Sanctity of Jarung Khashor

Below is the portion of article I wrote for Bhutan airline's in flight magazine 'Kuzuzangpola'

Baudhanath Stupa and I

We all know Katmandu is home for some the most ancient Buddhist monuments. Therefore as a Buddhist, there is something so fulfilling about being able to go to Katmandu. Some Buddhist structures there are listed as UNESCO heritage monuments. Back then, as a village lad, I grew up hearing stories about the magical Baudhanath stupa. They are long and each story often differ from one another. It seems there are Tibetan, Nepalese and Bhutanese mythologies each explaining the legend of the stupa. However there is portion in every story that is common and captivating: the wish fulfilling power of the stupa. Combining several stories together, I got the story as follows:

In Bhutan, the magnificent stupa is popularly known as Jarung-khashor. In course of our story, we will come to know why it was called so. For now, some sources suggest that the construction of a legendry stupa was initiated by an ordinary lady, called Jazima, the poultry woman. She bore four sons from four different husbands; horse trader, pig trader, dog trader and poultry trader.

Jazima, in her past life was a heavenly being. After suffering a downfall in her religious merit, she was reborn as an ordinary lady on earth. However she and her family maintained deeply religious attitude. She saved all her earnings from her hard work and when she knew she had saved enough, she approached the king and asked him for a piece of land. She told the king of her desire to construct a stupa on it.

Confused, dazed and after serious contemplation, the king granted her plea. But on one condition. Jazima could have the land; the size of which should be equivalent to a skin of a bull stretched on the ground. Crafty Jazima then sliced the skin of a bull to a size of a thread. She then extended the thread size string of bull hide on the ground to claim the land. Alarmed, many people complained to king about the size of land the king has granted to an ordinary lady. But king had no option other than to grant her plea. This is how stupa came to be known as Jarung-Khashor meaning ‘word of permission’ or ‘to be allowed’ or ‘given permission to do certain work’.

Few years on, after overcoming many major obstacles, the construction met a tragedy. Jazima died. But before her death, she told her four sons to complete the construction. She told her sons that completing it will not only fulfill her wishes and bring immense benefit to other sentient beings, but also fulfill their own. With this divine advice she died. Her death was marked with so many auspicious symbols. She regained her merit and attained buddhahood.

Her four sons kept their mother’s word and finally completed the construction. The relics of the Buddha of previous age were sealed in the stupa. When viewed from the sky, the shape of stupa is said to resemble Tibetan mandala. It is believed that the sanctification and empowerment ceremony of the stupa was attended by thousands of buddhas, deties and dakinis from the sky and of course by many mundanely people from. Therefore, today the stupa is viewed as great object of worship by devotees around the world.

The four sons of Jazima, then prayed. The son of Horseman wanted to become king and was reborn as King Trisong Dutsen of Tibet. The son of pig trader wanted to be reborn as compassionate Bhodisattva and was reborn as Zhiwa Tso. The son of dog trader wanted to be reborn as great master and was reborn as Guru Rimpoche. The son of poultry man wanted to be reborn as the religious Minister and was reborn as Songtsen Gompo. In brief, four brothers were reborn as the principle propagators of Buddhism. But they completely forgot to pray for the donkey that carried construction materials all through with four of them. So the donkey prayed for himself. He prayed devoutly to be reborn as the minister who could destroy the dharma so propagated by four brothers. But a crow on the tree top knew about the disparaging prayers of the donkey and so prayed to be reborn as preserver of the dharma from the destruction of the donkey’s incarnation. Accordingly, the donkey was reborn as demon Langdarma, who nearly wiped off Buddhism in the Himalayas. Later crow was reborn as Pelgi Dorji who then subdued Langdarma and subsequently revived Buddhism. Due to such legends, people today believe that pilgrimage to Baudhanath stupa of Katmandu, Samye Monastry of Tibet and Baudha stupa in Gaya have the power to even exempt a murderous sinner from miseries of samsara.

The legendry stupa has survived the onslaught of many turbulent times. But things seemed to have changed. Once pilgrimage and religious center has now become a commercial center. Globalization has not even spared religion. Sacred objects are produced in mass for sale. If not paid monks wouldn’t say prayers. Today, the monumental stupa is surrounded not by alters and temples but by shops and restaurants. Time has taken its due toll on the surroundings. Crowded, littered and dusty, the holy place is succumbing to the forces of modernization and over population. Everything appeared cramped. There were monkeys, lamp sellers and film makers. Nearby people were attending a funeral rite. Not far away wedding ceremony was in full swing.

Of Lochoes, Juvenile Monks and Economics

In 2011 

Couple of days ago, I was in my wife's place. I was there to attend an annual offering ritual popularly known among Bhutanese folks as Lochoe. Having missed two such Lochoes while I was away for my studies, it was my father-in-law's intention to have a grand one this year. To do that, he was willing to spend his entire two months pension income for the same. And expected nothing less from me and my wife. It is understandable because Lochoe to an ex-monk, I think means somethings that transcends mundane description. So to make him happy I think we did our best. We have no savings but as a civil servant, we took our salary in advance.

Longchen Thongdrel Consecrated

Final Thongdrol of Longchenapa

Models

His eminence the Namkhai Nyingpo Rimpoche consecrated the Thongdorl of Kuenkhen Longchen on 12th Oct 2013 inThimphu. The Thongdrol worth more than million Nu was built by the people of Shingkhar village along with the support of other Longchen devotees across the country. My cousin monk who took active part in the process told me that it is to purely to bring harmony and happiness not only in Shingkhar, but also in Bhutan and world at large. Thongdrol will be soon taken to Shingkhar and will be unfurled once in a year coinciding with the annual Shingkhar Rabney.

Dza Patrul Rinpoche's Heart Advice.

༆ དཔལ་སྤྲུལ་སེམས་དཔའ་ཆེན་པོའི་གསུང་གདམས་ཟབ་གནད་ཀྱི་མདོ་འགགས་དྲུག་བཞུགས་སོ།།

The Six Focal Points of Profound Instructions

By Paltrul Rinpoche

སྐྱིད་ན་མི་དགའ་སྡུག་ན་དགའ། །སྐྱིད་ན་ཉོན་མོངས་དུག་ལྔ་འབར།།

སྡུག་ན་སྔོན་གྱི་ལས་ངན་འཛད། །སྡུག་བསྔལ་བླ་མའི་ཐུགས་རྗེ་ཡིན།།

I would rather undergo suffering than be happy.

