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Showing posts with label bhuddhism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bhuddhism. Show all posts

Dec 18, 2015

Bhutan: Gelephu domestic airport received its first scheduled flight, yesterday.

More than three years after it was inaugurated, Gelephu domestic airport received its first scheduled flight, yesterday.
The national airline, Drukair, flew seven revenue paying local passengers and four government guests, including the information and communications secretary to Gelephu from Paro. From Gelephu, the airline picked up the information and communications minister and other government officials on its return flight to Paro via Bumthang.
The airline will conduct two flights a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays to Gelephu.
The promotional fare for Bhutanese is currently Nu 6,000 for a return ticket to Gelephu, and Nu 3,500 for a one way ticket. The flight time between Paro and Gelephu is 45 minutes.
Foreigners will be charged USD 250 for a return trip and USD 140 one way.
Drukair CEO, Tandin Wangchuk said that commercially the flights will not be financially sustainable and that the airline is simply following the government’s directive. “We’re respecting a government directive and we’re operating,” he said.
The government instructed Drukair to begin flying scheduled operations to Gelephu in April and in November.
He pointed out that Drukair would operate to Gelephu even if there is only one passenger flying one way. But when there are no passengers, the airline will not operate.
The CEO said that the government could make the business more sustainable for Drukair if it were to provide aviation fuel facilities at Gelephu domestic airport. Up to 30 percent of the cost of a flight is spent on fuel.
Department of Air Transport (DAT) director, Karma Wangchuk said that it may not be commercially viable for the Bhutan Oil Distributor to have in place aviation fuel facilities at Gelephu given the potentially low number of flights to the airport. However, he said that the DAT will ask the fuel company.
Tandin Wangchuk also said that the government should consider expanding Gelephu airport so that both airlines can use it to temporarily halt there when there is bad weather at Paro international airport. He said this would be a cheaper alternative than having to halt at Kolkata or Bagdorgra.
Karma Wangchuk said that there are plans to eventually expand the airport but that significant costs would be involved. He said any expansion would depend on the government and fund availability.
Tandin Wangchuk did not rule out Drukair approaching the government later on if it is found that the route remains unsustainable.
The erstwhile Department of Civil Aviation constructed the airport at a cost of Nu 225.3 million. A further Nu 9 million was spent to build a new terminal at the airport when the runway had to be shifted and it was found that the first terminal was located too far away.
Source: Kuenselonline

