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 The Bön Pantheon
The Bön pantheon contains a great number of deities. Every Tantric ritual cycle in the Bonpo canon has its own complete set of divinities, method of visualization and worship. One classification divides the deities into three groups: the peaceful (zhi-ba), the wrathful (khro-bo) and the fierce (phur-pa). Also, Bonpo cosmogony describes groups of deities of Light and Darkness. (6)
The highest ranking deities are Kuntu Zangpo (Kun-tu bzang-po), the Bonku (bon-sku), Shenlha Odkar (gShen-lha 'od- dkar), the Dzogku (rdzogs-sku: Perfect Sphere), and Tonpa Shenrab, the Tulku (sprul-sku) who is the teacher (sTon-pa) of the present world age. The most important female deity is Jamma (Byams-ma), the 'Loving Mother', also known as Satrig Ersang (Sa-trig er-sangs). There are also sets of 1,000 Buddhas and of the Buddhas of the three times (past, present and future). Among the guardian deities, known as the Protectors of the Word (bKa-skyong), the most important are Sidpa Gyalmo (Srid-pa'i Gyal-mo, 'Queen of Existence', the female guardian of the Bonpo teachings), Midu or Midud Jampa Trago (Mi-bdud 'byams-pa khrag-mgo, the male guardian of Menri monastery) and Tsangod Hurpa (bTsan-rgod hur-pa).
The most general division of the deities is that which distinguishes between the supra-mundane gods of the higher spheres ('Jig-rten las' das-pa'i lha) and the demi-gods and minor deities who remain active in this world ('Jig-rten pa'i lha).
To the latter group belong a whole host of mountain gods, local gods (Sa-bdag), evil demons (gNyen), female demons (Ma-mo) and other spirits such as the 'Dre, Sri, kLu, etc. 
Religious Commitment
Religious life among the Bonpos may take many varied forms. Here we will briefly examine the traditions of monastic life, the Nagpa, Dzogchen and Chod.
Monastic life
According to Bön it is by good actions and a virtuous life that a being achieves spiritual perfection and the spheres of the Perfect Buddhas (Sangs-rgyas). The methods for reaching the highest goal were taught by Tonpa Shenrab and by successive Bonpo sages.
The noblest way to practise religion is to take religious vows; a layperson may strive for perfection, but it is the monastic life that offers the best opportunity of attaining the highest levels. In fact over the centuries the monastic life has formed an essential part of the Bön religion.
There are four grades of religious vows, two lower and two higher. The lower ones, called nyene (bsNyen-gnas) and genyen (dge-bsnyen), are normally taken by lay-people who want to practise religion in a more perfect way; when taken by monks they are considered to form an initial stage in their religious life.
These vows can be taken for any period of time. The higher grades are called tsangsug (gtsang-gtsug), that applies on taking monastic initiation (rab-byung) and consists of twenty-five vows, and drangsong (drang-srong), that applies on full ordination and consists of two hundred and fifty vows. Nuns take three hundred and sixty vows.
Nagpas
The Bonpos are also particularly known for their tradition of Nagpas (sNgags Pa), who are recognizable by their uncut, loosely worn hair. Nagpas are lay practitioners, who take the vows of refuge, genyen and Nagpa genyen, that primarily practice tantra.
There are family lineages of Nagpa, with the practice of a particular tantric yidam being passed down through the family, but any man may choose to become a Nagpa and take the appropriate vows. Though a Nagpa may marry, have children and work in the world, he must spend a great deal of time in retreat and perform rituals when requested by villagers.
While Nagpas may perform many different rituals, they are particularly known for performing birth rituals, weddings, funerals, divinations, and pacification of ghosts or nature spirits. Typically Nagpas live with their families in villages, but many Nagpas also congregate in Bonpos, the Nagpa equivalent of a monastery.
Dzogchen
Along with the spiritual life, there are special methods of practising in the pursuit of spiritual perfection.
The most highly esteemed practices are those of the Dzogchen (rDzogs-chen, 'Great Perfection') traditions.
There are four streams or methods of meditation in Dzogchen, collectively known as A-Dzog-Nyangyud, i.e., Atri (A-khrid), the 'Teaching on A,' founded in the 11th century by Dampa Meu Gongjad Ritro Chenpo (1038-1096); Dzogchen, founded in 1088 A.D. by terton Zhoton Nogrub Dragpa (gZhod-ston dNgos-grub Grags-pa); Nyangyud (its full title is Zhang zhung sNyan-rgyud, the 'Oral Transmission of Zhang-zhung') and Yeti tasel, a lineage deriving from Tonpa Shenrab, but passing through India and translated from Sanskrit to Zhangzhung-pa.
The Zhang zhung sNyan-rgyud is the oldest and most important Dzogchen tradition and meditation system in Bön. While the other three are terma traditions based on rediscovered texts, the third is an oral tradition based on continuous transmission by an uninterrupted lineage of masters.
The Zhang-zhung Nyangyud cycle of teachings was first put in writing by the important 8th century master Gyerphung Nangzher Lodpo, the foremost disciple of Tapihritsa, revered by Bonpos as the union of all the lineage masters.
Chod
There also exists another important system of meditation called Chod (gCod), 'Cutting the ego' which is performed by lay practitioners, Nagpa and monks alike. The purposes of Chod are to generate generosity, dispel fear and overcome attachment.
This has been only the briefest of introductions to the rich religious traditions of Bön. It is not possible in this booklet to capture the full depth and breadth of one the world's great religions, but hopefully the reader will have some taste for what the Bonpos value. For further explanation and more detail please refer to the other booklets available at Triten Norbutse,or at the Association
Yungdrung Bon or read the texts cited in the footnotes.
Notes
(6). For an overview of Bonpo inconography with excellent color reproductions of thankas and statues see Per Kvaerne's Bön Religion of Tibet, Serindia, London, 1995.
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