Happiness gives rise to five poisonous emotions.

Suffering will reduce my negative karma from the past.

Suffering represents the compassion of my Guru.

བསྟོད་ན་མི་དགའ་སྨད་ན་དགའ། །བསྟོད་ན་ང་རྒྱལ་ཁེངས་སེམས་ཆེ།།

སྨད་ན་རང་སྐྱོན་ཐེར་ལ་འབུད། །མི་ཁ་ལྷ་ཡི་ཕ་འབབ་ཡིན།།

I would rather be criticized than praised.

Praise leads to pride and egoism.

Criticism will starkly reveal my own flaws.

Malicious gossip is a precious gift from the divine.

མཐོ་ན་མི་དགའ་དམའ་ན་དགའ། །མཐོ་ན་ཕྲག་དོག་ང་རྒྱལ་སྐྱེ། །

དམའ་ན་བག་ཡངས་དགེ་སྦྱོར་འཕེལ། །དམན་ས་གོང་མའི་གདན་ས་ཡིན།།

I would rather be low than high.

High stature gives rise to jealousy and pride.

Low stature comes with freedom conducive for spiritual practice.

Inferiority is the seat of sublime masters.

འབྱོར་ན་མི་དགའ་རྒུད་ན་དགའ། །འབྱོར་ན་གསོག་སྲུང་སྡུག་བསྔལ་ཆེ།།

རྒུད་ན་དཀའ་སྤྱད་ལྷ་ཆོས་འགྲུབ། །སྤྲང་ལུས་ཆོས་པའི་གཏད་སོ་ཡིན།།

I would rather be poor than rich.

Wealth entails the suffering of hoarding and saving.

Poverty presents challenges to practice sublime dharma.

Poverty is the unfailing state for a spiritual person.

བྱིན་ན་མི་དགའ་འཕྲོག་ན་དགའ། །བྱིན་ན་ལན་ཆགས་འཁུར་པོ་འཕེལ།།

འཕྲོག་ན་ཚེ་རབས་བུ་ལོན་སོད། །ཆོག་ཤེས་འཕགས་པའི་སྤྱི་ནོར་ཡིན།།

I would rather be robed from than given to.

If given to, the burden of karmic debt increases.

If robed from, the karmic debt of many lifetimes is cleared.

Contentment is the supreme wealth of the sublime beings. 

གཉེན་ལ་མི་དགའ་དགྲ་ལ་དགའ། །གཉེན་གྱི་ཐར་ལམ་བར་དུ་གཅོད།།

དགྲ་བོ་བཟོད་པའི་ཡུལ་དུ་བྱེད། །རོ་སྙོམས་ཉམས་ལེན་གནད་འགགས་ཡིན།།

I would rather love my enemy than my relations,

Relations obstruct the path to liberation.

Enemies can be objects of my patience.

Equanimity is the essence of meditation practice. 

ཆོས་བཞིན་མཛད་ན་དེ་འདྲ་དགོས། །བློ་ཐག་ཆོད་ན་དེ་འདྲ་དགོས།།

རི་ཁྲོད་འཛིན་ན་དེ་འདྲ་དགོས། །རྒྱལ་ཁམས་འགྲིམ་ན་དེ་འདྲ་དགོས།།

གདམས་ཟབ་གནད་ཀྱིས་མདོ་འགགས་དྲུག །ཕ་གཅིག་བླ་མའི་ཞལ་རྒྱུན་ཡིན།།

If I wish to conduct according to dharma, I should be thus.

If I have made up my mind [for dharma], I should be thus.

If I abide in the solitudes, I should be thus.

If I wander in the world, I should be thus.

These six focal points of profound instructions

Are oral transmissions of my spiritual father.

Source: Dr. Karm Phuntsho's Facebook page

Western Eyes With Eastern Scriptures

Eyelid twitching refers to an involuntary eyelid movement which may happen all of a sudden without any stimulation. For some, it lasts for hardly a few moments and eventually stops. But for some, this irritating and annoying involuntary twitching lasts for days, weeks and months at its worst. Following is what most of the westerners thinks about it:

"The world is full of individuals having some or the other form of muscle twitch in their body.  Involuntary twitches can range from petty and slightly annoying habits to more consistent and highly irritating behavior, which appears extremely erratic and the victim is simply helpless. In most cases, the twitching habit lasts for a short time and eventually fades away, while in some cases it remains for years together as a harmless muscular movement or a highly annoying form of body movement. Involuntary eyelid twitching is one such example. Involuntary eye twitching or eyelid twitching is also known and referred to by many as benign essential blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm or simply blinking disorder. There are different types and forms of this annoying phenomena ranging from mild habitual forms to seriously abnormal forms"

 Like wise, we the Bhutanese (or Buddhist in General) also have our own belief system for this. According to our system, we believe that twitching in different location, especially around our eyes, mean different things. Its as good as  foretelling something in advance! For example, twitching of an upper right eyelid signifies that, a person will soon be blessed with wealth, where as the twitching of a lower right eyelid signifies the impending misfortunes. Similarly, twitching of the upper left eyelid signifies that a person will fall sick, risk being dead and not fulfilling the expectations and endeavors. Twitching left lower eyelid on the other hand signifies that a person will succeed in all his endeavors. 

Personally, I did not believe in this system. Its long outdated orthodox. Logically speaking how can an eyelid twitching bring wealth, death, peace, success, sickness, failure and fulfillment? I simply did not find any correlation there. That's why I have always allowed my liberalness to play a part here.

But last year was a different story all together. I had the longest eyelid twitching of my life. It actually started way towards the end of 2010 and lasted till July 2011. And certainly many things did happen that year in my life. I had the longest eyelid twitching around my lower right eye and upper left eye. Both weren't a good sign. As if the divinity wanted to prove the belief system to me, many unpleasant things ensued in my life:

1. In the January 2011, our family lost almost 25% our yaks in a fire outbreak.
2. I had had the worst possible car accident of my life. (Damaged 3 cars)
3. Lost the gadget that I valued most in my life, -my Camera
4. Lost my most expensive shade, My Rayban sunglasses
5. My father nearly died of a stroke. Many a time, I had to travel between Bumthang and Paro, all alone day and night.
6. Like me, my father-in-law had his share of worst car accident. He broke is leg and nearly killed my grandmother and three other people.
7. I got my  first ever scholarship application rejected by a Japanese University.
8. Got selected for Indian Government Scholarship with flying results! Which many consider as a bad luck because I cannot go and clean toilets and earn dollars. Many still feel going to India for masters as being equivalent to going to a slum.
9. I got Officially warned for writing a letter to my MP on a issue that I did not agree.
10. Became miserably sick in India, from a viral fever.

