Locked Doors

Disasters, by its definition, refers to a sudden accident or natural catastrophe that causes great damage or loss of life. Many disasters are often unavoidable but there are many that are avoidable, if we take the necessary precautions. We must try to ensure that avoidable disasters be avoided, at all costs.

I am absolutely saddened by the news of the tragic fire accident in Phuentsholing yesterday. The loss of one’s home and material possessions are a very sad loss indeed. But the loss of lives, of young and innocent children – that is a loss of such immense magnitude.

My heart goes out the families of the two children who were victims of the fire yesterday that gutted so many homes as they struggle to live with this tragedy.

So what can we do to avoid such disasters in the future?

Disaster preparedness is a much broader issue and not one that I want to examine here. My immediate thought is that often it is the locked doors that prevents children from finding their way to safety. The caregivers may keep their children locked inside for many possible reasons i.e. there is no one else to care for them, or keeping them safe and out of harm’s way, or simply not having thought of possible dangers and implications etc. It could be that they leave the child unattended for a short time to get something from the shop or the neighbour’s house – but those minutes could make the difference between life and death.

What happens if there is a fire, like this one? Or there is an earthquake? This is definitely a possibility given the highly volatile seismic zone Bhutan is in.

What happens when the place of safety becomes a prison for them?

Apart from the long-term negative psychological impacts to children, confinement ‘for one’s own safety and protection’ can be a dangerous thing indeed.

It is time for us to think and reflect on this. There are so many children who are kept behind locked doors when parents go to work. There are also many institutions where children may be kept under lock and key in the dormitories for ‘their own safety’. We need to be made more aware about the possible dangers that this could give rise to and find other ways of dealing with a situation.

Finding other options can be difficult especially in the fast changing world in which we live. But we need to ensure that we find those options.

Otherwise the alternative is too tragic to consider.

Adjust or Confront

Often times in life I am faced with the dilemma on how best to respond. When facing a difference in opinion should I stick to my views and values or should I adjust with the others. Would adjusting with others mean that I am comprising my values? Or should I stick to my own gun, have my own thoughts and always do things my own way.

I recently read an article on the importance of assessing a situation and seeing when to use the power to face or confront.

I found the article most useful as a guidance. We don't always have to be correct. We don't always have to be righteous. We need to be able to adjust and co-exist harmoniously in a world where there are many different types of people. But at the same time we should not adjust too much when it goes against what we truly believe in. The article mentioned the following:

We have to discern when to use the power to adjust and when to use the power to face or confront. When it comes to difference of opinion and ways of working, we need to adjust with others, not confront them. But when there is abuse, exploitation or compromise of values and principles, we need to confront, not adjust.

Picture source: Internet

Hope this helps you, as much as it helps me, as we face similar dilemmas living in a complex world.
 

Drup Tshe Zhi

‘Drup Tshe Zhi’, or the fourth day of the sixth month of the Bhutanese calendar, is one of the most sacred days of the Buddhist calendar. After attaining enlightenment at the age of 35 years, some 2600 years ago, Lord Buddha gave his first sermon in the Deer Park at Sarnath – present day Varanasi in India.

This auspicious day honors  the day of the first teachings of the Buddha when he talked about the doctrine of the Four Noble Truths and the Middle Path to the five monks who became his disciples.

Picture source: Internet

 The Four Noble Truths forms the foundation of Buddhism. They are:

1. Life is full of suffering. Suffering of birth, old age, sickness and death is unavoidable. The suffering must be borne alone. It is a part of life and cannot be avoided.

2. The truth about the causes of suffering (the root cause). The cause of suffering are craving, desire and ignorance. It is important to understand the cause because without that it is not possible to do away with suffering.

3. The truth about ending suffering (the cure). The key to end all suffering is to remove all desire, ill will and ignorance. Only then can a person gain Enlightenment.

4. The truth about the path to liberation. One must follow the Middle Path and the Noble Eightfold Path – namely (1) Right Understanding; (2) Right Attitude; (3) Right Speech; (4) Right Action; (5) Right Livelihood; (6) Right Effort; (7) Right Mindfulness; and (8) Right Concentration. Following this path will ultimately lead to an end in suffering.

