Basis of Bhutanese Values

What are the values that guide a Bhutanese man/woman?

The answer probably lies in:
(1)following the principle of mutual sincerity and loyalty in relationships (tha dam tshig) whether it is between the ruler and subjects, husband and wife, parents and children, or between friends,
(2)following the principle of cause and effect (las rju 'bras) - the belief in the relation between cause and effect of actions.
(3)having loving kindness and compassion (byams pa dang sning rje) for all sentient beings
(4)following the sixteen pure rules for worldly conduct (mi chos gtsang ma bcu drug)
(5)restraining oneself from the three poisons (dug gsum), and
(6)restraining from the ten misdeeds (mi dge ba bcu).

I do not mean that the Bhutanese live up to these values/ideals to the letter in their daily lives, but it can be said that these values/ideals form the foundation of Bhutanese social values.

The sixteen pure rules for worldly conduct (mi chos gtsang ma bcu drug) are said to have been propagated by the Tibetan King Songtsan Gampo in the seventh century. These sixteen rules form the basis of conduct for Buddhists who lead worldly life. They are as follows:

1. Respect for the triple gem – Buddha, Dharma and Sanga (lha dkon mchog gsum la mos gus bskyed pa).
2. Seeking and following the dharma (dam pa'i chos btsal zhing bsgrub pa).
3. Repay one’s gratitude to parents (pha ma la drin lan 'jal ba).
4. Respect for the good qualities of other people (yon tan can la zhe mthong yod pa)
5. Respect for the elders and people in higher positions (rigs mtho ba dang rgan par bkur sti che ba),
6. To be able to benefit the one’s hometown and neighbours (yul mi khyim mtses la phan 'dogs pa),
7. To be honest and modest (bka' drang zhing sems chung ba),
8. To keep good relationship with one’s relatives (nye du mdza' bshes la gzhung ring ba),
9. To follow and keep company with good people (ya rabs kyi rjes snyeg cing phyi thag ring ba),
10. To know one’s moderation with food and wealth (zas nor la tshod 'dzin pa),
11. To seek and show gratitude to people who have helped you in the past (sngar drin can gyi mi rtsad gcod pa),
12. To repay debts in time and not to cheat on weights and measures (bu lon dus su 'jal zhing bre srang la gyo med pa),
13. Not to be jealous of others’ good fortunes (kun la phrag dog chung ba),
14. Not indulge in harmful gossips and have self-control (ngan pa'i gros la mi nyan zhing rang tshugs 'dzin pa),
15. To be polite and speak less (ngag 'jam zhing smra ba nyung ba),
16. To have endurance and to be broad-minded (theg pa che zhing blo khog yangs pa ste bcu drug)


In addition "the 'three poisons' (dug gsum) and the ten misdeeds (mi dge ba bcu), also contain practical injunctions for the daily lives of the religion's adherents, promising karmic consequences for observance and breach."

The three poisons are:
(1) desire,
(2) anger, and
(3) ignorance.

The ten misdeeds consist of three physical misdeeds, four verbal misdeeds and three mental misdeeds. The physical misdeeds are:
(1) killing,
(2) taking what is not given, and
(3) engaging in sexual misconduct.
The verbal misdeeds are:
(4) lying,
(5) uttering divisive talk,
(6) harsh words, and
(7) gossiping.
The mental misdeeds are:
(8) harboring covetousness,
(9) ill-will, and
(10) wrong views.

Reference:
1. Rangjung Yeshe Tibetan-English Dictionary of Buddhist Culture, http://www.nitartha.org//dictionary_documentation.html

2. Fernanda Pirie, Secular morality, village law, and Buddhism in Tibetan societies, Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, March 2006. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-145574673.html

2 kinds of Happiness

"The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make heaven of Hell, and a hell of Heaven." - John Miltom



According to Sogyal Rinpoche, "there are two kinds of happiness: one based on material comfort and pleasures; the other on inner contentment and peace."

Rinpoche further adds, "Material happiness is often very expensive and doesn’t satisfy us. Whereas, if it’s based on deeper inner peace and contentment, then even when you face difficulties, you can overcome them.

"Buddha said all fear and anxiety come from an untamed mind. If you were to ask what is the essence of the teachings of Buddha, it is to tame, to transform, to conquer this mind of ours, because it is the root of everything, it is the creator of happiness, of suffering, of samsara, of nirvana.

