5th International Conference on the Phenomenon of the Holy Mt. Kailash

Mount Kailash, or Gang Tise, as the Tibetans call it, is one of the world’s holiest mountains. It is revered by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Bönpo alike. This conference will bring together experts from all around the globe to discuss why Mt. Kailash and its environs play a central role in these ancient belief systems.

Dmitry Ermakov of Foundation for the Preservation of Yungdrung Bon has been invited to represent the Bonpos. He will present two topics:

ABSTRACT: The Importance of Mt. Kailash in the Bön Religion by Dmitry Ermakov, Foundation for the Preservation of Yungdrung Bön, UK. March 21, 2020, Session 2, 12:10.

Being the most important sacred geographical feature of Zhang Zhung and Tibet, Mt. Kailash was venerated by Bönpos of various creeds from times immemorial. In this talk I will firstly give a brief discourse on the four types of Bön religions to set the scene. I will then examine how the Dhami tradition of Humla, Nepal is connected to the Kailash region. The rest of the talk will focus on the role Mt. Kailash plays in Yungdrung Bön teachings and history: the meaning of its name in the Zhang Zhung language; Mt. Kailash and Lake Mapang as la-receptacles of Zhang Zhung emperors and the people of Zhang Zhung and Tibet; the Buddha Tönpa Shenrab connection; Mt. Kailash in the context of Bönpo Tantra; the extermination of Ligmincha royal line and Srongtsen Gampo’s conquest of Zhang Zhung, and Trisong Deutsen’s Cultural Revolution; Dzogchen masters Tapihritsa and Nangzher Lödpo and the first restoration of Bön; destruction of Bön by Lha Lama Yeshe Wö in Ngari; the survival of Zhang Zhung Nyengyu in Western Tibet and its spread to Dölpo and Mustang; and finally, the return and restoration of Yungdrung Bön around Mt. Kailash in recent times.

ABSTRACT: The Magical Duel between Milarepa and Naro Bönchung: Who Really Won? by Dmitry Ermakov, Foundation for the Preservation of Yungdrung Bon, UK. March 21, 2020, Session 4, 16:50.

Probably everyone who has even a little interest in Tibet knows or has at least heard of the magical contest between Buddhist yogi Milarepa and Bönpo sorcerer Naro Bönchung. The tale has been told and retold for centuries. But does this story have any grounding in real events? Did this magical duel really happen on Mount Kailash? And who was the real winner? I will attempt to answer these questions by looking into Bönpo and Buddhist sources on Milarepa, recent comparative studies on Milarepa’s hagiographies as well as by referring to oral traditions of Gurungs and Tamangs of Nepal.

This international conference promises to be extremely interesting. For full details, including list of speakers, topics, registration etc, please see information below or visit https://www.aai.uni-hamburg.de/indtib/forschung/veranstaltungen/kailash-conference