Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

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Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

Post by kalden yungdrung »

Tashi delek DW members,
nangzhig-monastery-at-night.jpg
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Nangzhig Monastery in eastern Tibet /China.



Below a link about a survey of the Bön monasteries in India, Tibet and Nepal.
The link shows also other Bön related topics.

-------------------------
http://www.thlib.org/places/monasteries ... wb/b7-2-7/

KY
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

Post by tingdzin »

Thanks for posting this. The information was previously only available in a thick expensive book.
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

Post by kalden yungdrung »

Tashi delek DW members,

Guru Yam Gu ru gyam Monastery is located in Mon mtsher qu, sGar rdzong. It is 250 kilometres from sGar rdzong to Gangs sTi se.
Bön Momnasteries - Guru Yam Monastery.jpg
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From there, one must travel 60 km. further to Mon mtsher xiang, then 7 km. to Dri bda’ spos ri, and another 7 km. westward. The distance is long, but the road is in good condition.

The place where Guru gyam Monastery is located is called Khyung lung dngul mkhar, which is one of the oldest Bönpo religious sites.

It was there that the capital of the Zhang zhung kingdom was found. It was there too that gShen chen Dran pa nam mkha’, one of the most important Bön masters, flourished. Then the Bön religion’s fortune declined and its religious establishments fell as lamp-light dying from lack of oil. Now they are nothing but names.

In 1936, Khyung sprul ’Jigs med nam mkha’i rdo rje founded the monastery mDo sngags grags rgyas gling at Gu ru gyam. It has now become fairly large and the condition of its buildings, religious objects and offering implements is reasonably good. At present, the monastery is taken care of by the scholar bsTan ’dzin dbang grags, and there are 7 monks and 3 nuns.

In regard to annual services and rituals, those practised at this monastery are much the same as other Bönpo monasteries.
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

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Tashi delek DW members,

Triten Norbutse Monastery is situated in Nepal/ Kathmandu.
Here is the residence of H.E. the Bön Yongdzin Rinpoche / Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche.
Lopon La is the Lineage Holder of all Bön Lineages.

It is the unique place to study Zhang Zhung Nyengyüd Dzogchen Teachings.

Mutsug Marro
KY.

http://www.triten.org/TR/index.php?opti ... &Itemid=53
Triten Norbutse Monastery - Kathmandu.jpg
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http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=78&t=21672
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

Post by mutsuk »

kalden yungdrung wrote:Triten Norbutse Monastery is situated in Nepal/ Kathmandu.
It is an offshot of the original Triten Norbutsé Monastery located in Tibet.
Lopon La is the Lineage Holder of all Bön Lineages.
No, Rinpoche is the head of all Menri/Yungdrung Ling lineages. There are lots of Bon and New Bon lineages not connected to Rinpoche. Essentially in Eastern Tibet.
It is the unique place to study Zhang Zhung Nyengyüd Dzogchen Teachings.
Certainly not. There are lots of place in Tibet where the ZZNG lineage is held and transmitted, and many of them (maybe most of them) are totally independent of the Menri/yungdrung ling tradition.
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

Post by Johnny Dangerous »

Mutsuk, do you have some sources of information about these other lineages? I have not been able to find much just poking around the internet.
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

Post by kalden yungdrung »

mutsuk wrote:
kalden yungdrung wrote:Triten Norbutse Monastery is situated in Nepal/ Kathmandu.
It is an offshot of the original Triten Norbutsé Monastery located in Tibet.
Lopon La is the Lineage Holder of all Bön Lineages.
No, Rinpoche is the head of all Menri/Yungdrung Ling lineages. There are lots of Bon and New Bon lineages not connected to Rinpoche. Essentially in Eastern Tibet.

Tashi delek M,

How are you doing ? Long time ago.

