An article on the great Bönpo Khandro Choza Bönmo is now included in The Treasury of Lives, an online biographical encyclopedia of Tibet, Inner Asia and the Himalayan region: The pith instructions of this great yogini who achieved Rainbow Body in 8th century AD can be found in the Heart Essence of the Khandro, Experiential Instructions on Bonpo Dzogchen. This book has recently been translated into Russian and is due to be published there next month. Cover image: Left tsakali: courtesy of Prof. Charles Ramble.Right tskali: a fragment of Yethri Thasel Mogyu thangka by @ Geshe Monlam Wangyal painted for the Heart…
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This article is an adaptation of a talk given in Italian on 22nd January, 2023 for Tianwu – Scuola di Medicina Classica Cinese e Arti Taoiste. Thanks to Carol Ermakova for translating it into English. Topics covered Introduction to the shamanism of Siberia and Central Asia Prehistoric Bön of Eurasia Bön as a multifaceted phenomenon. The word ‘bön’ Etymology of the word ‘bön’ Meaning of the word ‘bön’ Four types of Bönpo religions Prehistoric Bön Yungdrung Bön Doctrines of Yungdrung Bön New Bön Mixed Bön Bө Murgel Bön of the Deer Differences between Bө Murgel and Yungdrung Bön Possible vectors via…
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Based on teachings and explanations by Yongdzin Lopön Tenzin Namdak, Khenpo Tenpa Yungdrung and Geshe Gelek Jinpa given 1995–2006 In both Bön and Buddhist texts alike, it is generally said that our universe is flat. However, as everything appears to sentient beings through the ripening of their karma, there is in fact no such thing as a fixed shape or a fixed universal perception; we can see different forms. At one time the universe is explained as being flat but the Yungdrung Bön texts also say that in some cases the form of the universe is seen as very long…
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Over the years I have had many discussions on the topic of Dzogchen[1] and Vedanta, particularly Advaita Vedanta, with friends and practitioners of Yungdrung Bön[2] and various schools of Indo-Tibetan Buddhism. Recently, this topic came up again in conversation when a friend brought to my attention a section of Loel Guiness’ book Rainbow Body that contains an exposition of the Dzogchen view. We had a lively discussion about what was written there after my recent talk at Watkins Books in London and it is this discussion that has prompted me to write this article since, from the perspective of Dzogchen…
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