By Shenphen Zangpo – resident monk at Deer Park Thimphu

Sonam serving tea Photo Shenphen Zangpo

The recovering addicts staying at the Thimphu drug rehab centre requested a trip to a sacred site. As it was the middle of the monsoon and many of the guys were not in good physical shape, there was a certain apprehension about the trip. However, the risk seemed worth taking and Taktsang Monastery (Tiger’s Nest) was chosen as the destination and dakinis’ day as the date.

As always, the Royal Grandmother kindly placed the royal family’s private bus at our disposal, and after an early start we alighted at 10AM at the foot of Taktsang Mountain.

After three days of torrential rain the clouds had parted and the sun shone brightly. We were bathed in a serene dappled light. It was an auspicious start.

Despite living less than a two hour drive from the sacred mountain, many of the recovering addicts had never visited Taktsang before. Days lost in the shadows of the capital had given them little opportunity to explore Bhutan’s stunning heritage and sacred sites.

They were enthusiastic and symbolically the pilgrimage would act as a new beginning.

Depending on the level of fitness, the climb to the monastery takes between one to two hours. The younger guys bounded up the slopes like mountain goats, while the older and physically weak followed at a slow but steady pace. A few drifting clouds brushed the mountain peak, but fortunately the darker monsoon clouds swirled above harmlessly.

Soon we were standing across from the great monastery itself. It is said that in the 8^th century Guru Rinpoche flew to this site on the back of his disciple in the form of a pregnant tigress. Ever since, the spot has been revered as one of the most sacred of the sites associated with Guru Rinpoche.

After a pause for photographs, we traversed the final ravine and entered the monastery.  Already inspired by the journey through alpine forests, the recovering addicts were in the mood to open their minds further. They listened eagerly to tales of Guru Rinpoche and of the secret Mahamudra text discovered here by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche in 1968.

A short meditation symbolically connected us to the sacred site and offered us an opportunity to rest in the present moment – to be fully at Taktsang. There are four main shrines at the monastery, and each served as a place for the recovering addicts to make earnest aspirations for a clean and drug-free future.

Near the final shrine, butter lamps were lit and everyone offered prayers for the benefit of all sentient beings – in particular, merit was dedicated to those suffering with the pain of addiction. In a closing prayer everyone vowed to remain clean in order to lead others from the darkness of ignorance to the light of wisdom. The pain in their own lives infused the prayer with a sense of urgency, and their heartfelt aspirations reminded me of a well-known verse in Shantideva’s prayer:

For as long as space remains,
For as long as sentient beings remain,
Until then may I too remain
To dispel the miseries of the world.

Bodies were heavy but hearts were light and the journey down the mountain took less than one hour. At the foot of the mountain we rested over tea and homemade snacks at a house owned by a Deer Park volunteer. It proved a wonderful end to a memorable day.

Shenphen and outreach group at Taksang Photo Shenphen Zangpo

Perhaps it would be appropriate if the final words on the event were expressed by one of the recovering addicts himself.

A visit to Taktsang
My heart deeply touched
What a memorable day!

–       Uday

Deer Park Thimphu operates a regular drug outreach programme in Bhutan. This includes nightly outreach in the bars and clubs of the capital, regular talks on the danger of drugs at schools and colleges and a three times weekly meditation class at the detox centre and rehab facilities. Pilgrimages to sacred sites are organized on average about once every two months.

This pilgrimage was undertaken on 25 July 2011

http://www.deerparkthimphu.org

May the great revolutionary banner

May the great revolutionary banner

Blow in the wind of peace,

May it blow in the wind of karma.

May it blow in the wind of fearlessness.

One’s own mind is revolutionized:

There is no need to conquer others.

Like the warriors of ancient times

Going to war by imperial command,

Like seasoned masters of the martial arts,

We will destroy the fortress of erroneous thinking.

We will no longer tolerate the confused way of life

Controlled by the imperial forces of materialism,

Since these forces may snatch away

The freedom of human dignity.

One must first give up the ego

And enter the war with one’s mind.

That is the first step to freedom.

But we will never be free

By following the voice of desire.

Liberation is only gained

By treading the path of what is.

September 1968

Bhutan

Message from Taksang photo Pawo Choyning Dorji

Travel Tips for India and Bhutan

By Pamela Croci

Our experience with planning any trip has been to keep in mind worthwhile tips, step into the void and follow whatever comes up. Of course, book transport there (return) and accommodation on arrival, and depending on the season, hotels in key areas. Doing this meant that there was time for opportunities that truly resonated, to guide us to some extraordinary places. Recently we returned home, with a sense of accomplishment, rather than tired from trying to see too much, and not having the space of mind, to appreciate the place or the people. Some time ago, we did go on a long trip, with everything organised within an inch of its being, and we found this exhausting.

