Prolegomeni alla religione bon e ai principi soteriologici del tantra materno (Ma rgyud) nella tradizione bonpo attraverso l’opera di Yongdzin Tendzin Namdak
abstract
The soteriological principles of the Mother tantra (Ma rgyud) in the religious tradition of the Tibetan bon are founded on a different basis from that of the other tantras and consequently are considered inherent to the metaphysical matrix and the eschatology of the philosophical doctrines of Total Perfection (rDzogs chen). Lopon Tendzin Namdak (1926-), the highest spiritual authority of the current bon, illustrates the precepts of the Mother tantra explaining the analogy with those of Total Perfection in the Commentary and Notes to the Essence of the Wisdom of the Mother Tantra (Ma rgyud ye shes thig le’i mchan ’grel), which is part of the vast corpus, still almost unpublished of his vast exegetical production, and of which we intend to present an introduction based on the translation of relevant sections. This is preceded by a general synthesis on bon and the most salient hypotheses on its mysterious origin, identity and formation.
Keywords: Mother Tantra • Tibetan Bon religion • Lopon Tendzin Namdak • rDzogs chen