These days my morning walk consists of thirteen or 25 rounds of this temple in Zilukha in Thimphu. It is 10 minutes from my place. For those of you in Thimphu who may not be able to hike up to sacred places like Phajoding or Dodeydra, for whatever reasons (including laziness), you have Zilukha temple in the city that is as sacred, and where you can visit without too much formalities.

The temple is the heart of the Thangtong Dewachen Nunnery. It was built in 1983 by drubthob Rikhey Jadrel Rimpoche (1901-1984), who was considered as the 16th reincarnation of drubthob Thangtong Gyalpo (1361-1485). In fact Rikhey Jadrel was also known as Memay Drubthob.

The central statue of the temple is Thangtong Gyalpo (1361-1485) – one of the greatest yogis, and a master builder and artiste in Vajrayana Buddhism. To its left is an mesmerisingly beautiful statue of Drol-kar (White Tara), and to the right is Neten Yenla Jung (Angiraja) – one of the Sixteen Arhats. All the clay statues were created by the best jinzob (mud-artist) of our time, Lopen Omtong from Trashigang Bidung. The consecration ceremony of the temple was presided by His Holiness Kalu Rimpoche (1905-1989). 

Guru Rimpoche’s vajra

It is believed that inside the Thangtong statue is a sacred dorje (Vajra) buried there, which apparently belonged to Guru Padmasambhava himself. The construction was started in 1981 and all the nang-zung (inner relics) for the statues were granted by Lama Sonam Zangpo (1888-1982), who was also supervising the statue construction. As the yeshey sempa (the most sacred relic) Lama Sonam Zangpo requested Memay Drubthob to put the Guru’s dorje, which the Drubthob was in possession of. Memay Drubthob refused at first, but when Lama Sonam Zangpo threatened to walk away, he relented, according to a reliable source. Lama Sonam Zangpo is supposed to have told that they were all getting old and didn’t have many years to live and that no one knows where the sacred dorje would end up if it is not placed there for the benefit of all sentient beings.

According to another source, around the same time, Memay Drubthob invited the indomitable Jadrel Sangye Dorje (1913-2015), popularly known as Jadrel Rimpoche, to the consecration ceremonies. Jadrel Rimpoche unapologetically replied that he would come only if the Guru’s dorje was offered and buried in the main statue as the principal yeshey sempa.

The dorje is believed to be the one that Guru Padmasambhava had used to tame the demons as shown in sampa lhendrup iconography. Hence while the temple may be relatively new, the inner relics offered by Lama Sonam Zangpo and the Guru’s dorje and the presence of all the great yogis such as Kalu Rimpoche and Jadrel Rimpoche make this temple a very special place. It is believed that any wish you make at Zilukha temple would be fulfilled. It is considered to be particularly powerful to clear one’s obstacles, and negative forces directed towards you, thanks to the Guru’s powerful dorje.

Why visit this temple?

We visit many sacred places and monuments purely based on legends we hear and believe. This temple in our city is not only convenient but it was built during our time by the greatest yogis and masters of the century – Rikhey Jadrel Rimpoche, Lama Sonam Zangpo, Kalu Rimpoche and Jadrel Sangye Dorje Rimpoche. Simply put, the temple is an established fact.

May Guru Padmasambhava hear your prayers and moelam

More on Thangtong Gyalpo

1. Thangtong Gyalpo is believed to be the mind emanation (thug-truel) of Guru Padmasambhava. It is believed that Guru considered revering Thangtong as revering him.

2. Thangtong Gyalpo, whose real name is Tsundru Zangpo, was an engineer, artiste, yogi, and an adept. He is considered to be the deity of people who take up professions such as engineer and art.

3. The world’s first opera was not Italian but Tibetan. It is called Achey Lhamo, and it was authored by Thangtong Gyalpo. Today Achey Lhamo opens all major Tibetan functions and festivals.

4. Thangtong Gyalpo means King of the Empty Plain. While he was meditating in the Gyede Plain in Tsang, five dakinis appeared to him and sang verses of praise: “On the great spreading plain; The yogin who understands emptiness; Sits like a fearless king; Thus we name him King of the Empty Plain.“

Supporting the temple:

The temple is independently managed and sustained. And so there are less formalities for visiting it. And the generous offerings of the devotees for prayers and rituals help to maintain this amazing gem in our city.

I often make requests to the nuns to recite barchel lamsel (obstacle-removing) and sampa lhendrup (wish-fulfilling) and make some offerings.

I spent the first day of this holy Saga Dawa month making my bi-annual visit to the sacred temples of Dodeydra in Thimphu, a Drukpa Kagyu establishment on the northwestern ridges. 

I have been visiting this beautiful place for over twenty years now. It is a nice two-hour hike, but there is a killer uphill climb right at the start. If you can survive, you will have the most stunning view of Thimphu valley. 

In recent years, Dodeydra has become a well-being temple for me and for my friends from abroad. Two of my American friends recovered from a life-threatening disease after we sought the prayers here. Another launched his business and visits Bhutan every year and conducts his annual kurim. It has become the official temple for my wellbeing journey.   

The Cave of Scriptures 

Dodeydra, which literally means “Cave of Scriptures”, gets its name from Dodey Kesang – a sacred Buddhist sutra set, which is believed to have been revealed from the rocks over which a temple now stands. The main temple, called the Tsuglakhang, was established by the 13^th Je Khenpo (chief abbot) of Bhutan, Yonten Thaye (1724-84) in 1779. It also became the seat of two subsequent Je Khenpos – of the 18th Je Jamyang Gyaltshen, and of the 27th and 29th Je Pema Zangpo.

