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The Philosophical View of the Great Perfection in the Tibetan Bon Religion (Tibetan Bon Philosophy)

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One problem facing Western scholars with an interest in the indigenous Bon religion of Tibet is that there is a noticable lack of translations of Bon scriptures in the West. Indeed, there are very few Bon scriptures in translation at all, and those that do exist are often expensive and difficult to acquire. This book gives two translations of Bon scripture ("The Twelve Little Tantras" and "The View Which is Like the Lion's Roar") complete with corresponding and transliterated Zhang-Zhung text. Granted, we can safely assume that this is of little use to the casual reader (even those with a serious interest in shamanic traditions or Tibetan culture), and that a good scholar would be able to read Zhang-Zhung in its native script, but this is a small detail. Furthermore, the book is full of notes and commentary. Overall, I strongly recommend this book for anyone with a scholarly interest in Tibetan religion, especially those familar with Tibetan languages. Casual readers still will have to look about for a more generalized book about the Bon religion and its cultural traditions, but should find this book quite interesting as well.

While there is very little explanatory material in this book, and its subject is very deep, it is an extremely valuable book. Not only does it provide some comparison and historical information concerning Bön Dzogchen vs. Buddhist (Nyingma) Dzogchen (similar to that of the erudite scholar Samten Karmay in his "The Great Perfection, a Philosophical and Meditative Teaching of Tibetan Buddhism"), but it provides direct translation of two entire Bön Dzogchen texts, ;"The Twelve Little Tantras" (which is very reminiscent of Nyingma Dzogchen) and "The View which is like the Lion's Roar" (which seems to have some differences, though mostly commonalities, with Buddhist Dzogchen). It also contains considerable excerpts from "The Lamp that Clarifies the View." These are lovely works though rather concise and advanced-not for a beginner. The book is actually much shorter than it appears because the 3 texts are given in both Tibetan and English and the two full texts are presented with one verse per page (with opposite pages in the different languages). Thus most pages take up only about half a full page. Still, it is not light reading, but worth contemplating at length.

A few quotations will provide some feel for the nature of the text/translation:

p. 45: from "The Lamp that Clarifies the View" a short Terma; "The Great Perfection abides (in) everything ... (it) has no duality of acceptance (and) rejection, good (or) bad...It exists spontaneously without birth and death ... (it is) without duality.

p. 105: from "The Twelve Little Tantras" The Pure-and-Perfect Mind is without cause, (it) is not an effect produced by causes; (it) exists without effort, like the sky... (it is) to be looked for in the mind by the mind."

p. 177-9: from "The View which is like the Lion's Roar" "In former times when I did not exist ... not even the name of enlightened and sentient beings existed. Before anything whatsoever, I appeared. (It is) I (that) created everything. My nature (is) pure. Since (it) is the primordial Nature pure from the beginning, (it) is Primordial Enlightenment itself. With respect to this doctrine of Primordial Enlightenment, there is nothing to be investigated and nothing to be protected; there is nothing to be sought and nothing to be meditated upon; there is also nothing to be done (for) the benefit (of) sentient beings. When (one) realizes the meaning in that way, (one) realizes the View which is like the Lion's Roar."

pp. 223-5: from "The View which is like the Lion's Roar" -"Since the Mind-itself is naturally unaltered, (it) exists without any effort; it is generally called Clear Light. The Everlasting Mind, which (is in) that way, being spontaneously aware, doesn't seek to express (what it is aware of). (Being) without borders and centre, (it) is the All-Good. Having no outside nor) inside, it is transparent Primordial Wisdom. Having no defects (nor) virtues, (it) is spontaneously accomplished. Being without progression, (it is) without the intention of effort. Being unprejudiced, (it is) without any attachment. Having no extremes (nor) middle, (it is) without any partiality (and) inclination. With respect to (the fact that) the (Ultimate) Nature of phenomena doesn't exist outside the Mind, it is delusive to see the mind (and its) objects as two."

pp. 235-7: from "The View which is like the Lion's Roar" -"Primordial Wisdom doesn't find itself: (it is) `Primordial", (since it) is without (any) assumed (way of) seeing; (it is) `Wisdom', just because (it) sees without appearances; as to the `itself', (it means that it) clearly perceives (itself) beyond examples. Whoever sees the existence (of that which is) without appearances, that (person) sees the existence of the Mind. Appearance is (in) itself delusion. The various (ways of) seeing (are) the cause (of) the imprints. Imprints are that which (creates) obstruction with respect to the Mind."

p. 145: (from 12 Little Tantras) "Like a jewel put into the mouth of a crocodile, (this) very secret, most sacred (teaching)." Though I thoroughly agree, it does remind me of "Romancing the Stone!"

This exploration of Buddhist Dzogchen teachings in Tibet is recommended not only for readers of Buddhist religion, but for those interested in religious philosophy: it presents two Bonpo texts, translated and critically edited in their entirety for the first time, and traces the philosophical view of the 'Great Perfection'. Recommended.