Page 33 - EH67

FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 31

Can you tell us what got you interested in Buddhism, hygiene of the mind, compassion in action, always
and why Tibetan Buddhism in particular? remembering the impermanence and death. We know
that especially during challenging times, the power
I was born in Bulgaria during the communist period of our prayers and spiritual practices tremendously
when spirituality was a taboo. After the fall of increases. During the pandemic and this heart breaking
Communism in 1989, many Bulgarians were inspired time of war, our kindness, compassion and positive
to learn and practice different spiritual traditions. As actions naturally develop and this is not only Buddhism
with many others, the turning point for me came when in practice but expression of our human nature.
I experienced the suffering of sickness and death of a
loved one. Witnessing these difficult moments, I started Is Buddhism a growing religion in Bulgaria like in
searching answers to the questions about the nature Western Europe, or is it considered more like an
of suffering and death and how to help people in need. Asian cult or a religion studied only at universities?
I found some of the answers in the field of Buddhism
and I was especially touched by the subjects of Karuṇā Compared to Western Europe, we can’t say that
(compassion) and Bodhicitta (awakening heart). Buddhism in Bulgaria is a growing religion. It is a
small minority religion, which has a moderate rate of
The gates to the profound wisdom of Buddhism development. Buddhism is not considered as an Asian
opened to me with the Tibetan Book of the Dead, or cult in Bulgaria but as a spiritual practice related to
the Bardo Thodol (Liberation through hearing during training the mind and it is not limited only to academic
the intermediate state). It had been translated from discipline.
Tibetan into Bulgarian by the eminent Buddhologist
and Tibetologist Professor Alexander Fedotoff, who The spread of Buddhism in Bulgaria began with the
was director of the Center for Eastern Languages and collapse of Communism in 1989, when some Bulgarians
Cultures of Sofia University. After reading the book, started practicing Theravāda, Mahāyāna, and Vajrayāna
I attended the courses about Tibetan Buddhism of Buddhism. There are several aspects regarding the
Prof. Fedotoff, who later became supervisor of my development process of Buddhist tradition in the
dissertation about women in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism southeastern European country: emergence of Buddhist
and encouraged me to teach Eastern religions and communities, Buddhist Studies in Bulgarian higher
cultures at Sofia University. education institutions, translation of Buddhist literature
into Bulgarian language, significant publications
I had the chance to get in touch with different Tibetan dedicated to Buddhist thought, as well as lectures of
teachers during my travels in Asia, North America, and international Buddhist teachers and scholars, holding of
Europe. In 2003, I met His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, scientific forums, and conferences.
the 12th throne-holder of the Palyul lineage, took
refuge, and started Dharma practice according to Palyul The path of the Buddha in Bulgaria had a symbolic start
Nyingma tradition. with the visit of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in
1991. Accompanied by a delegation from the Tibetan
As a Buddhist scholar, do you study Buddhism Government in Exile, His Holiness met the former
purely as an intellectual subject or do you apply president of Bulgaria, Zhelyu Zhelev, and delivered a
Buddhism in your daily life as well? lecture at the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski.” In

the early 1990s various Buddhist communities started
I do study and teach Buddhism as an intellectual subject emerging in Bulgaria, some of which disappeared after
but also try to apply it in my daily life. With application I a few years, while others survived. At present, the most
do not only mean chanting, praying, meditating, etc. but popular form of Buddhism in the country is Tibetan
also awareness of how to deal with negative emotions, Buddhism and among its four schools, the Diamond