6. Bon and Buddhism

During all these developments and upheavals and amidst the growing influence of the new Buddhist religion, the native religion, Bon, did not diminished into the oblivion. Despite the religious rivalry caused by circumstances and by the leaders with vested interests, the Bon religion survived the domineering flood of the new religion. This was due to the long cultural authority it enjoyed in the social fabrics of Tibetan life and by the unwavering hard-work of some great masters to align the religion to be more relevant to the changing time. Bon and Buddhism co-existed by sharing and absorbing the best of each other's teachings. Guru Padmasambhava, sensed the need for a symbiotic relation between Buddhism and the native religion for the good of Tibet. He had many Bon pantheon deities incorporated into Buddhist pantheons as guardian deities, known as Dharmapalas,^[1].

The twenty-one mountain deities, dGe snyen nyer gcig, and the Five long-life sisters, Tsering mChed nga, from the Bon religion were the sole guardian spirits of the land, rivers and the mountains of Tibet and were propitiated by the Tibetans since the early times. All these deities have found respectable places in Buddhism as Dharmapalas and protectors of the land of Tibet and its religions. Yarlhashampo [Tib:Yar lha sham po] in Central Tibet; A-mye machen in the east; Kulhahari in the south; Nodjingansang [Tib:gNod sbyin gangs bzang] in the west; and Nyanchan thanglha [Tib:gNyan chen thang lha] in the north are considered the main guardian spirits of the land of Tibet by all Tibetans. Religious dances [Tib:'Cham] performed by the early Bonpos to propitiate and to receive the blessing of these guardian spirits were adapted into all the schools of Tibetan Buddhism. They were integrated in different forms, making Cham a unique manifestation of unity and dedication by the deities and the inhabitants of this Land of Snow. Tibetan religious culture of rlung rta, prayer flags, sending kLud -ransom rituals all had their origin in the Bon teachings.

Moreover, the Bon priests, not to be outdone by the profundity and depth of Buddhist doctrine, compiled their own teachings into a more sophisticated way similar to Buddhism. According to some scholars, Bon and Buddhism are different in name only; contents of the teachings and the ultimate salvation are the same. Profound Vajrayana teachings like rdZogchen are found in both traditions. So, it can be said that Bon and Buddhism influenced and benefited each other and coexisted in Tibet. However, adherents of the Bon religion faced much discrimination. This was due to the general public being misinformed and indoctrinated to view everything Indian as superior and sacred, and everything Tibetan as inferior and impure. Professor Namkhai Norbu has explicitly described this unfortunate side of Tibetan mentality in his small but enlightening book 'Necklace of dZi'^[2]. This unfortunate situation has become a thing of the past. Today, the Tibetan people are beginning to realize and appreciate the fact that the depth of ancient Tibetan civilization has its roots in native Bon religious culture.

Today, the five major religious traditions in the Tibetan community are: Bon, Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and Geluk Schools. These five schools have their own internal sub-schools based on the specific method of practice and concentration. Whatever their differences, the teachings and practices are all based on one teacher; Buddha. The uniqueness of Vajrayana of Tibetan Buddhism will be discussed briefly in the following pages. Tibetan politics, culture and history were so immersed in religious belief and tradition that the Tibetan government administration was known as Chos srid gnyis ldan, (harmony of religion and politics)—in which politics and religion played an equal role in the administration.

Early Tibetan kings were known as Chos rgyal, the Dharma kings, and deities were known as Chos skyong, religious protectors. Even in exile, the Tibetan parliament in India has two representatives from each of the five major religious schools. Whatever the size or the economic standing of the family, a Tibetan home or house is never complete without a mChod gshom, an altar space for religious statues and offerings.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Rene de Nebesky–Wojkowitz, Oracles and Demons of Tibet, P-177, 203 ff

[2]:

Namkhai Norbu, The Necklace of dZi, DIIR, Dharamsala, India