Picture source: Internet

It is believed that the effects of positive or negative actions are multiplied multifold times on this day.

So hope that good deeds have been done, good thoughts thought, good words spoken and good efforts made. Happy Drup Tshe Zhi everyone.

Disciplining of self

Self-discipline is an important attribute. It is what keeps a person strong and moving forward. It is the characteristic that distinguishes between those who achieve much and those who don't.

Though some people have more self-discipline than others, it is an attribute that can be developed and strengthened. A conscious effort must be made. We must first know what it is that we want to do, to achieve. It is important to set goals and targets. And we must then try consistently to meet these goals and targets.

I say all this, because I just looked back and found myself lacking somewhat in this effort. It has been a while since my last post, despite my desire to write regularly. It is so easy to lose focus. To find so many other important things that need to be done. To simply be lazy.

So once again, I would like to pull up my socks and write... meaningful things when I have something to write about, or even meaningless things so that I can at least keep up my efforts.
 

I wander as I look at a generation past...

On my way to work today, in the midst of all the chaotic energy of the early morning rush, near the Ministry of Labour & Human Resources, I saw an elderly woman walking slowly along the footpath.

Wizened with age, she appeared to be little bigger than a young 10 year girl. Her back was hunched so low that her vision would be parallel to the road on the ground and her head had to be tilted upwards for her to see the path ahead. Her short hair was ash silver and her face full of creases and wrinkles -ravines of an age long past.

Looking at her I could not help but wonder:

·         How many summers and how many winters have come and gone – she could, for sure, not count them on her fingers.

·         How many bags of grains would she have carried on the once straight and strong back of hers? Now how who helps her stand and move around?

·         How many sleep filled teary eyes she may have comforted over the years. And how many hungry mouths she may have fed. Now, who wipes her glazed eyes and puts food into her toothless mouth?

·         How hard her hands must have once worked as it tilled the soil and worked the field; as it cooked the food and washed the clothes. Now who is there to hold her hand - rough with years of work and wrinkled with age?

·         How many friends and family have passed on before her – leaving behind little other than memories of days long gone?

·         She is of a generation past. How many of her tales and stories have she passed on to the younger generation?

Her Realities are now Our Past; Our Present was once Her Vision.

As she walks along the crowded street, I wonder what it is she sees. Does she see the chaotic rush of cars bustling by or the rice fields of yesterday?

When she climbs into her bed at night, what does she think about and of whom?

And when she puts her head on the pillow does she wonder if tomorrow she will even wake to hear the birds chirp and see the sun shine over the mountain tops?

I wonder.

Boiling Frog Syndrome

We often do things because that is the way it has always been done. We stay with the same people because they are the people we have been around for years. We look at things in a particular way because that is how we have always thought about it.

We rarely take stock of our lives, our relationships, our habits.

And we rarely even think about the need to make changes.

Oftentimes we have taken up occupations that we may not enjoy much. The working environment is not conducive or we may be doing things that we are not interested in. A good number of hours every day are not put to optimal use and the output is not be as good. Not only are we dissatisfied with life but the organization also suffers as we may not put in the right effort.

In our personal lives as well, we may often be in a relationship that drains us. It could be with one’s partners, within the family or among friends. It could be people that belittle us, take advantage of or abuse us (intentionally or un-intentionally). We may not even think twice about it but such relationships often undermine our own sense of confidence and self-worth.

It is important to do one’s best in the workplace or try hard to make relationships work – but it is critical that one occasionally takes stock of things.

Sometimes it is necessary, for one’s own happiness and wellbeing, to face the situation and make informed and rational decisions to accept change.

And it may be necessary to make the change when one still has the energy to do so.

Am sharing below a story about the Boiling Frog Syndrome. I found it interesting and I hope that you will not only find it interesting but it will also help you embrace change, when needed.

The Boiling Frog Syndrome
Put a frog in a vessel of water and start heating the water.

As the temperature of the water rises, the frog is able to adjust its body temperature accordingly.

The frog keeps on adjusting with increase in temperature… Just when the water is about to reach the boiling point, the frog is not able to adjust anymore…

At that point the frog decides to jump out…

The frog tries to jump but is unable to do so, because it has lost all its strength in adjusting with the rising water temperature. Very soon the frog dies.

