Bon Paintings: Early Works

Bon: Painting Main Page

Subjects, Topics & Types:
- Description (below)
- Four Transcendent Lords
- Initiation Cards (below)
- Confusions
- Others

Video: Early Bon Paintings

Study Topics:
- Unique Features & Characteristics
- Early Bon Borrowings from Buddhism
- Early Bon Borrowings from Hindu Traditions
- Early Buddhist Borrowings from Bon

The examples below range in date from the 11th century to the 16th century. The earliest works appear to be book illuminations based on the Zermig biography of Tonpa Shenrab. The Four Transcendent Lords are represented early as are the important deities such as Walse Ngampa and Trowo Tsochog Kagying. Sets of early initiation cards and miniature paintings are also well represented.

Initiation Cards:
- Initiation Cards (Chaofu)
- Initiation Cards (Tamashige)
- Initiation Cards (Triay)
- Walse Ngampa Cards
- Cho 'Severance' Cards
- Miscellaneous Cards 1
- Others...

Jeff Watt, 1-2024

(The examples below are only a preliminary selection and not meant to be exhaustive. This page is a work in progress).