A Letter to Yangkis'

Dear Yangki,

One thing that seldom eats my head while writing is when I do not know how to start and where to put the end, interestingly I can gossip as much as you like in the middle. You are purposefully invited to listen to my gossip.

Yangki, as I am writing a simple chit to you, at the same time, I am breaking a promise I made to myself on the eve. I decided, even told my friends not to disturb me in any sense for ten days, and I will live without contacting any one. It turned elsewise. Main reason is because I have to submit my total daily mantra chant when the concern monks come during their stipulated time; in this case I had to agree with them. And therefore sharing some gossip surely give me a relief for a loss of not getting isolation as I wanted. Today (also third day), I am done with one of the three mantras chanting. Weird it may seem but I have much nonsense to share. To be precise, it is gossip! Please bear with me for few minutes even though you might have other meaningful chore in the pipeline.  

On my first day I woke up to a sound of vajra bell and damaru, instead of my cell phone’s alarm, of a neighborhood who stays in the down floor. I tossed my hand towards cell phone to check the time, not surprisingly it was near to six o’clock. After turning and rolling for few minutes I could get off from drowsiness. Alarm too started. I would have fallen back into sleep had it not been my alarm for the second time reminder.

If there was something new to taste in the morning it was a potato curry after almost a month, for the breakfast. I missed potato because, like most of the kids, I am still a potato lover. During my service as a cook (Soepen), in three weeks voluntary, for the Khen Rinpoche (or abbot to some), potato, onion, garlic and pumpkin are never cooked due to health issues and religious belief. After I tucked into a potato curry, I began my prayer and chant simultaneously.

Not so long after I started chants, a babble of conversation in the distant was getting louder and louder as it approached near my dwelling but I didn't bother to poke my nose. One of them took courtesy to knock the door. They were highly learned monks accompanied by seniors. I nodded my head when one who knocked the door was asking if I was staying here. They left. I got frustration. I craned my neck out of window to see the presence of neighbors’ in the next. There was no one. I hopped over the window and locked the door from outside. No one will disturb me, I thought after reaching inside. As irritating as jerry to tom, second round came and I heard what they said. I moved curtains to let them know that I am still inside. It wasn’t funny by the way. There was no use of lock from the outside after knowing I was inside. Third round came and went. I unlocked the door from outside, still with irritated kind of feeling.

My target was to complete chanting one mantra within three days so I raced from the second day. I wrote my name on a piece of paper sheet and pasted against the door hence I didn’t have to attend unlike in the previous day. But you see, the more I chanted, the lesser my mouth worked. My thumb started aching after running over bids for hundreds and thousands. Felt like sleeping. Oh no! Maybe mara tried attempting to thwart me? Above all, it is this untamable mind that needs my attention. I couldn’t tame even for a few seconds. Harder I try, tougher it becomes. Within a fraction of second mind takes me to a longer adventurous I ever travelled and I will ever travel. The friends I departed score of year ago, foods I tasted long time back, places I visited, naughtiness I did, services I rendered, love I received, beauty I saw etc, vividly resurrected and triggered adrenaline rush. I was alone in the room yet engaged by mind. Other friends I have is four statues, placed at the top rack is Sakyamuni Buddha, below is three others (from left), Vajrasatta, Guru Nangsi Zilyon and Avalokisteshvara. I watched them as if they were going to talk to me.

Honestly saying, I signed  out all my social network accounts except for wechat and blog to connect, judiciously. In this way I do not know what is happening outside. No I am not googling also. You won’t believe me that my same neighbor’s TV sound can be heard although one needs to give good concentration. Since I chose to distance myself from any news, whenever I hear ‘corona…..’ on BBS from down, I louder my chant, even loudest if the sound comes clear to my ear. For this reason I do not know the current cases related to coronavirus. I hope and pray that everything will reignite from where it stopped. It shall be a good and great leap, my dear.

My dear Yangki, it is pity that I have told everything in a nutshell. I am sorry to say but most of my gossips are not shared but I didn’t lie. I won’t regret for not revealing all, believe me, too much honest is not good. Some stories are not meant to disclose, remember this.

Sitting whole day between the four walls, thoughts running in my mind uncontrollably, and gossip popping, maybe it is a responsibility to share with you individually, Yangkis'. 

Take care. See you soon.

Thank You,

Jamyang Loden.

COVID-19: I will fight with Prayer

Counting......