Jul 12, 2012

Private Bhutan Tour Itinerary for 12 Days

Private Bhutan Pilgrimage Tour Itinerary for 12 Days
Day1: Arrival at Paro International Airport
During the journey to Paro, one will experience from the left hand side of the plane, breath taking view of Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga and other famous Himalayan peaks, including the sacred Chomolhari and Mount Jichu Drake in Bhutan. On arrival art Paro International airport the representatives from Bhutan Majestic Travel, Guides and Drivers Introduction and will escort to Hotel Altitude of Paro is 2240mts.
Visit the Paro Rinpung Dzong which was built in 1646 by Great Fortress builder to defend ourselves from Foreign Invaders, especially Tibetan Invaders in those days. Today it is the Paro District Administration Centre, Office of the District Governor, District Judge and House of the Buddhist Monks (Study and Live). After that visit the Ta-Dzong (watch tower) for Paro Dzong built in same time and later in 1868 it was changed to National Museum of Bhutan, one of the main treasures of Bhutan. Visit Festival
Evening Paro Town stalling and meeting the local Bhutanese
Overnight: Hotel in Paro
Day 2: Paro – Paro
After breakfast drive for 15kms and reach the base of Famous Tiger’s Nest “TAKTSANG” Monastery and hike up which would take Two Hours up and approximately One Hour down. Stop at Taktsang Tea House “Cafeteria” for refreshment of Tea & Coffee and on your return back from monastery you will have your Lunch here.
Taktsang is at 2900mts. Hike for another half an hour and you reach the Great and Magnificent Taktsang.
Visit the most important monastery were the Guru Rimpoche was flying on a Flaming Tigress from Singye Dzong in Eastern Bhutan to here and meditated for Three Months and flourishment of Buddhism in Paro started from 8th Century.
Walk down to the Tea House for Vegetarian Lunch.
After Lunch walk down hill and drive to the Ruined Fortress the Drukgyal Dzong meaning Bhutanese Victory Fortress built in 1649 by great fortress builder and also the man who unified Bhutan in 17th Century.
Overnight: Hotel in Paro
Thimphu is the Capital City of Bhutan but for the Buddhist Monk body moves to Punakha in Winter and their Summer Capital District is Thimphu but Winter s Punakha because it is cold in Thimphu during winter and Punakha is just perfect at 1300mts
Day 3: Paro – Thimphu Distance – 65kms. 2Hours Drive.
After breakfast drive to Thimphu following the Pa Chu (River of Paro) which divides the whole Paro Valley into two after one hour you will reach the Chuzom, where the Thimphu and Paro Rivers met and forms Wangchu. Drive till Chu Zom takes about One Hour. It is again a four road junction, where one lead to Thimphu, one lead to Haa Valley, one lead to Southern Bhutan, Phuentsholing closest town to the Indian Border and one that you had just drove. It is again One hour drive from here and you will reach Thimphu for your Lunch.
After Lunch Visit the visit the Memorial Stupa, built in 1974 by Royal Queen Mother and dedicated to the Father of Modern Bhutan, The Third King of Bhutan. This Tibetan & Bhutanese Architecture mixed Stupa has got three different sects of Buddhism such as Gongdu on the Top floor, Drukpa Kagyud on Middle with Second Buddha figure facing the Sun Rise and on the Ground Floor it is the Phurba. Visit the Festival.
Overnight: Hotel in Thimphu
Day 4: Thimphu – Thimphu
After breakfast drive to visit the Changangkha Monastery which is built in 16th Century by the son of the Great Drukpa Kagyud Saint called Lama Phajo Drugom Zhigpo and where the Buddhism flourishment continued in Western Bhutan. Visit the Thimphu Mini Zoo where you can see the TAKIN, the National Animal of Bhutan, which has head of a Goat and Body of a Cow and as per the legend it is been created by a Saint from Tibet who visited Bhutan and popularly known as Lama Drukpa Kuenley or Devine Madman.
Drive to BBS Radio Tower (Bhutan Broadcasting Service) to get the magnificent view of Thimphu and also known as Lovers’ point.
Lunch will be served in Down Town.
Day 5: Thimphu – Punakha 142kms 5Hours
After breakfast drive to Winter Capital for the Monastic Body, Punakha at 1300m.
One hour drive reach you to Dochula Pass at 3150mts where you can see and enjoy the Eastern Himalayas in a Panoramic View and best picture time for group of Bhutanese Style of Stupas, as there are 108 Stupas built by Her Majesty for the well being of the Nation and Love Live His Majesty. It descends to Punakha and Wangdue at 1300mts which will take another two hours. Visit Historic and one of the most beautiful Punakha Dzong built in 1637 by Great Zhabdrung Rimpoche who unified Bhutan in 17th Century
Overnight: Hotel in Punakha
Day 6: Punakha – Punakha
Hike to Khamsum Yueley Namgyal Monastery built by Her Majesty and dedicated to the well bring of the nation and love life of the Crwon Prince.
After Lunch visit Wangdue Dzong the third oldest Dzong built in 1638. On the way back to Punakha Hike to the legendary Chimi Lhakhang built in 15th Century by a saint popularly known as Devine Mad Man “Drukpa Kuenley”. It is believed that the couple who are married for so long years and doesn’t result in pregnancy, they go there and pray and in next coming months the wife gets pregnant
Overnight: Hotel in Punakha
Day 7: Punakha – BumthangAfter breakfast drive to Bumthang. On the way visit Wangdue Dzong the third oldest Dzong built in 1638. After crossing Pelela at 3340 mts. Decend down to Rukhubji and then to Chendibji where your lunch will be served and circumambulate the Nepalese Style Stupa built in 15th Century. Visit the Trongsa Dzong and the Watch Tower. The Trongsa Dzong was the ancestral home of the ruling dynasty. It is also the district administration office of the Trongsa district. It was built in 1648 A.D. The landscape around Trongsa is spectacular, and for miles on end the Dzong seems to tease you so that you wonder if you will ever reach it. Backing on to the mountain and built on several levels, the Dzong fits narrowly on a spur that sticks out into the gorge of the Mangde River and overlooks the routes south and west. The view from the Dzong extends for many kilometers and in former times nothing could escape the vigilance of its watchmen. Furthermore, the Dzong is built in such a way that in the old days, no matter what direction a traveler came from, he was obliged to pass by the Dzong. This helped to augment its importance as it thus had complete control over all east-west traffic. The Ta-Dzong, an ancient Watch Tower of the Trongsa Dzong is located on top of a steep hill about 1 km beyond the Trongsa Dzong. The watch tower displays many interesting armors used by the Bhutanese soldiers during the olden days. The Journey takes about 3 hrs (68kms.) and is over one of the most scenically beautiful routes in Bhutan. Check in at the Guest house. (Bumthang has only guest houses but they are very comfortable with good facilities.)
Day 8: Bumthang –BumthangVisit the historical Jakar Dzong built by Minjur Tenpa, the third Druk Desi (Temporal ruler) in 1646 A.D. It was later repaired and expanded by Gyalse Tenzin Rabgay, the fourth Desi of Bhutan in 1683 A.D. It is probably one of the biggest Dzongs in Bhutan with the surrounding walls about 1 km in circumference. Visit several ancient and important monasteries such as, Jambay Lhakhang, Kurjey Lhakhang, Kencho Sum Lhakhang, Tamshing and Pema Samba Lhakhangs. Also visit the Bumthang Swiss farm and the Member Tso” The flaming Lake” which is considered one of the most important pilgrimage spots.
Overnight: Hotel in Bumthang
Day 9: Bumthang – BumthangDay excursion to remote and beautiful Ura Valley. Picnic lunch will be served.
Overnight hotel in Bumthang
Day 10: Bumthang – WangdueAfter an early breakfast, drive to Wangdue.
Overnight: Hotel in Wangdue
Day 11: Wangdue – ParoAfter breakfast drive to Paro. Lunch stop at Thimphu, after lunch shopping and going around Thimphu city, drive to Paro for overnight
Overnight: Hotel in Paro
Day 12: Depart Bhutan
Early morning drive to airport and board the flight for onward destination.
Wishing you safe journey and thanks for visiting Bhutan with us
Thank You very much for visiting Bhutan with us and we look forward in hearing and re-organizing same Pilgrimage Tour for you, your family members and Friends!!!