Agree, did not see until now that Lopon La would be the head of the Kundrul Lineage / Bön Sarma. But according the ZZNG 00002 Chart, Lopon Lak would be general Lineage Holder in Bön.

http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=78&t=23469

It is the unique place to study Zhang Zhung Nyengyüd Dzogchen Teachings.
Certainly not. There are lots of place in Tibet where the ZZNG lineage is held and transmitted, and many of them (maybe most of them) are totally independent of the Menri/yungdrung ling tradition.
Well thought that Rinpoche did teach in Kathmandu / Triten Norbutse many students Dzogchen. Ok outside Triten Norbutse one can also study ZZNG Dzogchen.
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

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kalden yungdrung wrote: But according the ZZNG 00002 Chart, Lopon Lak would be general Lineage Holder in Bön.[/color]
http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=78&t=23469
This is one lineage of the ZZNG (ZZNG is one corpus of works in Bon, Bon is much larger than ZZNG), the one passing through the Menri Abbots. There are many other ZZNG lineages (including several in New Bon) with which Yongdzin Rinpoche is not connected.
Well thought that Rinpoche did teach in Kathmandu / Triten Norbutse many students Dzogchen.
Sure but Bon Dzogchen (whether ZZNG or other cycles) are widely taught without any connections to Lopon or Triten. Triten Norbutsé in Tibet was much connected to the Mother Tantras (quasi-exclusively) and there is a reason why Lopon gave the Kathmandu offshot the same name: it is because Yongdzin's primary and favorite system of practice is Ma-rgyud. If you look for Dzogchen (in all its variety), you should look for the various lineages stemming from Tsewang Drakpa, Sang-ngak Lingpa and Shardza. These are the most widespread in eastern tibet now.

Far from me the intention to belittle the importance of Yongdzin Rinpoche, but the way the information is given in the post above is not really representing what is alive in Tibet now. There is Bon according to Menri, Yungdrung Ling, Karna and other monasteries, and then there are all the other traditions of Bon (Yungdrung Bon and New Bon) which have their own lineages, collections of work, etc. Most of these lineages, texts, etc., have nothing to do with Rinpoche. He is himself sometimes very critical about these.
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

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mutsuk wrote:
kalden yungdrung wrote: But according the ZZNG 00002 Chart, Lopon Lak would be general Lineage Holder in Bön.[/color]
http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=78&t=23469
This is one lineage of the ZZNG (ZZNG is one corpus of works in Bon, Bon is much larger than ZZNG), the one passing through the Menri Abbots. There are many other ZZNG lineages (including several in New Bon) with which Yongdzin Rinpoche is not connected.
Yes Bön seems to be much larger than ZZNG Dzogchen. You wrote below the names of these Masters.
Well thought that Rinpoche did teach in Kathmandu / Triten Norbutse many students Dzogchen.
Sure but Bon Dzogchen (whether ZZNG or other cycles) are widely taught without any connections to Lopon or Triten. Triten Norbutsé in Tibet was much connected to the Mother Tantras (quasi-exclusively) and there is a reason why Lopon gave the Kathmandu offshot the same name: it is because Yongdzin's primary and favorite system of practice is Ma-rgyud. If you look for Dzogchen (in all its variety), you should look for the various lineages stemming from Tsewang Drakpa, Sang-ngak Lingpa and Shardza. These are the most widespread in eastern tibet now.
Very interesting Mutsuk, these Bön Masters. Maybe there is more informations about Sang Ngak and Tsewang Drakpa and their Linegae ? About Shardza Rinpoche is not so much known, regarding his Biography, according Lopon Lak. Very interesting to know more about Shardza's Rinpoche biography.

Far from me the intention to belittle the importance of Yongdzin Rinpoche, but the way the information is given in the post above is not really representing what is alive in Tibet now. There is Bon according to Menri, Yungdrung Ling, Karna and other monasteries, and then there are all the other traditions of Bon (Yungdrung Bon and New Bon) which have their own lineages, collections of work, etc. Most of these lineages, texts, etc., have nothing to do with Rinpoche. He is himself sometimes very critical about these.
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

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RALA YUNGDRUNG LING MONASTERY.