Almost all of us, if not, most of us are by now aware of COVID-19 which according to scientist is believed to cause infection by a coronavirus family. Late last year, when it initially started to spread from China’s Wuhan city, many of us remained calm, not knowing kind of waves we would receive later. Despite the effort of world’s think tank in eradication of this viral infection, still things are uncontrollable at some point of time. I personally feel that we as an individuals can also play a vital role by following what concerned authorities have to say. Let me restate some of the common health hacking ideas to avoid transmission because I believe in timely reminder.

1. Wash your hands after touching any objects (follow the steps of hand washing)

2. Social Distancing is also must because we do not know who is infected and who is not, therefore it is safer to keep distance (or if possible isolate yourself).

Although there are many tips down the list I vehemently trust the above two but before getting infected.

Now why I am sharing this is because at this time we must learn to sacrifice based on the priority of our work. Having a comfortable life is must but one cannot risk life by going to a crowded market. Your business might run into loss but still it can boom up to a good profit once we are done with current pandemic. One may wish to go into a new places, I am afraid, who knows if infected people are loitering. Isn’t it not a better idea to remain at home as suggested by many experts? I too believe in impermanence of everything and I am confident that this situation too will end like nothing has happened. Sorry to use ‘nothing’ but yes this will turn into a fact. Many of us will restart to a better and normal life once we win the war.

Going through social networks we get to see and read so many havoc's while some are desperate to do anything to be at the safer side. These shows how unprepared we are to leave this world. We have forgotten that we are a guest and must learn to leave like a guest.

Having said let me also opine some of the thoughts that went through my head in the recent times. First thing I realized was that I am still a coward guy, the one I used to be since I knew my cowardice long time back. I thought things would turn into better, once I start my spiritual journey. But no, nothing will change unless you are not taking extra burden to change. Waiting things would change for me is another cowardice decision alive in me. You know folks, the moment I saw first positive case in Bhutan, in my mother land, I went mentally numb. I didn’t know how to react. I had an itchy feeling running all over my body as if virus has infected me at that moment. I don’t know if victims had that itchy kind of feeling, maybe, it was my psychic feeling, I guess. After I went through such moment I called my close ones to remain hygiene. Thank god I could at least remember to call them otherwise I would drop them a messages and wouldn’t bother whether they read or not. If I learned anything from that incident, it is to remind myself that things can topple down anytime, uncertainly. I must be well prepared to leave this world, not when I  am ready but whenever I receive a call.

Things became normal for me after American man was airlifted to US for the better treatment. I don’t know why but it brought me a relief when I saw and heard such news. Indeed I saw a sigh of relief in many Bhutanese yet government never slept peacefully. It was a call to remind us whether we are ready to face the catastrophe, if no, get ready. With passing of the each day world at large was fighting at their best and still, at this time, many are fighting. Remember that when you have done reading this, many would have succumbed to infections while many positive cases detected. The number might be still increasing every moment. It is a concerning subject but nobody should take advantage of the situation and spread fake news. Some people are innocent and desperate to believe anything given in the social network. Being responsible is also a contribution to the society, especially at this time. Mediocre citizen like us must refrain from spreading any news without authentic sources.

By now some of you might be wondering because I have had enough of bragging as if I am leading some kind of troops to fight the current case. Sorry to say but I am doing nothing. Nothing, because what I am doing won’t have objective value. All I am doing is locking the door from outside and entering inside from the window so that nobody notices me while I am busy on my own. As instructed, I am chanting mantra and praying whole day except taking a rest during lunch and sleeping hours. I hear some of our authorities walking, supposedly on checking, some even touching the curtain, maybe inquiring the presence of some monks. They told us not to go away from monastery boundary, for the safety of us, rather to stay in the respective rooms and do mantras chant. Some may not believe in the power of prayer but my guru told us that collective prayers are heard faster. I have no doubt about that. I am optimistic about prayer and its result. What can a religious person do? Nothing but to sit and pray! Ten years ago our economic teacher told us monks do not contribute economically. Still I am confused. Any ways, even if I am not contributing, I am not liability for the government. To those who believe in prayer, why don’t you choose to do some prayer recitation and try to connect spiritually? Many of us can chant basic mantras and that’s exactly what I am doing. I don’t have sophisticated religious books in front me. All I’ve is a simple prayer book which most of the schools recites daily during their evening time. If you agree to my suggestion and feel's you are not doing any productive job, do not not wait for tomorrow, start chanting. We can still fight, with prayer. 

Be a responsible human!