Jun 30, 2011

Private Bhutan Tour Itinerary for 12 Days

Private Bhutan Pilgrimage Tour Itinerary for 12 Days

Day1: Arrival at Paro International Airport

During the journey to Paro, one will experience from the left hand side of the plane, breath taking view of Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga and other famous Himalayan peaks, including the sacred Chomolhari and Mount Jichu Drake in Bhutan. On arrival art Paro International airport the representatives from Bhutan Majestic Travel, Guides and Drivers Introduction and will escort to Hotel Altitude of Paro is 2240mts.

Visit the Paro Rinpung Dzong which was built in 1646 by Great Fortress builder to defend ourselves from Foreign Invaders, especially Tibetan Invaders in those days. Today it is the Paro District Administration Centre, Office of the District Governor, District Judge and House of the Buddhist Monks (Study and Live). After that visit the Ta-Dzong (watch tower) for Paro Dzong built in same time and later in 1868 it was changed to National Museum of Bhutan, one of the main treasures of Bhutan. Visit Festival

Evening Paro Town stalling and meeting the local Bhutanese

Overnight: Hotel in Paro

Day 2: Paro – Paro

After breakfast drive for 15kms and reach the base of Famous Tiger’s Nest “TAKTSANG” Monastery and hike up which would take Two Hours up and approximately One Hour down. Stop at Taktsang Tea House “Cafeteria” for refreshment of Tea & Coffee and on your return back from monastery you will have your Lunch here.

