Telo Tulku Rinpoche
(Erdne Basan Ombadykow)
Spiritual Leader | Diplomat | Humanitarian | Scholar-Practitioner | Advocate for Compassion-Based Education
Early Life, Education, and Spiritual Recognition.
Telo Tulku Rinpoche (Erdne Basan Ombadykow) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1972 to a family of Kalmyk Mongolian immigrants whose ancestors preserved their Buddhist heritage despite decades of religious persecution under Soviet rule. At the age of six, following the recommendation of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, he entered Drepung Gomang Monastery in South India, one of the foremost centers of Buddhist scholarship in the Tibetan tradition.
Over thirteen years of rigorous monastic education, Rinpoche undertook extensive study in Buddhist philosophy, logic, epistemology, psychology, ethics, and the Prajñāpāramitā (Perfection of Wisdom) literature. He completed the prestigious Parchin Rabjamba degree, a scholastic achievement recognizing advanced mastery of Buddhist philosophical studies. During this period, His Holiness the Dalai Lama formally recognized him as the reincarnation of the great Indian Mahāsiddha Tilopa, one of the founding figures of the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.
Architect of the Buddhist Renaissance in Kalmykia
From 1992 to 2023, Telo Tulku Rinpoche served as the Shadjin Lama (Supreme Lama) of the Republic of Kalmykia, becoming the principal architect of the post-Soviet Buddhist revival in Russia.
Under his leadership, Kalmykia experienced an unprecedented cultural and spiritual renaissance. He oversaw the reconstruction and establishment of 37 Buddhist temples and more than 120 stupas, restored monastic education, revived traditional Buddhist ceremonies, and nurtured a new generation of monastic and lay practitioners. His most visible achievement was the construction of the Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni in Elista, recognized as the largest Buddhist temple in Europe.
Beyond religious reconstruction, Rinpoche played a critical role in preserving Kalmyk language, culture, and historical identity while promoting interfaith dialogue and peaceful cooperation among diverse religious communities.
Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
In 2014, Rinpoche was appointed Honorary Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Russia, Mongolia, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). In this capacity, he has worked to strengthen cultural, educational, and spiritual ties between Tibetan, Mongolian, Kalmyk, and international Buddhist communities.
He has organized numerous public lectures, educational forums, exhibitions, conferences, and cultural programs dedicated to promoting the Dalai Lama’s message of universal responsibility, secular ethics, compassion, interreligious harmony, and nonviolence.
Following his public condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Rinpoche became the first major religious leader in Russia to openly oppose the war. His principled stance resulted in his designation as a “foreign agent” by Russian authorities in 2023, after which he relocated to Mongolia, where he continues to serve as His Holiness’s representative and advocate for peace, dialogue, and ethical leadership.
Leadership in Science, Compassion, and Education
A defining feature of Rinpoche’s work has been his commitment to building bridges between contemplative traditions and modern science.
As Chairman of the Diluv Hutught Foundation, he has developed international collaborations involving universities, neuroscientists, medical researchers, educators, and Buddhist scholars. The Foundation supports educational innovation, scientific research, cultural preservation, and humanitarian initiatives throughout Mongolia and beyond.
Rinpoche has been a prominent supporter of the international Tukdam Research Project, which investigates advanced meditative states associated with the dying process. This interdisciplinary initiative brings together Buddhist practitioners and scientists to examine consciousness, meditation, and end-of-life phenomena. His leadership has helped facilitate cooperation between Buddhist institutions and research teams from major scientific organizations.
Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT)
Inspired by the vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama that compassion should become a universal educational value, Rinpoche has been a leading advocate for Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT), a secular compassion cultivation program originally developed at Emory University. CBCT combines contemplative practices with modern psychological and educational methods to strengthen empathy, emotional resilience, and prosocial behavior.
Through the Diluv Hutught Foundation and its educational partnerships, Rinpoche has promoted compassion-based training programs for educators, monastics, students, healthcare professionals, and community leaders. His efforts have helped introduce evidence-based approaches to compassion education in Mongolia and contributed to the growing international dialogue between Buddhist contemplative traditions and modern neuroscience.
SEE Learning and Educational Reform
Rinpoche has been one of the foremost champions of Social, Emotional, and Ethical (SEE) Learning, an educational framework developed by Emory University in collaboration with educators and scholars inspired by the vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. SEE Learning seeks to cultivate emotional intelligence, ethical awareness, compassion, resilience, and global citizenship alongside academic achievement.
As a Board Member of SEE Learning Mongolia, Rinpoche has played a pivotal role in introducing the program into Mongolia’s public education system. Through teacher training, curriculum development, and institutional partnerships, he has helped expand compassion-centered education to schools across the country, creating one of the most successful national implementations of SEE Learning worldwide.
Public Health and Humanitarian Initiatives
Rinpoche has consistently emphasized that authentic spirituality must be expressed through service to society. Working with international partners, including leading medical institutions, he launched the Zero TB in Kids initiative in Mongolia. This program combines community engagement, modern molecular diagnostics, preventive healthcare, and educational outreach to combat tuberculosis among vulnerable populations, particularly children and monastic communities.
His humanitarian work also includes support for educational access, mental health awareness, youth development, environmental responsibility, and social welfare initiatives.
Publishing, Translation, and Cultural Preservation
Recognizing the importance of making Buddhist wisdom and secular ethics accessible to modern audiences, Rinpoche has supported the translation, publication, and distribution of numerous books and educational materials in Mongolian and Russian languages. Through the Diluv Hutught Foundation, he has helped publish works on Buddhism, compassion, ethics, contemplative science, and the teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Among these efforts has been the publication and dissemination of the Dalai Lama’s book Beyond Religion, helping introduce universal ethics and secular values to broader audiences throughout Mongolia.
Rinpoche has also contributed articles, essays, and academic publications addressing Buddhist philosophy, ethics, intercultural dialogue, science and spirituality, and contemporary social challenges. He is a frequent speaker at international conferences and scholarly forums.
Promoting the Legacy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Throughout his career, Rinpoche has devoted significant effort to increasing public awareness of the life, teachings, and humanitarian vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
He has organized and supported major photographic exhibitions, documentary screenings, educational forums, and public events dedicated to presenting the Dalai Lama’s life story, his Four Commitments, and his global contributions to peace, compassion, ethics, science, and interfaith harmony.
