The following is an excerpt from “The Life and Liberation of Padmasambhava“:
…in the temple of Ãryapãla these were ordered to translate the Bon manuals of magic.
During the period, for royal sacrifice the Bon were required to provide a stag with antlers; they captured a stag alive and burst into song. Then they were told: “The gods’s share is needed.” They killed a sheep and a yak.
This impropriety and a number of others attracted the attention of the pandits and lotsawas to the behavior of the Bonpo.
Unanimously, but without prior arrangement, the pandits, and in order of rank, the lotsawas, turned to the king: “These Tibetan customs conflict with religious law. Since evil deviations demanding reprobation continue to be tolerated, we will return to our own countries.
Two masters are too many for one teaching,
two rights are too many for one liturgy,
two kings too many for one throne.
The friends of evil are not friends of truth.”
To this the king replied:
“When each denies the purity of the other, two religions are like two murders in confrontation.
But Buddhism is not widespread, and the Bon sect is powerful–several learned lotsawas already have had to be banished. If the two religions are allowed to spread, they will fuse into one.”
The pandits made no answer, but when they were asked to expound the Dharma, they did not do so.
While this was going on, Gyalway Lodro’s mother and minister of Tãranãga the Eminent died, and during the carrying out of the lustral ceremonies by the Bon and the Buddhist, the king came to believe more strongly in the Dharma and to doubt the Bon superstitions.
On the plain of Donkhar and oratorical joust was arranged, and the king to believe in the Dharma and to doubt the Bon superstitions.
Guru Padma and Tangnag the Bonpo faced one another, each in turn supporting and refuting every object of debate, and the king came to believe in the Dharma and to doubt the Bon superstitions.
The Bodhisattva, Śãntaraksita, and the leader of Shari faced one another, each in turn supporting and refuting every object of debate, and the king came to believe in the Dharma and to doubt the Bon superstitions.
Vimalamitra and Lishi of the Long Nape faced one another, each in turn supporting and refuting every object of debate, and the king came to believe in the Dharma and to doubt the Bon superstitions.
The nine Bon Vehicles and the nine of the Buddhadharma were confronted for their respective refutation by the lotsawas, and the king came to believe in the Dharma and to doubt the Bon superstition.
