Bon was the indigenous religion of Tibet that, when partly absorbed by the Buddhist traditions introduced from India in the 8th century, gave Tibetan Buddhism much of its distinctive (tantric) character.

	According to Tibetan mythology, Rahula (Rahu) has a face in his belly, the mouth of which swallows up the Moon or Sun during eclipses. He is master of the planets (i.e. has the power to seize them) and the god of solar and lunar eclipses. He is a wrathful dregs-pa according to the Nyingmapas; one of eight highest protector deities who rules over a class of gza demons. The story of how Rahu becomes a protector of Dharma (rather than the destroyer of Dharma) is told by Lama Rinchen... "When the first Buddhist monastery was being built in Tibet, all the work that was done during the day was destroyed by demons in the night. The great Guru Padmasambhava subdued the demons by giving them teachings of the Dharma. The powerful demons accepted the teachings and were transformed into (equally powerful) protectors of the Dharma."
This story supports the (jyotish) dictum that Rahu can be transformed by the conjunction of strong Jupiter (Guru). The essential feature being the strength of Guru over Rahu. Guru, devoid of strength, will continue to be troubled by Rahu's disruptive nature, giving rise to Guru-Chandala Yoga.
© JyotishVidya.com 2002