Rala Yungdrung Ling Monastery.jpg
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http://english.cntv.cn/program/newshour ... 5311.shtml


Rala Yungdrung Ling Monastery is regarded as the ancestor monastery of Bön religion in Tibet.
Rala Yungdrung Ling Monastery is located in Namling County of western Tibet's Shigatse Prefecture.
Built in the 7th century under Songtsan Gambo's reign, it's a well-known Monastery of Bön religion.

Long before the introduction of Buddhism, Bön was firmly established and flourishing in the land of snow. It's the primitive and authentic religion of ancient Tibetans.

Kelsang Rigzen, abbot of Yungdrung Ling Monastery said, "Bön religion is Tibet's first indigenous religion. It originated in Zhang Zhung, an ancient kingdom of western and northwestern Tibet.

Today, Bön has continued to flourish in the eastern and northeastern regions of Tibet. Although much in modern Bön is similar to Tibetan Buddhism, Bön retains the richness and flavor of its pre-Buddhist roots.

Still, many devout Bon followers travel a long way to Yungdrung Ling Monastery to worship.
Samdrup, herdsman from Nakchu county, said, "It's a very tough journey. But we have to come here because the Yungdrung Ling Monastery is so sacred."

As it's in a remote area, Yungdrung Ling Monastery is always quiet and peaceful. The simple life of monks here is repeated each day. But the monastery is passing on Tibet's most primitive civilization.
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

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Longevity Prayer of H.H. 33rd Menri Trizin Rinpoche

E MA HO !

RAB JAM CHHOK CHU GYAL WA SE CHE KYI
The omniscient wisdom of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the 10 directions

KHYEN TSE YESHE NGO WO CHIK DUI PI
Is condensed into a single essence in you, Highest One

ZAB GYE SHEN TEN PEL WE THRIN LE CHEN
Possessor of the enlightened activity of the profound, expanded, increasing teachings of Tonpa Shenrab

LUNG TOG TENPAI NYIMA TAG CHHAR SHOG
We pray that you Lungtok Tenpa’i Nyima shine forever



HIS HOLINESS THE 33RD MENRI ABBOT


His Holiness Lungtok Tenpa’i Nyima is the worldwide spiritual leader of the Bon religion of Tibet.

He was born in Amdo, in the far eastern region of Tibet, in 1927 and became a monk at the age of eight, at Kyong Tsang Monastery. When he was sixteen he entered the Dialectic School at the monastery, and after eight years of study received his Geshe degree, specializing in Tibetan medicine, astronomy, and astrology. Soon after, at the age of twenty-six, he traveled to Gyalron in Eastern Tibet, where he printed the Bönpo scriptures, the Kangyur, from wood blocks kept by the king of Trochen Gyalpo, one of the eighteen kingdoms of Gyalrong. This is a set of over one hundred books. He then brought the published Kangyur back to Kyong Tsang Monastery. Then he traveled to Central Tibet in Tsang province, for further studies at the Bön monasteries of Yung Drung Ling, Menri and Khana. Later he went to Drepung monastery in Lhasa to do research and practice, staying five years until the 1959 uprising.

At the time of the conflict against the Chinese in 1959 he fled on foot from Tibet to Mustang, on the border of Tibet and Nepal, then to Pokhara, Nepal, and then to India. Later he joined the Abbot of Yung Drung Ling monastery and many Bönpo lamas in the Bön monastery of Samling, a very old and important monastery in the Dolpo region of Nepal. Later he went back to Samling monastery in order to borrow books so that they might be republished.

The books of the Bönpo are very important for practice and study, but many of them were left behind or lost when the lamas had fled Tibet. Often, the only remaining copies were in remote areas and needed to be republished.

While at Samling, H.H. Lungtok Tenpa’i Nyima met Dr. David Snellgrove, a researcher of Oriental and African studies from London University. Dr. Snellgrove later invited him, Samten Gyaltson Karmay, and Lopon Tenzin Namdak to come to England with him under the sponsorship of the Rockefeller Foundation. There they taught Tibetan culture and religion and studied the ways of the West.