The health temple

Palden Lhamo is one of the eight major dharmapalas and the only female in Vajrayana Buddhism. She is also one of the three supreme protectors of the Kingdom of Bhutan. Known as Sri Devi in Sanskrit, she is believed to be the emanation of Mahakali – and the wrathful manifestation of Lhamo Pal Chhenmo (goddess Lhakshimi).

What many do not know is that Palden Lhamo is believed to help people recover from illnesses and diseases. Legend has it that when she was escaping from her evil husband-king, her mount, the donkey, was hit by an arrow. She pulled out the arrow and turned the wound into an eye. In the black pouch she holds in her left hand, she is believed to collect the pain and diseases of the devotees.

The story goes that when Je Pema Zangpo was meditating in a cave below, he heard the bray of the donkey of Palden Lhamo. He also saw the deity in his dreams. He later came across the donkey dung, which is now preserved in this temple as a sacred relic.

The temple, nicknamed Pem Zam Lhakhang, has the Tshela Namsum (Longevity Trinity) of Sangye Tshepamay (Buddha Amityus), Jetsun Drolma (Tara) and Namgyelma (Unisha Vijjaya) as the main statues. Hence, a kurim ritual here for the sick or long-life wishes, prayers or blessing ceremonies are recommended.

The wealth temple

The Tsuglakhang is a three-storied structure that looks as though it is pasted on a vertical rockface. Legend has it that the large boulder split into two, revealing the sacred scripture set and the giant slab that broke away is visible from the stupa nearby.

The ground floor of the Tsuglakhang is a museum consisting of the personal effects of the three Je Khenpos. The top floor is dedicated to Zhabdrung Phuntshum Tshogpa and to his tutelary deity, Yeshey Gonpo (Mahakala). The main temple is in the middle floor, and has Buddha Shakyamuni, Aum Zinchen Wangmo, and the inner sanctum of the three Je Khenpos plus Shabdrung Jigme Drakpa (1791—1830).

Since the mediaeval era, local traders and merchants leaving for Tibet and India would pay a visit here to seek the blessings of Aum Zinchen Wangmo for a safe journey and a successful business trip. On their return, they would bring a gift for her – usually consisting of corals and turquoise, as she is believed to be fond of them.

Aum Zinchen Wangmo is also known as Dorje Yudronma, who is considered one of the Twelve Tenmas (Dz. བསྟན་མ་བཅུ་གཉིས་, Skt. sthāvarā) in Vajrayana Buddhism, and who are believed to have been subdued by Guru Padmasambhava and enrolled as worldly dharma protectors.

Dorje Yudronma is also known for providing perfect divination with her turquoise drum that she holds in her right hand. State oracles of the Tibetan government in the past often consulted her through a medium.

Here, to seek her divination one must roll the dice and hit the perfect 5 (which is statistically quite difficult) or 7 or 15. If you receive one of the numbers you have her total blessings. Your wish will also be fulfilled if you have other numbers associated to other deities and divinities. However, as a worldly dharma protector, once you accomplish your mission you must return there and express your gratitude by bringing a piece of jewellery as a gift.

In some Vajrayana traditions, Aum Zinchen Wangmo is considered one of the Six Ejajati Sisters. Aum Jomo is believed to be the eldest, and Aum Zinchen Wangmo is the youngest and the most beautiful.

The whole mountain on which Dodeydrak is located was seen in the vision of Je Yonten Thayi as the deity Zinchen Wangmo in a seated position. This version of the story is depicted on the murals as you enter the Lama Temple in Tsuglakhang.

Buddha wears a crown

Coincidentally, in the same temple, the statue of Buddha Shakyamuni also exhibits wealth by wearing a crown. This is strange because Buddha is normally represented as wearing only a robe. But there is an interesting story behind the crown.

During the time of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, the King of Ladakh offered four estates around Mt. Kailash to Zhabdrung as a gift (the land was Bhutan’s exclave inside Tibet until the late 20th Century). A lama, who was referred to as Gangri Lam, was sent from Bhutan. During the long journey there and back, they often met a tragic end at the hands of thieves and bandits.

One particular Lam from Geleykha, who was deputed there, prayed to this Buddha Shakyamuni before he left and promised to offer something valuable if he made it safely back to Bhutan. He did make it back, and hence, the crown on the Buddha.

The Weeping Avalokiteshvara

One thing that I never miss is the mind-blowing mural painting of Chenrizig (Avalokiteshvara), which is believed to have shed tears when Kyabje Jamyang Gyaltshen passed away. It is to the immediate left after you enter the inner sanctum of the four lamas. The mural painting in the main temple is attributed to the handwork of Je Jamyang Gyaltsen himself.

The wellbeing temple

Mahayana Buddhism, and also Vajrayana, does not frown upon people seeking wealth or longevity as long as both are employed as means to attain a greater good, such as enlightenment, or to help others to achieve the same. What would be wrong is to practice materialistic tendencies such as hoarding or hedonism.

The third temple is the Kuenra – the main prayer hall. And here, where the monks gather every day, there are two very sacred statues that flank the main statues of Duesum Sangye (Buddhas of the Three Era). They are Jetsun Jamyang (Manjushri) and Lhamo Yangchenma (Saraswati). Both are believed to be sungjoen (statues that have spoken).

These two divinities help the devotees and practitioners not only to acquire knowledge but to also conquer ignorance – which is one of the main causes of suffering. What one should aspire for is to attain wellbeing and equanimity, and work towards enlightenment, and to eventually remove oneself from the cyclic existence of the Samsara. Knowledge and wisdom are thus seen as the best tools to get there. While we may not be able to dedicate our whole life like the monks, time is relative in Buddhism. Even if one can spend a minute or an hour there in silence and in good intention it is a great start of your journey towards realisation.

