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Bonpo is the
Tibetan name for the adherents of the Bon religion. The founder of
this old religion is Tonpa Shenrab mibo, who was born in the country
Zhang Zhung, a previous kingdom situated in the West of today's
Tibet. Both Tibet and Dolpo were part of this kingdom. The teachings
of Tonpa Shenrab were later distributed throughout Tibet by his
adherents.
At first sight,
the Bon religion seems very similar to Buddhism. A closer look
however reveals marked differences. The Bonpo walk around their
monuments anti-clockwise, whereas Buddhists pace around them
clockwise. The clothes differ mainly through the use of blue colour
and a typical white hat with blue stripes. A special ritual bell
called shang is used where Buddhists apply a bell with the name
drilbu. Also the style of the chants and mantras are different, and
the whole iconography, while being very similar, makes use of the
corresponding Bonpo gods and goddesses, saints and stories.
Less visible
signs of distinction are in the teachings of the holy writings. The
Bon religion consists of the "nine ways of Bon" (thegpa gu),
nine different levels of reading, learning and meditation. The ninth
and highest way is the way of the "great perfection" (rDzogs
chen).
Even though
the forms of religious practice between Bonpo and Buddhists vary,
the contents of the two forms of religion are quite similar. Both
believe in Karma, the principle of cause and effect affecting future
lives as well as the closeness to Nirvana and salvation of the
perpetual cycle of life and rebirth. And both religions pursue the
way of religious life and practice.
The
article written by Marietta Kind for a conference on the topic
"identity" in 1995 deals with the identity of the Tibetan
Bonpo
(in German only)
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