{"id":4149,"date":"2016-12-28T13:45:18","date_gmt":"2016-12-28T12:45:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/icem-www.folkwang-uni.de\/icem-web\/?page_id=4149"},"modified":"2018-12-13T14:27:31","modified_gmt":"2018-12-13T13:27:31","slug":"what-is-boen","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/icem-www.folkwang-uni.de\/icem-web\/artist-in-progress\/dokumentation-electroacoustics-meets-boen-uebersicht\/projektziel\/what-is-boen\/","title":{"rendered":"What is B\u00f6n?"},"content":{"rendered":"

(zur deutschen Version hier klicken…<\/strong><\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n

The academic discussion about B\u00f6n and its origin in respect to Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan history is a quite complex issue. It takes far more than a short look in a book or a brief internet research to come to any qualified statement about it.<\/p>\n

In his dissertation \u201eMandala of Sounds\u201c on Tibetan music Ellingson puts this in a nutshell. Even if this was published already quite some years ago it does not lose of it\u2019s relevance with regard to the complexitiy of B\u00f6n origins:<\/p>\n

\u201eIndeed, Tibetan and Western writers have suggested such diverse origins of Bon as shamanism, Iranian Mithraism (Kuznetsov 1975), Hinduism, Taoism, and even early forms of Buddhism. Both Buddhist and Bon texts describe the arrival of Bon teachers from India, China, Mongolia, central Asia, and Persia, bringing with them practices such as funeral rites [\u2026].<\/em><\/p>\n

[\u2026]<\/em><\/p>\n

Thus, we have the seeming contradiction that Bon is claimed to be an indigenous Tibetan religion, identified with the name of Tibet itself, while nearly all important Bon practices and teachers are said to come from foreign countries. Viewed as a whole, the problem reduces itself to an absurdity. On the one hand, there is no reason why an indigenous religion would necessarily refuse to import compatible teachings and practices from other traditions. On the other hand, it would be ridiculous to assume that either Tibetan Bon or Tibetan Buddhism was wholly the product of non-Tibetan influences borrowed and adapted by the Tibetan \u201ered-faced barbarians\u201c. The problem of Bon origins is not in itself sterile or absurd; it merely awaits thorough and non-reductionist research.\u201c<\/em> [1]<\/p>\n

I completely agree with Ellingson especially on the need for \u201ethorough and non-reductionist research\u201c in order to approach the subject in an appropriate way. Unfortunately within this project it will not be possible to contribute much to the discussion.
\nYet I see the risk that the deep wish for appropriateness might lead to the decision of many that it is better to completely leave the issue aside, thus not giving a cultural heritage like B\u00f6n the chance to be recognized and acknowledged by others at all.<\/p>\n

So what I can do here is to strongly recommend the work of the two most recognized tibetologists who dealt with the subject most profoundly, Per Kv\u00e6rne<\/a> and David Snellgrove<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For a first but profound impression about what B\u00f6n actually is I would like to share a public talk given by Menri Lop\u00f6n Trinley Nyima Rinpoche at Hofheim am Taunus (Germany), 18th of November 2016. Trinley Nyima Rinpoche is the official \u201eHead teacher\u201c (slob dpon) at Menri Monastery in Dolanji, India.<\/p>\n

I know that from an academic point of view only one perspective on a subject is not enough for what we would call a \u201ethorough\u201c engagement. This is true on the one hand.
\nOn the other hand, without any question it seems wise first to inquire of the most qualified and directly involved person.<\/p>\n

So I would suggest to listen what HE Menri Lop\u00f6n Trinley Nyima Rinpoche has to share from his knowledge about the origins and foundations of B\u00f6n. For further investigation and different writings please see the short bibliography below the video. For a broader discussion on B\u00f6n please have a special look on \u201eThe Tibetan and Himalayan Library\u201c<\/a>.<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

[1] Ellingson, Terry Jay (1979): „The mandala of sound: Concepts and Sound Structures in Tibetan Ritual Music.“ The University of Wisconsin-Madison.<\/p>\n

\n

Talk of H.E. Menri Lop\u00f6n Trinley Nyima Rinpoche in Hofheim, Germany. 18th of November 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n