Honorary mention – The wellbeing waters

At the side of the Tsuglakhang is a small spring that is believed to have been blessed by the mantras of Namgyelma (Unisha Vijjaya) – the Victorious One. Namgyelma is the deity of both health and wealth. The story goes that Je Yonten Thaye, on his third visit to the holy Tsari Mountains in Tibet, brought a rock which, when he placed it over another rock at Dodeydra, produced this Namgyelma Drupchu. 

The water is believed to cleanse one’s bad karma that may be standing in our way towards health, prosperity and enlightenment.

Another talk about salary raise. Another assumption that Bhutanese people are only after money. It is of great wonder that our people just don’t seem to get it.

IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT MONEY!

What is it, then? What is it about? Well, it is more about:

Sense of self-worth. People continuously assess their self-worth. In a society where one is defined more by social identity rather than personhood, people ask questions such as, “Why am I so useless?” Forget about repaying one’s parents and country, one realises that one can’t even pay the house rent. And sees one’s life slipping away. People then decide to make a jump.

Sense of belonging. People want to feel belonged, valued and acknowledged. People seek validation and affirmation, from their superiors and from their peers. When they don’t see them coming, people start wondering, “Does it even make a difference if I am here or not? Who cares? Who really bothers?” In most cases people will move on if they feel that they are not valued.

Sense of purpose. By and large, Bhutanese people are selfless (still!), and are service-bound. However, when Bhutanese cannot fulfil selfless aspirations and projects, in the sense that, when people cannot even repay their parents because of stratospheric living standards, or when people find that they cannot even contribute anything to nation-building, people start reasoning. Where do I stand in this whole gamut of nation-building? What is my role in this country? Where is my place in my society? If they do not see a greater purpose in one’s life, they will go find it somewhere else.

Money is the secondary reason for the exodus, from what I gather, but it is seen as the solution to fix the above existential questions, plus everything else. There is an illusion, both in the government as well as among the population, that money is the answer to all our problems or issues.

This “knowing what the people need” approach to public policy, which is defined as paternalism in sociology and political science, is where, I feel, we are going wrong. Public policies, as the name suggests, is a policy for and by the public. It should be a grassroot thing and not a top-down hit. It should be demand-driven and not decided by the source. Visions can be top-down but public policies should be formulated bottom-up.

Sure, in this hyper capitalistic world, money is required and that money helps. But unless we fix the deeper psycho-social problems – at individual level, and as a nation, we will find ourselves in the same state and situation even after 5 or 10 years. We will find ourselves there with more money, but with an empty heart, or mind – or both.

If the answer to the question, what motivates you to leave, is money, the follow-up question should be, “what do you need the money for?” In most cases, it will be either, “I want to repay my parents” or “have money to do good things, or help others.

And I said it before

In July of 2019 right after the teaching profession became the highest paid civil servants I spoke at the first Biodemocracy conference. There I categorically told those present that the move was not going to reduce teachers’ attrition. The excitement would last for 2 months and teachers would be back to attempting for Australia visa. (See below for more details on this).

Is raising salary meaningless?

No. Again as I said it before, the higher salary will attract the best people into the civil service but it will not do anything to retain them. It might also bring some Bhutanese back into the country from the UN and other international agencies and institutions. But if the objective is to retain the existing corp, it is a mission that is dead on arrival. Few might change their mind but those who have decided are waiting to walk away with higher gratuity and terminal benefits. Yes, the government is caught in a catch-22 game.

So my recommendation is to find the underlying cause, instead of treating the symptoms.

NB

The link to my talk at the Biodemocracy Conference is here https://youtu.be/KdXA4zc9UAo

Or go to page 44 of the proceedings https://www.google.com/amp/s/docplayer.net/amp/173588260-Bhutan-biodemocracy-and-resilience.html

Tracing the Four Skills of Wang Valley – Part II

In the late 1990s, as a young engineer building radio towers over Paro Jabjikha, I was awed by the views of the Himalayas and the temples and gonpas (retreat centres) I could see from there such as Dongkala, Phurdo Gonpa to the north, Paga Gonpa and Thamdrak Gonpa to the east, and Dobji Dzong and Dawakha to the south. When I was tired of working, I would drive off to the villages nearby, and sit and eat with the locals and elders, and hear stories of the past legends, myths and heroes.

I always dreamt of visiting those places one day, but, to lift from a John Lennon song, life happened although I had other plans.

One fascinating story was about the legendary 108 drums of Tshamdrak Gonpa. And of a certain “Je Ngawang Drub” – the founder. A bit of research now shows that his name is Jetsun Ngawang Drukpa (1682-1748) and he came from the Metakha Choeje in Dungna. He was the nephew of Choeje Ngawang Dorji – another important lama in the history of Drukpa Kagyu school. Ngawang Drukpa is the same lama who was offered the Milarepa statue by the Tibetan Government after he visited Lhasa and impressed both the people and the government. The statue is in Dobji Dzong after it was left there for it refused to move further to Tshamdrak Gonpa.

The founding of Tshamdrak

A visit to Tshamdrak is like walking into a museum. Both in terms of cultural artefacts and stories, Tshamdrak is a treasure house. You remain awed by everything there – least of which is the breath-taking view towards the Dawakha.

The place is associated with all important figures in Bhutanese Vajrayana Buddhism such as Guru Rimpoche, Terton Pema Lingpa, Aap Chundru, Tsang Khenchen, Je Sakya Rinchen among others. It brings together the best of the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions.

Tsham-drak means “meditation cave” and refers to a place that was opened by Drubthob Uthon Sangye, a member of the Kyurura clan in Tibet and a disciple of Drikung Kyobpa Pel (probably referring to Drikung Kagyu lama Jikten Gonpo Rinchen Pel – a 12th Century lama). Uthon Sangye is believed to have married a local woman and started the Metakha Choje in present-day Chukha district.