Taktsang is at 2900mts. Hike for another half an hour and you reach the Great and Magnificent Taktsang.

Visit the most important monastery were the Guru Rimpoche was flying on a Flaming Tigress from Singye Dzong in Eastern Bhutan to here and meditated for Three Months and flourishment of Buddhism in Paro started from 8th Century.

Walk down to the Tea House for Vegetarian Lunch.

After Lunch walk down hill and drive to the Ruined Fortress the Drukgyal Dzong meaning Bhutanese Victory Fortress built in 1649 by great fortress builder and also the man who unified Bhutan in 17th Century.

Overnight: Hotel in Paro

Thimphu is the Capital City of Bhutan but for the Buddhist Monk body moves to Punakha in Winter and their Summer Capital District is Thimphu but Winter s Punakha because it is cold in Thimphu during winter and Punakha is just perfect at 1300mts

Day 3: Paro – Thimphu Distance – 65kms. 2Hours Drive.

After breakfast drive to Thimphu following the Pa Chu (River of Paro) which divides the whole Paro Valley into two after one hour you will reach the Chuzom, where the Thimphu and Paro Rivers met and forms Wangchu. Drive till Chu Zom takes about One Hour. It is again a four road junction, where one lead to Thimphu, one lead to Haa Valley, one lead to Southern Bhutan, Phuentsholing closest town to the Indian Border and one that you had just drove. It is again One hour drive from here and you will reach Thimphu for your Lunch.

After Lunch Visit the visit the Memorial Stupa, built in 1974 by Royal Queen Mother and dedicated to the Father of Modern Bhutan, The Third King of Bhutan. This Tibetan & Bhutanese Architecture mixed Stupa has got three different sects of Buddhism such as Gongdu on the Top floor, Drukpa Kagyud on Middle with Second Buddha figure facing the Sun Rise and on the Ground Floor it is the Phurba. Visit the Festival.

Overnight: Hotel in Thimphu

Day 4: Thimphu – Thimphu

After breakfast drive to visit the Changangkha Monastery which is built in 16th Century by the son of the Great Drukpa Kagyud Saint called Lama Phajo Drugom Zhigpo and where the Buddhism flourishment continued in Western Bhutan. Visit the Thimphu Mini Zoo where you can see the TAKIN, the National Animal of Bhutan, which has head of a Goat and Body of a Cow and as per the legend it is been created by a Saint from Tibet who visited Bhutan and popularly known as Lama Drukpa Kuenley or Devine Madman.

Drive to BBS Radio Tower (Bhutan Broadcasting Service) to get the magnificent view of Thimphu and also known as Lovers’ point.

Lunch will be served in Down Town.

Day 5: Thimphu – Punakha 142kms 5Hours

After breakfast drive to Winter Capital for the Monastic Body, Punakha at 1300m.

One hour drive reach you to Dochula Pass at 3150mts where you can see and enjoy the Eastern Himalayas in a Panoramic View and best picture time for group of Bhutanese Style of Stupas, as there are 108 Stupas built by Her Majesty for the well being of the Nation and Love Live His Majesty. It descends to Punakha and Wangdue at 1300mts which will take another two hours. Visit Historic and one of the most beautiful Punakha Dzong built in 1637 by Great Zhabdrung Rimpoche who unified Bhutan in 17th Century

Overnight: Hotel in Punakha

Day 6: Punakha – Punakha

Hike to Khamsum Yueley Namgyal Monastery built by Her Majesty and dedicated to the well bring of the nation and love life of the Crwon Prince.

