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Published
by Library of Tibetan Works & Archives, Dharamsala, India
ISBN:
978-93-90752-72-0
The book is based
on the author's research in some grey areas in Tibetan study where more
research needs to be encouraged to bring out the full extent of study in
Tibetan myth, religion, and history. Tibet is an ancient nation with rich
indigenous myths, religion, and history dating back to more than 1000 BC[1]. Scientists have said that
human civilization existed in Tibet as far as 12,000[2] years back, and
primitive tools and implements found in the regions date back to some 8000
years[3]. But in most of the Tibetan
work and literature, it had shown as if the Tibetan civilization started from
the 7th century only. Not much is discussed about pre-7th century Tibet. What
little discussion found on the subject, too, is not aligned with the time and
facts. The question here in the book is - does Tibet have any indigenous myth,
religion, and history before the 7th century CE?
Buddhism
from India brought enormous change in Tibet and greatly enriched the Tibetan
religious and cultural history. But much before the advent of Buddhism in the
7th century, there existed an indigenous religion in Tibet, which sustained the
Tibetan culture and greatly influenced the neighboring regions too. As Buddhism
gained a strong foothold and support in the land, indigenous religion and
values suffered discrimination. Ancient myths and values were cast into
oblivion. New myths of Indic affiliation ascribed significant aspects of
Tibetan civilization, the origin of the Tibetan race, the first King of Tibet,
Tibetan language, etc., to India.
As native values
were castigated, Bon scholars too began to assert the origin of Bon religion to
some Tagzig [Tib:sTag-gzig], a distant land supposed to be Persia of the time.
In this way, Bon and Buddhist scholars, the two foremost authorities in Tibet,
competed in ascribing the native wisdom and culture to Tagzig and India.
Therefore, despite being an ancient civilization with rich history and culture,
we find some serious contradictions in Tibetan myth, religion, and history,
which do not corroborate the history and ancient nature of the Tibetan civilization.
Contrary to
popular belief, the research hypothesis established here is that Tibet's myth,
religion, and history dates back to 1000 BCE. The first king, Nyatri Tsanpo,
appeared much before 127 BCE and was of Tibetan origin. An ancient Zhangzhung
civilization greatly influenced Tibet and the neighboring countries along the
Himalayan ranges. The 33rd King Srongtsan Gampo lived for 82 years, and there
existed some form of writing system in Tibet before the 7th century CE.
Bon, the
indigenous religion of Tibet, has greatly influenced Tibetan civilization and
culture. But unfortunately, it is not openly embraced because of the
persecution it suffered in the early period of Buddhist supremacy. Therefore,
understanding the Bon religion and Zhangzhung civilization is imperative to get
a broader picture of Tibetan history and culture.
The popular
Tibetan origin myth based on the Buddhist theory, Boddhisattva monkey and rock
ogress, of Tibet and Tibetans coming after the enlightenment of Buddha, has
failed to stand the test of the time. Jampal Tsagyu, the text on which the statement
is based, does not touch anything about Tibet and Tibetans. The origin of the
first Tibetan king Nyatri Tsanpo as an Indian Shakya king or the descendants of
Pandava or Kauravas of Mahabharata too has been found invalid[4]. The traditional native
theory of origin myth of cosmic egg and the first king as the descendant of god
has been found more mythically rationale.
Chronology of the
Tibetan kings with Nyatri Tsanpo at 127 BCE, 28th King Lha Thothori at 173 CE,
and the 33rd King Srongtsan Gampo at 617 CE does not flow well to explain the
existence of 43 Kings of the Yarlung dynasty[5]. The study has found it more
reasonable and scientific to put Nyatri Tsanpo beyond 127 BCE, Srongtsan Gampo's
birth at 569 CE.
The book dwells on
the importance of the Zhangzhung kingdom and the indigenous Bon religion to
prove the existence of advanced civilization in Tibet since early times. The
origin of the Tibetan script and writing system has been discussed from a new
angle to encourage a fresh perspective to look at the subject.
In a nutshell, the
book presents some strong working hypotheses for young scholars to work on. If
the book could offer a glimpse of what is obscured and unexplored but vast area
of study in the field of myth, religion, and history of Tibet, the author's
purpose would be more than fulfilled.
Link to buy paperback from Amazon.in:
[1] 1)
Tenzin Namdak, sNga rabs bod kyi byung ba bjod pa [An early history of Tibet],
p-168, 2) Jonh V. Bellezza, gShen rab myi bo - His life and times according to
Tibet's earliest literary sources
[2] Tibetan
Lived in Himalayas Year Round Up to 12,000 Years Ago by Laura Geggel, Senior
Writer / Jan 5, 2017. Live Science.
[http://www.livescience.com/57403-humans-inhabited-tibet-mountains-earlier-than-thought.html]
[3] Bod
kyi lo rgyus bgro glen, LTWA, p-1ix [Ancient artifacts found in Chamdo was said
to be four thousand years old, and at one another place artifacts dating some
eight thousand years have been found - Dalai Lama]
[5] With
Nyatri at 127 BC, the 28th King Lhathothori birth at 173 CE, and the 33rd King
Srongtsan at 617 CE, the chronology doesn't flow well.
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