A Study Of SKyang Tshang Dgon’s Preliminary Practices

Preliminary Practices is considered as the practical teaching method that is wild spread in Bon religion,it is a primary study of Dzogchen Dharma and other Tanric,kind of the pre-level studying Tanric.Monks and laity can both participate in Preliminary Practices with different practising requirements.After practitioners finished all courses of Preliminary Practices,they can start to learn Dzogchen Dharma of Bon and other Tanic.Meanwhile,Preliminary Practices is kindly an activity of religion education that monasteries are wildly opened to all believers.Thus,this article will regard Preliminary Practices as a generalized monastic education to do a study.sKyang tshang dgon is located in shanba songpan Sichuan province.It is the oldest monastery where hold Preliminary Practices among in 13 existing Bon monasteries in Songpan.Concretely,since China has implemented religion policy as well as restored freedom of religious belief and religious activities in 1980 s,sKyang tshang dgon is constantly holding Preliminary Practices every year.Nowadays,participating in Preliminary Practices has become a local religion custom and this monastery has extensive influence that attracting all believers from Chuan Zhu Si area,Zoige,and Jiuzhaigou to come there for studying.This article utilized ethnology and sociology methods such as field investigation,depth interview,and questionnaire survey as well as take full advantage of Tibetan,Chinese and English document literatures to comprehensively expounded the history and current situation of Preliminary Practices in s Kyang tshang dgon and related curses that Guru taught and believers practiced.Plus a specific analyze about Preliminary Practices’ social function from individual believers,religious community,and Bon culture these three views with research sources.It shows that Preliminary Practices has a direct or indirect impact on all aspects of local citizens’ life,like their mind-set,daily life,and interpersonal communication.Moreover a specific case about sKyang tshang dgon’s Preliminary Practices is beneficial for us to understand monastories’ impact on community from religious education view,that proved Bon as a indigenous religion in Tibetan area still have important effect nowadays.