In Bon doctrine, the Nine Vehicles (theg pa rim dgu) present a graded vision of the spiritual path, ranging from very practical, worldly concerns to the most subtle realization of Dzogchen. This system is often described as hierarchical: each vehicle builds upon the orientation and capacities cultivated in the preceding ones. The early stages are sometimes called “causal” vehicles, because they focus on establishing the conditions—through ritual, ethical conduct, and understanding of forces seen and unseen—that support spiritual maturation. The later stages are “resultant” or higher vehicles, in which the practitioner directly engages methods aimed at realizing the nature of mind and reality. In this way, the Nine Vehicles offer not merely a list of teachings, but a map of transformation that encompasses the whole range of human experience, from divination and healing to non-dual contemplation.

The first four vehicles are oriented toward prediction, ritual engagement with the visible and invisible worlds, and the ordering of existence. The Way of the Shen of Prediction involves divination, astrology, and the reading of signs, seeking harmony with the patterns that shape worldly life. The Way of the Shen of the Visible World turns to rituals that address the environment and its spirits, working to balance elements and secure health and prosperity. The Way of the Shen of Illusion emphasizes magical rites and the transformation of circumstances, including exorcistic practices that confront harmful forces. The Way of the Shen of Existence is concerned with the great transitions of life and death, including funeral rites and guidance through intermediate states, so that rebirth unfolds under more favorable conditions.

From this foundation, the path shifts toward more explicitly ethical and contemplative disciplines. The Way of the Virtuous Followers focuses on lay practitioners, emphasizing moral conduct, refuge, and basic contemplative training as a stable basis for further progress. The Way of the Renunciates deepens this by introducing monastic discipline and renunciation, along with more systematic doctrinal study. These two vehicles mark a turning from primarily ritual and protective concerns toward an inner reorientation of life, where conduct, vows, and understanding become the primary instruments of transformation.

The final three vehicles are regarded as the highest or unsurpassed ways, centering on tantric and Dzogchen teachings. The Way of the White A introduces tantric methods such as mantra, visualization, and subtle-body yogas, with the “white A” symbolizing primordial purity and sacred sound. The Way of Primordial Shen represents more advanced tantric practice, including deity yoga and mandala work, in which ordinary passions are transformed into wisdom. The Supreme Way of Dzogchen stands at the summit of the system, offering direct introduction to the nature of mind and emphasizing non-conceptual contemplation and self-liberation. Taken together, these nine vehicles portray a single, integrated path: beginning with harmonizing the outer world and culminating in the recognition of a primordial awareness that was present from the very start.