Zhang Zhung Images from a Lost Kingdom - Khyung lung dngul mkhar - Shang Shung Editions

Zhang Zhung - Images from a Lost Kingdom by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. Shang Shung Editions, 2010. Shang Shung Institute Digital Archive Project. Visit: www.shangshunginstitute.org for more information. Video and photographic material from the Shang Shung Institute archives by Paolo Brunatto, Brian Beresford (Nomad Pictures) and Alex Siedlecki. All rights reserved by copyright holders. Chögyal Namkhai Norbu: There is also a sacred mountain used by many Bonpo Shen Masters who lived and did practice, this is mentioned in the guide books but I think that somewhere we can find the ruins of the palaces of these kings maybe not only one place but it could be in two or three different places but I don't have a really clear idea if we don not arrive there. When we arrive there maybe we can find something. Chögyal Namkhai Norbu: This is place is the residence of Khyung sprul Rinpoche, Khyung sprul Nam mkha' 'Jigs med, because he is a very, very important recent Master of the Bonpo tradition. He wrote many texts about astrology and medicine combined with ordinary Tibetan medicine defused in Tibetan Buddhism and also in the Bonpo tradition. Chögyal Namkhai Norbu: He also realized Rainbow Body. That is his history. [Thug Nag banner of Bon origin] Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, 1988. Photograph from "Zhang Zhung Images from a Lost Kingdom", Shang Shung Editions, 2010 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu: Here everything is written, the explanation. Chögyal Namkhai Norbu: Garuda, Ha, Ha ! Khyung ______ Paolo Brunatto: Did you find it this morning Rinpoche ? Where did you find it ? Chögyal Namkhai Norbu: Yes, I found it this morning in the ruins. Paolo Brunatto: In the Zhang Zhung monastery ? Chögyal Namkhai Norbu: Yes, in the monastery of Zhang Zhung . Kalacakra. Chögyal Namkhai Norbu: And underneath there is a letter. [Rinpoche shows a garuda shaped stone] Photograph of Khyung lung dngul mkhar, the Silver Palace of the Valley of the Garuda, by A. Siedlecki, from "Zhang Zhung Images from a Lost Kingdom". Shang Shung Editions, 2010 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in Khyung lung dngul mkhar from, Paolo Brunatto: We are now in the ancient capital Khyung lung dngul mkhar Chögyal Namkhai Norbu: When I started to read and to study Bonpo history the first thing I learned about was this place (Khyung lung dngul mkhar) because this is the source of Zhang Zhung history. Brian Beresford: How old do you think that this place is, Rinpoche ? Chögyal Namkhai Norbu: This is more than 3000 years old because From the time of sTon pa gShen rab mi bo che there had been eighteen famous Zhang Zhung kings and of these, two kings that had their residence in Khyung lung dngul mkhar so that is the origins of Khyung lung dngul mkhar. Later, then continued always the other Zhang Zhung kings, most continued to live in this area They used it (Khyung lung dngul mkhar) for more than two thousand years, and continued this kingdom and later then after Srong btsan sgam po murdered (the last king of Zhang Zhung, King Lig mi rkya), I think then that this place was governed by Bonpos because there was no (centralized) political power. Later with Lha bla ma Ye shes ’od (Khyung lung dngul mkhar) then also became Buddhist, they used this place because it was a very famous important place So, I think that we can have three periods here in the history (of Khyung lung dngul mkhar) and we must study it that way Brian Beresford: Did they mention in the books anywhere at all that this was actually a cave city ? Chögyal Namkhai Norbu: No, I never read this. But I was very surprised, before I had the only the idea that Khyung lung dngul mkhar was a building or like the Potola but now I have the idea very clear how they lived. It is also logical, because three thousand years ago there wasn't very much usage of houses so most people were living in a tent, nomad people So, their king and their kingdom, they built something like this and this is also a huge area. Brian Beresford:Thousands of people would have lived here. Chögyal Namkhai Norbu: Yes, yes, it is possible. Chögyal Namkhai Norbu: Its possible, all Bonpo histories say that Khyung lung dngul mkhar is one of the most important places of business for all Asia like Tajik, and India and also Oddyana. People would travel here and do business and also they would make connections Chögyal Namkhai Norbu: another bedroom Judith Allan: three bedrooms Here is another bedroom a very big bedroom, fantastic. Very comfortable. We can see that it is very, very old, because you see this smoke is from centuries and centuries, not only one year or two years Khyung lung dngul mkhar, I think, will be more famous than Tho lin for the future. because still today people don't know that there exists really something like this of the Zhang Zhung epoch. and also later so when people discover I think it will be very, very important Brian Beresford: Who are the people to discover? Chögyal Namkhai Norbu: Who ? Everybody. We, we introduce and make people understand how is the history and also the real condition. Story board and English subtitles Alex Siedlecki. Editor Alessandro Ambrosio