I enjoyed watching Walking To School

Walking To School 
Pic: Google

I prostate before my Root Guru! 

Art is one thing that will always remain close but in a respectable manner in my heart. I am always fascinated by any kind of artistic style although I do not possess one. Yet I've sang enough songs in the bathroom and watched best movies and have appreciated that deserved. It has been quite a long-time that I've lost much interest into watching movies and listening to songs. But thanks to electricity I could focus on an old documentary movie Walking to School. Yesterday we didn't have electricity for whole day and unfortunately I forgot to charge my cellphone. So what I did was, transferred some old movies to my old phone—that would serve any purpose but call—and started watching movies repeatedly to kill boredom. Not to my surprise there was this movie which I downloaded but never got opportunity to watch. I was excited to watch 2013 documentary movie and in between have to check battery life since old phones usually doesn't last long. I tried to use economically because I'll have to last till the electricity comes. 

The film Walking to School introduces a little girl, who later happens to be a Naxiang, with a rope, smilingly walking towards her house. At her home is mother and an old bedridden granny along with her little brother Wawa. Her mother ends her day attending meals to granny and other household chores. While Wawa is seven years old boy having a keen interest to go school with his older sister their mother doesn't allow. She expects her husband—their father—to return from town and help Wawa cross the river. 

Actually this takes place in a Nujiang River in Yunnan Province, China. Based on a true story.

Everyday Naxiang goes to school after crossing a river with the help of overhead cable. Wawa accompany her till the cable and in the evening too when his sister return from school. He stay at home wondering about school life at the other side of a river but he'll have to get mother's permission to cross. 

One day Wawa cross the river but nobody knows except new teacher, Ms. Nie. 

Still from the movie. Wawa crossing on his own. 

This movie is something I can relate myself. The casts are like us, I mean Bhutanese, and the landscapes are like ours. Only thing I might have missed is their dialect. But I could feel their emotions as it is expressed in a common language—expressions. Of course I used subtitles to understand throughout the film. 

Walking to school has never been easy for many of us and I can relate myself to this particular situation. Although I didn't cross the river and walked scary path, I have walked down the valley for more than hours and climbed up the hills in the evening. It used to be a thick jungle and I will have to wait till my seniors classes gets over. I'll have to compete my little feet to walk like theirs otherwise I'll be left far behind. During summer's my gho would be drenched from the lower part due to heavy dew. There would be another hurdles for timid like us—bully—every morning elder boys would snatch our cash. They'll beat us if we failed anytime. Fearing them nobody complained to parents let alone teachers. 

I am thankful to blessings I've received that I spent only a year in that situation.

From the film, I loved everything but I am touched deeply by the loving relationship between a brother and a sister. They love eachother while still having huge respect as a sibling. One morning Wawa calls his sister and asks her to sit down. When she did, he cleans his sister's feet with his clothes, he says, everyone in the school wears a new shoe and that his sister shall wear a pair too. So he puts her shoe.

Still from the movie. Wawa cleaning his sister's feet.

Spoilers alert. In a tragic incident Naxiang falls down into the river while returning home from school. Wawa is left alone. Hence he do not enjoy anyone's company. Ms. Nie teach him at home but she finds him less interested. So she reminds him about his interests into drawing. He nods his head and takes her where he had drawn. It was a spine-chilling moment to see his drawing. 

Wawa's drawing

Six months later the village receives a bridge. 

There are some great messages conveyed through movies and it has helped in a greater ways. This movie shows how people suffer in rural area and how some of their voices are heard lately. There's no one we can blame. This is how everything rolls in samsara. 

Social Media Is Bad?

Pic: Google

I prostate before my Root Teacher! 

I started using Facebook twelve years ago and I'm thankful to the team for connecting people across the globe. It has eased our way in a different ways. To put it in short, Facebook has made all of us like a single community. 

Recently YouTube did a tremendous job and now there are millions of content creators influencing through their vlogging life. Simple and yet effective solution to our boredom? Anybody can make a vlog for that you do not have to own expensive cameras. I have personally witnessed a poor family getting rich, now they're helping not only their families but others as well.

On the other hand there are dark sides to what most of us embraces with our open arm’s. When bad out weighs good it is a matter of concern for all of us. Today there are increasing rate of youths suffering from mental disorder, increasing suicides, polarization, rape case etc., that has a reason to blame social media. Massachusetts Institute of Technology has found that fake news are six times faster than the real one.