These things had a profound impact in my life. There are surely things in this universe which cannot be explained in the light of real world phenomenon. Eyelid twitching is perhaps one such mystery that cannot be easily ignored. 

Now that I am having another round of eyelid twitching, I am little anxious. But this time its the upper eyelid of my right eye. It had has been twitching for about a week. To my happiness, it signifies that I will have lot to eat and will be able to accumulate lot of wealth too! And true to the prediction, these days I am relishing a lot on puff in a near by shop. It really taste great. My Indian friends have difficulty finishing just one but there I am easily swallowing two puffs in one go.  As for wealth, I am planning to buy an ipad..but wondering where the money is going to come from....LOL......

Have a nice day folks............................

The Geography of Bliss

Picture Courtesy: Google

I have just started reading a book by Eric Weiner, Its called "The Geography of Bliss". The title of the book says that its 'One Grump's search for happiest place in the world'. But after having read few pages form the book, I saw humorous and hilarious Eric than the one described by himself on the cover of the book. Journalist by profession, Eric has displayed his unrivaled flair for writing. His writing is anything, but simple and humble that is temple of god. Through witty and often dark humors, (that appears in bits and pieces everywhere in the book) Eric not only entertains readers, but he also educates the reader about the profound aspects of a thing called "happiness and Happiest place".  Someone rightly said that "happiness is reading a book as entertaining as this" 

Happiness, as we know is a very subjective concept. The concept of Happiness differs from one being to the other. Mostly, its often referred to as the state of mind which cannot be quantified in ordinary terms. Its like an illusion! -Empty and always evasive!  As associated by many Buddhist masters, happiness is transitory like a multi-hued rainbow, which appears and disappears in a wink.  Yet, the ultimate aim of every living being is to find it and experience it once.

In "The Geography of Bliss", Eric attempts to bring forth what happiness means to different people in different countries. In other words "The Geography of Bliss" is a culmination of Eric's quest in finding the  happiest place in the world. This quest took him around the world and to the places which even his journalistic brain knows not much about. Finally, he puts forward as to what happiness is in ten different countries as follows:

1. In the Nederlands, Happiness is a number
2. In Switzerland, Happiness is a boredom
3. In Bhutan, Happiness is a Policy
4. In Qatar, Happiness is winning a lottery ticket
5. In Iceland, Happiness is Failure
6. In Moldova, Happiness is somewhere else
7. In Thailand, Happiness is not thinking
8. In Great Britain, Happiness is a work in progress
9. In India, Happiness is a contradiction
10. In USA, Happiness is Home.

Of the ten chapters, I have just finished reading about what happiness means in Bhutan. As always, I went blank while I was reading about happiness being a policy in Bhutan. Here the happiness policy has a reference to Bhutan's development paradigm called Gross National Happiness (GNH). From my personal understanding, policies never bring happiness to all sections of society in equal terms. For that matter, tobacco control act and the most infamous pedestrian day in Bhutan, I think are the living example of happiness policy that failed.  

In Bhutan, as I said earlier, happiness has a different meaning to different people. And therefore there are many people who do not buy the happiness definition given by our senior bureaucrats including some of the Minsters and the 'Think Tanks' alike. Their definition of happiness is quite different from the happiness that most Bhutanese envisages. It may not be documented anywhere but for them Happiness means travelling around the globe selling happiness. For them Happiness also means more land, more money, more power, and silencing the critiques. At the end of the day, Happiness for them is all about settling for a fat TA and DA from the public exchequer and still telling to the world that money and materialism are things that GNH do not advocate. We do not  know how far the news is true, but today, there are already a lot of rumors about how some section of Bhutanese society  are unduly profiting more from the happiness policy then the rest!

I agree with Eric with all my heart and soul on the count that Bhutan is not Shangri-La in any sense. People  definitely do not live 250 years! Rather we have many people living miserably below poverty line. There are people who toil day and night but ultimately settle for hand to mouth in the end. Crime rate is alarming. More  than ever, the level of corruption has reached a threatening level. We have a crises in the interpretation of laws and unilateral decisions have been made banning even our culture and traditions. People are getting kidnapped and paying ransom to those identified gun men and god knows what our security people are up to. We have our ambitious youths who wanted to become doctors, engineers, lawyers, architects and bureaucrats but are naively told to go and join farming sector. They are frustrated and crazily angry with the happiness policy? 

Coming back to the book, I liked the way Eric went wordless when Linda Leaming, asked him about how happy he was rather than how busy he was looking for it. I thoroughly enjoyed Eric's trip to Bhutan with a guide who , I think requires a lot of orientation himself. I think Tashi has truly depicted how 80% of Bhutanese people are to Eric. Bhutanese people indeed consider white languors as good omen and brown monkeys, the otherwise. Based on the reason he gave, I think Tashi was not wrong either when he said that the rivers and lakes are different. It is also true that we have lamas who can heal cancers, but I would not recommend all the American cancer patients to come to Bhutan, because already our GNH lamas getting polluted by dollar power.

I also liked a part when Eric asked Bhutanese home Minister about the relationship between the Happiness and Nagasaki. The answer from our minister was equally hilarious one too, but sadly I forgot it. I also liked the way Dahso Karma  Ura responded to Eric's question about GNH. "Lowering the expectations" was Dasho's response. I presume Dasho was right in his count.

By the way I still do not know whether this thing called GNH is either philosophy or an ideology. But certainly, I know that there are many Bhutanese who are highly ambitious, who love Money and who fear death just like any other beings. 

Buddhism and Helping Animals

In the words of Lama Kunzang; “The souls of all sentient beings are inter-woven through numerous births and rebirths in this samsaric world. We should show all animals, gratitude and respect through compassion and sympathy.” In other words it means that as a rationale human beings, we should know that animals are our relatives and best friends and that they are not our food! 