What killed the frog?

Many of us would say the boiling water…

But the truth is that what killed the frog was its own inability to decide when it had to jump out.

We all need to adjust with people and situations, but we need to be sure when we need to adjust and when we need to confront/face.

There are times when we need to face the situation and take appropriate action.

If we allow people to exploit us physically, mentally, emotionally or financially, they will continue to do so.

We have to decide when to jump.

Let us jump while we still have the strength!

Visibility

Visibility is like sugar in the tea
too little – the tea is bland
too much – it is too sweet
and just right – it is perfect.

 

Giver of Life

 

Flowing smoothly from glaciers
through the veins of dragons
continuously in motion
effortlessly - endlessly
white and shimmering
light and weightless
sparkling pure
free, yet most precious
giver of life
the crystal clear waters of the Himalayas

Valentine Rememberances

Valentines Day is here. And who is more special and dear to one’s heart but our children.

Days pass by slowly and it appears that life is moving gradually. And then on a moment of reflection I realize just how fast the years have gone by. From babies to toddlers, first day of school to wanting to be on facebook…… all flashing by before my eyes. 

These golden days are going by -  way too fast....

Of shrieks of laughter
running and playing,
of smudges on the cheeks
and tear-filled sleepy eyes.
And the smiles and kisses.

Of stories before bedtime
make belief worlds,
of stamping of feet
and tuneless melodies.
And notes below the doors.

 

 

 

Of first days to school
exultations in the holidays,
of watching movies together
and holding hands tightly.
And hugging and never letting go.

Days that seem that would go on forever
have gone away too soon,
Now but memories of old
Fixed in photo albums.
And set in gold within my heart.

Nalanda University, Bihar

As a follow up to my previous blog, my visit to Nalanda monastery made me interested and curious about the original Nalanda university in India. So here is something that I found out -

 

Nalanda was a large Buddhist monastery in ancient Magadha (modern day Bihar), India. Located about 95 km southeast of Patna – centre of learning from the fifth century CE to c 1200 CW and was at its high of glory during the Gupta era.

Covering an area of around 12 hectares the residential school, constructed mostly in red bricks, during its heyday it claimed to have accommodated 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers. There were eight separate compounds and ten temples, along with many other meditation hall and classrooms. Lakes and parks created a sense of peace and tranquility.

The library was an immense complex separated into three large buildings. The largest building known as the Ratnadadhi (Ocean of Gems) was nine stories high and housed most of the sacred manuscripts. Though the exact number of volumes of the library is not known, it is estimated to have been in the hundreds of thousands. The library had not only religious manuscripts but also had texts on such subjects as grammar, logic, literature, astrology, astronomy and medicine and attracted pupils and scholars from Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Persia and Turkey.

It is believed that the library burned for three months after invaders set fire to it, ransacked and destroyed the monasteries and drove the monks from the side.

 

 

Now around 800 years after it was razed to the ground, the University reopened its doors with the first academic session starting on September 2014 with 15 students, five of whom were women, in temporary facilities in nearby Rajgir. The modern complex is expected to be finished by 2020 and will have seven schools for postgraduate and doctorate students.

Nalanda Monastery, Punakha

I had not known that there was a Nalanda monastery here in Bhutan. I thought that there was only one - the famous Buddhist monastery/University of the past which was in Bihar, India. 

So while in Punakha, I took the opportunity to visit the Nalanda monastery of Bhutan. Located just below Talo Monastery and about 15 km away from Punakha town, the monastery is situated on a sunny slope overlooking the Punakha valley and the highway leading down from Dochula.

The upper temple of Nalanda, Punakha

 So here, for the knowledge and information of any who may be interested, I take the opportunity to share with you the history and interesting information I obtained from the notice board about the Nalanda monastery in Bhutan.

History about the Nalanda monastery in Punakha

In 1757 the 9^th Je Khenpo Shakya Rinchen, considered to be a reincarnation of Rechungpa (one of the two extraordinary disciples of Milarepa in Kagye Buddhist lineage), founded the Nalanda Monastery in Punkaha.