Few days back I came across one of my Facebook friends post that he wanted to post a year before but for some reason he couldn't until this lockdown. It’s about a Netflix Documentary which was released two-years’ ago. I couldn't finish watching his video rather it prompted me to search in some other reliable sources, the full documentary. Although there were some reviews I had to watch some of them not because I intended to watch. It is because I couldn't find what I wanted to watch in full length. At last I was able to find with the help of a Google. It took hell of a lot of time out of my day. And this is not the first time I have spent trying to find something on Google. 

After watching it pinned awareness about social media and its ethical conducts. About how gigantic companies like Facebook and Google are operated with the profit maximization as their core interest. And how they can manipulate about billions of users with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the algorithm. Almost every social media apps uses one or similar kind of algorithm to keep their users engaged all the time. These powerful machines are triggering your emotions that you even do not know. Our body releases dopamine—sort of chemical released by body to feel pleasure—while engaging online and therefore our mind wants us to be near our mobile always checking notifications. Most of us would have never thought of this but this is not something accidental. Actually they're designed in such a way that you are hooked on to the screen for hours and make you feels like it is only few seconds. 

Some of the former employees (resigned) of Facebook, YouTube, Google and Instagram have shared their concern about how these companies are venturing into unhealthy trends. 

To understand technically you must watch The Social Dilemma.

I do not totally disagree that social media is a waste. But the question is about who should regulate it? 

Hardly there is anybody who thinks that this is a problem therefore it will take a long time to solve. 

Social media is not but they're designed to be addictive.

Dear Jurmey

Dumo

Dear Jurmey, 

I hope you're doing fine. I had to write this short letter in order to ask a favor from you. 

Four days ago a cat entered my room from the kitchen window — that I have left open for the ventilation purpose. I will call her Dumo. Long time back we had a cat named Dumo. She was our neighbor's cat but she spent most of her time at our house and later died in our home. This cat resembles our long-time lost Dumo. Their color spots are similar though late Dumo was white and grey. 

I didn't chase her immediately. I wanted to. As it is extremely cold she found a warm place near the electric heater. I thought she might leave. You know I have no passion to raise pets and not definitely cats although I don't have ailurophobia. Of course I hate feline hair loss as it messes blankets and floor. 

After few hours I chased Dumo because I knew she won't leave easily.

The next morning Dumo was inside washroom on a washing machine supposedly waiting for me to open door. I noticed how cleverly she crossed from a hole of the ventilation nets. This time I chased her instantly. How cruel of me. This action gave me a sensible reason to call her back. I opened the door and she was no where. Crazy cat, when I went to cook breakfast,  i found her on the window of a kitchen. It was such a pitiful moment to see her. She might have pleaded me if I had understood her better. I knew she wanted to come in but don't want to show in front of me. She wasn't coming inside when I called her instead pretended to stay far from my reach. I knew what was coming and skipped myself into washroom. Exactly she was, hesitantly, but stubborn as you see, treating herself with warm heat. I thought, I will not chase. 

You see, I pray and wish for the fulfillment of every desires of every beings, and here I'm not willing to keep one cat. 

I'm such a hypocrite! So blame me! 

During lunch time she wanted to go outside. I knew as She was meowing. I closed the door. Thought she's kind as she's not asking for food. 

But she would sleep for a long hours and I've never seen cat sleep like this. Promise. Jurmey this reminded me of how peacefully you would sleep during the day time. In Dumo I saw your sleep. 

And today morning she was sleeping in my blanket. I wanted to chase again and curse never to leave any windows open but it was midnight and I thought she won't find any better cloths than my blanket. We slept together. 

As usual she slept from morning till evening. But today I felt something unnatural with Dumo. She was not asking for food also. In earlier days I thought she might be eating somewhere and coming to sleep. My presumption was incorrect. I even tried feeding her but no sign of any interest in eating. I'm helplessly worried about Dumo.

Still she's sleeping on a chair and I can hear her pur. 

Jurmey please take her to the veterinary tomorrow morning. 

Jamyang Loden 

Class Picnic 2021

William Shakespeare said, "All is well that ends well." Our class officially closed smoothly yesterday and today we went for a dry picnic at Kurkubithang which is roughly one and half hour's walk from the monastery. 

The moment we arrived picnic spot, not even bothering anything, some of them started to prepare for football. I do not know why football is one of the most admired games in the world. Craziest are monks who would do anything for football. Yes everything! But I've never been influenced by this game although I remember myself playing football twice in a grand celebration during college days and that was only on final matches. By the way, not because I was ace player in the class but because we had only 13 boys in our class and by default I had to play. I remember how horribly I played with satisfaction. You must have noticed when someone plays football for the first time. 