After Lunch visit Wangdue Dzong the third oldest Dzong built in 1638. On the way back to Punakha Hike to the legendary Chimi Lhakhang built in 15th Century by a saint popularly known as Devine Mad Man “Drukpa Kuenley”. It is believed that the couple who are married for so long years and doesn’t result in pregnancy, they go there and pray and in next coming months the wife gets pregnant

Overnight: Hotel in Punakha

Day 7: Punakha – Bumthang
After breakfast drive to Bumthang. On the way visit Wangdue Dzong the third oldest Dzong built in 1638. After crossing Pelela at 3340 mts. Decend down to Rukhubji and then to Chendibji where your lunch will be served and circumambulate the Nepalese Style Stupa built in 15th Century. Visit the Trongsa Dzong and the Watch Tower. The Trongsa Dzong was the ancestral home of the ruling dynasty. It is also the district administration office of the Trongsa district. It was built in 1648 A.D. The landscape around Trongsa is spectacular, and for miles on end the Dzong seems to tease you so that you wonder if you will ever reach it. Backing on to the mountain and built on several levels, the Dzong fits narrowly on a spur that sticks out into the gorge of the Mangde River and overlooks the routes south and west. The view from the Dzong extends for many kilometers and in former times nothing could escape the vigilance of its watchmen. Furthermore, the Dzong is built in such a way that in the old days, no matter what direction a traveler came from, he was obliged to pass by the Dzong. This helped to augment its importance as it thus had complete control over all east-west traffic. The Ta-Dzong, an ancient Watch Tower of the Trongsa Dzong is located on top of a steep hill about 1 km beyond the Trongsa Dzong. The watch tower displays many interesting armors used by the Bhutanese soldiers during the olden days. The Journey takes about 3 hrs (68kms.) and is over one of the most scenically beautiful routes in Bhutan. Check in at the Guest house. (Bumthang has only guest houses but they are very comfortable with good facilities.)

Day 8: Bumthang –Bumthang
Visit the historical Jakar Dzong built by Minjur Tenpa, the third Druk Desi (Temporal ruler) in 1646 A.D. It was later repaired and expanded by Gyalse Tenzin Rabgay, the fourth Desi of Bhutan in 1683 A.D. It is probably one of the biggest Dzongs in Bhutan with the surrounding walls about 1 km in circumference. Visit several ancient and important monasteries such as, Jambay Lhakhang, Kurjey Lhakhang, Kencho Sum Lhakhang, Tamshing and Pema Samba Lhakhangs. Also visit the Bumthang Swiss farm and the Member Tso” The flaming Lake” which is considered one of the most important pilgrimage spots.
Overnight: Hotel in Bumthang

Day 9: Bumthang – Bumthang
Day excursion to remote and beautiful Ura Valley. Picnic lunch will be served.
Overnight hotel in Bumthang

Day 10: Bumthang – Wangdue
After an early breakfast, drive to Wangdue.
Overnight: Hotel in Wangdue

Day 11: Wangdue – Paro
After breakfast drive to Paro. Lunch stop at Thimphu, after lunch shopping and going around Thimphu city, drive to Paro for overnight
Overnight: Hotel in Paro

Day 12: Depart Bhutan

Early morning drive to airport and board the flight for onward destination.

Wishing you safe journey and thanks for visiting Bhutan with us

Thank You very much for visiting Bhutan with us and we look forward in hearing and re-organizing same Pilgrimage Tour for you, your family members and Friends!!!

Mar 27, 2011

Buddhism and GNH appear like peas in a pod

Buddhism was so pure when it was born and first delivered to the world. Since then the great vehicle of compassion has been through an evolutionary process of constant change. Today, the way we practise the religion begs the question of whether it is already corrupt? If it is so, then it is a sign of the times. And it is only fitting to explore whether our other values have also suffered the same fate.

