A Wise Tree-Jangchub Shing

Do you watch a program called ‘Jangchub Shing’ hosted by Mr. Karma Dendup every Thursday on BBS 2? This program is of immense benefit to our viewers. I take out my time to watch the show. I would like to thank him for this show. He asks rebellious, but real-world questions. Kudos for awakening us to the basics of the Buddhist religion. I learned that there is a vast difference between religion and spirituality; religion leads more often to egotism than to humility, and spirituality leads more often to humility than to egotism.

Out of my unawareness or interest, I have asked him two layman questions last time, that if he could ask for it for better illumination. My first question was; the only path to spiritual enlightenment is understanding and grasping one’s mind. We can attain this by constant meditation and mental contemplation called ‘gom’ in Dzongkha. In other words, it’s basically knowing your soul; what is the soul? Shape? Colour? Size? Empty?... To attain the level of full realization, that is knowing the soul, is the highest level, and that one can be borne in the nirvana. But, the process of identifying the nature of the soul, whether the soul is empty or not, whether the soul dies or not; what is the soul? The concrete meaning of soul and its whereabouts is difficult to get from any Rinpocheas, as they say, that it is a secret, a kind of not sharable, cannot be revealed. If religion is for the benefit of all sentient beings, and if Rinpochea, Lamas, and sages, are to liberate all sentient beings, why do our saviors say it’s difficult to get this? Why it is not allowed to share easily? Why can’t it be shown so that we become Buddha-nature and liberate from the sufferings?

My second question was about the Buddha-nature. We say every human; in fact, every creature living is a Buddha himself. We have Buddha-nature. If we have Buddha nature, what inclines us to do the most treacherous things…? Which part of the demon/inside makes us do unsolicited things? Does every creature, for example, an ant has Buddha-nature? If animals have Buddha-nature, how can we/ they awaken their true nature? Is there anyways for animals to attain a better position? For example, pigs offering bodily (meat) help them to lift their lives?

I hope he will ask the questions, which he said, he would for sure. I can’t help (with many such questions, which I am going to ask next time) but feel the questions are unfair without understanding its true intent or even its basic teachings. But however, they are entitled to my views cause and based on my experiences.

So, can anyone light upon these topics, or do you have such questions hanging like goiter in your throat? If so, say it. Say it for the benefit of all. We know that there are many paths and they all lead to the same truth. But where is that path called the same truth?

Teachers’ Day

Not long ago, teachers didn’t have any designated day as teachers’ day in Bhutan. Because teachers are revered high. To know the fact, it is also not reflected in the national calendar as teachers’ day. But the day is observed coinciding with the birth anniversary of the 3^rd Druk Gyalpo. I remember this day becoming important because of our former education minister T.S. Powdyel. He has emphasized more importance to teachers around the country than any other civil servants. He, with his lots of erudition, thought teachers like guru, one who enlightens. So, he used soft lips services to woo and uplift teachers without many personal supports like financial rise, and living standard of teachers. He, in the end, gave all his philosophies, policies, strategies, and plans that overloaded teachers and confused them even more. One such example was a green school, green Bhutan concept. It actually should be a clean school, clean Bhutan.   

From google

Now, the present minister is a dead log when it is already teachers’ day. And the trend of juvenile teachers’ day celebration is on the honk. A big honk is needed to remind once again that teachers are true builders of the nation’s future. Pities are the days of teachers with lots of works. Works? Teaching, monitoring, guiding, planning (no need to write of these)……and at the end, a dry, a meager salary is his fruit of hard labors.

I would like to plea, on behalf of all poor teachers on this day to give less for less, and more for more. No teacher in the country is Lakhpati, even thousandpati, not even hundredpati. In the end, it all boils down to higher incentives. No dignity of labor, no respect, not even kind of work, nothing, but money. And it is another way round only.

I wish and thank my teachers for making me what I am today and making difference in my life. And I also like to wish all teachers and say: Teach from the heart, not from the book.

Our Country, Our Rights

From Google

A book by Sanjaya Baru, ‘The Accidental Prime Minister: Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh’ hits the markets during the time of political storm and election rage in India. It has definitely created ripple effects between the two parties, BJP, and the Congress Party.

Looking at the title, I think that the book criticizes Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his rules. First, he was considered an accidental prime minister, and second, his tenure did not bring any good future in India.

What I like about the book and its title is the freedom of writing; freedom of speech, when many countries are deprived of and needed the most. Look at their voices, look at their rights, look at their freedom of expression, look at the print media, look at the freedom of the press. But some countries cannot criticize and give negative feedbacks to anyone. If so, one is damned, rebuked and admonished.  So, they are living in a utopian society that is actually a dystopian society. Some pretend a gentle one when there is limited freedom. Freedom of choice? Or freedom of individuality? Their voices are smothered, controlled, and hid. There is nothing such as, ‘Our country, our rights.’