A more important figure from the Metakha Choje is Ngawang Dorji who appeared five centuries later. It is believed that when he was meditating in Tshamdrak, Guru Rimpoche appeared to him and recognised him as the reincarnation of Humchenkara (སློབ་དཔོན་ཧཱུྃྂ་ཆེན་ཀཱ་ར་ཡིས; Acharya Humkara) – one of the Eight Vidyadharas (རིག་འཛིན་བརྒྱད་, Rigdzin Gyé) of India. Tshamdrak, thus, became a very important site for serious practitioners. Ngawang Dorji was the paternal uncle of Je Ngawang Drukpa and became his first teacher.

The Pema Lingpa connection

While his ancestors identified the place it was Je Ngawang Drukpa who built the three-storied temple as we see today. The consecration was presided over by one of his main teachers, the Second Gangteng Trulku, Tenzin Legpai Dondrub (1645 – 1727) – a Nyingma lama from the Peling tradition, who is considered the greatest Gangtey Trulku among the previous eight reincarnations.

This connection to Peling tradition seems to be strong even today, which is evidenced by the fact that the regular propitiating rituals are conducted to the super powerful Gonpo Maning Nakpo – one of the dharma protectors of Terton Pema Lingpa and his followers and family line. 

The 108 ter-drums 

While there are other important relics and sacred objects in Tshamdrak, the place was known in popular culture for its 108 drums. Legends have it that all the 108 drums were carved by Lam Ngawang Drukpa out of a single tree. Of the 108 only 12 remain, and according to the caretaker, the rest has been distributed to Thimphu Dzong and Punakha Dzong. The 12 drums are put on permanent display in a museum that has been recently opened by Gyalsey Tenzin Rabgye.

Guru Rimpoche’s ceremonial robe

Another priceless treasure relic of Tshamdrak is the Choe-go (ceremonial robe) that is believed to be of Guru Padmasambhava. (This relic is now sealed and available only once a year).

Story has it that Lam Ngawang Drukpa sent his cook to buy tea loaves (ja-pakchu) from Paro Tshongdu. Those days tea loaves came packed in boxes. The cook was given a special instruction: Buy three boxes from the first seller. Don’t open the boxes. Shoot straight for Tshamdrak without taking rest on the way.

Few days later the cook returned with three boxes of tea and did everything as he was told. The lama opened the first box. There was tea inside. The lama opened the second, and there was also just tea. When the lama opened the third box, out came an orange robe. 

This robe is the most precious nang-ten (inner sacred relics) of Tshamdrak Gonpa today. 

Guru Sungjoen and caves, foot prints and stupas

In and and around the Gonpa, there are several caves, and hand and foot prints of Guru Padmasambhava, Lam Ngawang Dorji, Aap Chundu, and Uton Sangye. There is also a kudrung chorten that holds the physical remains of Je Ngawang Drukpa.

One interesting story tells of the Guru statue (located on the top floor) that is believed to have spoken to a thief. The robber had carried off the statue and when he got far off from the temple, he stopped to take a rest. However, he was not able to move after taking the rest. The Guru statue miraculously spoke telling the thief that unless he decides to carry him back, he will be stuck. After struggling for a few minutes and seeing the futility, the thief agreed to take the statue back.

There is also a big stone slab, associated to Aap Chundru (deity of Haa valley). The stone slab is believed to be stitched from two slabs of stones by Lam Ngawang Drukpa – using a thread made out of sand.

Nyingma Gyu-bum

A lesser known fact is that Tshamdrak Gonpa was a thriving library and publication house in the mediaeval period. Besides the Kanjur and Tenjur volumes, one of the only complete set of Nyingma Gyubum ((རྙིང་མ་རྒྱུད་འབུམ) – which literally means Tantric texts of the New Translation lineage, was found here. A copy was made for the National Library in the 1980s. Other Nyingma centres around the world also made copies from Tshamdrak. The Gyubum was compiled by Ratna Lingpa (1403-1478).

The temple also has many Terma scriptures including those revealed by Sangye Lingpa (1340–1398), Ratna Lingpa (1403-1478) and Pema Lingpa (1450-1521). 

Getting there

Tshamdrak (also written Tsamdrag) Gonpa is now connected by road and there is no need to make the steep uphill hike on foot.

You steer off at Damchu on the Thimphu – Phuntsholing highway. The road is bit rough for small cars – especially after one crosses the last village. A four wheel drive is recommended if you are doing in the wet season. The drive is about an hour from the highway.

Recommendation:

People from central and eastern Bhutan whose choesung is Gonpo Maning, and who live in western Dzongkhags MUST visit one of the following lhakhangs: Tshamdrak Gonpa, Euthok Gonpa, Jabdo Gonpa or best – Nyechen Dongkala. Those who are ill, must visit Mendrup Gonpa. This is because Gonpo Maning has residence in these places.

Meet Yangka, from Wangdue Phangyul, a master artist. 

He makes embroidered thangka and thongdrel, which are religious scrolls made out of silk threads with Buddhist deities, divinities and historical figures.

Thangkas are smaller scrolls for private homes and altars, and thongdrel are the large ones that are displayed in and outside the temples.

I ordered three thangkas from him and I also asked if I could take a look at the large Thogdrel that he had just finished and had packed. He was so humble that he keep saying, “Oh, I am not as good as others. I am happy if people are happy with my work.”

When he reopened the pack I was like, “Damn! You should be blind not to like his work.”

The large 20 feet tall thongdrel depicts Buddha Shakyamuni and the sixteen arhats (direct disciples of Buddha) and has been commissioned for Tsalungna Nye.

He has a team of young artists and tailors who make those thousands of tiny pieces of figurines with silk, and he puts them all together to make the large scroll. He refers to no drawings, paintings, or designs. Everything is in his head 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

He says that profit is not his motive. He rather believes he is practicing Dharma through his art. “If I can pay off my people, and cover the rent, I am OK. I don’t need more.”