"So, if you know how to use the mind well, it can be the most wonderful thing. Or it can be your worst enemy as, I think, John Milton said, “The mind is its own place and, in itself, can make heaven of hell, and a hell of heaven.” The most important thing is to work with the mind, as great masters have said, it’s foolish to go looking for happiness outside, because you’ll have no control. When you transform your mind, your perception and experience transform, even appearances transform. Because happiness is not something that exists objectively, it’s subject to one’s experience. No matter what the circumstance are, you’ll be able to cope."

Unbeaten by the rain

"If in the east there’s a sick child
He goes there and nurses him
If in the west there is a tired mother
He goes there and carries bundles of rice for her
If in the south there’s someone dying
He goes there to tell him not to be afraid,
If in the north there’s a quarrel or a lawsuit
He goes there to tell them it’s not worth it.
When there's drought, he sheds tears of sympathy
When the summer's cold, he feels the farmers’ pain
Everyone calls him a fool
He is not praised
He is not blamed either
Such a person,
I want to be."


The above is an excerpt from a famous Japanese poem "Ame ni mo makezu" which I prefer to translate as "Unbeaten by the rain". It was written by Miyazawa Kenji.


Almost every Japanese knows this poem because it is taught in school. It is said that students have to memorize this poem. It is a beautiful poem about altruism and self-sacrifice.

The first few lines of the poem read thus in Japanese:

ame ni mo makezu
kaze ni mo makezu
yuki ni mo natsu no atsusa ni mo makenu
jōbu na karada wo mochi
yoku wa naku
kesshite ikarazu
itsu mo shizuka ni waratte iru
..........

Which may be translated as:


Unbeaten by the rain
Unbeaten by the wind
Unbeaten by the snow or summer's heat
with a strong body
unfettered by desires
never losing temper
Always smiling quietly
........


I liked it the first time I read it. It is not difficult for Bhutanese to understand what the poet wants to convey because it has direct resonance with the Buddhist way of thinking.

There are many translations of the poem.

Here is a translation by Hiroaki Sato and Burton Watson from the book "From the Country of Eight Islands":


Neither yielding to rain

nor yielding to wind

yielding neither to

snow nor to summer heat

with a stout body

like that

without greed

never getting angry

always smiling quiet-

ly

eating one and a half pieces of brown rice

and bean paste and a bit of

vegetables a day

in everything

not taking oneself

into account

looking listening understanding well

and not forgetting

living in the shadow of pine trees in a field

in a small

hut thatched with miscanthus

if in the east there’s a

sick child

going and nursing

him

if in the west there is a tired mother

going and for her

carrying

bundles of rice

if in the south

there’s someone

dying

going

and saying

you don’t have to be

afraid

if in the north

there’s a quarrel

or a lawsuit

saying it’s not worth it

stop it

in a drought

shedding tears

in a cold summer

pacing back and forth lost

called

a good-for-nothing

by everyone

neither praised

nor thought a pain

someone

like that

is what I want

to be




About the Poet:

"Miyazawa Kenji has transcended the generations to become one of Japan's most read and best loved authors. Born over a hundred years ago in 1896 in Iwate Prefecture, he was only 37 at the time of his death. Kenji's literary works received scant attention during his lifetime and only two books were published before his passing: a collection of children's tales entitled "The Restaurant of Many Orders" and the first section of his most famous work of poetry, "Spring and Ashura." The remainder of the great number of children's stories and poems that he left behind was edited and published only posthumously, after which the richness and depth of his art finally gained wide recognition." - from http://www.kenji-world.net

Smile

We were talking of smiles yesterday. Here is a quotation which you may like.

“There are hundreds of languages in the world, but a smile speaks them all.”

I don't know who said it. But it reminds me of my late father who once told me how amazing it is that there are so many peoples with different cultures and languages in this world, but all of them can communicate with a smile.

The smile holds almost the same meaning for the iPod-wielding mini-skirt wearing girls of Tokyo as well as the bow-wielding half-naked tribesmen of the tropical jungles of Papua New Guinea. Isn't it amazing?

A poem's power

Not many people read poems these days. But sometimes the power of a poem could be so profound that it can motivate you to achieve your dreams even in the face of most challenging of circumstances.

Few days ago, I was watching NHK Television before Japanese Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki blasted off towards the International Space Station onboard the shuttle Discovery on April 5th, to became the second Japanese woman to go into space after Chiaki Mukai. Yamazaki, a mother of a daughter talked of the various challenges she faced preparing for this day for the past 11 long years.

