Bhons

The term "Bhons" is of Tibetan origin, referring to the indigenous Bon religion. Its roots lie in the ancient spiritual and ritualistic practices of Tibet prior to the widespread adoption of Buddhism. The term is intrinsically linked to the historical development of Tibetan religious identity.

The followers of the old religion of the Aborifjines of Tibet; of pre-buddhistic temples and ritualism; the same as Dugpas, "red caps", thoug:h the latter appellation usually ajiplies only to sorcerers.

The term "Bhons," as presented in Blavatsky's era, carries the weight of a historical encounter, framing the indigenous Tibetan spiritual practices as a precursor to the dominant Buddhist narrative. This perspective, while reflecting the biases of its time, invites a deeper consideration of religious evolution not as a clean break, but as a complex dialogue of absorption, adaptation, and sometimes, subtle resistance. Mircea Eliade, in his studies of shamanism and archaic religions, would likely see in the "old religion of the Aborifjines of Tibet" echoes of universal pre-literate spiritualities, characterized by a deep connection to the land and an animistic worldview. The association with "Dugpas" and "red caps," often linked to sorcery, speaks to a common phenomenon across cultures where emergent orthodoxies demonize or marginalize older, often more ecstatic or earth-bound, forms of spiritual expression. This is not unique to Tibet; one sees similar dynamics in the early Christian church's relationship with pagan cults or in the historical perception of Sufism by more rigid Islamic scholars. The challenge for the modern seeker is to look beyond these often polemical labels and discern the authentic spiritual currents that flowed through these ancient practices, seeking the universal human impulse towards meaning and connection that transcends specific doctrines. The Bhons tradition, even when viewed through the lens of its perceived "otherness," offers a glimpse into a worldview where the sacred was immanent, a perspective that can still resonate profoundly in a secularized age. It reminds us that the quest for spiritual understanding is often a process of excavating layers of history and belief, seeking the foundational human experience beneath the edifice of dogma.