He doesn’t remember all the large thongdrels he made but the one he does, and cherishes the most, is Zhabdrung Phunsum Tshogpa, which is supposed to be inside the Sacred Machen temple in Punakha, and the one unfurled annually during Zhabdrung Kuchoe.

Someone who gets to place his work inside the sacred Machen, which is holiest chamber where only the monarch and the chief abbot of Bhutan can enter, got to be THE best. 

I bought this Buddha Sakyamuni thangka, and ordered two more with Guru Rimpoche and Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel.

Contact info:

Yangka has his workshop at Hejo in Thimphu. You should visit him and see his work.

USEFUL BACKGROUND

According to an article on BuddhistDoor, “The use of silk to create sacred art grew out of these fluctuating Mongol-Tibetan-Chinese interconnections.” in the 13th Century. The article further argues that “during this period textile copies of Tibetan paintings began to be produced in China, using Chinese techniques of weaving and embroidery. Reynolds notes that these silken images held “greater cachet than the paintings they were copied from” (Reynolds 1995, 147)”.

In 1468 the First Dalai Lama is believed to have commissioned a very large silken image of the Buddha Sakyamuni to be displayed on the 9-storied wall of Tashilhunpo monastery. This embroudered Buddha could be the first thongdrel in the world.

Furthermore, this embroidery art not only flourished in Tibet but spread to Mongolia, Ladakh and Bhutan by the 18th Century.

From all the embroidered pieces I have seen in Bhutan, by far the most beautiful piece is in Seula Gonpa in Punakha. The 10 feet tall thangka depicts the founder of the Gonpa, Jamgon Ngawang Gyeltshen, and was made and offered by the King of Derge, where he served as an emissary.

One of the most sacred thongdrel is the Paro Thongdrel that is unfurled and displayed to public during Paro Tshechu.

Many years back when I was building the radio repeater stations overlooking Paro, Thimphu and Chukha one thing that I enjoyed was visiting local temples and listening to local folk tales. There was one popular saying in that area, which remained ingrained in my head, and that went something like: Do not compete in making drums with Tshamdrak Gonpa. Do not compete in reading scriptures with Paga Gonpa. Do not compete in blowing horns with Chizhing Gonpa.  Do not compete in mask dance with Datong Gonpa. 

Popular sayings and proverbs convey timeless wisdom. In Bhutan they are more powerful and important for intergenerational transmission of values and belief systems because of the lack of writing culture. For a researcher, or a journalist, these sayings are clues, or keys, to greater hidden meanings, and vital information to spiritual treasures.

Coming back to the saying, it is because Tshamdrak Gonpa is supposed to have, as treasure-relics, a set of 108 drums; Paga Gonpa has a set of Kanjur made out of a single daphne tree (འདལ་ཤིང༌།); Chizhing gonpa has a pair of Tibetan horns (དུང༌།); and Datong Gonpa has the religious dance – ter-chham. Or so I was told. The other thing is these four temples were under Thimphu Dratshang before district remapping two the first two under Chukkha – and hence, the popular title, The Four Skills of Wang Valley.

On a side note, I just wish that our political-administrative undertakings respect the social and cultural backgrounds and contexts, because they could erase timeless wisdoms, or hurt local sentiments – or both. This is another issue for another time.

Anyway, last weekend I set out to discover these four places. 

Pagar Gonpa

Pagar Sangachholing Gonpa, or simply Paga Gonpa, sits on the left ridge above the highway after one crosses Chuzom Bridge on the Thimphu – Phuntsholing route. It takes little over an hour to drive from the capital. It has a commanding view of Dawakha village, Dobji Dzong, and Nyechen Dongkala, Phurdo Gonpa and Mendrup Gonpa.

There are varying stories of its origin. One is associated with Kunga Gyatsho (1702 -1776) – one of the four principal students of Tshang Khenchen Palden Gyatsho – the biographer of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel (1594 – 1651). The other tells the story of it being established in 1707 by Geshe Kunga Gyeltshen who, when he was meditating above in a place called Jangkhochen, saw a crow fly towards him, pick his small cymbal and then fly away and drop it at the present site where Paga Gonpa now stands.

Whichever of the two stories is true is secondary. They both add to the folklore. What is important is that Paga Gonpa became the most important and famed library in mediaeval Bhutan for Buddhist scriptures and scholarship. Among them the sacred Kanjur volume is believed to be the ter (sacred relic) and was written by Kunga Gyatsho himself from the papers made out of a single daphne tree (འདལ་ཤིང༌། dey-shing in Dzongkha).

The temple is being rebuilt after a devastating fire destroyed its structures in 2012. The Kanjur was saved, fortunately. Owing to the rennovation, all the scriptures and books are locked away, except for one volume, for public viewing, that is placed in front of the main statue of Shakyamuni Buddha.

The kudrung chorten

An equally mind-blowing relic is the kudrung chorten (stupa) in the small temple located in front of the main Paga Gonpa. The chorten is believed to be one of the three stupas of its style and spiritual value that are still standing in the world. It is very powerful and any wish made here is believed to be fulfilled.

This small chapel also has mural painting in fresco style, which is now extinct, as all murals paintings are done on canvas and then pasted on the temple walls. This temple was not destroyed by the big fire of 2012.

Chhu Yenla Gyedhen

About 30 minutes walk from the temple there is the famous Chhu Yenlha Gyedhen, which means “Water of Eight Qualities”, which not only is believed to cure illnesses but also cleanse your bad Karma.

Many monks and masters in the past would come from Punakha and Thimphu dratshang to take the holy bath and stay in Paga for a week.