The religion has become a sanctuary of some sorts for the unsuccessful and the ambitious. Our practice of it is overwhelmed by the ever increasing reliance on it for success and protection. We have somehow settled down in the belief that praying for the well being of all beings somehow secures our own well being too. Every religious action is linked to our own welfare. We deliberately defy logic and common sense, and believe that our prayers have the “power to liberate” all beings. Numbers seem to matter the most as we target millions and billions bead by bead parrot-fashion. What is expected of us as Buddhists hardly becomes a source of inspiration for our practice? No matter how hard we try to believe in the inerrancy of the religious beliefs that we hold, and acknowledge the power of faith in our lives, it is difficult to wrestle down the inexorable view that Buddhism is certainly not about all these.

In a way, we have succeeded in ‘customising’ the religion to suit our own existence. When Buddhism actually requires us to remain aloof from worldly desires, we tend to use (or misuse) it to reach to those desires. We have become selfish to the extent that we are not even willing to accept what divine providence has to say about us through the numbers on the dice. We roll and reroll it, until the number that lands on the top of it is interpreted in our favour.

As Buddhists, it is challenging to clear one’s way out of the contradiction involving contentment and selflessness on the one hand, and the fervour with which we observe the rites and rituals with a rather strong material objective on the other. Our religious beliefs may be sacrosanct, but challenges such as these do haunt and fluster the ever inquisitive Buddhist minds, who try to make Buddhism relevant in their lives.

Buddhism and GNH appear like peas in a pod, at least in the way we have come to develop our understanding, expectation and the practice of it. Of course, associating the great vehicle of compassion with a development philosophy would be inapt, as the latter pales in comparison to the former by many measures. It nonetheless provides an opportunity to show how GNH too could have been possibly corrupted by the same people, who have corrupted Buddhism.

We are adamant in simplifying the great philosophy into something as narrow as individual happiness, and see it as a pair of hands that feeds and clothes every individual. Such association of the powerful concept with individual happiness only goes to show how it has become corrupt.

How could Bhutan ensure individual happiness, when rich nations like the US and Japan could not? We would be only chasing rainbows in trying to deliver happiness to every individual. It will never be achieved no matter how hard we try, for there is no limit to people’s desire for happiness. When it is in our culture to maintain the lifestyle of the rich, while our bank account might be suffering, how do we sustain such happiness? We have advocates of happiness for the masses, who slam GNH as being “ineffective”. But what is missing in their action is the will to nip something in the bud that will get them to their first base - corruption. There is so much in the rhetoric, but almost nothing in what can actually help achieve what they are advocating and championing. Perhaps the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

There is no denying that GNH represents a basic covenant between a nation and its people. But to say that that is the be-all and end-all in our grand scheme of things is debasing the powerful concept. We have to be prepared to take the rough with the smooth, if we believe the Buddha nature in us is still not corrupt. There are those, who chafe under the popular version of the GNH philosophy, wringing their hands to see that the concept be given the due respect and regard it deserves by the Bhutanese themselves first for what it is. We ought to understand that GNH is a common vision for our planet and its well-being. We ought to understand that it is about how we figure in the invisible cost of development in our calculations. We ought to understand that it is about assigning value to everything that is around us. That is why it is quite uncommon to be hit by a pang of realisation that perhaps we might have completely missed the wood for the trees.

But it is not that we do not know about it. We simply do not want to know about it. Sadly, there is a broad public apathy about what GNH is capable of. We want Gyalwong Gakid Pelzom to be dancing right in the middle of our living room. We are in pursuit of our own individual happiness. We have failed to recognise that GNH has come to symbolise the indefatigable spirit of a selfless King in pursuit of a fundamental change in the way we approach advancement into the future. And he needs our support to give it shape. But we are like ships that pass in the night when it comes to working together on GNH and providing him that support. Consequently, we still do not have a basic agreement on what constitutes GNH for us as Bhutanese. It might seem like a red rag to a bull, but it stands to reason that a people that have only their individual happiness in mind will never appreciate the greatness of the profound concept. That way, we are all perhaps complicit in debasing a great vision.