If you have a more organised habit, are travelling with children or if this is your first time to India then I recommend engaging a tour guide. Less anxiety if you have advice regarding hotels and a car to take you around places like Delhi. However try and give yourself some free days just to wander. In India the main pilgrimage places are a must especially if time is limited. For the rest of your life you will find them to be so inspiring as your mind can return to them again and again.

Zangpo Palri of Kurjey up ahead - Bumthang, Bhutan photo Hugo Croci

In Bhutan, unless you are travelling with exceptional Government approval you are required to have prearranged bookings with a tour company. Our driver and our guide were very accommodating and always asked us where and what we wanted to see. Any homework would be, to take note of special places where wonderful masters have been and with whom you feel a particular connection.

Travelling around India and Bhutan can not be done with tight schedules. Things happen. Roads are slow. Trains can take forever. However if time is a consideration, flying has improved enormously. Not as cheap obviously but not horrendously expensive either and very convenient. To keep costs down book air travel online before you leave and if you need to change flights this can be done for less than buying there as you go. Well that was our experience. At Airports make sure you have checked your luggage and that you are not carrying anything questionable. Security at Indian airports is now very strict so be prepared for several checks.

Please be careful with food. We travelled recently with our 15 yr old and he became very ill from what we think was a bag of potato chips. This is a time only to feed your body sustenance not to indulge in western habits. We had been warned that Bhutan’s food was only chilli, chilli and more chilli. Not so. Mainly it was rice with lots of fresh vegetable dishes, sometimes dhal, sometimes great mushrooms and yes, always with chilli as a side dish.

Regarding your health it is wise to carry some supplies. (See Nikki and Paula’s Medicine Chest list.) When our son was sick in Varanasi we went to a very good hotel and were looked after by an excellent doctor who was called to the room by the hotel. Of course becoming ill was unfortunate but able to be met without too much hardship.

Heart of Bhutan, Taksang photo Pamela Croci

Money tips: You can use rupees in Bhutan but don’t have notes in denominations above 100 Rupees. Not 500, not 1000, as they will not be accepted. Bhutan is mostly cash only country. There are a couple of ATMs. One at the airport and one in Thimpu. $US Dollars are accepted.

Regarding clothes. Check weather conditions in the immediate area in which you are travelling. Be like a chameleon – blend. We found one lot of outer layers work with good thermals and several pairs of comfortable socks. Scarves for extra warmth and colour. If travelling in summer, cover up. A simple shirt costs around $5.00 so you can buy, wear and pass it on. Try and contain everything within one bag. Travelling with warm sleeping bag is sensible if staying in cheaper hotels. Have passports, money always close. If possible don’t leave visas until the last minute. We left getting our visa into Sikkim until Siliguri when we could have done this at Sikkim House in Delhi. It worked out however it could have been very inconvenient not only for us but also for others.
That’s it. Have a wonderful time.

There are many special places in and on the way to Bumthang,
Central Bhutan.

It takes a full day to get there over a beautiful and worth every bump in the road.
Here are a few:
Jakar:
Jamba Lhakhung (7th century) ask to see Pema Lingpa’s chain shawl
Walk through the fields to
Kurjey Lhakhung and Kurjey Zangpo Palri (Guru Rinpoche Head print)
Tamshing Lhakhung – Pema Lingpa’s Monastery
Namkhai Nyingpo’s Monastery Kharchu overlooking Bumthang
Out of Jakar:
Kunzangdrak – Pema Lingpa’s Retreat (steep walk)
Dechenling – where Pema Lingpa was born and lived (shorter walk half way to Kunzangdrak)
Mebartsho (Burning Lake)
On the road back to Thimpu via Punakha
Choe Drak – Tharpa Ling Monastery – Longchenpa cave and Nyoshul Khen’s Kudung – short steep walk from car
At Punakha:
Punakha Dzong – exquisite painting of Buddha in main monastery
Not far out of Punakha
Chimi Lhakhang – Drukpa Kunley’s Monastery -a joyful walk through the fields
and
In Sikkim on the way to Tashiding is a wonderful Guru Rinpoche cave called
Kharchu Sangphog “ Secret cave of the Dakinis “

Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche’s address
to the Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative Launch

At the Chokyi Gyatso Institute for Buddhist Studies, Deothang, 18 Dec, 2010.
Translated from Tshangla-Lo by Tshewang Dendup

Compared to talking face to face with you, it is much more difficult to talk on camera. It is also difficult to remember all the things I want to say. Even so, on the occasion of the launch of the Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative, I would like to convey my deepest gratitude to you for being here this weekend.

