Sacred Landscape And Pilgrimage in Tibet: In Search of the Lost Kingdom of Bon [Hardcover]

Gesha Gelek Jinpa (Author), Charles Ramble (Author), Carroll Dunham (Author), Thomas L. Kelly (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2005

Before Buddhism, there was Bon. This book is a fascinating journey, visually and spiritually, through western Tibet by a monk of the little-known Bon faith, who is searching for the lost, sacred Bon homeland of Zhangzhung. This spiritual adventure is the first book to document the living tradition of Bon. What makes this narrative so compelling is that the voice and perspective of Gelek, a young Bon monk, lends an intimacy and knowledge of Bon not found in religious texts. According to the Tibetan calendar, 2002 was a holy year for pilgrimages, and in the holiest month of that year, Gelek set out from his monastery in Nepal with some hardy companions and photographer Thomas Kelly to travel to Kailash, a sacred mountain in western Tibet. He was also on a quest to seek out the long-vanished kingdom of Zhangzhung. At the end of the journey, Gelek finds little that resembles the Bon kingdom. He comes upon crumbling ruins that have all but reverted to their native dust and earth. From this experience Gelek understands that the essence of his faith is built not on these shifting sands but on the bedrock of the changeless Bon teachings. This extraordinary trek is illustrated by 160 stunningly beautiful color photographs of the unknown landscapes, as well as travelers and local people. Accompanying the images is the authors' vivid description of their journey, which is especially evocative as it includes translated excerpts from Gelek's personal diary.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 204 pages
• Publisher: Abbeville Press; Har/DVD/Dv edition (October 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789208563
• ISBN-13: 978-0789208569
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 10.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #580,729 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #55 in Books > Travel > Asia > Tibet

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There's also a DVD included !!, March 9, 2006

By 

Manlio A. Salvetti "Classic wizard" (Italy) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sacred Landscape And Pilgrimage in Tibet: In Search of the Lost Kingdom of Bon (Hardcover)

Very intriguing quest for the lost empire of Shang Shung, sacred land of Dzog-Chen according to the Bon religion of Tibet, accompanied by heart-fulfilling pictures and a beautiful commentary. There's also a DVD sleeved in the back flap of the book that puts in motion picture the whole book thru the gracious words of the commentators and the Bon lamas. The DVD alone is worth half the price of the package and the hard cover together with the waxed paper of the book make the purchase an absolute must for all people interested in Bon culture, religion and Dzog Chen of ancient Tibet.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Excellent photos and a DVD add to this basic story of a Bon monk on pilgrimage to the Mount Kailash area of Tibet, September 15, 2009

By 

Jerome Ryan (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sacred Landscape And Pilgrimage in Tibet: In Search of the Lost Kingdom of Bon (Hardcover)

This coffee-table size book documents a prilgrimage by Geshe Gelek, a Bon monk from Kathmandu, in May 2002 to Zhangzhung in the Mount Kailash area of West Tibet. "For Hindus, Kailas is home to the gods Shiva and Parvati; for the Buddhists, the tantric deity Demchog and his scarlet consort Dorje Phagmo; for the Jains, Rishibanatha; and for us Bon, Walchen Gekho." In addition to the day-by-day diary of the trip, there are descriptions of the Bon religion of Tibet, Dzogchen, and its main beliefs and history. There are 160 colour photos.

After flying to Simikot, Geshe Gelek treks to Tibet, does the Lake Manasoravor kora, and the Mount Kailash outer and inner koras. "We crested a ridge [on the inner kora], gazed down into a cirque of snow, the sheer sapphire wall of Mount Kailas behind us, ice and rock cascading off the mountain as the sun softened the snow's surface." After Kailash they visit Tirthapuri and Khyunglung, the ancient capital of Zhangzhung. There are also some photos from Bon areas of Nepal, including Upper Dolpo and Mustang.

The book provides a good overview of the Bon religion that predated Buddhism in Tibet. The text is interesting. The photos are excellent. The accompanying DVD brings the story even more to life.