Sangye Tenzin Jong Dong, as he was then called, stayed in England for three years. He lived and studied with Benedictine, Cistercian and other Christian monastic orders, and traveled to Rome to meet Pope Paul II. In 1964, he returned to India to found a school funded by sponsors in England. His Holiness the Dalai Lama asked him to start the school in Massori, India, and he staffed it with volunteer teachers from the West. He remained as head of the school for three years, teaching Tibetan grammar and history. Each month he sent his salary, three hundred rupees a month, to the refugee Bönpo lamas living in Manali, India to buy food. He also helped create a meditation center in Manali for the lamas and monks. Later the school was moved to the south of India, where it became the first permanent Tibetan settlement in the region. In 1965, Lopon Tenzin Namdak returned to India and with the help of the Catholic Relief Service purchased land in Himachal Pradesh, India to found Dolanji, the home for the Tibetan Bönpo refugee community.

In 1966, Geshe Sangye Tenzin Jong Dong traveled to the University of Oslo, Norway at the invitation of Per Kvaerne, where he taught Tibetan history and religion for two years. On March 15, 1968 he received a telegram from India which stated that the Protectors of Bön had selected him as the 33rd Abbot of Menri, and spiritual leader of the Bönpos. The Abbot of Yung Drung Ling, Lopon Sangye Tenzin, Lopon Tenzin Namdak, and about ten other Bönpo Geshes had prayed in the Drup Khang, or Protector’s temple, for fourteen days. The guardians then selected Geshe Sangye Tenzin Jong Dong from a group of ten Geshe monks eligible to be the new Abbot through a divination process.

So he returned to India and assumed his duties as the spiritual leader of the Bönpo at a very crucial time in their long history. Their world had been destroyed and their lineage almost lost, but he had to lead them to a new beginning. It would take a very strong and compassionate man to help them build new monasteries and schools, and to save their culture and religion in strange and new surroundings. Many lamas came from Tibet, Nepal and India to give him their initiations and teachings, and for over one year he intensively trained and practiced for his role as Abbot, the leader who would guide the Bönpo and hold all the teaching lineages. Slowly over time he was able to build a new Menri monastery in Dolanji, and after that a Bön Dialectic School, which has now awarded thirty seven geshe degrees, with a certification recognized by H. H. the Dalai Lama.

He also founded an orphanage at the monastery for Bön children, the Bön Children’s Welfare Center. Today there are approximately four hundred Tibetans living in Dolanji, along with one hundred orphans and one hundred monks. Two hundred and fifty Bönpo children from all over India and Nepal attend the boarding school in the village. Dolanji has become a thriving center of Tibetan culture and religion under the guidance of His Holiness Lungtok Tenpa’i Nyima.
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

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TASHI MENRI MONASTERY IN DOLANJI / INDIA (HP).
Tashi Menri Monastery - 026.jpg
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Around 1196 B.C., Zhutrul Yeshi, a great master from Tagzig established the Bön monastic system and propagated the practice of monastic discipline and philosophical study in the kingdoms of Zhang Zhung and Tibet with energy and devotion.

Mutri Tsenpo, the second king of Tibet, was interested in the Bön tantric practice Drakpa Kor Sum and invited many scholars from Zhang Zhung to teach it. Through his efforts, the practice of Tantra, the path of transformation, flourished widely in Tibet.


In the late 7th century, Buddhism came to Tibet from India. During that transition period Bön faced difficulties, yet it survived with the help of great masters who buried and hid many Bön teaching resources. During the reign of Lang Darma, the 40th king of Tibet, Buddhism was entirely terminated. Its first transmission and Tibet went into a spiritual dark age for about a century and a half.

From the 8th to 11th centuries the practice of Bön went mainly underground. The year 1017 C.E. (5) marks the resurgence of Bön, which began with the discovery by Shenchen Luga (gShen-chen klu-dga’, 996-1035) of a number of important concealed texts. With his discoveries Bön re-emerged as a fully systematized religion. Shenchen Luga was born in the Shen clan, descended from Kontsha Wangden (Kong-tsha dbang-ldan), one of Tonpa Shenrab’s sons. The descendants of this important family still live in Tibet.