I have been thinking about an initiative like this for some time. But it was only the last time when I visited Deothang in March this year that I really got to talk about it with our friends and the people of Deothang.

In general in Bhutan, lots of changes and progress are taking place. Some of these could be good changes, but it is difficult to comment on them because it is hard to distinguish if the changes are good or bad. What we think is a good change this year could be a bad one next year.

Following the wishes of our monarchs to establish democracy, we now have democracy in place, and in line with these developments, it is important for the people to shoulder our responsibilities and start fulfilling our responsibilities and activities properly. Based on that, the idea was to start a project like the Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative and see what it can bring forth, even though the project is not on a big scale.

However, I want to make one thing very clear. There are those who understand this clearly and very well. But on the other hand, those who don’t might embark on this venture with pomposity and a lot of hullabaloo as if they were setting up a new association, organisation, or party. Some people like to go around saying that they are members of a special organisation and they exude an excitement similar to those belonging to an archery or cricket team. Sometimes, these people also display a sense of exclusivity, as if to say “I am better than them.” I want to make it very clear and stress that the Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative isn’t in any way like that at all.

Although religion is deeply woven into our lives in Bhutan, I also want to make it very clear that the Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative is not a religious entity at all, and it will not have any religious trappings like tshechus and holy days and stuff like that. Needless to say, I also want to emphasize the apolitical nature of the Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative..

So what then is the Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative?

Bhutan has seen good progress which is due to the collective merit of the people of Bhutan, the blessings of the Three Jewels, and on top of that, the far-sighted vision of our Kings who have guarded the well being of Bhutanese people for generations.

While Bhutan continues to embrace the offerings of the modern world and learns the ways of the modern world, it has done so without losing the essence of our unique culture, our unique thinking and mentality, even the way we sit and eat. All these have not diminished, and the credit for this goes to our monarchs.

Our country Bhutan is now in a new set up. Bhutan is a democracy now. So far things have gone well. So why then are we forming the Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative?

The Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative is being formed mainly because our people and the Bhutanese citizens have a responsibility. The English word “initiative” is hard to translate but its meaning includes carrying or shouldering responsibility.

It is carrying our responsibility without someone else having to tell us. It is US fulfilling our responsibilities without the prodding of a cowherd. It is for us and it is for our children, and it is for the future well being. Taking such an initiative and to be concerned in this manner, that is the main aim of the Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative.

As I said before, establishing clubs and creating teams and stuff like hosting parties, picnics, gathering people for enjoyment, distributing leaflets, hoisting flags and blowing horns that is not our intention and thinking. Please keep this in mind. This is very, very important.

The government has looked after us like a mother after a child. The government has looked after us even beyond the stage that it should, even after the child is now able to ingest solid foods. The government has taken care of us thus far. We are now like 15 and 16 year old teenagers. With democracy in place, Bhutan and her culture, education, environmental preservation and protection, our unique philosophy and psyche, our thinking the caretaker and the custodian of these should not be just the government and the work of a department alone.

Once a child grows up, it should not expect its parents to take care of it further. When the child reaches the age of 15 or 16 or 20 and still expects the parents to look after it, then that is not good. Likewise, the people of Bhutan should now work sincerely in tandem to fulfil the aims of the government and the vision of our King. In doing so, we have to think not only of the present but of the generations to come in the future.

Coming to Gross National Happiness, we should not only engage in talk but also translate it into action  to “walk the talk.” And in doing so, we should not wait for others. Rather, all of us, each one of us, on our own, being concerned, should shoulder the responsibilities, and we should start working in line with the philosophy of the government.

The government is doing its job and in the future also, the hope is that it will continue to do so. But we have to do our bit and not just leave it to the government. After all, it is for us that these actions are being done. We have also become dependent on aid like some other countries. A mentality like that means that we can never mature and grow up.

So being self reliant and realizing our potential I think these issues will come up in discussions in the upcoming meetings, but I am mentioning this here just to highlight its importance.

In our villages, even though we have enough to feed our children, the trend has set in where our youth want to go to Thimphu and to the urban areas. These days you can no longer say things like “you cannot go” and “you should not go.” Why are our young ones wanting to go to the urban areas? Once they reach the urban areas, if they have no problems living a decent life, it is not a problem at all. But often they end up having no jobs, or if they get jobs, those jobs are not up to their expectations, and then they get exasperated and land up in a situation where they feel ashamed to go back to their homes and end up abusing drugs or drinking alcohol.

