ABSTRACT
The Crystal of Doctrinal Systems makes the interesting observation that the Tibetan Bon-po were not sufficiently acquainted with the appropriate rites and therefore had to bring in three Bon priests from the West, from Kashmir, Gilgit and Guge, one of whom was possessed of the necessary knowledge. The religious shape of Lamaism, so called on account of its chief upholders, the Lamas, or ‘the superior ones’, the higher monks, developed from the teachings of Buddha penetrating into the country from India and mixing with original Tibetan religious elements. A further important characteristic of the old Bon religion is the offering up of animal sacrifices. In the time of the Tibetan universal monarchy, which represents the oldest historical epoch of the country, such animal sacrifices played an important part in the official State ceremonies. The Bon-po sought to gain the victory by ‘sitting on a drum, striking a tam-bourin and flying through the air’.