Shenchen Luga had a large following. To three of his disciples he entrusted the task of continuing three different traditions. To the first, Druchen Namkha Yungdrung (Bru-chen nam-mkha’ g.yung-drung) born in the clan of Dru which migrated to Tibet from Druzha (‘Bru-zha, i.e., Gilgit), he entrusted the studies of cosmology and metaphysics (mDzod-phug and Gab-pa). It was to this end that one of his disciples and relations, Bru-rje g.Yung-drung bla-ma founded the monastery of Yeru Wensakha (gYas-ru dben-sa-kha) in Tsang province in 1072.

This monastery remained a great centre of learning until 1386, when it was badly damaged by floods. Despite the decline of Yeru Wensakha the Dru family continued to sponsor the Bön religion, but the family came to extinction in the 19th century when, for the second time, a reincarnation of the Panchen lama was found in the family.

The second disciple, Zhuye Legpo (Zhu-yas legs-po), was assigned to maintain the Dzogchen teachings and practices. He founded the monastery of Kyikhar Rizhing (sKyid-mkhar ri-zhing). The descendants of the Zhu family now live in India. The third disciple, Paton Palchog (sPa-ston dpal-mchog), took responsibility for upholding the Tantric teachings. The Pa family too still exists. Another important master of that time was Meukhepa Palchen (rMe’u-mkhas-pa Tsul-khrims dpal-chen, b. 1052), of the Meu clan, who founded Zangri (sNye-mo bZang-ri) monastery, which also became a centre for philosophical studies. Thus during this period the Bonpos founded four important monasteries and study centres, all in Tsang province (central Tibet).
In 1405 the great Bonpo teacher, Nyame Sherab Gyaltsen (mNyan-med shes-rab rgyal-mtshan, 1356-1415), founded Menri (sMan-ri) monastery near the site of Yeru Wensakha, which had been destroyed by flood.

Yungdrung Ling (gYung-drung gling) monastery was founded in 1834 and, soon afterwards, Kharna (mKhar-sna) monastery, both in the vicinity of Menri. These remained the most important Bön monasteries until the Chinese takeover of Tibet in 1959, and following their inspiration many monasteries were established throughout Tibet, especially in Kham, Amdo, and Utsang, so that by the start of the 20th century there were 330 Bonpo monasteries in Tibet.

Nyame Sherab Gyaltsen was especially venerated for his great achievements and realization. He was known as a great reformer and reinvigorated the Bonpo monastic tradition, causing many monasteries to flourish. Nyame Sherab Gyaltsen also was the first master to collect and hold all the transmissions and empowerments of all the Bön lineages. All of these transmissions have continued to be held by each of the successive abbots of Menri, and over time the abbot of Menri came to be regarded as the head of the Bön religion.

Currently in Tibet, Nepal and India many new monasteries have be constructed. Here, Bonpo monks continue to practice and study the teachings of Bon.
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

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TOKDEN MONASTERY:
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Tokden's lineage is that of the Oral Tradition of Zhang Zhung held by Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche, who achieved rainbow body in the 1930s.

The college was established in 1924. More than 200 yogis from every part of Tibet have been trained here. Before the college was established, the traditional three year retreat was undertaken by 5 students at a time. During the Liberation in 1956 and the Culture Revolution the monastery was destroyed and college activities were stopped for 27 years.

Tokden Monastery is a center of both the new and old traditions of Yungdrung Bon Buddhism.

Here the Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen teachings have been transmitted without any interruption. It has been blessed by Shadza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche, who established the Zhang-zhung Dzogchen College.The Monastery is currently run by Driwa Rinpoche and Tshulchen Rinpoche.