How can we stem this flow of our youth to the urban areas? We cannot use force and threat. Within Samdrup Jongkhar and Deothang, what are the things that we can do to create the enabling environment and conditions that will keep our young men and women here?

As I say these words, I am reminded of this way of thinking that many of us have  a tendency amongst us to think: “We cannot do this. This is un-doable.” We should do away with such thinking and abandon such thoughts.

Even if something does not work this year, next year, or in five or six years, if we start our project now, we will have a long term plan, because we have to think long term. We have to think long term. If we start now, if we begin our activities now and start now, then even if we are not able to accomplish our aims during our lifetimes, it is not a problem. If we start this plan and establish it now, then it will bear fruit in our children’s lifetime. If we don’t do this now, it will be too late later.

In Bhutan, when we build a house, we face labour shortages. We cannot get labourers. There is a lack of skilled workers. Even if we get labourers, we have to contend with the shame factor because such vocations are looked down in our society with the common aspiration to land a white collar job. How can we change this attitude, this thinking?

Deothang and Samdrup Jongkhar are fertile areas and receive abundant rainfall. Yet we get our food and vegetables from outside. How can we be self sufficient and feed ourselves? How to inculcate such thinking? How do we make our people think in those terms and in terms of environmental conservation and ecological awareness and prevention? Education is the key.

With the Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative, the thinking is to go beyond the common and established view, the prevalent view that chanting mantras and counting malas constitutes practice and instead take it beyond those rituals and really integrate spiritual practice. So the Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative will look at how to integrate religious practice and go beyond the chanting and counting of malas. And with this kind of initiative, we will work with all of us united in such thoughts.

Many people, including civil servants and business folk, have worked and helped in launching the Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative, and I want to thank them. From my side, the Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative has been started with good intention and we should all rejoice. And if this goes well, this initiative could be replicated in other districts.

Please keep this in mind and thank you all.

For more information go to http://www.sji.bt/

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche taking care in Deothang 2010 photo Pawo Choyning Dorji

Kindly put together by Nikki Keefe
and Paula Raymond – Yacoub.

Paula is a Physiotherapist/Acupuncturist and Nikki a registered nurse who has run clinics in India.

Panadol/ Ibuprofen (good for pain &fever)

Asprin (one prior to flying to reduce risk of DVT)

Olbas oil (good for colds/sinus congestion)

Rennie/ indigestion tablets (for overindulgence of Indian food!!)

Stemetil for car sickness or nausea (Prescription only in west or over the counter in India)

Tinidazole antibiotic for Giardia gut infection, 2 gm stat (Prescription only or over the counter in India)

Norfloxacillin antibiotic for bacterial diarrhoea

Cephlex antibiotic for upper respiratory/sinus infections

Temazepam sleeping tablet (Prescription only)

Tiger balm (good all rounder for aches, pains, insect bites)

Dulcolax/ Nulex for constipation (yes it can happen!!)

Imodium/ loperimide (for diarrhoea)

Oral hydration powder (if diarrhoea)

Betadine antiseptic lotion

Tea tree oil for infections/dilute gargle for sore throat

Himalaya brand Balm for colds and pain (available in India)

Small first aid kit including plasters, gauze and bandage

SF30 cream/ Lip balm

Capsicum plaster from Chinese Herb Shops for painful backs etc

Chinese Herbal granules – Gui Zhi Tang – for chills [aeroplane aircon]

Paula and Nikki at Kiosk on the way up to Taksang, Bhutan

Yacoub

A centre for art and contemplation….

By Shenphen Zangpo
Prior to moving from Taipei to Thimphu to establish a new Deer Park centre, I had little knowledge about Bhutan. While I understood, that the needs of people who live in a small city hidden in the folds of the Himalayas, would obviously be far different from those who live under the gaze of skyscrapers and neon, it was far from clear what those needs would be. As an indication, Rinpoche had merely said that we should reach out to the youth and that our activities should be low key.

Meditation at Deer Park Thimphu

As a firm believer in the allegory of Dharma being like gold – the essence remaining, while the form adapts to circumstances – I felt sure that with Rinpoche’s blessings Deer Park would find a niche in Bhutan’s society. After two years of twists and turns, we currently have a small centre that is conveniently located in a youth complex near the centre of town. Here, we hold weekly meditation and discussion gatherings as well as mindfulness classes for children and screenings of indie movies. Since the inauguration of the centre in 2008, the classes have continued to expand, and in particular the meditation meetings and movie nights have gained a strong following.
Outside the centre, we organise a nightly drug outreach program, meditation classes at two colleges and a drug rehab centre and engage in social activities, such as cleaning the city dog pound and reforestation.
In the future, I would like to offer more activities based on the contemplative disciplines and also increase the number of treks to sacred sites for recovering drug addicts. Along with meditation, I hope such activities can provide the means for the youth of Bhutan to fully embrace the opportunities of the modern world, while at the same time giving them the skills to remain firmly rooted in the wisdom traditions of the kingdom.