So today as I was listening to a new (not really new) Bhutanese song in tshanglakha, Nan gha dengay, by Tenzin Tashi in SoundCloud. In the middle of a song there's a line and at that instant it touched me. It says ‘…aii…yongba….jung...’ which loosely translates into ‘foolish me.’ Really I was foolishly watching while everyone was involved with the games they enjoy. There's none but myself who's  watching them play football and khuru and still get full satisfaction just by sitting there and watch them play. To be honest, I've never been good at any (outdoor) games throughout my school days. Indeed I've been a good spectator so far. And yes it is worth watching when you're not good at entertaining. 

Many believes in memory and I too remember my bygone days while in the process of making some new memories. 

Here are some pictures from the spot. 

About to reach our spot

Playing football and in the back is khuru

Playing Khuru.
I bet a sum of cash Nu.100/- to anyone who hits the first target. Surprisingly he took away the prize as shown below. 

I placed the cash after his hit. 

Jurmey hails from a remote part of eastern Bhutan. He was appointed a games captain during primary school but he didn't pursue any games seriously.
He was playing football with heart full of joyfulness. 

And here's a coach as many would tease if you do not play any games. 

These guys tasted chicken curry. And sorry I forgot to mention that the chicken had to be cooked here since it was auspicious day yesterday. So meat shops were closed. They bought today and cooked while rest of the edible items were cooked from the monastery. 

Lunch break. 

After lunch break I returned to monastery. Many of them remained behind with their games program. It was a day spent meaningfully. 

Saving In A Clay Pot

I gave her name Dzambala (in Tibetan accent) supposed to be Jhambhala (in Sanskrit.) It means the god of wealth.

May this become like a wish-fulfiling tree. Bringing best for every sentient beings! 

I won't be surprise to see monks, especially small monks, carrying cash almost crumpled in his little palm and asking edible items from the shop. This little one’s doesn't know the value of cash — at least not beyond shops. He'll buy everything in one go. 

This casual attitude towards cash has made me think twice but I lagged ideas to help ourselves. Though I saw Money Saving Clay Pot and even used once (but without success) it was one of posts in a Facebook that reminded me. Thereafter I bought one each for my roomie and myself. Unfortunately he had to break the pot in two days and never attempted again. For me, I have tried hard to save the little cash, even sacrificing some of my important things. 

By the way, my intention is to save only low cash notes that we receive during recitation of sutras and while chanting mantras. Usually many of us ignorantly pass such notes from one hand to another without valuing. Now I've a place to store and buy a statute of Manjushri after few years. I am sure many of us, be it monks or not, we can still learn to save for the better cause. 

I being a product of business school will always have a guilt for hoarding cash. Back then we were trained to invest and save cash in order to multiply its usage in the economy. There are many other reasons, researched and evident based, about why one should not keep cash at home. 

As I wanted to share about the clay money pot I have also thought of best usages that one can make out of it. It is taboo to talk about materials once you've taken a path of spirituality — that's what most of us think which I feel is wrong — sorry to say but that's right. Of course there are certain exceptions for the practitioners to remain isolate and keep away from the bustling place. Having said that, I am not encouraging any aspiring and strict practitioners to do what I say. Honestly I am here to share, and I did, yes share only, about my little habit of saving a cash.

Sunday Getaway at Kurjey: circumambulating 108

It is not a new trend to see many people walking around statute, monastery and stupa unless you're a known buddhists (excuse the pun). As a Buddhist we believe in walking round the sacred monument as it bestows unlimited merit. I can relate the story of a wild boar who unknowingly circumambulated stupa when chased by a pack of wild dogs and was born in the  higher realm. Suffice it to say when an animal without intention could be born to higher realm there's hardly any room to express what awaits for rest of us who wishes wellness for every sentient beings in our daily prayer. If there's profit from dharma, even with iota of an effort,  why not invest droplets of dharma water to make the big ocean?

Kurjey Lhakhang 

On Sunday I decided to go Kurjey Lhakhang for the likely reason with Jurmey which took us one-hour to complete ten rounds. So far we had completed thirty of hundred and eight under the scorching sun. Though tired of walking around the monastery it was a satisfying day for us, memorably the pain of walking fast. Do not blame me if you think that I'm too judgemental but I feel guilty for seeing a monk in Kurjey chasing dogs using catapult, it was more than what Jurmey and I made fun of mange dog's graok. It was completely, unhesitantly saying, hypocrite and ill manner to even think let alone act. I confess myself before you all for the unnecessary downfall dharma practitioners like us have created. I've been through double-edged consequences many times, this is hard to avoid, yet I repent me of all I did. 

He isn't such a glutton. Only a pose. 