History of Tokden Monastery

Tokden Monastery is a center of both the new and old traditions of Yundrung Bön Buddhism. In 1385 Rigdzin Shachen Nyimadzin first built a small practice community (Tibetan: gar). A few ngakpas (tantric practitioners) practiced the teachings of the Secret Mantra there. After that Tokden Yungdrung Tsultrim meditated in a retreat cabin for many years before he built a monastery near the gar. This enabled ordained monks to practice there. His practice came from the Shen Tshang lineage. And since that time the former community of the ngakpas and the new community of the monks practiced together the three vehicles of Buddha's teaching, namely the Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen. The hermitage and the monastery constitute a great monastery "Tokden Gon Palshenten Mindrol Tashi Chil Ling".

Presently the monastery has been known as "Ngawa Tokden Gonpa" or "Tokden Monastery of Ngawa". It is located on a mountain five kilometers north-east of Aba County, Qiang and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. There are 318 monks studying Tibetan traditional culture and practicing Bön Buddhism
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

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IN ADDITION.

ZHANG ZHUNG DZOGCHEN COLLEGE @ TOKDEN MONASTERY
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

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IN ADDITION:
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Gongphu Gompa

Founded in the early part of the 12th century, Gongphu Gompa (‘The Temple of the High Cave’) is one of the oldest sacred sites in the entire Mustang region. It sits high on a bare hill, overlooking Lubrak village and the surrounding valleys.

Its isolated position suits its purpose well - the temple was built over the cave where Lubrak’s founder, the Bön master, Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche, had meditated for 9 years, 9 months and 9 days.

Legend has it that, as a miraculous sign of his spiritual achievements, a ridge appeared in the rock wall above the cave to mark each year that he spent in retreat. After the completion of his retreat, a small temple was built to commemorate his achievement, and was given the name Gongphu Gompa.

Over the centuries, Bönpo practitioners had sought out this this site to follow in the path of this great master Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche who attained Rainbow Body in 1935.
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

Post by kalden yungdrung »

Tashi delek,

Zhu Zhi Monastery.jpg
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Zi Zu Monastery or Zidrol Monastery.

The main building of Ritrol Lhakhang was built in 10th century . The name of “ (Zi Zu)” means six peaks . It is one of the highest monasteries in Tibet, and it is also one of the most important Bön Tradition monastery, and one of the the oldest monasteries of Tibet.

In the neighbourhood one can see the Meditation rooms from Tsewang Rigdzin.

Bön tradition has 4 major Holy mountains, of which are:

- Kailash in Ali
- Bönri in Nyingzhi
- Zi Zhu mountain in Chamdo
- Kawagarbo in Meli.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/embed ... 40519&z=17

http://www.zizhusi.org/gonggaolan/txt/20161008.html
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

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Tashi delek,

The Yungdrung Bön monastery of Tarde Miyo Samten Bön Ling, is located in Derge County near the Yangtze River in the Kham region of Tibet.
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The Land of Blissful Liberation and Unshakeable Bön Meditation was founded by Kunga Namgyal and, although the founding date is uncertain, the history of the monastery records 17 subsequent generations to the present. Although the monastery was destroyed during the cultural revolution that began in 1959, beginning in the 1980’s it was rebuilt by the senior monks. The mountain directly behind the monastery is called Tsang Chen and is believed to be the home of the local deity.
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

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Tashi delek,


In June 2009 I have been lucky to join Geshe Monlam Wangyal (current monastery Geko) and Geshe Tsultrim Tharchin on their trip to Lower Mustang.

The purpose of their journey was to supervise the restauration of ancient statues in Narkot (Naurikot). This project was inspired by Khenpo Tenpa Yungdrung, abbot of Triten Norbutse Bonpo Monastery. He is one of the people who sees the great danger of disaperance threatening ancient Bonpo heritage preserved in Nepal. Khenpo has last year sent Geshe Gelek Jyinpa to map the situation of Bon and its comunities in the Mustang and Dolpo areas. Narkot temple is one of many significant discoveries he has made. All this is a part of Nepal Bön Maha Sang Project which was inaugurated this year with a scope to locate, unite and help bonpo communities (mostly very remote) in their various needs, like education (in field of Yungdrung Bön and also the general one), restaoration of ancient representations of Body, Speech and Mind, etc...

