. ISBN 5-94629-010-X