1hEpybB

The Two Conquests of Zhang zhung and the Many Lig-Kings of Bon 39
We therefore may have to turn to generic narratives on calamities, which
are always sure to occur, by way of retribution, when a ruler forsakes Bon: a
ubiquitous theme in Bon indeed. Relative to the samples that we find in the
bsGrags byang and the Kha byang, the version that we find in the Ma nub
seems to have been dealt a distinct ZZNG spin, moving the figure of sNang
bzher lod po further centre stage.
Within the ZZNG tradition, the bombing narrative already appears in
the late 13 th c. AD (Bru:554.3–557.4). Outside ZZNG narrative traditions,
a brief dbu yogs bombing narrative also shows up in the Kha byang (p.
249.6). sNang bzher lod po is mentioned in the context of Lig myi rhya and
apparently has thrown gold bombs (gser dzo). The brief context seems slightly
different, but it clearly relates to a revenge story; how exactly is less clear.
It looks like a brief reference to a story that appears more fully elsewhere,
indeed, perhaps as it is featured in the Ma nub 48 Apart from this cluster of
narratives on the demise of Zhang zhung and Lig myi rhya, the ZZNG does
not borrow much from Dunhuang-style narratives. Quite unlike, e.g., the
mDo ’dus, which even in its narrative structure is greatly indebted to story
traditions that we find reflected in Dunhuang documents.
Probably sNang bzher lod po’s revenge, together with parts of the lineage,
at some point, was added to the Ma nub-theme as an apt marker of
ZZNG identity. Ta pi hri tsa, sNang bzher lod po and others are familiar
and conveniently legendary names in the lineage, which identify the stories
as clearly pertaining to the ZZNG.
Conclusions
The Ma nub consists of three discrete parts. They may have to be dated individually.
Part I seems to refer to a phyi dar-period entity: mNga’ ris (skor
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suggest this to be the case. As noted at other occasions (Blezer 2008), ‘exegetical’ readings
of older sources based on later narrativisations are certainly tempting, sometimes
helpful, but always hazardous. Moreover, IOL Tib J 1284/1375 has a parallel passage to
PT1287, which mentions the conquest of Byang gi Zhang zhung by Khyung po sPung
sad zu tse, who offers it to Emperor Srong btsan sgam po (l.4). This evidence, from a
temporally closer literary document, would make sPung sad zu tse significantly less than
a heroic Zhang zhung freedom fighter; but we will probably never know for sure what
‘really’ happened.
48
As indicated above, when discussing the Kha byang, sNang bzher lod po and Ta pi hri
tsa are also mentioned together on p. 201.6f; Ta pi hri tsa appears alone on p. 206.1f;
and sNang bzher lod po performs solo on p. 206.4. Also note Blon chen po snang bzher
(rtsang khong) in Or. 8212/187. I do not find it very likely that the name sNang bzher
made it into the ZZNG from the Annals. Cf. also Zhang/Blon mDo bzher (ibid.).
dBa’/Blon khri sum rje rtsang bzher appears in IOL Tib J 750. A place or stronghold
called dGra bzher, constructed in Ji ma khol, is also mentioned in PT1288.