Tagzig Olmo Lung Ring
Tagzig Olmo Lung Ring[note 1] is a non-dual spiritual realm (plane or dimension) of the Bon tradition which resides beyond dualism. It is understood to be a timeless perfected realm where peace and joy are the very fabric of being.
The Beyul realm of Tagzig Olmo Lung Ring is fabled to be located to the west of Mount Kailash and shaped like an eight-petaled lotus and divided into four regions: inner, middle, outer and boundary area. The sky of this realm is likened to an eight-spoked wheel (refer Dharmachakra) and the land itself is fragrant and coloured by beautiful flora and landscaping, chorten and snow-capped mountains.
Central to Tagzig Olmo Lung Ring is Yungdrung Gutsek, a pyramidal-shaped mountain serving as axis mundi with nine Yungdrungs[note 2] (refer sauwastika) ascending like a staircase evocative of the Nine Ways (or stages) of Bon. The four faces of the pyramidal mountain, face the four cardinal directions. At the corner-joints of Yungdrung Gutsek (cross-quarter directions) four rivers flow from simulacra of archetypal thoughtforms:
- from the simulacrum of a snowlion the river Narazara flows from the East;
- from the simulacrum of a horse the river Pakshi flows from the North;
- from the simulacrum of a peacock the river Gyim Shang flows from the West; and
- from the simulacrum of an elephant the river Sindhu flows from the South.
Scholarly view and retort
Mount Kailash of northwestern Tibet has been equated with Tagzig Olmo Lung Ring by some scholars. The Bonpo contend with this as Tagzig Olmo Lung Ring is not a physical locality that can be visited by humans in the state of dualism. In order to access Tagzig Olmo Lung Ring, one must diligently practice spiritual disciplines, purify the bodymind and mindstream of all obscurations and realise the non-dual state. Bonpo pray with the heartmind to take birth in Tagzig Olmo Lung Ring as this may only occur post-enlightenment. Mount Kailash is accessible by those in a dualistic and non-realised state and is therefore proof to the Bonpo that Mount Kailash and Tagzig Olmo Lung Ring are qualitatively and essentially, different realms. Historical Bon texts state explicitly that the sacred mountain of Mount Kailash is central to the kingdom of Zhangzhung.
Notes
- ↑ Olmo Lung Ring is part of the land of Tazig. They have been conflated for economy.
- ↑ Yungdrung is a polyvalent symbol that may be understood to personify dharmakaya and the everlasting and indestructible essence-quality of the mindstream.
References
- Geshe Nyima Dakpa Rinpoche (2006). Opening the Door to Bon. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-246-0. (accessed: Thursday January 18, 2007)