Lama Kunzang has done a lot in saving the lives of those innocent animals. He is by far the embodiment of Buddha himself. I am deeply touched by his deeds. From saving cows, bulls and stray dogs, he has now made his presence in saving the lives of Yaks! 

As a person who grew up with yaks, I have a personal love for those animals. Through my experience, I know that yaks are emotional sensitive and intelligent animals. Like any other animals they do not deserve  to be killed for food  (at least). We were a poor family then. But we never killed any yaks for our livelihood! Sometimes my family survived on just one milking yak and we did very well! But for now lets keep this topic for another post. 

The fact of the matter is, now with no meat coming from India, I think our yak herders are taking the advantage of these lucrative meat business. Brutal and inhuman killing of animals is taking place in our Buddhist country. Therefore, for the love of our friends, -animals; lets extend our helping hand to Jangsa animal saving trust. By this I am not urging any one to make a hefty donations to the trust. Each one of us can make a difference if we can at least reduce our meat consumption. I would not even force someone to become veg over night, but please read the excerpt that I took form Jangsa Animal Saving Trust page. This Lama inspired me to my heart. Just see what it can do for you.

Lama Kunzang Dorjee

Lama Kunzang Dorjee heads the oldest Buthanese monastery, Jangsa Gompa in Kalimpong, India.* He also heads two monasteries in Kurteo Lhuentse , Eastern Bhutan , and one in Gelephu in Southern Bhutan. Decidedly vegetarian and tsethar practitioner (practise of saving lives), Lama Kunzang Dorje set up the Jangsa Animal Saving Trust and saved more than 650 bulls and other similarly ill-fated animals from being killed in slaughter houses by buying them.

Lama Kunzang Dorjee was born in the Nyo lineage of Gyalwa Lhanangpa. At the age of 13, he began studying under his father, Lama Pema Longdrol** and Kyabje Tashi Tsering, also known as Somdrang Rinpoche. He received guidance in the preliminary practices for three years following the Phowa, Bardo and Samadhi practices. At the age of 19, he met H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche who had come to Tashigang, Bhutan, to give the Empowerment of Rinchen Terzod.

Photo Courtesy: JAST

Lama Kunzang Dorjee started education in a modern Roman Catholic school, St. Augustine school in Kalimpong, but at the age of 14, he joined H.H. Kyabje Dodrupchen Rinpoche's monastery in Gangtok that follows the Nyingthig lineage of Nyingma School. This change was his own decision, which his father was happy to support. As both his parents were disciples of H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche, Lama-la received the Empowerment and transmission of the Great Terton Dudjom Lingpa and H.H. Dudjom Rinpoches's Sungbum before he joined the monastry in Gangtok where he stayed for 13 years receiving the empowerments of Kama, Terma, Yabshi, Jigling Tsapoe etc and various other Trilung from H.H. Kyabje Dodrupchen Rinpoche. He also studied some Sutra teachings and Tantra teachings from Venerable Lopon Thekchog and Khenpo Tsundru Singye of the same monastery and from Lama Gyalwang Nima and Khenpo Dazer. His monk ordination and many teachings he took from Khen Rinpoche Mewa Thukten.

Lama Pema Longdrol, gave him many teachings and transmissions, including the detailed instructions on the tantric deity of Vajrakilaya. Lama Kunzang Dorje has been blessed to receive Dzogchen and other teachings from Kyabje Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche. From Kyabje Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche he received Dzongchen teachings and Kagyur transmission. Lama Kunzang Dorjee has been blessed to get some teachings from Kyabje Dungse Rinpoche as well. He did his three-year retreat at Helembu, Nepal, under the guidance of H.H. Kyabje Chatral Rinpoche. Lama-la is following the path set by H.H. Chatral Rinpoche in the practice of "tsethar" (saving lives by buying animals who otherwise would be killed).

Saving cows and stray dogs, Lama Kunzang Dorj stated that his compassion was kindled when, in late 2000, five bulls which had escaped from a slaughter house in Kalimpong, forced their way into his monastery and refused to leave. When the five bulls returned to the monastery for the third time the same day, Lama Kunzang Dorjee gave them water and fresh grass, but they refused to eat. That moment was a turning point: he had started to save these beings. He bought them for Rs. 45,000, built a shed and appointed a caretaker to look after them. Lama-la, who is also in the process of establishing a sanctuary in Thimphu, Bhutan for animals that are going to be slaughtered in and around the capital, also hopes that meat consumption will slowly decrease as more people become aware of tsethar. 

In 2008 together with the Bhutanese Royal Society for Protection and Care of Animals (RSPCA) lama-la started a project to save stray dogs. In 2009, he has visited England , where he contributed to a university project on tantric longevity rituals, and also visited South-east Asia, as well as Hong Kong , where he is starting a Buddhist centre.

Long Live Lama Kunzang and Long live all the JAST members.

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This is What I wrote to Icon Shoe Producer

Dear icon shoe producer,

I am Buddhist man Living in India.

I am so disheartened to see the kind of disgrace and injustice your company have done to Buddhism by putting Buddha's picture on the shoes. In our religion, Buddha is our master, he is our light in the darkness, he represents our hope for this life and life after, he is our everything. Therefore we Buddhist do not think that our master seriously do not deserve to be put on your shoes and other inappropriate articles.  

I would like to urge your company to do the needful things before it is met with a serious consequences in the form of mass customer protest and other charges under the existing international law on respect for religions. This is a serious religious offence and we Buddhist world take it very seriously. 

PSN

Up Coming Thongdrel of Longchenpa in Shingkhar

༈ གངས་རི་ཐོད་དཀར་རིན་ཆེན་སྙིང་པོའི་མགོན། །

ཡོན་ཏན་ཀུན་བྱུང་དགའ་བའི་སྐྱེད་ཚལ་དུ། །

སྙིགས་མའི་དོན་གཟིགས་སྦས་པའི་རྣལ་འབྱོར་པ། །

ཀློང་ཆེན་རབ་འབྱམས་ཞབས་ལ་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས།།

I have picked up this picture from the facebook page of Shingkharpas. I am deeply moved by the initiatives taken by my brother who is a Bhutanese astrologer in Pangrizampa. I hope to see him succeed in his endeavor. I hope the blessings of Longchenpa will continue to bring the peace and wellbeing in Shingkhar (in particular) and Bhutan and  the World (in general)

My brother, Soman Rinchen, Bhutnese Astrologer

I would like to convey my sincerest and deepest Tashi Delek to Sonam. I would also like my readers everywhere in the world to join me in wishing him a  great success. 