Narkot is small but significant villige above Larjung - Kogban villiges. Any traveler going from Beni to Jomsom has to pass by these places. Dominant of the whole area is wild dark river Kali Gandaki. The forest from Beni to Gasa is mainly jungle type, but from Gasa it is more and more alpine type of forest. The journey is impressive and at some points feels even dangerous. The Narkot village is of great beauty. It is surrounded by forest, waterfalls, green pastures and snow mountains.

The Narkot Gompa is build from the stone, which is abundant in this area. Gompa's original pillars, walls and roof were badly damaged by the elements. This damage has been already succesfully repaired, but the traditional stone roof might still need some work in the future.

The gompa treasures amazingly beautifull old clay statues. Central deity is Walse Ngampa, to its right is Kunzang Gyalwa (severly damaged by rain) and to the left ...Meu Rithro Gongdzod Chenpo/Nyammed Sherab Gyaltsen. There are also to be found another smaller representation of Bonpo deites (size around 12 - 15 inches), namely Sherab Chamma, Nampar Gyalwa (damage: broken right hand), Shenla Odkar, Takla Mebar, two Tönpas, (one broken right hand, one quite damaged) and Nyammed Sherab Gyaltsen (attributes held in hands were damaged). The right side of the shrine is occupied by big prayer wheel (but this will be probably moved outside the temple, in order to give place for newly restored statues) and shrine's left side was originally occupied by the books (books are nowadays in the boxes, this temporary solutions protects them from the mice and other possible damage during the restauration times). All the statues have some minor damages, but I have mentioned only the heavy ones. Walse and "Lama" are the only statues which retained their original colour. Other statues have to be newly painted. During the time of writing this little "resumé" two artists, one from Bhutan and one from Tibet are in reparation process.

The statues restauration cost is about 140 000 Nepali ruppies, there is still need of money for painting the walls, sealing and pillars, wooden floor reparation and also there will be wood on the first 1 meter of the wall from the ground (in order to protect the practitioners from the cold, when they are sitting close to the wall). Hopefully this expense will be covered by "western Bönpos".
We need to find sponsor for simple painting of the temple, wood work and some additional works. The cost is estimated on minimally 300 Euro. But could be more. Donation for statues was already collected (The donor dedicates the merits to his tragically deceased brother).

Antiquity of temple is now object of research. But definitely it is at least several centuries old. Another Bönpo monastery in area - Lubrak and Thini Gom were established in 11. - 12. century.

Narkot Bonpo temple.JPG
Narkot Bonpo temple.JPG (80.37 KiB) Viewed 12056 times




If anybody is interested in helping to restore this temple, please contact me on my private email: [email protected]

After one or two months several Geshes will go again to Narkot, this time to perform the consecration of the statues, temple and also to give some Teachings. All this will greatly revitalize the Bön in this village and surroundings. Emaho!!!!!!
I will send a little DVD with some amateur documentation of whole process + a little special present, to all the sponsors who will donate more than 50 Euro.

I can recomend this place for pilgrimage. In this area there are so many Bönpo "treasures" (gompas, caves, etc.).

We have visited also Thini Yungdrung Gompa, Jomsom Bonpo Gompa and Lubrak Bönpo settlement. I will send soon little description and photos. These places are really Great. Especially Narkot and Lubrak are just fantastic. (If You think of visiting these places, please realize that the life and hygiene there is not at all what we consider to be standard in west. If You will ever go there Your health must very good since hard walking is required, and diet is based on local production. Definitely not everybody would enjoy that. For some it is paradise like, for some too difficult).

May all good wishes be accomplished!!!!!

Triten Norbutse monk - Kalden Gyamtso
The best meditation is no meditation
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kalden yungdrung
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Re: Bön monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India.

Post by kalden yungdrung »

Tashi delek,

Khyungser Gangru Dargye Monastery in Tibet.
Khyungser Gangru Dargye Monastery in Tibet..jpg
Khyungser Gangru Dargye Monastery in Tibet..jpg (60.23 KiB) Viewed 12047 times
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mALObrZwJwM


Mutsug Marro
KY
The best meditation is no meditation
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