Getting there

From Chuzom Check post drive towards Phuntsholing and look out for the red signboard on the left. You have to drive past the Paga village and community temple. It is not visible from the highway, or from any point of the feeder road.

A trip to Paga Gonpa would be a perfect Sunday afternoon drive from Thimphu, Paro or Chukha. There are few places for picnic and a wonderful sunset spot.

NB – I plan to return after the reconstruction is over and all relics are put out on public display

I don’t know how many times I must have been to Drukgyel Dzong. Countless, I am sure.

Now there is this very unassuming house below the Dzong, pasted on the cliff, and right at the base. An old man could be seen sitting outside this house with a prayer wheel and a rosary, and sometimes he would invite the people to visit the house. He used to say that it was a Drolma Lhakhang (Tara Temple).

I was never impressed by it and I used to give it a pass. Once I even told the man that I was in a hurry and joked that I had no time for his Tara.

Recently, a friend of mine was told by a visiting Tibetan Rimpoche that there is a very sacred Drolma Sung-joen (literally meaning “Tara that spoke”) in Paro – and that too a wish-granting Tara. My friend, a devout practioner, looked for the holy statue high and low, and finally asked our our root lama, Khandro Dorje Phagmo, who directed her to that house.

Story goes that this Tara statue was kept in this house for safekeeping from a temple, which was undergoing some major repairs. When the works were done and the statue was to be taken back and reinstated, the statue is believed to have spoken – saying that it did not intend to leave. The Tara statue thus remained in that farmhouse ever since.

According to our lama, the statue is of White Tara – which is considered to be the epitome of maternal compassion and healing. Many thus refer to her as Ama Jetsun Drolma (Mother Tara). The caretaker says that this Tara also confers wealth and prosperity. And that many merchants in Thimphu and Paro have been secretly worshipping her.

I visited this Talking Tara a few days back. The house has now been upgraded to a nice and cozy temple. Maybe the merchant-devotees sponsored the works. The main altar holds this magnificent Talking Tara. A very beautiful clay image – more beautiful than the one I saw in Singye Dzong. She is flanked by 21 Taras – the different manifestations.

There are also two large statues of Chukchi-Zay (The Eleven Faces Thousand Arms Avalokiteshvara) and tens of other smaller statues of Vajrayana deities and divinities. The altar itself is very beautiful.

It is privately-owned and a young woman is the caretaker, who is seen cleaning and washing the offering bowls, butter lamps and milk cups. “This Drolma is believed to love cow milk,” my friend whispers to me. There is silence and peace. We sat and chanted our prayers. I felt as if I was transported into another realm.

To the right of the main altar, there is a separate chamber of the wrathful Dharma protector, Mahakala (Yeshey Gonpo), where you can get your divinations done by rolling the dice. You must hit 14 for the Mahakala, and 10 for Tara, and 11 for the local king-spirit (Gyelpo). I decided to roll the dice to see if Mother Tara was upset that I walked past her temple all my life.

I took the dice in my right hand, put them on my forehead, closed my eyes, made my mantra, and apologised for ignoring the temple for so long, and promised to visit regularly hereafter. “I didn’t know you were here. My apologies.”

I also wished for something (I cannot disclose it here. It is not Australia visa 😁). Looks like Tara not only accepted my apology but also granted my wish. I threw the perfect number.

I left after making an offering with a request to make prayers for my younger daughter and grandson who have Tara as their birth deity.

Background – The legends of Tara

Tara, which means “star” in Sanskrit, is undisputedly the most popular female divinity in Vajrayana Buddhism. Among my female friends, she is the deity.

There are many legends and myths and stories of the origins of Tara. My favorite is the one that goes something like: Avalokiteshvara, the buddha of compassion, was looking down on the human world and saw the endless and immense sufferings despite his efforts to deliver the salvation. Saddened to the core, two tear drops feel from his two eyes. One tear drop turn to White Tara (Drol-kar) – the Peaceful One, and the other Green Tara (Drol-jang) – the Semi-wrathful.

Other legends tell the story of a devout Buddhist princess that lived aeons ago and who became a Bodhisattva and vowed to be reborn as a female deity and continue to help others. Another myth tells about a bodhisattva-princess who rescues tens of millions lives from suffering for which her name means drolma (One Who Saves).

To get there

Drukgyel Dzong is 15 km from Paro town. After you reach the Dzong parking, leave your car there. The temple is just 50 meters away on the right side of the hill. You can see it from the parking.

Prayer to Mother Tara 

There are few prayers to invoke Mother Tara.

This is my favourite and it is a Prayer to Tara to seek help from the Eight Great Fears. It was composed by my Buddhist master Atiśa Dipankara when he found himself in a sea storm. It is believed that the deity Tara appeared to him and saved him and the ship from sinking.

ཨོཾ། འཇིགས་པ་བརྒྱད་སྐྱོབ་མ་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །

om, jikpa gyékyob ma la chaktsal lo

Oṃ! Homage to you, lady who protects us from the eight fears!

བཀྲ་ཤིས་དཔལ་འབར་མ་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །

tashi palbar ma la chaktsal lo

Homage to you, lady who blazes with the splendour of auspiciousness!

ངན་སོང་སྒོ་འགེགས་མ་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །

ngensong go-gek ma la chaktsal lo

Homage to you, lady who closes the door to lower rebirth!

མཐོ་རིས་ལམ་འདྲེན་མ་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །

tori lamdren ma la chaktsal lo

Homage to you, lady who leads us on the path to higher realms!

རྟག་ཏུ་ཁྱེད་ཀྱིས་སྡོང་གྲོགས་མཛད། །

taktu khyé kyi dongdrok dzé

You are the one who holds us always in your care—our guide, support and friend;

ད་དུང་ཐུགས་རྗེས་བསྐྱབ་ཏུ་གསོལ། །

dadung tukjé kyab tu sol

So protect us still, we pray, with all of your vast compassion!

