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| BON DZOGCHEN WITH
TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE
L.M.: What is Bon meditation? And especially, what is the essence of Bon Dzogchen practice?
T.W.: First of all, I think it is important to know what Bon is. Bon is the indigenous tradition of Tibet. Within the tradition, it is believed to have begun about 17,000 years ago in central Asia; and from there, it eventually came to be introduced into the western and central parts of Tibet. The founder of Bon religion is known as Tonpa, or the Lord, Shenrab Miwo. Basically, Bon teachings contain all the sutra teachings, tantra teachings, and Dzogchen teachings. I always say that the Bon religion is very unique, because it contains—and ranges from—the raw, elemental shamanic teachings to the very high teachings of Dzogchen, which is the teaching of illumination, of light. And also it has, between them, all the energy aspects of healing. So there is a very wide range of teachings that Bon contains. The shamanistic teachings
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