What kept her going most of the time was the motivation she derived from the following lines of a Poem by Japanese Poet Takamura Kotaro, she said.

「僕の前に道はない、僕の後ろに道はできる」　
[Boku no mae ni michi wa nai, Boku no ushiro ni michi wa dekiru.]

There is no road before me, But I can leave a trail behind me.

The poem was introduced to her by a teacher in her school, and since then it had a strong impact on her, she said.

Walking the talk is important, but sometimes an inspiring talk could be half the walk.

A friendship camp in the mountains of Tokushima

September the fifth, the long awaited day for the camp finally came. The sun was shining brightly. The cicadas were singing in joy.

I hurried myself to Tokushima International Association (TIA) office. Almost all the participants had arrived when I got there. There were 48 of us including the organizers and foreigners from seven different countries viz. China, India, USA, Kenya, Australia, Mongolia and Bhutan.

We departed at 9.00 AM as scheduled. We passed through Kamiyama. As our driver deftly maneuvered the bus along the winding mountain roads through the lush green forests, I felt like I was in Bhutan.


At around noon we reached the camp site, Fagus no Mori Yamashiro. There is a lone wooden house with a wide space for camping in front. It has a dinning hall, kitchen and place for accommodation. Around it were many fagus trees. We enjoyed our lunch of tenpura, rice, miso-soup and other Japanese side dishes which had been kept ready for us.

After taking a rest for a while, we divided ourselves into eight groups and started making boxes for the birds'nest. We then went into the forest to put up the boxes on the tree trunks for the birds to come and make their nests inside them.

As the evening approached with cool mountain breeze, we started preparing for the barbeque.

The meat sizzled over burning charcoals. Beer flowed aplenty. Soft drinks too were abundant. Meat was in good supply. Funny jokes were inexhaustible. Alcohol opened up even the most reserved persons. And thus, new friends were made, and old friendships were reinforced.

As if we were not already blessed enough to have such a merry time, the heavens sent us another gift. As the day gave way to the night and the birds of Mt. Takashiro began to retire to their nests, a full moon began to rise from behind the mountains far away. Silhouetted against the twilight sky and the shadowy mountains and trees, the tranquil sight of the gentle moon was breathtaking. I felt as if it was saying to us, “Take it easy, Humans! Take it easy!”

As the night progressed, the portable Karaoke system really came in handy. First on the stage were some Chinese students who crooned some modern-sounding Chinese songs. But it was the TIA Director, Mr. Morino and Ms. Zhang Juan, a Chinese exchange student from Tongji University in China, who really broke the ice with a melodious Chinese number.

The duo’s powerful vocal sent the throats of others itching. Up rose Mr. Bayar from Mongolia and took the microphone in his hands. He belted out a melancholic, loud but heartfelt Mongolian melody that echoed across the deathly silence of the forests of Kisawa. “This is probably how the lonely Mongolian herders’ songs also echo across their endless grasslands”, I thought to myself.


Next rose Mr. Sanmoy from India. As he began to sing a song composed by India’s Nobel-laureate Rabindranath Tagore, his wife could not resist but join her husband on the stage. “What a lovely couple!” someone whispered to my ears.

Others followed with English songs, oldies, Elvis, Beatles, Japanese Enkas, Japanese Pop songs, Chinese pop songs etc. While some sang, others danced. And so the merrymaking continued. The beer kept flowing. The gentle moon continued to look on from above too.


I retired to bed around midnight with Mr. Bayar and Mr. Sanmoy. Others continued chatting around the bonfire and I was told that some of them went to bed at around 4 am only. We all slept on the floor in the same hall, but it was quite comfortable.

The next day, we woke up to greet a very clear and sunny Sunday. I washed up and took a short walk with a few friends along the rough road going higher up the mountain. Then at 8.00 am, we had our breakfast of rice, miso soup and beef stir fry.


We cleaned up, loaded our stuff on to our vehicles and said good bye to Fagus no Mori at 9.00 AM. On the way back, we stopped to see two waterfalls, Ogama no Taki and Otodoro no Taki in Naka town. At Ogama no Taki waterfall, to everybody’s surprise, Mr. Mark from USA took off his shirts and plunged right into the stream to take a cool natural shower under the waterfall.

We then headed back towards Tokushima city. If anybody was hungry, there was Onigiri (Japanese rice ball) inside the bus. We arrived back at TIA office at around 1 pm, safe and sound.

