Flight of the Bön Monks: War, Persecution, and the Salvation of Tibet's Oldest Religion

by Harvey Rice, Jackie Cole

An inside account of the Chinese invasion of Tibet told through the voices of three persecuted monks

• Shares the true story of three monks’ heroic escape from occupied Tibet and the subsequent rebirth of the Bön religion in exile

• Introduces Bön, Tibet’s oldest religion, and a traditional way of life extinguished by foreign occupation

• Reveals details of the 1950 Chinese invasion of Tibet and the exodus of thousands of Tibetans to neighboring countries

Providing an inside view into the Chinese occupation of Tibet and the tenets of Bön, one of the world’s oldest but least known religions, this book chronicles the true story of three Bön monks who heroically escaped occupied Tibet and went on to rebuild their culture through incredible resilience, determination, and passion.

After taking his vows to become a Bön monk and completing a pilgrimage around 22,000-foot Mt. Kailash, the holiest mountain in Tibet, Tenzin Namdak envisions a life of quiet contemplation at Menri, Bön’s mother monastery. Instead, he finds himself fleeing for his life across the highest and most difficult terrain on the planet. After being joined by a CIA-backed warlord, Tenzin’s escape party is ambushed and he is severely wounded. Narrowly escaping execution by Chinese soldiers, the dying Tenzin is taken to a concentration camp, where he is afforded special consideration because of his status as a monk. He overcomes his nearly fatal wound and makes an arduous escape from Tibet over the daunting Himalayas.

The other monks, life-long friends Samten Karmay and Sangye Tenzin, witness Tibet’s capital explode in a violent insurrection against Chinese rule. Escaping to Nepal, they worry about the survival of the Bön religion and begin collecting scattered works of Bön scripture. A chance meeting with British scholar David Snellgrove brings the three monks together again and dramatically changes their lives. Snellgrove invites Sangye, Samten, and Tenzin to spend three years in London on a Rockefeller Foundation grant. There, they hone their English and forge influential relationships, enabling Tenzin to answer the pleas for help from the Bön community by founding a settlement in exile in India. Sangye is chosen as the 33rd Menri Trizen, Bön’s highest office, and together the three monks help rebuild the nearly extinct Bön religion.

Aside from the escape of the Dalai Lama, no other Tibetan escape has been so consequential for so many.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

285 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 27, 2024

Reviews

[Monica Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is quite a suspenseful and beautifully worded account of a part of history I knew nothing about. I learned so much reading this book. I really could picture the trauma the Bon Monks went through and was thoroughly impressed by their determination to keep their religion alive. Fascinating!

[Kelly Robinson Schaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this historical account of an ancient religion which reads like a thriller. Beautifully depicted scenes of Tibet set the background for a compelling story of persecution and sacrifice. I always enjoy expanding my knowledge of the world and the “Flight of the Bon Monks” blends world history, culture and insight into deep faith into an adventure story. I kept going back to the pictures to see the faces of the real life protagonists. Great 1st novel.

[Steve Cran · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was in the late 1950's that China overran Tibet. The country over run by China had it's own sovereignty, culture and distinct religious practices. The two main religions are Buddhism and Bon. Bon was the older and indigenous religion while Buddhism was originally from India. Tibetan Buddhism has it's own flavor and is different from Chinese Buddhism. Both Bon and Tibetan Buddhism both revere many of the same deities and they revere each others holy people. When China conquered Tibet they were communist and they were hostile to religion.

In more ancient times Tibet was a powerful kingdom and often went to war with China. Often times Tibet would conquer Chinese territory. Both Bon and Buddhism had monasteries and monks all through put Tibet. One famous monastery out of Tibet was Minri which was the seat of power for the Bon religion. Drapong was like the Harvard university of Tibetan Buddhism. Bon monks had lands that produced farm good and it also had living quarter and temples. Most monks took vow of non violence, about a tenth of the monks were warrior monks who did not have such strictures of non violence andhad more freedom than the other monks. The main dish of Tibet is Sanpa. A nutritious staple food that is much like a superfood.

The story which is non fiction centers around three of the monks who escaped when China took over. The Chinese take over consisted of razing monasteries, harming females, putting Tibetan in concentration camps and total cultural destruction. The chaos and destruction caused many to flee from Tibet into neighboring countries. Most went and settled in the country of India. It was there that they would rebuild their society in exile.

The three monks were Tenzen, Senten and Songyae. The book gives a thorough biography of each of these monks as well as describing conditions in Tibet during the Chinese take over. There was no Tibetan military so to speak during that war. Defense came down to warrior monks and guerrillas. The book also details the challenges the Tibetan faced as they settled in India and other nearby countries. Dr. Snellgrove managed to get a few Tibetan to Britain so as to teach them modernity and also to learn their Bon religion

THE Chinese take over of Tibet was one of the bloodiest chapters in world history. Tibet recieved virtually no help from the outside world. The CIA tried to use Tibet against China but only managed to exploit the Tibetan issue. Towards the twentieth century they eased up and allowed Tibet to rebuild some of their structures and culture. They became more tolerant oward Bonn and religion but the Dalia Lama cannot come inot Tibet due to his political influence. Even holding his picture and can get you put in jail. Free Tibet

[Leslie Franz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Flight of the Bön Monks captures an important and little known chapter of modern world history in a gripping and very readable adventure story. The reader is introduced to a cast of extraordinary individuals dedicated to spiritual enlightenment, teaching and intellectual study. The Bönpos unshakable commitment to their chosen path is matched by their resilience and sheer courage when their beliefs, their people, their country and their very lives are under vicious attack. After their own harrowing escapes through the freezing and treacherous Himalayas, these unlikely survivors dedicate their lives to the preservation of their centuries old Bön traditions and the creation of safe communities for Tibetan refugees. Their skillfully told stories, related first-hand to writers/researchers Rice and Cole, are both inspiring and humbling. The authors have made a significant contribution to the documentation of the brutal suppression of the Tibetan people, while bringing the fascinating story of the peaceful Bönpos, their practices and their endurance against brutal and seemingly insurmountable forces to light.

[Jesse Scobie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will absolutely be bias here, since I’ve followed the Bon tradition often since my mother introduced me in the early 2000’s when visiting Tenzin W. Rinpoche’s retreats at Serenity Ridge, VA! I heard about this book for over a year now, and was very excited to read it! It truly is a historical-thriller-inspirational story of two important Bonpos/Monks and their escape from Communist China forces! I learned some great info on both men, but esp for renowned, nearly centenarian Lopon Tenzin Namdak, whom I met twice years ago at SR retreats! Really important book for Bon followers.

[Anjalica · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is very sad and heartbreaking to witness what they endured.