Bon

The Organized Bon Religion and the Native Tibetan Tradition The two main religious traditions of Tibet are Bon and Buddhism. The former was the native faith of Tibet, while the latter had been introduced by Tibet’s first emperor, Songtsen-gampo (Srong-btsan sgam-po, r. 617 ...

Review of Tibetan Relations with China Tibet and China had first established diplomatic relations in 608 C.E. when Emperor Songtsen-gampo’s father, Namri-lontsen (gNam-ri slon-mtshan), had sent the first Tibetan mission to the Chinese court at the time of the Sui Dynasty...

Different Presentations of the Four Types of Seals The text continues now with the next point in the outline, the actual methods of mahamudra. Although mahamudra practice can be explained in many ways, it divides it into two: the sutra and tantra levels of mahamudra methods....

A survey of the political interaction of Buddhist and Bon factions in Tibet from the earliest time to the 11th-century revival of Buddhism.

The ten far-reaching attitudes are states of mind that bring bodhisattvas to enlightenment. Although shravakas may also develop these attitudes, they are not considered “far-reaching” unless they are conjoined with a bodhichitta aim.

We gain a more balanced perspective of Bon by understanding Tibetan history and culture and how Bon’s approach to spiritual development relates to Tibetan Buddhism.

In 1836, Nangton Dawa Gyaltsen founded Yungdrungling Monastery just below Menri. This became the major debate monastery for the Bon tradition.

Tashi Menri Monastery was established in 1405 in Tsang to continue the Bon debate tradition of Ensaka Monastery, which had been destroyed by a flood.

An overview of dzogchen practices in Bon by the 33rd Menri Trizin.

It is very important to maintain a nonsectarian point of view of Bon with regard to the Tibetan traditions. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama always stresses, these different traditions share the same ultimate aim: they all teach methods for achieving enlightenment to benefit...