Shingkhar Rabney Part 4

Yeedam

The life size copper statue of Buddha, known as the yeedam to locality is one of the most sanctified and chief relic housed in Shingkhar Lhakhnag. It is also known as Yeedam Khamsum Zoelnon. Although its history and origin are not much known, (even to the majority of the locals) the statue is revered to as the wish granting object besides being worshipped as Buddhist artifact. 

This wish granting stuff might sound little naive and silly. But if you are a Buddhist, then It might sound little remarkable and captivating.

Long time ago, a tax collector from the court of erstwhile Debraja visited Shingkhar. Little did he realize that he was there for a dual purpose? –he was there to not only collect taxes, but on repeated persuasion from the locals, he was also there to make a secret wish that was going to have a lasting impact in his life. 

Although, his wishes were not explicitly revealed, implicitly, it was his wish to become Paro Penlop in a very foreseeable future. Should the wish come true, he then made a secret vow to install Golden Pinnacle (serthok) on the roof of Shingkhar Lhakhang in gratitude.

Amazingly, the tax collector, popularly known as Agay Haap became Paro Penlop shortly. Not only that, he also become the first person to install serthok on the roof Shingkhar Lhakhang as promised.

There are many such stories. If anybody is interested, then please visit Shingkhar Lhakhang. Remember me, if your wishes come true.

Serthok of Shingkhar Lhakhang 

Shingkhar Rabney, Part 3

Shingkhar has been a place of mystery for eons. It still continues to be. Shingkhar is a place known not only  for innocent yet intriguing people, but is also known for its rituals and relics it has in abundance. 

Of many such relics, the the mask dance of Lhamo and Gyembo are the towering show piece by any measure. Perchance, they are the specialty of the region whose sacredness awes many mortals. By locals' definition, the history of these dance are as old and as untraceable as the history of the universe itself.

However, sources, tend to suggest that, those mask dances were initially composed and initiated by second Shingkhar Lama, known as Lama Jabodma. Lama Jabodma was the son of first Shingkhar Lam, Tsezang Thaye Drakpa, who in turn was the great gand son of great Nyingmapa master Longchen Rabjam.

The current mask of Lhamo and Gyembo are believed to have been curved by Lama Jabodma himself.  It was  believed that Lama Jabodma and many other magical powers. 

According to locals', Lama had the supernatural power with which he toured India and Tibet in a single day. Perhaps, that's why he was named Lama Ja (meaning India) Bod (meaning Tibet)

 Literally, Lhamo is a female Goddess and Gyembo is a Male God. Lhamo is in white clad, Gyembo in dark blue. They are considered as the Choesungs (the guardian deities, who protect Buddha, Dharma and Sangya) of the region. In Bhutan there are many such Lhamos and Gyembos. Accordingly, Lhamo in Shingkhar is  Durthrod Lhamo (?) and Gyembo, Gyembo Maning.  

Shingkhar Rabney is the only occasion to see these dances. 

Shingkhar Rabney, Part 2

Dear friends and folks,

Chath Dorji here.

Well, the thing of Rabney is long over and gone. I am now back in Golaipang, safe and sound with my family. I had the most memorable Rabney of my life. I think I will never forget the happy moments I had with happy folks of Shingkhar. 

When I was a young boy, My mysterious father and mother would always tell me stories about the mythical Lhamo and  terrifying Gyembo. One story that I vividly remember is the story  about Choejong, their Yak,  who farted so bad that  it blew up the nose of Gyembo on their way back to Golaipang after Rabney. That's why  today, Gyembo has a nose, that looks somewhat flattened with its tip raised.

That is just one side of the story. (especially for curious kids) 

The real story, as far as the history goes is that, it goes as back to the time of great Nyingpa master, Longchen  Rabjam himself. It is believed that when Longchenpa was mediating in the Tibetan region called Gangri Thoed Kar, the mermaid, (Tshomen) who resided in the lake called Mapham Yumtsho invited the master on many occasions. Although he rejected the initial invitations, he however consented at last to visit the lake once. 

When he finally visited the lake, the mermaid requested him to discover something from the lake as Ter (treasure). As requested, Longchenpa discovered a pair of white horn that belonged to a yak. 

The master carried those pair of horns with him to Shingkhar. Later when Longchenpa established his seat in Shingkhar, those pair of horns became the main relic of Shingkhar Lhakhang. 

Many years after Longchenpa, his disciples composed a dance of a yak. They used the same horn which Longchenpa carried from Tibet. It came to be known as Choejong.  Today it is considered as the most sacred relic of the valley. 

Shingkhar Rabney, Part I

Shingkhar Ranbey 2008

Shingkhar Rabney concluded on 2nd Feb 2012, (which coincides with the 10th day of 12th month in Bhutanese calendar) It’s an annual event that lasts for 5 days. Locally, those five days are considered auspicious and sacred. They are considered most important for many reasons. 

Firstly, even though the significance of Rabney extends far beyond, for locals, it is considered as an annual event honoring our local deities for all the blessings and protections they have rendered in the past year. Besides, it is also an event where folks celebrate their past success and embark on the new beginning. 

Secondly, Rabney is a unique local event, observed in the loving memory of our ancestors. They are remembered for all the hardships and pains they have endured to preserve this beautiful culture and tradition. It is with each passing Rabney, that the architects of Shingkhar are immortalized in the hearts of Shingkharpas. 

Thirdly, Rabney is an important social event that unites the family and long lost relatives. It is often on Rabney that parents see their children who have moved to a far off place. It is also time for all the folks to call off the days form mundanely chores and sing and soak, heart and soul  in local brew -ara and cingchang.

The Sights, Sounds and Souls of Shingkhar; -The Origin of Shingkhar Naktsang

Current Shingkhar Lam Nidup and Dasho Shingkhar Lam
 during one of five day Shingkhar Rabney

Shingkhar is a small village in Bumthang. It has around 30 households and population of little over 500 people. The locals speak native Bumthap and are known for their.....well nothing. The folks are easy going people. More than wealth, they are people who like humor in abundance. Besides rearing yaks and cattles, its a place also known for the great plains and abundant fir trees.

