Prolegomena to the Bon Religion and to the Soteriological Principles of Maternal Tantra (Ma rgyud) in the Bonpo Tradition Through the Work of Yongdzin Tendzin Namdak

Abstract

The soteriological principles of the Mother tantra (Ma rgyud) in the religious tradition of the Tibetan bon are founded on a different basis from that of the other tantras and consequently are considered inherent to the metaphysical matrix and the eschatology of the philosophical doctrines of Total Perfection (rDzogs chen). Lopon Tendzin Namdak (1926-), the highest spiritual authority of the current bon, illustrates the precepts of the Mother tantra explaining the analogy with those of Total Perfection in the Commentary and Notes to the Essence of theWisdom of the Mother Tantra(Ma rgyud ye shes thig le’i mchan ’grel), which is part of the vast corpus, still almost unpublished of his vast exegetical production, and of which we intend to present an introduction based on the translation of relevant sections. This is preceded by a general synthesis on bon and the most salient hypotheses on its mysterious origin, identity and formation.