Book Fair

Book Stalls

Busy with Books

The book fair at Bajo Higher Secondary school’s ground commenced from 10^th April and ended on 14^th April, There were about 35 bookstalls. The book fair was organized by the KMT printer and publishing house. The fair was organized for schools of Western Bhutan, for Dzongkhags like Thimphu, Punakha, Paro, Chukha, Samtse, Sarpang, Zhemgang, Wangdi Phodrang and others. Hundreds of schools’ principals, teachers, and library assistants came to purchase books for their schools’ libraries.

There were many contemporary books which looked beautiful outerly. The books also come in the form of illustrations, graphic designs, comics, etc. Almost all classic books are abridged, shorten, and summarized. I love the various spices of books; there were books about professional developments, like Robin Sharma, skills development, literature, sportsbooks, science and technology, sex books, etc. 

There were books from Bhutan. Many books authored by Bhutanese sold like hotcakes, though it was pricey. There was one Bhutanese author, who advertised his thin book to the customers. He looked so cheap; he begged anyone to buy his books. And this is the problem in Bhutan, after working hard, after lots of complicated processes of publication, his/her work is wasted; wasted utterly that an author becomes poorer, peevish, meaningless, and becomes insignificant. Our readers must support these authors.

Our school buys books every year. This year too, the school bought books worth about two lakhs and fourteen thousand. Our school library was in charge and I went to purchase books. We bought books from eight bookstalls. We equally divided our budget to them. I feel this book fair is a good chance to make money from book enterprises and book shops.

The book fair is conducted every year. It is usually organized in Mongar for Eastern Dzongkhags and Bajo for Western Dzongkhags. Many people were talking about the change of place and the frequent need for this type of book fair. It is true that to promote reading habits, to promote knowledge, and make knowledge-based society; there is a need of promoting frequently in different places.

Muse about Music

We play music in schools. We play music in important occasions like weddings, birthdays, etc. we play music in religious ceremonies. If music is everything; peace, love, and salting away of boredom, if music acts as an antidote to aggression and hostilities, if music is the mastery way of educating people and upholding cultural heritages, then it is worth knowing and understanding it.  

Music is part of our lives. Music is the friend and the comforter of one’s life. A piece of influential

tuneful music has arisen towards curbing disruptive and abusive behaviors. It entertains us. Many juvenile people in and around the world are going to musical concerts and are glued to iPods, tapes, and TV shows. They memorize and hum songs, oldies too do; inside the bus, in the bathroom, and many other places music humming can be heard.

Music is part of every culture on Earth. Many people feel that music makes life worth living. Music gives us pleasure. It can cheer us up, excite us, or soothe us. It is a form of communication to human beings. It is a form of beautiful expression.

Yesterday, I heard one of our Dzongkha Lopens, blaring inside the school toilet, the song called, ‘Zamling Nang Gi Atsara Nga.’ In fact, he was making a racket. He was shaking his voice as if he was doing some kind of exercise inside. Anyways, I love that song. It talks about how unstable our minds can be at times. How we play the role of the Atsara, a fool clown. I like the song.

Taking this into account, many countries value music, whether pop or jazz or country. They have, therefore, music awards for the best singer, the best lyrics, and the music. People are rewarded for their toils. Music is grade according to the sales of copies. The most marketed records are considered the finest. So they have top ten, top twenty and etc.

We have shows like Druk Superstar, which enhances Bhutanese music. Looking at the organizer, and the way it’s being organized looks like that show like this is hard to stand on its own feet without good support from the people. First, they have to force people to vote, second, they have to look for sponsorships, which may be very meager. And the third, participants are given less than what they have been working tirelessly; to learn three genres; Boedra, Yungdra, and Rigsar, and to uphold them. Is it the prize for trying and spending lots of time?  Is there scope for them to survive? I didn’t hear people getting rich in Bhutan because of singing, or dancing. If so, he/she must leave the country and start a career in other musically rich countries.

Society as a whole think that music is insignificant, and we, therefore, take it for granted. Even though every region has rich folk songs, compositions, etc, we are not aware of our own pieces. We tend to copy and reproduce other songs especially that of Hindi. In Bhutan, the music industry is growing, music fans are waiting for the best and fresh type of music. A different genre, and an uncommon one. Who can satisfy?

We must explore.

At present, we lack music. If you haunt and look at any household in Bhutan there may be one Bhutanese cassette/CD out of twenty or more Hindi and English cassettes/CDs. Who can encourage our own kind of music in the Bhutanese population?

I personally feel we can upgrade music by establishing musical halls in the country, and doing a musical competition and placing them in the top ten, and rewarding them. They must be rewarded frequently from different areas?  How about Bhutan’s monthly top ten? TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines could help them to promote and widen Bhutanese music in Bhutan. In this way, we can encourage Bhutanese music, and in this way, we can make every Bhutanese hum rich Bhutanese song.