The current location of the village is believed to have been the place from where the great Nyingma Scholar, (popularly known as the Kuenkhen Longchen Rabjam) meditated and propagated Buddhism to his followers in 13th century. Historically, the main village of Shingkhar, also known as the Rinchengang was located  in the South, about a mile from the current location. However the ruins of Rinchengang are still visible. Dechenling and lamas residence were the only dwelling that time. Of eight such 'Lings' which Longchenpa established to also pursue his writings about the Zogpaphenpo, including 'dzoduen', Shingkhar Dechenling happens to be one among them. "Dzoduen" is the most remarkable book written by Longchenpa.

Later, the great grand son of Longchenpa, popularly known as Tsezang Thaye Drakpa became the first Shingkhar Lama.  He was succeeded by his Son, Lama Jaboedm. He later curved wooden statue of his late father, along with the statues of Guru and Drolkar. They are still preserved in Shingkhar Lhakhang. Also the mask of Lhamo and Gyempo along with the the masks of chhoejong (except the horns) are widely believed to have been made by Lama Jaboedma himslef. Today these objects have become the main Nangten of  Shingkhar Lhakhang.

The house in which successive Shinglhar Lams lived was known to locals as 'Naktsang', -the house of lama and his family.



Shingkhar Naktsang.

The world in the eyes of Phuntsho, a dog from Shingkhar.

This is me, Phuntsho. 

This is how my relative looks in the dog pound.

When it comes to explicit expression of my thoughts, I look little disoriented because I am a dog from rural Bhutan. I am also little uncomfortable introducing myself in this public forum, because I have a very bad phobia of facing the crowd or being read by public. With this, there are imminent possibilities that I might miss some lines in between. So I humbly beg your pardon for all the wrongs I might say in due course of time.

Well, to begin with, my name is Phuntsho and I am form Bumthang, Ura, Shingkhar. Stressing my male status, people often call me Phuntsho La. I don’t know which scientific and biological breed I belong to, but the very fact that I dwell in the mountains of Shingkhar; along with the yaks, people have the tendency of referring to me as bjob-khee; roughly meaning, a dog form a highland.

 Having lived in the luxury and comfort of this beautiful land for so many years, I feel the dogs and people in Shingkhar share a very symbiotic relationship. This relationship among the dogs and humans are the most unique in our animal kingdom. Therefore it deserves a second closer look. The historical references today show that humans and dogs shared a bond based on trust and mutual benefit.  Humans feed the dogs and dogs in return protected people from intruders,-both animals and humans.  The dogs not also acts like an alarm to alert people from the approaching dangers but was also once revered to for possessing a prophetic instinct of foreseeing future events.

As a dog, the traits like ferocity and aggressiveness are something people most often sought after. As a result, our dogliness are sometime gauged on the basis of fear and terror our presence created. There was once a saying that ‘even after its death, the presence of a good dog will be felt for three long years,  where as a presence of a good human, after his death will only be felt for only three short nights’. Such was the importance and privilege dogs enjoyed in human society.

Today things have changed both in dog world and human world. Except for few tiny upsoos and ludicrous looking dogs, the regard and respect we as a species have for each other seem to have fallen to the lowest unimaginable grade in the history of this civilization. Some say this is to be credited for a force called development and progress, while there are also others who say, it is because of the ever compounding human greed human anxiety.

Unlike my relatives who dwell in the streets of urban towns, I am a very happily fed dog, because I have a very loving and caring owner. Having lived in the pristine mountains in the company of rich milking yaks, I did not have to face the harsh realities of this dog world like them. For I was least affected, the news of famine, malnourished, mange and poverty that claimed the lives of my relatives on daily basis did little to bother me.

Of late, my loving owner has fallen sick. I believe his disease is more of a natural one that comes along with old age. His weak body withered by the hardship and privation of his life and age looks shrunken and wilted. Therefore, even though his recovery is a promising possibility, his return to the mountains with us remains a very grim prospect.   

Today I am a very busy dog. I have virtually become a migratory dog on daily basis. I spend my days travelling between the mountains and my owner’s residence.  I do this because I have my tradition to preserve as the proud Bjob-Khee in the mountain with yaks. And in similar manner I frequent my owner’s residence to meet my ailing owner, who treated me at par with his own kids. It’s through this movement I get myself more exposed to both human world and dog world.

Development has not only brought progress to the human world but has also created a wide gap between us. With ever widening gap, it’s a sad reality that we, the dogs are considered worthless animals known only for howling and other nuisances. Human world tend to forget that howling is our birth right and that it was once our way of reciprocating the love and care of our ancestral owners bestowed us.

 Human world at the dizzy height of its advancement and development, they look all the more confusing. Once a fun loving human have today become slave to their desires and dreams. Their lives have become so scheduled that they have no time even for their loved ones. When they have no time for their aged parents and toddling young ones, how can they find time for dogs like us?

I was told that my relatives somewhere in the west have failed to use family planning and therefore resulted in a population explosion.  Humans thought this was unacceptable and hence resorted to down seizing the population. Apart from the sterilization process, few heartless humans have also resorted to inhuman slaughtering of my fellow being by way of mass poisoning. They have also dumped many of my fellow beings alive in freezing water with all the limbs and legs tied with ropes.

Apart from being accused for our careless reproduction ways, we are also blamed for bringing in fleas and scabies in summer. It is believed in the human world that seasonal ailments like scabies have today become a life threatening. By virtue of being a dog, I know we are species susceptible to skin diseases like mange. And I will not be surprised if the mange in dog world is caused by climate change, for which Homo sapiens –humans- themselves are to be blamed.

Today, we are even hated more for being responsible in the spread of deadly disease called rabies. Researches in the human world have found out that we are very dangerous animals. They think and believe they have all the data to prove their claims. But these days, I am very skeptical about the human way of doing research, because some humans think a mere flipping of pages, occasional Googeling and reading is a research for them. I am very afraid because humans will soon consider reading news papers on weekends as research!

I thought every dog born in Bhutan are the luckiest and most fortunate dog on this planet. I also thought that it is due to the positive karmic merits that we were all born in the country that stresses more on happiness than on material wealth.  But recently with the ever growing and expanding of tourism industry in the country, our luck and fortune seem to have run out fast. Those tourists have extensively complained about our tradition of howling and barking in the nights. To the amazement of dog world, few locals have even started believing in the foreign idea of quite night. Isn’t this idea very strange? To be very honest, humans have themselves become more nocturnal than us!

