The Magical Duel between Milarepa and Naro Bönchung: Who Really Won?

"The Magical Duel between Milarepa and Naro Bönchung: Who Really Won?" Presented by Dmitry Ermakov, Foundation for the Preservation of Yungdrung Bön, UK, at the 5th International Conference on the Phenomenon of the Holy Mt. Kailash, Universitӓt Hamburg, 26 March 2022.
Abstract:
Probably everyone who has even a little interest in Tibet knows or has at least heard of the magical contest between Buddhist yogi Milarepa and Bönpo sorcerer Naro Bönchung. The tale has been told and retold for centuries. But does this story have any grounding in real events? Did this magical duel really happen on Mount Kailash? And who was the real winner? I will attempt to answer these questions by looking into Bönpo and Buddhist sources on Milarepa, recent comparative studies on Milarepa’s hagiographies as well as by referring to oral traditions of Gurungs and Tamangs of Nepal.
About the presenter:
Dmitry Ermakov, b. 1967, Leningrad, USSR. Studied art and archaeology with B. Piotrovsky (Director, Hermitage Museum) and G. Mezentzeva (Prof. Archaeology, Kiev University). Research Assistant to Charles Ramble, Oxford University (2009-10). Currently Chair of FPYB. Studied Tibetan Buddhism since 1989, Yungdrung Bön since 1995. Author of Bѳ and Bön (Vajra Publications, 2008 [www.boandbon.com/]). Produced 100+ edited transcripts of Lopön Tenzin Namdak’s teachings, translations of practices for Bönpo sangha and several public books on Bön.
Text of the presentation @
yungdrungbon.co.uk/the-magica...
www.academia.edu/75628166/The...
www.researchgate.net/publicat...
密勒日巴与那若本琼 之间的斗法：究竟孰胜孰负？@
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/O6V-iHQ3Sv...
www.academia.edu/75649603/%E5...
www.researchgate.net/publicat...

[@beingfrank40]

This is so fascinating, and I think is very needed to be made more widely known! Thank you.

[@FPYB]

Glad you think so)

[@echiantichiletture3474]

Precious document as as always. Thank you very much!

[@FPYB]

Cheers!

[@davidsillars3181]

My device a bit glichy but very interesting research. I watched a Ruben Museum lecture series on Guru Rinpoche that seemed to suggest that he too is largely a mythical character with similar purposes to those attributed here, re the consolidation of Buddhism. The researcher found no historical evidence of such a person.

[@FPYB]

Yes, Padmasabhava has also a lot of mythical material added to his image at a later date.