At the time when this monastery was built, the ancient Nalanda University in India was a very holy and sacred place. Bhutanese people made great efforts to visit this special holy place at least once in their lifetime. There were no roads and people had to walk to India. As a result the journey was very unsafe and people were at risk to be robbed or even worse. Once in India, people from Bhutan faced many difficulties including dealing with differences in food, culture, and language as well as being in an unfamiliar place. As a way of accommodating people’s desire to visit Nalanda, Gyalwa Shakya Rinchen Rinpoche built this monastery in Bhutan and named it after the Nalanda University in India.

Gyalwang Shakya Rinchen had completed the building of Phajoding in the monastery above Thimphu valley. Upon its completion he was wondering where the next site to build the next monastery. The monk body was moving their residence from Thimphu to Punakha, as was the traditional way to spend months in Punakha. When he was walking over Dochula mountain pass he saw eight vultures flying to a specific area that has now become the present Nalanda monastery. He through that maybe these vultures were the eight original scholars (pandits) from the Nalanda University in India. After seeing it he asked for a confirmation in a dream. Consequently the eight scholars appeared in his dream and gave a teaching to him. Based on seeing of the vulture choosing this site and the dream of the eight scholars, this site was chosen as the area in which to build Nalanda monastery.

During Gyalwang Shakya Rinchen’s lifetime, Nalanda monastery in Bhutan was a thriving Buddhist teaching institution with a renowned reputation. After Gyalwang Shakya Rinchen’s final thugham or Maha Samadhi, slowly the teachings stopped and the great institute lay dormant. Nalanda Monastery was restarted several times with different eachers but after the teachers departed the monastery would again be less inhabited with monks.

Eventually the uncle of His Majesty, the Fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, Lopen Yoenten Gyaltsen requested permission from the King to open an official Buddhist Shedra (institute). In 1991 His Majesty gave permission for Nalanda Monastery to become a Shedra. Then in 1992 two lopens (teachers) began the Shedra with 20 monks. Over time the number of lopens and students increased. In 2014 there are 6 lopens and 125 students that range from 8 to 28 years old.                                                

                                                                    Mural of Lord Buddha

There are eight statues made of clay inside the lower shrine room of the upper temple (lhakhang). Here is their story:

The Eight Disappearing Indians

While constructing the original temple of Nalanda in Bhutan, Gyalwang Shakya Rinchen Rinpoche saw eight Indians from India in an adjacent valley to the building site. He soon realised that these eight Indians must be the eight scholars (pandits) of the original Nalanda University in India. When he went to find them to see if it was true, they had disappeared. The disappearance of the Indians, led to the confirmation that these indeed where the eight great scholars of Nalanda University. In order to praise and honour them for their auspicious appearance, he built eight clay statues. These statues can be seen inside the lower shrine room of the upper temple (lhakhang).

Late afternoon view of Punakha valley from Nalanda monastery

 

Sipa-Chi-Dhoe at Punakha

I started my New Years by going to Punakha, specifically to offer prayers at the Sipa-Chi-Dhoe. Located in the Thangzana, the ground near the Punakha Dzong, hundreds of people had been coming every day to cleanse their negative deeds and offer prayers for protection from bad omen. Considered one of the most important traditions, the Sipa-Chi-Dhoe which is normally conducted once in 12 years, was being conducted after a gap of 13 years.

His Holiness the Je Khenpo and the monastic body preceded over a five day prayers during which symbolic offering were being made at the Dhoe (a great altar representing the universe) and there were two towering representations of the main protective deities of Bhutan, namely Yeshey Goenpo (Mahakala) and Pelden Lhamo (Mahakali).

Initiated by Guru Rimpoche and performed in Bhutan since the time of Zahbdrung in Punakha, the Sipa-Chi-Dhoe offering is made as a sacred offering to all the realms of the universe and to balance the forces of good and evil. Such offerings were to protect the nation against all threats and to foster peace and prosperity in the country.

The event culminates with the final dissipation of offerings (which happened on 5^th Jan 2015) during which scores of people rush to the Dhoe and dismantle the structure and take with them pieces of material and religious offering.

I was not there to witness the final event but it was nice to be a small part of such a big event. It was joyful to start my new year by witnessing such an important the religious tradition. There was a feeling of peace and tranquillity as I offered my prayers and listened to the monk body reciting prayers for the universe.