What those nagging tourist and few locals do not understand is that, in Bhutan we have very less noise pollution compared to their metro and sonorous homes. The noise in the air by our lone national carrier, the Drukair and the noise from our small and compact traffic are so minimal that people often mistake the most urban city like Thimphu to a small monastery and a village. In this light, their protest is nothing but a human exaggeration of the societal norm.

Sadly, in response to all the rumbling complaints, humans have today chosen to build a prison for us in the name of dog pound. Humans call it a home for needy dogs and some even say its good place for dogs to be. But for a dog world, it’s the most dreaded place on earth. It’s a jail where dogs are imprisoned for life. It’s the price every dog will pay for disturbing the otherwise snoring humans, because barking and howling have now become a criminal offence and as per human definition, it’s treated at par with a felony of first degree.

To add fuel on already burning fire, not realizing their own problem under their own nose, there are also some humans who think dogs have become uncontrollable. They have even gone to an extent of teaching authorities, the ways to affectively deal with dog problems. It’s very alarming to know that they want our species wiped off completely. They are planning genocide against the dog world. God save the dogs!

Amidst all this chilling news, I can see a glimmer of hope in a distant horizon. I heard that few humans have now formed an association to protect destitute animals like us. I also heard that the association is being chaired and supported by none other than a god like lama and other humans too. I hope and pray that this association prevails for eternity like our species.

For now, I have to heed back to mountains of Shingkhar, because I have a business there. I will be there so long as the metabolism in my body fights the freezing temperatures caused by cold and dry winds. When I am old, I hope to resign like my predecessors, late Woogpala, late Domchung and late Lingkala. I wish to live a very peaceful retired life with my owner circumbulating Shingkhar lhakhang. I will wish and pray the entire humans and dogs, a very harmonious coexistence for the countless centuries to come.

Guest post: By Dr Karma Phuntsho, In response to Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rimpoche

14 May 2010:The recent article in Kuensel by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse contains a refreshing perspective and no doubt comes from one of the most influential and intelligent minds in our country. We must be thankful to Rinpoche for indeed only a few of our religious leaders embodying traditional knowledge and values are able to discuss social issues in a popular idiom. However, does the article provide us truly constructive suggestions? Can we imbibe inspiration from it beyond what is merely granted by religious reverence? I agree with many things Rinpoche has to say and they need no reiteration. However, despite providing a compelling piece to read, the article seems to paint a dismal picture of Bhutan. Is there really such a cultural stagnation? Some of the ideas the article implicitly advances may even prove to be harmful for Bhutan in the long run.

The issue of greed and laidback attitude is a good one to begin with. While I fully support Rinpoche’s campaign against greed, I beg to differ in talking about greed and ambition in ambiguous terms. There is a fine line between the two, as we all know in theory. Ambition should not be mistaken for greed, just as love should not be mistaken for attachment. There is, as it were, already too much laidback culture in the Bhutanese society. It is mainly due to such laidback attitude, often mistaken for contentment, that our public services are poor and institutions such as the civil service thrives on the basis of a power structure rather than efficiency. It is primarily responsible for the mediocre performance in the arts and crafts industry, of which Rinpoche has many examples to quote. It stifles our economy. Bhutanese must work hard and even harder if we are to excel and prosper.

At the core of our progress is education – the right kind of education. I personally do not buy the Laotian saying that too much education makes one unhappy, which Rinpoche cites to begin his piece. Ignorance may be bliss temporarily but not in the long run. In the true spirit of Buddhist pursuit of omniscience and ultimate happiness, Bhutanese should set no limit to their educational pursuit and personal development. For a small country with limited resources, our best future is perhaps in building a knowledge based industry.

The problem of dignity of labour, which Rinpoche raises, is certainly a pressing one. This is partly to be blamed for the problem of unemployment we face. Yet, it is not just a structural problem arising from the hierarchy in the civil service. It is deeply ingrained in the Bhutanese mentality. There is no doubt that some high offices of the state make excessive use of the symbols of hierarchy. But we must also remember that most of these ideas and insignias of hierarchy originate in religious institutions and are still reinforced by them. The hierarchical settings in the religious institutions themselves are appalling and ordinary people, especially women, cannot even question them. Positions are marked by birth and insignias and rarely by inner merits, which Buddhism is supposed to be all about.

Given this situation, perhaps the first step and best way to challenge and start deconstructing the hierarchical mentality is for the religious figures to set examples. Rinpoche, we know, is at the forefront of reforming some of the religious practices and we hope his works will lead to some systemic changes.

This leads to the discussion of creativity in cultural transformation. While we all seem to agree that some cultural practices will have to go, it is difficult to agree on what exactly should go or stay. Should the gho and kira go because many find them inconvenient? Should the zhugdrel ceremony go because it is purely a ritual? If so, what would be left behind to make us truly Bhutanese? It is no easy decision to make but so far Bhutan has done very well in balancing modernity with tradition.

There is a dire need for the subtle discrimination, as Rinpoche points out, in making our choices. Unfortunately, the Bhutanese populace in general  do not have the exposure to appreciate the finesse of Zen style or the wealth to incorporate sanitary facilities in rammed mud houses like Aman does (to use his examples). While this remains, the state is obliged to make certain choices sometimes obstructing the choices of individuals. To give in to the sway of passing popular taste is being short sighted. So, the argument to change with time is not always pertinent or persuasive. History is not always about dancing to the tune of time. Bhutan must design its own future and hold its ground firmly and not resign to the pressure of time or external forces. Today, many people in the world are looking up to Bhutan for inspiration to find a new order of life without losing the old. It will be a shame for us to let the old erode so easily.

The suggestion for replacing Dzongkha by English as lingua franca may come as a timely argument for many. It would certainly strike a chord with some elites and youth who increasingly prefer to use English as their medium of communication. But what does such a suggestion portend for Bhutan’s future? Bhutanese languages are declining fast as they are. Some are already on the brink of extinction. The only sensible call would be for any support to preserve them as long as we can. I am not myself a fan or native speaker of Dzongkha but having English in place of Dzongkha is not going to leave us in any better situation. As a new literary language, Dzongkha has made remarkable progress despite the reluctance on the part of most people to invest even a tenth of the time they devote to English.