It was one hell of a friendship camp, thanks to TIA!

国際友情キャンプin 木沢

国際友情キャンプin 木沢
　　　　　徳島大学工学部博士課程
　　　　　　　Tshering Cigay Dorji ツェリンスィーゲドルジ、ブータン人
(翻訳: 渡　　　忍）

　待ちに待った九月五日が来ました。その日は、晴天で蝉が早朝よりミーン、ミーンと鳴いていました。インドからのサンモイさん家族を車に乗せてTIAに着くと、ほとんどの参加者が集合していました。
　中国、インド、米国、ケニヤ、オーストラリア、モンゴル、ブータン人を含めた４８人は予定通り、９時にマイクロバス等で出発し、神山経由で、緑の森の曲がりくねった山道を器用な運転捌きで進んで行きました。この時、母国ブータンの山を思い出しました。
　正午ごろキャンプ場、木沢の「FAGUSファガスの森、山城」に到着しました。ブナの森に囲まれた、前に広いキャンプ場のある木造の一軒家で、食堂、台所、宿泊室があり、到着したときには、テンプラ、ご飯、味噌汁などの日本食が用意されていました。
　少し休憩して、私たちは８班に分かれ、徳島森林管理局の方々のご指導のもと野鳥の巣箱作りをし、森の中に入り小鳥が巣を作れるように木の幹に巣箱を設置しました。
　涼しい山風が吹く夕方が近づくにつれ、バーベキュウの準備に取りかかり,赤く燃える炭火の上で肉がジュウジュウ、ビールが豊富に注がれ、ソフト・ドゥリンクもいろいろと、肉も次から次ぎへと充分に、おもしろ、おかしいジョークが飛び交い、アルコールが控え目な人の口をも開け、こうして、新しい友情が生まれ、また、古くからの友情が強固となっていった。
Ｐ２　１こんなに楽しい、幸せな時に付け加えて、天から更なるギフトを戴いたようでした。夜が深まり山城の野鳥たちは巣に帰りはじめ、遙かなる山陰から満月が顔を出し始め、輝く夜空に、山々のシルエット、樹木のシルエット画像、やさしい月の穏やかな息をのむような光景は、「人間よ、穏やかであれ、気楽にいけよ。」と、天が我々に声をかけているようでした。
２－２　夜が更けるにつれ、カラオケ機はますます、本当にその役をはたし始めて、次ぎから次へと歌を楽しませた。スタートを切ったのは、中国人の近代的な、静かな歌の流れ、。それに次いでメロディアスな歌へと堰を切ったように歌ったのは森野実行委員長と中国同済（トンジー）大学の張娟ジャン・ジュエンさんでした。
２－３　強力なデュエトの歌声が、皆を歌いたくてむずむずするような気にさせ、モンゴルのベイヤル？さんを振るい立たせ、マイクが彼の手に移り、哀愁を帯びた音色で、同情的なモンゴル・メロディを大声でぶっ飛ばし、木沢のとても静寂な森にこだました。彼の歌は孤独な羊飼いの歌声が果てしない草原をこだましているかのようにも感じられた。
２－４　次にインドからのサンモイ？氏が立ち、インドのノベル賞受賞者ラビンドラナト・タゴレ？作曲の歌をうたい始めると、奥さんも引き連れられてステージに立ち、その二重唱は皆の耳にしみ、とても美しかった。
２－５　英語の歌、なつメロ、エルビス、ビートゥルズ、演歌、中国・日本のポップス、等など次から次へと謳い、うたう者あり、躍る者あり、メリーな雰囲気が長々と続き、ビール杯を重ね合い、キャンパーたちは、空には優しい月の長夜を満喫していた。
２－６　夜中に床についた者あり、まだまだファイヤーを囲みおしゃべりを楽しみ、ヤット４時に寝た者あり、ごろ寝だが、ぐっすり寝れ快眠だった。
２－７　翌朝は快晴の日曜日、私は早朝に数人と山道を少し登り山の朝を満喫した。
２－８　ファガスの森にお別れし、帰路に那賀町の大釜の滝、大轟の滝の自然美に心を奪われた。サプライズがあり、米国のマークは冷たい流れに飛び込み、滝水に打たれ、自然のシャワーを楽しんでいた。
２－１０　徳島市への帰りバスにはおにぎりがあり、参加者全員自然に親しみ、また、友情いっぱいの満足顔でＴＩＡに１時帰着しました。ありがとうＴＩＡ！