Chapter 36 - Questions And Answers On The Black Sect (Bon-po Sect)

An expert on world religions, interested in my article "On the Black Sect and Black Methods", came to visit me with a lot of questions concerning the Black Sect. After the interview, I revised our discussion and publish it in a question-answer form.

I believe that the publication of this article can give the reader a comprehensive picture about the Black Sect in Tibet.

The question-answer form makes the article much clearer. Those interested in the Black Sect will learn a lot from it.

Question: When and where did the Black Sect come into being?

Answer: The Black Religion was the natural religion of the Gaoshang area. In Yongchong's History of the Stupid Sect, there is the description of the Black Sect as early as the fourth century B.C. It originated from the Xian Xiong area and later spread to the Ya Long area. It was undoubtedly the natural religion for the Gao Shang area.

Question: What is a natural religion?

Answer: A natural religion is man's psychology to worship natural subjects out of suspicion, fear and appeal toward them. This mental state can develop into a natural religion. The Black Religion is the most important among natural religions. It believes that every subject has its spirit. It worships Heaven, Earth, the sun, the moon, mountains, rivers, thunder, lightening, hailstones, fog, birds and animals, and what not.

Question: What religion is similar to the Black Religion?

Answer: As far as I know similar religions would include Shamanism in the Northeast, mainland China, the Wu Religion in Mongolia and Tibet, and the Sa Muo Religion in Gao Shan, Taiwan.

Question: What is worshipped after all in the Black Religion?

Answer: According to the records in Tibet, "Respect the devil and honour the witch. Regard the ibex as No.1 god". Ibex is a wild mountain goat. The Black Sect worship the ox and the goat most, because they are most closely related with Man's life. So they deify the ox and the goat and worship them. The horns of the ox and the horns of the goat, in particular, are considered as the most treasurable dharma instruments on a sacrificial altar.

Question: How are the realms divided in the Black Religion?

Answer: There are three realms. The upper realm is for the Heavenly gods, the middle realm for men, and the bottom realm is for devils and monsters. In the upper realm live the six brothers of the Heavenly gods; the most important is the god called Senbar. He is said to be the creator of the Universe. The Dragon god is also worshipped, as that is the god that controls the happiness and misfortune of men. Besides they also worship mountain gods, river gods, Earth gods - together they are called "thought gods". Mount Tangular is their "Great Thought God".

Question: Why is the Black Religion called the Stupid Religion?

Answer: In any religion there is usually a spokesman who is supposed to be associated with the Heavenly gods, men and devils. In the Black Religion, the man is called shaman or witch. In the Tibetan language, the word for shaman is Bon-po. That's why the Black Religion is also called the Bon-po Religion, and Bon Religion or Bon Sect for short. Bon is translated into the Chinese word "stupid" for its sound. There are three classes for the Bon-pos: the Heaven Bon-pos, the Earth Bon-pos and the Great Bon-pos.

Question: In your article "On the Black Sect and Black Method", you said they worship the ox god. What evidence do you have for saying that?

Answer: The Black Religion became organized around the fourth century B.C. At that time, the Yalong tribe in Tibet had a leader called Niechi Canpoo. His tribe is named "six male ox tribe" and worshipped the ox god. Niechi Canpoo was in fact put in office by the Black Religion. For this reason, I say the Black Sect worship the ox.

Question: How do the shamans in the Black Sect make their living?

Answer: There have been twenty-seven generations in the Black Religion in Tibet. They were in fact very influential. The shamans were specialized in praying for people for happiness and good luck, or praying for gods to cure their illnesses, or to make money. They also practised fortune-telling and helped to settle disputes. Naturally some shamans also brought misfortune and bad luck to people. They made people fall ill or killed them or made devils murder people or make people suffer. At that time the Black Religion controlled local people's life and death, marriage, illness, funerals, moving, travel, farming, hunting, grazing, and government. In reality, the Religion completely controlled Tibet and everything there had to be approved by the shamans.

Question: Were there different factions in the Black Religion?

Answer: Yes. Roughly there were three factions. The first group was the Du Bon-po (Honest Sect), set up by Nixin, active in Wengxuewen area in southern Tibet. Its heyday was when Dachi Zangpoo was the leader of the Sect. The second group was Qia Bon-po (Harmony Sect), set up by three shamans in Kashmir, most active during the period when Budai Gondjie ruled the Sect, until the Tibetan Dynasty was founded. The third group was called Jue Bon-po (Awakening Sect), set up by Qingqun Banzhida, most active when Tantrayana was first introduced into Tibet.

Question: What happened to the Black Religion when Tantrayana was first introduced to Tibet?

Answer: It could be expected that when Tantrayana was first introduced into Tibet, there was a long and hard struggle between Tantrayana and the Black Religion. That is the well-known "dispute between Tantrayana and Bon-po". According to the recorded history of religion in Tibet, Buddhism met resistance from the Black Sect as soon as it came to Tibet. This is only logical. The struggle between Tantrayana and the Black Religion lasted over two hundred years. It was a protracted and intense struggle.

Question: Tantrayana won in the end. Is that right?

Answer: That's right. And this is why I usually think that Tantrayana and the Black Religion should not be confused.

Question: Do they have classic scriptures in the Black Religion?

Answer: Originally they don't have classic scriptures. The introduction of Buddhism into Tibet brought with it many classic theories. The Black believers were quite amazed. They went so far as to change "On Decision" from the Yogacarya Bhumi Sastra into their so-called Bon-po Sutra; changed the Maha Darani into their so-called the White Dragon Sutra and the Black Dragon Sutra; changed the Prajna Hundred Thousand Praises into the their Healthy and Industry.... It is pathetic that they had to change Buddhist Scriptures into Bon-po Scriptures.