The Indian case, which Rinpoche uses, is a good one to illustrate the linguistic disaster we will go through, if English is made the common language. Ever since English became a common language in India, literary activity in local languages such as Tamil, Kannada, Telephu, Maratha and even Hindi and Urdu dropped drastically and the related cultures are ebbing away. Many people have native tongues which they cannot even speak well and most youth have no first language, a scenario we see in Thimphu too. NDTV is a good example of linguistic adulteration. In comparison, our languages are spoken by a very small number of people. Like it or not, English will be the weed to kill our linguistic flora.

The death of a language is the demise of a culture and we will be one culture poorer with the death of each language. While the adoption of all major Bhutanese languages as Constitutional languages is a fair and sensible suggestion, should English really become the unifying language as proposed? Instead of India, we may do better following the example of European countries such as Germany, where people proudly use their own tongue and also speak English fluently. It is a sign of weakness to resign to an easy and popular choice. Similarly, time and resources are not an issue unless we make them one. If it all, it is pressing that we reenergize our heritage and not leave it to its slow death. All conditions are favourable for Bhutan today to boost our economy, environment, culture and language and work towards GNH. Eventually, it will be our own heritage which will remain the defining strength and mark of our sovereignty as the fourth King noted. Short of our ethno-linguistic distinction, what will make us true Bhutanese?

Lastly, are these topics really ’sacred cows’? As far as I know, they are being debated constantly and Bhutan is not as closed as it may seem.

Lhalung Thuksey Rimpoche

When I first met with the Rimpoche, I was a little boy then. We initially met in the early 1990s when he came to perform the last rites for my late paternal grand father, who was him self a clergy man. 

Personally, I have a great affinity for the clergy people. The very sights and sounds of rituals invariably elated me and draws my attention. So during the 21st day ritual of my late grand father, it was an opportunity for me to sulk myself into the presence of  Rimpoche.

Especially during the lunch breaks, I would often go to Rimpoche's resting place (under the pine tree, just below Shingkhar Naktsang) and spent hours chit-chatting with him. I remember asking him so many questions to which he never showed any sign of displeasure or annoyance. in instead he addressed to me as charo,and answered all I asked. He drew beautiful pictures with his free hand. It fascinated me and left me awestruck! But, I thought he was an ordinary monk wearing ordinary red robe who performed ordinary Buddhist rituals!

I was totally ignorant about who I was dealing with.

Later, with the passage of time an space, I came to know that he was one among the three reincarnations of Terton Pema Lingpa and that he was the most revered Rimpoches' of our time. Since then, I saw Rimpoche presiding  and performing  many rituals both near and far, with his humility as strikingly as ever.  

Then in March 2006, I became very ill and I even went to an extent of predicting my own death somewhere in the month of October, the same year. My parents, my siblings, my wife and all my relatives both far and near panicked like hell. I saw them all getting desperate and wild.  Besides taking me to doctors in Thimphu JDWNRH, Haa, IMTRATI and Doctors in Lungtenphu Military Hoaspital, I know they left no stones u n turned to save me, starting from performing a Terdha ritual to Pawo ritual. They even went to the extent of performing a ritual by Indian Sadhu!

When nothing seem working, my elder brother finally sought to seek prediction form Rimpoche himself. Rimpoche responded and responded positively. He told my brother that I would be OK in months time. 

True to Rimpoche's prediction, I finally recovered from my illness in the month of September, the same year (a month before my predicted death). Finally my life came back to normal and I could finally attend my duty in my office. Later,I also met Rimpoche himself and introduced my self and thanked Rimpoche for all his blessings. Just in case I fall sick again, he even consented to teach me a mantra which will avert future misfortunes altogether. He took a small paper and wrote the mantra and gave it to me. (

With this, I saw Rimpoche travelling by air often and most of the time there was only his aged mother escorting him. On my further inquiry, I found out that Rimpoche was battling with a deadly diabetes and that it was getting worse. I saw Rimpoche's health deteriorating with each passing travel he made. I last saw Rimpoche unboarding the flight on a pushchair then slowly he passed through and never to be seen again. I sat back on my chair with my eyes welled with tears, knowing there was nothing I could do to save him.

Then finally there was this news in media http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=15226

Today, I am not only a fervent worshiper of him but also a follower of him with all my heart and soul, because in his silence he taught to me that "Simple and humble is perhaps the temple of god"

Inspiration From Venerable Lama Sangay Tenzin

Loochoe Without Meat (2011)

Loochoe in other word is the annual  day  of offering.  People offer their new harvest to the local guardian deities. -the deities and god whom they believe have protected their crops from the wild vermin and other natural calamities. It is also a day to pay gratitude and tribute to those deities for having kept them healthy, wealthy  and productive for a year.  It officially ends the harvest season and  for many, its also time to reflect upon past success/mistakes and anticipate future progress. 

It is at this time, I take a week off form my office and move to my wife's place along with my family. I also invite my mom and dad to join us. I call it a vacation.  

My mother-in-law would have prepared everything back home including massive brewing of ara and my father-in-law would have shopped everything starting from salt to sugar in Thimphu.

This year, I had one responsibility less. -responsibility of bargaining and buying beef and pork. In the past years, enormous chunk of meat used to be served during our loochoe and I personally felt  that the idea was not right. It involved slaughtering of many animals before hand. At least 1 cow, 1 pig,  4-5 chickens, 7-8 fishes were sacrificed every year just to satisfy our gluttony. For me it was not at all a good offering by any means. I have even debated this topic with my wife with deep sense of regret. Apart from saying it as a "tradition of the valley", she had nothing more to say.


Finally this year, I have heard of people in different communities forming committees among themselves to do away with this weird tradition. In many places, people have decided not to serve any  meat products on sacred  occasions (like loochoe in particular). Thanks to the His Holiness the Je-Khenpo and central monastic body, who happened to the fountain source of this noble initiative.

Even though there were instances of monks refuting the idea, People everywhere seem to embrace the idea. Loochoe without meat means loochoe without sacrificing innocent animals and worthy of being called a Buddhist way of offering. 

No meat was served during our loochoe and I am happy because I found villagers happy being served mushroom curry  and emadatse along with aludam and dal.

I will have no regret going home next year for another loochoe and another vacation