The Bon Religion of Tibet: The Iconography of a Living Tradition

The Bon religion claims to be the original and authentic religion of the Tibetan people, firmly established in the Land of Snows long before Buddhism was introduced in the seventh century CE. Although its adherents were gradually reduced to a minority, Bon has nevertheless continued to flourish in many areas up to the present day in Tibet, especially in the eastern and northeastern regions, where a reconstruction renaissance is taking place, as well as within the Bon community in exile from Tibet. The iconography of the Bon religion is presented through a series of thangkas, miniatures, and bronzes from public and private collections in the West, as well as from communities within Tibet. The peaceful, tutelary, protector, and local deities, as well as the Bon siddhas, lamas, and dakinis, are identified and fully described by means of excerpts from ritual or biographical texts that are translated here.