Munching carrot.

Apart from accumulating non-conceptual wisdom there's also physical health benefits, experts have praised walking as the best way to burn calories and a good exercise as it doesn't demand physical strength. 

Keeping a track of every round with the help of pebbles. 

I’ve heard from a fellow bhutanese's who promise to make at least hundred and eight rounds at Drakarpo in Paro once in their lifetime. Many knows the benefits: both mental and physical, if I'm not wrong, this place was blessed by the great Guru Rinpoche. I have always wanted to visit in the near future; it's only that my procrastination pushed it away. 

Kurjey is one of the oldest and most sacred historical evidence to the outside world. It dates back to 8th century when Padmasambhava came from India upon the request of chief Sindhu Raja to settle a dispute with the local deity. His visit became crucial moments in the history of Mon Yul—the dark place. Had it not been Sindhu Raja and local deity, Bhutan might not have been Bhutan. Hence this, I believe, was a special connection in brining the doctrine of Shakyamuni to a place initially known for producing cannibal demons. Later, many Buddhist scholars and saints visited this place as per the prophecies and kept the legacy without disruption. Even these days, there are devotees as far as America, China, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Nepal etc who gladly spends handsome amount only to get a glimpse of Kurjey.  If this is the case,  Bhutanese traveling outside for pilgrimage's should keep wits about themselves. Are we not rich spiritually? 

Kurjey through my eyes. 

Whenever I visit, I'm incredibly moved by the blissful energy of Kurjey, it will be a poignant reminder to read this diary and see the pictures when I've a more number of gray hair. 

Pempa make sure to come Kurjey every weekend's. 

New Year 2021 At Lhodrak Kharchu

Iron Female Ox Year 2021

There are several days in a year which are remembered by us. I've no issues with any of the days and I enjoy almost every day equally but sometimes, once in a blue moon, it so happens that you do not want to forget some days for strong reasons. And I’ve a reasons why I should pen these particular days. Losar which translates into New Year is one of the most remarkable event's I've ever noticed. This year is Iron Female Ox Year according to calendar of Tibetan buddhism. Let's hope this new year brings peace and prosperity unlike its precedent. In our monastery, led my Kyabje Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche, the day got its real essence of calling it as Losar and I couldn't hold back but share with you guys those moments through this digital diary of mine. Hope you'll enjoy reading, at least I expect that way. 

Auspicious Soup

By the way this is not first day of the new year but people will begin from this day itself by drinking auspicious soup since it is the last day of the old year. 

Source: Tibetan Dictionary.

I went to try what kind of omens I've for the new year. Honestly I couldn't identify symbolic object neither asked anyone. I don't know if it got dissolved into dumpling? As per the symbolic objects I was in neither of them. I'm optimistic and consider it as a good omen only. 

Losar Day

It falls on the very first day of a new year. In our monastery, monks woke up early in the morning, performed Mipham Rinpoche's liturgical method for invoking the blessings of Shakyamuni Buddha, tara practice, three roots ritual and petition-offering to dharma protectors. His holiness also bestowed life empowerment of one of the Maha Siddhis Thangthong Gyalpo who explicitly got empowered at the celestial palace of Guru Rinpoche in Zangdo Pelri. H.H. briefed us how Drupthob lived 125 years after that. 

Flour blessing 

Last day or third day of a new year celebration is remembered for flour blessing. After performing lhasang (incense offering) some senior monks gathers at the courtyard and recite common chant and then toss flour in the open air. All the participants end up covering themselves with flour. Some goes to other places throwing flour at acquaintance and even at strangers. 

In one of the websites, (https://samyeinstitute.org/sangha-updates/losar-tibetan-new-year/) 'This shower of tsampa increases the prosperity, health, and happiness of sentient beings. It also raises ‘wind horse,’ or luck,  bringing forth auspicious circumstances.'

Pictures

I did not carry phone in the morning hours therefore first four pictures are copyright reserve of Kharchu Editorial Committee page in Facebook. 

Kyabje Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche Giving Blessing.

Devotees.

Monks and devotees in queue offering Tashi Delek to H.H.

Tshok.

Sumptuous Lunch.

Splendid Dining.

Monks dancing on Ko-Ka-Lay-Ko song. 

Serving Zaw.

Hot tea served.

Monks showering flour at private residence.

Jurmey and I escaped from monastery but we couldn't as they've managed to cover private residences. We were returning monastery after having lunch at my elder brother's house and fortunately or unfortunately those monks were on round throwing flour at anybody. I could hardly run away from, in my estimation, ten of them. They didn't spare us let alone householders. Of course it's blessings, to be precise.