Meditation Class In Changjiji, Thimpu. Between 90 -100 kids attend twice weekly

Shenphen Zangpo

By Ani Pema Chodron
I am living in the retreat centre, up the hill behind Namkai Nyingpo Rinpoche’s monastery in the midst of Juniper trees. It has a most beautiful outlook, over the Bumthang Valley with the medieval looking Jakar Dzong on the opposite mountain. The sound of the Chamkar River below is the background to the day and night activities. The Bumthang valley is famous for many sacred temples, monasteries and sites holy to Guru Rinpoche, Pema Lingpa and Longchenpa and is truly fragrant with Dharma. As I sit for meditation practice, it feels that there is a tangible Dharma energy that elevates and supports one’s own effort. I can hear the 400 monks in Lhodrak Kharchu Monastery below me, joyfully chanting. Throughout the day, I hear the different gongs and bells for different activities. Their wake up bell goes at 4.30, then the gong starts inviting them to the temple for their morning prayers.
One of the biggest events during my six month stay in Bhutan was the visit of Dungtse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s father. He had not been to Bhutan for over 20 years, and was invited by the Prime Minister for a month’s stay along with about 30 of his students from the United States.
He was escorted by his son Garab Dorje. He participated in two large public events in Thimphu. A large chorten in the centre of Thimphu had been dedicated many years ago by His Eminence to his father, Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche. Dungtse Rinpoche met huge numbers of people there one morning, giving Benza Guru Mantra lung and a short Teaching. His arrival was preceded by hundreds of gomchen practitioners with large drums chanting and conducting the Chod practice. Gomchen practitioners are those trained in the dharma and also live in the community with their families.
The enthusiasm of the people was overwhelming, crowding and rushing towards Dungtse Rinpoche, but restrained by the army and police. Dungtse Rinpoche’s response was deeply moving as he opened his arms towards all those who had come to meet him. He continued his tour for a month conducting Drupchens and other events, spending most of his time in Eastern Bhutan where he had previously lived. Everywhere he went, he had his young students from America ,who had been trained by him since children, conducting the rituals, leading the chanting, and performing an extremely beautiful Cham dance that he himself had choreographed.
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche arrived in Thimphu at the end of his father’s tour and over one weekend he gave a teaching on the 9th chapter of Bodhicharavatara.. His primary message, seemed to be to caution the young and educated Bhutanese, (as his talk was in English) not to lose their Buddhist values in the face of modern materialism and western education. His concern was evident as Bhutan faces more and more influence from international media, and the young people are very keen to be like their international counterparts.
It was particularly lovely to see Rinpoche relaxing with his own people “Half of Thimphu is my family, and that is very nice,” he said… He addressed many of the cultural rituals of Bhutan as having meaning only if people are aware of why they do them, otherwise they become empty rituals without meaning. In time people would start to feel that such rituals are irrelevant to their modern life. Rinpoche has several students here maintaining Deer Park Centre, and helping to restore Buddhism into the education curriculum. At the conclusion of the teachings Bhutan Broadcasting System set up and filmed a panel discussion on the topic, “Is Buddhism Relevant to Modern Bhutan?”. The panel consisted of Rinpoche and Lama Shenphen an educator, a scientist and director of Deer Park.
The audience was invited to ask questions and one woman stood up and said, “I am an architect here in Bhutan, and I design Lhakhangs, (Temples). Very often I am not allowed to even go into the Lhakhangs I have designed (women are forbidden to enter into any of the Protector Temples). My question to Rinpoche is : What do you think of this. If you were not Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, would you choose to be reborn as a woman?” Rinpoche responded saying that “Whoever tells you that Buddha discriminated against women, ask them to find such things anywhere in the Sutras of Buddha’s Teaching. They will not find it. Such attitude has been superimposed in various cultures, including ours.” Then he went on to say, “Every year when I go to Bodhgaya I make an aspirational prayer to be born as a woman, a black woman, very beautiful and to be a republican president of the United States!!!”
As you can imagine, this brought the house down!!

Ani Pema in the garden of 500 arhats,Taiwan Photo Ani Pema Chodron