I made my maiden visit to Euthok Gonpa in Shaba yesterday. Somehow over the years I kept missing it as I would be rushing up to Dra Karp or Dongkala, and would be late by the time I was coming down.

Euthok Samdrup Choeling Gonpa, popularly known as Euthok Gonpa, is a mediaeval temple located in Paro Shaba. It is an important community temple guarded by a powerful local deity, who is the kay-lha (birth-deity) of the children born in the area.

If one bases on the fact that it was established by Terton Rigzin Jatson Nyinpo, the temple dates its founding to the late 16th or early 17th Century. The gonpa, which is now a monastery, is the first major spiritual abode on the same mountain as Dra Karp, Mendrup Gonpa, Dongkala, Bemri and Samtenling.

Euthok, which literally means “turquoise top” takes its name from the dream that founder-lama saw and in which he visioned a snake wrapped on a golden pillar with the turquoise on the top of the pillar. He then decided to call the temple Euthok Samdrup Choeling Gonpa – literally meaning “a wish-fulfilling religious centre adorned with a turquoise.

The most sacred relic of the temple is a set of Kanjur – the holy canon in Buddhism. Legend has it that the Kanjur was blessed by Sangye Menlha (Medicine Buddha) in person after the volume was printed in Tibet and kept for safekeeping at centre of Tibetan medicine. And thus is believed to help people recover from illnesses and health issues. The other legend is that papers used in the writing of the Kanjur were made from a single tree that grew out of a strand of hair of Sangye Menlha.

“There are many but I know two people personally who have recovered from cancer after commissioning the reading of the sacred Kanjur,” says the caretaker monk, Tashi Demba. I have also heard about a tour guide who survived after seeking help here. The temple, in fact, receives a lot of requests for prayers for the sick.

We get invited for tea in the guest room. And I enquire more about the legends and stories of this under-rated temple (Paro Dzongkhag doesn’t even figure it on their website). I hear more amazing stories. I am simply awed, and glad that I dragged myself here this time.

“It is not even necessary to sponsor the reading of the whole set. You can either attend the annual reading session in May, or simply drop your nyendar. It is your faith and moelam,” he adds. I made an offering and asked him to include all the “twelve birth signs” – meaning everyone on the planet.

Other than that the temple is in a beautiful location with a mind-blowing view of Paro Valley. It has a nice courtyard, and wooden floors of the main altar that are over 200 years old. Everything feels old, holy and grand inside.

More on the Mountain

Euthok Gonpa is on the base of the mountain that was designated as Potala, the Abode of Avalokiteshvara, by none other than great yogi Thangtong Gyalpo (1385 CE–1464). While meditating on the summit, where now stands the Phurdo Gonpa, the yogi visioned this mountain as the abode of Chenrizig. Hence, there are numerous and important sites that have come up such as Samtenling (blessed by Longchen Rabjam), Bemri (or Bum-Ri), Dongkala, Dra Karp, Mendrup Gonpa, Neyphu Gonpa. The spiritual merit of visiting this mountain is the same as visiting the sacred abode of Potala.

Getting there:

Euthok Gonpa is the large monastery you see on the hill to the left as you pass the Shaba Bridge while driving from Paro to Thimphu. It takes 5-10 minutes by car from the bridge.

The Annual Reading

The annual reading of the sacred healing Kanjur takes place from the First Day to the Fifteenth Day of the Fourth Month of the Bhutanese calendar. You may want to visit the Gonpa on these days and participate by making offerings of food, fruits, money, wine and snacks.

If you go there, make a specific request to get the blessings of the Kanjur. In Bhutan, if you don’t have prior information, the caretaker monks do not reveal the most sacred relic of the temple – for whatever reasons.

A note of gratitude

The place was badly damaged by the 2011 earthquake, after which locals and the Lama, under the royal patronage of Her Majesty Royal Grandmother Ashi Kesang, rebuilt this magnificent abode.

And so, after a long time I was in a crowd. It was at the recently concluded Paro Tshechu. 

I hate gatherings, but this time I couldn’t avoid it. I had to get the blessings of Paro Thongdrel. This large and sacred scroll is exhibited only once a year to the public. It is believed to grant any wish you make.

Buried in the mass for over 2 hours, though, while getting pushed and shoved, I took the opportunity to listen carefully (read as snoop) on how people talked these days. Sociolinguistics and ethnography of communication are my research areas. I study people and society as they communicate – verbally, non-verbally, or in any expressive form. It reveals a lot about a person, or of a people.

One thing that caught my attention was the forced, and widespread, use of English by the parents with their kids. “Chechay, put the phone in your gho”. “Stay with apa”. “Sangay, be careful”. And so on.

In the days after the Paro Tshechu, as I went around in Thimphu with my life, I noticed a vast majority of the urban parents refrained from talking to their children in their mother tongue or the native language. I don’t want to make any moralistic judgments or speculate on the reasons as to why people do that. Instead, let me share what might transpire as long-term consequences of this new emerging trend and practices.

Language is conveyor of culture and values

Contrary to the conventional wisdom, language is not just about communication. Depending on what you grow up with, language also shapes the person you become. This sociological perspective is called linguistic (or structural) relativism and it establishes the relationship between the language we speak, or grow up with, and our values and beliefs that get instilled in our brain.

Simply put, the language we speak influences our worldviews and thoughts, which will then defines what we do or believe, or how we behave. If one grows up speaking English, one may accordingly tilt towards Anglophonic cultures. If you grow up speaking native languages, you will be exhibiting more local values and behaviours.

