From Publishers Weekly

Dakpa, abbot of Latri monastery in Tibet, offers a primer to the system of teachings known as Bön, "the root culture and religion of Tibet." Dakpa's account of Bön's history reads like a fantastic Shangri-La mythology. He claims that Bön has existed for 18,000 years and that its founding teacher was born in a perfected spiritual realm called Olmo Lung Ring. Moreover, when Tibet's native Bön tradition was first supplanted and then persecuted by Buddhism, Bön masters hid Bön texts in order to preserve them from destruction. Centuries later, these "hidden treasures" were recovered and the teachings once again spread throughout Tibet. Yet, as Dakpa describes it, Bön has much in common with Tibetan Buddhism, including an emphasis on compassion and nonviolence, the importance of a qualified teacher for achieving enlightenment, and labyrinthine categorizations of esoteric teachings. The writing often reads like a litany of lists and mere assertions, and the book fails to give the reader a satisfying sense of what Bön might have to offer. Even Dakpa's suggested prayers are mitigated by deadpan instructions such as "This prayer must be recited 100,000 times." While the book offers some helpful information about this obscure religious tradition, most general readers will find little to engage them. (Feb.)
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From the Publisher

This book is dedicated to those who are interested in learning about the Bön religion. It may be of value both to beginning practitioners and to those interested in acquiring a general knowledge of Bön. According to our tradition, the Bön religion has existed in this world for 18,000 years. Yungdrung Bön originated as the teachings of Tönpa Shenrab in Olmo Lung Ring. From there the teachings spread to Zhang Zhung and from there throughout most Asian lands. For generations, all Tibetans were believers and practitioners of Bön. There are two main ways to practice Bön: one takes monastic vows and lives and practices in a monastery, or one lives as a layperson with one’s family. Bön has nine different levels, also known as the nine ways of Bön. These levels enable one to practice gradually, according to one’s capacity for understanding. The essence and purpose of the Bön teachings is to introduce the practitioner to the reality of existence and the nature of mind through a process of overcoming the five poisons. The world is realized to be like a mirror in which is seen one’s own face through reflection. One learns to point one’s finger always at oneself rather than others. One takes gradual steps when starting to learn and practice Bön. Further practice and realization provide the basis for solid understanding. In the beginning, all practitioners receive teachings on the preliminary practices (Ngöndro). Then meditation practices are added that focus on the true nature of mind. It is necessary to have a qualified teacher when beginning these practices, in order to receive an introduction to the nature of mind. Through practice, one begins to gain self-realization of the natural state of mind and eventually overcomes the unhappiness, depression, and pressures that individuals suffer in this cyclic existence. The final stage is the practice of Phowa, known as the rainbow transformation. This is a method to transform one’s mind consciousness into the true essence of enlightenment. It is an important practice in our day-to-day life, as it provides us with experience that benefits our minds. Since 1990, I have traveled to the United States and other western countries, giving teachings and lectures at many universities, spiritual centers, private homes, and other venues. During that time, I have met many people who are interested in studying and following the traditions of both Buddhism and Bön. I see in many a lack of basic knowledge about the foundation of the practice, such as the importance of trust and faith, realization of the four practices, understanding the rareness of the opportunity of the perfect human condition for perfecting one’s mind, and so on. I realized that it would be very helpful to have a guidebook that explains how to practice effectively according to the Bön teachings and emphasizes the methods of our basic practices and their importance. Without a stable foundation and an understanding of the practice, one’s understanding of these teachings will not develop further. This is similar to constructing a building: without a strong foundation, one will not be able to build many stories and the structure will not be stable and lasting. This also applies to one’s spiritual practice. In this book, I mainly focus on the importance of a genuine and correct attitude while receiving the teachings and during practice, and offer a detailed explanation of the rare opportunity of having a perfect human body. Additionally, I discuss the foundation practices to purify impure thoughts on the basis of compassion and love and then generate the mind of enlightenment. I have tried to use the native language of Tibet along with the English translations throughout the book, especially for terms describing practices or aspects of mind, in order to familiarize readers with the original language used to describe the ideas and practices discussed here. However, many Tibetan terms do not have a direct translation into English. Tibetan words are spelled phonetically, not as scholars would romanize them. It is hoped that this will make it easier for readers unfamiliar with the Tibetan language to pronounce and remember the important terms. My hope is that this book will be useful for those who wish to enter into the vastness of Bön. May all readers learn and use the wisdom teachings presented here for the benefit of themselves and all sentient beings.