Jonang

The Jonang is one of the lesser-known schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It traces its origins to the yogi Yumo Mikyö Dorje, who lived in the 11th century. The school became prominent in the 14th century through the teachings of Kunpang Thugje Tsondru. A key feature of Jonang is its emphasis on the Kalachakra Tantra and the practice of "zogrim" or "completion stage" practices, particularly those related to the Six Yogas of Naropa.

Historically, the Jonang school was based in the Tsang region of Tibet. Its main monastery, Jonang Monastery, was located in the Yarlung Valley. The school faced significant persecution in the 17th century under the Fifth Dalai Lama, who was of the Gelug school. The Jonang monasteries were largely suppressed, and their monks were forced to convert to the Gelug school, or flee. Many Jonang texts and teachings were also destroyed or driven underground.

Despite this suppression, the Jonang tradition survived. In the 20th century, with the diaspora of Tibetans, the tradition began to be re-established in India and Nepal. Modern Jonang practitioners have worked to preserve and disseminate their unique teachings and practices. The school's distinctive philosophical views, particularly concerning the nature of emptiness (shunyata), known as "shentong" (other-emptiness), set it apart from other Tibetan Buddhist schools. This view posits that ultimate reality is not merely the absence of inherent existence but a positive, luminous, and pristine awareness.