{"collection":"Buddhism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/bud/tib/orgibon1.htm","path":"bud/tib/orgibon1.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/orgibon1.htm","text":"A SHORT HISTORICAL OUTLINE OF THE BON RELIGION\nTHE ORIGIN OF BON part 1 (Olmo Lungring)\nThe Bonpo's maintain that Bon originated in the land of Olmo Lungring\n('Ol-mo-lung-ring), a part of a larger country called Tazig (rTag-gzigs).\n'Ol symbolizes the unborn; Mo, the undiminishing; Lung, the prophetic words\nof Tonpa Shenrab (sTon-pa gShen-rab) the founder of Bon; and Ring, his\neverlasting compassion.\nOlmo Lungring constitutes one-third of the existing world and is situated\nto the west of Tibet. It is described as an eight-petalled lotus under a sky\nwhich appears like an eight spoked wheel. In the center rises Mount Yungdrung\nGutseg (gYung-drung dgu-brtsegs), \"Pyramid of the Nine Swastikas\". The\nswastika is the symbol of permanence and indestructability. The nine swastikas\ncollectively represent the Nine ways of Bon. At the base of Mount Yungdrung\nspring four rivers, flowing towards the four cardinal directions. The mountain\nis surrounded by temples, cities and parks. To the south is the palace Barpo\nSogye (Bar-po so-brgyad) where Tonpa Shenrab was born. To the west and north\nare palaces in which lived the wives and children of Tonpa Shenrab. A temple\nnamed Shampo Lhatse (sham-po lha-rtse) is to the east. The complex of places,\nrivers and parks with Mount Yungdrung in the center constitutes the inner\nregion (Nang-gling) of Olmo Lungring. The intermediate region (Bar-gling)\nconsists of twelve cities, four of which are towards the cardinal directions.\nThe third region includes the outer land (mTha'-gling).\nThese three regions are encircled by an ocean and again by a range of snowy\nmountains. The access to Olmo Lungring is gained by the so-called \"arrow\nway\" (mDa'-lam). Before his visit to Tibet Tonpa Shenrab shot an arrow thus\ncreating a passage through the mountain range.\nThis very sophisticated description of Olmo Lungring has been tentatively\nrelated by some scholars to different geographical locations. Some see it\nas a description of Mount Kailash (Mt. Ti-se) and the four great rivers that\nspring from its base; China being the land to the east, India to the south,\nOrgyan to the west and Khotan to the north. The description of the universe\nwith Mount Meru supporting the sky and the four chief continents to the four\ncardinal points and this earth as the southern continent (Jambudvipa) is\nanother similar example. (to be continued)","title":"Orgibon1","type":"page"}