Question: When was exactly Buddhism first introduced to Tibet?

Answer: Around the seventh century; that was the period of Songzan Ganboo during the Tibetan Dynasty. Other records say that it was first introduced during the early years of the Five States, that is, during the period of Zanpoola Tuotuo Rinianan. Buddhism came to China from India of course. However there are stories that say Buddhism fell from heaven in a small treasure trunk containing pictures of Buddhas, Buddhist Scriptures and a pagoda for Buddhist relics, among other things.

Question: Could you describe briefly how the Black Religion try to resist Buddhism?

Answer: According to Records of Ruling Kings in Tibet, there are the following events mentioned:

1. Buddhist Da Zhao Temples were built during the day but were pulled down during the night. The Black believers destroyed them.

2. To mitigate the contradiction between Buddhism and the Black Religion, the Royal family had agreed to paint Bon-po symbols on the outside walls of the Buddhist temples.

3. During the dictatorship by Ge Shi, Buddhist priests were driven away, Buddhist Scriptures were forbidden and Da Zhao Temples, big or small, were closed. The pictures of Buddhas, brought here by Princess Wen Cheng, were burried underground.

4. The Black believers spread rumour to frame up Princess Jin Cheng, to stir up trouble against the Tang Dynasty and against Buddhism.

5. During the period when Na Lang Shi assisted the King, pictures of Buddhas were all burried, Da Zhao Temples were turned into slaughter houses, and decrees were issued to ban Buddhist Scriptures.

6. The Black believers claimed that Master Jing Ming offended the gods of Bon-po and brought famine to Tibet, and for those charges Master Jing Ming was sent back to Nepal.

7. Master Padmasambhava waged a fierce struggle against the shamans, which greatly promoted Buddhist doctrines.

The struggle between Buddhism and the Bon-po Religion lasted more than two hundred years and followed a tortuous course. When King La Da Ma reigned, there was another upsurge to "eliminate the Dharma and wipe out the Buddhas". They tried to promote the Bon-po Sect by stamping down the Buddhists, pulling down the Buddhist temples and burning the Buddhist scriptures. They killed the high-ranking priests, drove away the middle-ranking and made the low-ranking monks return to secular life. This is the period of elimination for the Dharma - virtually nothing was left.

Buddhism and the Black Religion are two irreconcilable doctrines. Their struggle is recorded in the entire history of Tibet. This is a fact that cannot be obliterated. Tantrayana is Tantrayana; Bon-po is Bon-po. The two cannot be confused.

Question: What was the struggle like between Master Padmasambhava and the Black shamans?

Answer: Master Jing Ming suggested to the King of Tibet that Master Padmasmbhava be invited to Tibet in order to subdue the Black Religion. Master Padmasambhava was the Tantric Master in Wuking, the Kashmir area today. Master Padmasambhava came to Tibet, vanquishing all shamans on his way. This is described in A Short History of Master Padmasambhava's Miraculous Changes. In the presence of Master Padmasambhava, all shamans were dwarfed. He always got the upper hand.

Master Padmasambhava adopted new strategies. He first subdued the Mountain God and the River God in the Black Religion and then appointed them protectors of Buddhism. Among the Bon-po gods, there were the Twelve Danmas, all of them were turned into protectors of Buddhism. In the religious history of Tibet, Master Padmasambhava is described as: subduing, by magic power, all devils and non-humans, making them swear to turn good and to protect Buddhism.

Question: It was said that there were great polemics during the dispute between Buddhism and the Bon-po. How were those polemics?

Answer: At the climax of the struggle, there appeared the two-sentence prayer: "Let the ruler of Bon-po, Danbar Xiannopoo, stamp on the lotus seat of Shakyamuni." This is a direct insult to Buddha Shakyamuni! At that time twenty seven nobles demanded that the Bon-po be banned and that Buddhism be fostered. King Chisong Dezan held debates between Buddhists and Black Believers. Those were great debates. The Bon-po theories were shallow and far from refined and of course could bear no comparison with the profound Buddhist doctrines. The Bon-po believers met great failures during the debates. At the end, it was announced that the Bon-po theory was irrational and it was illegal to believe in the Bon-po teachings; Neither the military nor the civilian were allowed to study the Bon-po doctrines. After that, the Black Believers had to go underground.

Question: How did Sutrayana and Tantrayana develop in Tibet?

Answer: Many people know that right after the introduction into Tibet, it was mainly Sutrayana; later it was a mixture of Sutrayana and Tantrayana. Tantrayana did not prevail until it was in vogue in India, it was introduced into Tibet through Kashmir and many brilliant Tantric masters came into being. More importantly, Tantrayana is a secret way to gain Buddhahood, and it was suitable for Tibet as the place had been for long full of unrest.

Question: Does the Black Religion belong to Tantrayana after all?

Answer: The Black Religion was originally the natural worship in the Gao Shan area, and it did not belong to Tantrayana from the very start. Buddhism and the Black Religion had fought each other for two hundred odd years. The Black Religion was never Buddhism in nature, let alone Tantrayana! As for the fact that some Black believers believed in Buddhism, we can only say that they abandoned the Bon-po teachings and turned Buddhist - They were then believers of Buddhism. So once again, Tantrayana is Tantrayana; the Bon-po is the Bon-po. The two should never be confused. To mention the two in the same breath is to deceive the people of the world by confusing black and white. What is the use of that? Other people will certainly laugh at that!

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