This sociological theory is a bit old and debated, but that does not mean that it is wrong. For instance, researchers argue that Chinese people are family-oriented because Mandarin has a rich repertoire of describing family relationships. Likewise, the Innuits of northern Canada know a lot about snow because they have several words to describe it. Italians hold their mothers (la mamma) as sacred because of the importance that their language puts on it.

Proponents of the language-thought relationship have even gone to the extent of arguing that the language we speak shapes our cognitive abilities. In a study among the native aborigines of Australia who speak Kuuk Thaayorre, researchers found that even in the vast flatland devoid of landmarks they never lose their way. This is because their language uses the four cardinal directions of east, west, north, and south when talking, instead of left, right, front, or behind. So instead of saying, “your left leg”, they would say something like, “your leg towards the west”. Researchers believe that over time this linguistic practice has shaped their cognitive abilities for directions. No matter where they wander about, even aimlessly, they can always find their way back to where they want to be.

Coming back to our situation, if we are serious about our timeless values and beliefs, and our character as a nation; and if cultural conservation and cultural identity are what we care for, then it is not only the tangible heritage like dzongs and ghos and kiras that we should preserve. The use of our native languages right from childhood is as important, if not the most important aspect of being Bhutanese. It sows the seed of who or what they become later in life.

To provide an example, in my native language, Tshangla (aka Sharchopkha), traditionally, we rarely use individualistic terms like “I” (jang) or “mine” (janga). Instead, more collectivistic words like aha (ours) and aye-ba (we) are widely used in daily conversations. My sisters and other family members refer to my children as aha waktsa (our children). Even my car becomes aha gari (our car) and not your car or my car. Similar linguistic practices can be observed among other ethnic groups in Bhutan. This may explain why Bhutanese are more oriented towards family, community and country. This sense of community, or of service before self, must never fade no matter where you go. Isn’t this something we want to preserve? Or are we okay to head towards individualism and materialism?

Language connects. And deeply.

In another blogpost I recommended the need to maintain emotional links among family members in this age of rural-urban migration and emigration to other countries. Native language happens to be the simplest, and yet a powerful tool, to achieve this. Bhutanese languages and dialects have rich rhetorical devices, idioms and phrases that keep us connected to our families, nature, spirits, deities, communities, King, and country. Phrases such as drinchen ghi phama (literally meaning “parent to whom we are immensely grateful” in Dzongkha) to refer to our King, and jinghi-labhi sa (blessed land), as we characterise our country, or Palden Drukpa (glorious dragon people) keep us emotionally connected to our King, our Land and our Heritage. This is important for national unity and harmony. For example, we have coined Dragon Boys, and Dragon Girls, for our national football teams. Don’t you feel closer to them when you hear the term?

In another study, which I conducted, I suggested that the rich repertoire of kinship terminologies in Tshangla might explain why Sharchops have, and feel connected to, a large extended family.

Tshangla has over 23 terminologies to address the kiths and kins as compared to less than 10 in English. For instance, the word, aunt, can be ani (father’s sister), azem (literally meaning ‘little mother’ and referring to mother’s younger sister), or amchi (‘big mother’ – referring to mother’s elder sister, or ani (mother’s brother’s wife).

Sinologists argue that such individualised kinship addressing style do not only serve a referential purpose but also creates an emotional links between the interlocutors. This is to say that a person feels closer when he or she is addressed by the proper kinship terminology – as au (elder brother in Dzongkha), ashim (elder sister), azha (uncle). New relationships are established or old ones are sustained as a result of this simple gesture. My favourite term is azhi (elder sister in Sha-Wang-Pa-Sum valley). The imported culture of calling “uncle” and “aunty” may not help cement such strong emotional bonds.

To conclude

The debate between one’s mother tongue or national language versus English need not be about a dichotomic choice of one over the other. Anyone can perfect two or more languages. My daughters are fluent in three – Dzongkha, Japanese and English. I speak six. The point here is that language is not just a tool for communication. It can also shape your thoughts, worldviews and behaviours – and who you are. For the children speaking in native tongue first, it plants the seed of values, culture, traditions and beliefs that will remain for life.

No matter where you are, make your children speak your native language or the mother tongue – or both. They will also be inheriting timeless values and wisdoms. It is a great gift you can give. Once they grow up they can speak whatever they want, depending on the place and circusmtances.

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The recent Kuensel editorial that suggested Bhutan as a spiritual destination warrants a serious consideration. I too believe there is great potential here. The few hundreds of Vietnamese pilgrims landing in Paro was a testimony of this. A large group of Malaysians came around some months back.

It is only pity, though, that they just came for 4 days – apparently because of the high SDF fees. Perhaps the government may like to work out some discounts to visitors making longer trips, because at this rate people will just see Taktshang and go away. They will not even get to see Bumthang Kurjey and Jampa Lhakhang.

Better still, we should develop a separate visa category altogether – for third country visitors and for pilgrims from India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. A good pilgrimage to Bhutan should be for a month – and three months if someone wants to attend a teaching event or spend some time meditating and completing some deeper practices.

Spiritually, Bhutan is magical. In the three pandemic years, 2020-22, I took a lot of opportunities to explore the sacred places around the country. I must say it has been a truly marvellous journey – and to some extent transformative too.

Yes, there can be the Amans and Umas of the world. There can be this “exclusive” destination spin too. But Bhutan is also a Bae-Yul – the hidden kingdom of Guru Padmasambhava – and blessed by the primordial Buddhas and the successive masters and enlightened beings like Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, Drukpa Kuenley and Pema Lingpa. It has maintained spiritual purity like no other – something that we can be proud of and share with the world in these degenerative times.

One place that has drawn me frequently in recent years is Zhemgang, which has hidden paradises like Buli and Buli Lake, Mebar Tokchoe Temple, and Dunmang Hot-springs.
Zhemgang is also a natural Eden of lush tropical green and of birds and animals.