We simply write off GNH as an abstract philosophy and a utopian quest. Buddhism too is an abstract philosophy, and it does not even have an index to measure how enlightened one is. Yet, it has worked and accepted the world over, for and by those, who understood what it truly is, and who have not succumbed to self-serving impulses. How we give GNH the right kind of support depends on how we understand it and appreciate its potential. We cannot afford to have a seven-year itch, for GNH is our conviction. And it has to be the best. But we cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Everybody needs to pitch in with their best. For now, the real concern is that GNH is being corrupted faster than Buddhism. While it took about 2,500 years for the latter to get corrupted, the former took just 40 years. At this rate, we seem to be fighting a rearguard action against the forces from within our backyard. This, coupled with our relentless pursuit of trying to “extract” happiness out of GNH, we will have only ourselves later to blame for stifling the great philosophy to a mere shadow of what the thinker has originally envisioned, and have it sacrificed on the altar of individual happiness.

Source: Kuenselonline

Aug 8, 2009

Bhutan Bhuddhism

WHAT IS BUDDHISM?

This question is easier asked than answered. Lama Anagorika Govinda expressed it as follows in ‘Living Buddhism for the West’:

“Thus we could say that the Buddha’s Dharma is, as experience and as a way to practical realization, a religion; as the intellectual formulation of this experience, a philosophy; and as a result of self-observation and analysis, a psychology.
Whoever treads this path acquires a norm of behavior that is not dictated from without, but is the result of an inner process of maturation and that we - regarding it from without - can call morality.

THE KALAMA DISCOURSE

One time, when the Buddha passed through the city of Kalama, people asked him: “So many teachers were here, and all of them gave us excellent teachings, but they contradict each other. What should we do? The Buddha then gave the so-called Kalama Discourse and expounded on ten aspects that one should consider when listening to spiritual teachings.
Summarized, the Buddha said:

“Do not believe a spiritual teaching just because:

1. it is repeatedly recited,
2. it is written in a scripture,
3. it was handed from guru to disciple,
4. everyone around you believes it,
5. it has supernatural qualities,
6. it fits my beliefs anyway,
7. it sounds rational to me,
8. it is taught by a respectable person,
9. it was said to be the truth by the teacher,
10. one must defend it or fight for it.

However, only when it agrees with your experience and reason, and when it is conducive to the good and gain of oneself and all others, then one should accept the teachings, and live up to them.
Dharma-Wheel (symbol of the Buddha) with two Deer or, as the Buddha taught:

“My teaching is not a philosophy. It is the result of direct experience…
My teaching is a means of practice, not something to hold onto or worship.
My teaching is like a raft used to cross the river.
Only a fool would carry the raft around after he had already reached the other shore of liberation.

“If you were to follow the Dharma purely out of love for me or because you respect me, I would not accept you as disciple. But if you follow the Dharma because you have yourself experienced its truth, because you understand and act accordingly - only under these conditions have you the right to call yourself a disciple of the Exalted One.

A SPIRITUAL PATH

“The most important thing is not to get trapped in what I see everywhere in the West, a “shopping mentality” : shopping around from master to master, teaching to teaching, without any continuity or real, sustained dedication to any one discipline. Nearly all the great spiritual masters of all traditions agree that the essential thing is to master one way, one path to the truth, by following one tradition with all your heart and mind to the end of the spiritual journey, while remaining open and respectful towards the insights of all others. …
The modern faddish idea that we can always keep all our options open and so never need commit ourselves to anything is one of the greatest and most dangerous delusions of our culture, and one of the ego’s most effective ways of sabotaging our spiritual search.

Few people are capable of wholehearted commitment, and that is why so few people experience a real transformation through their spiritual practice. It is a matter of giving up our own viewpoints, of letting go of opinions and preconceived ideas, and instead following the Buddha’s guidelines. Although this sounds simple, in practice most people find it extremely difficult. Their ingrained viewpoints, based on deductions derived from cultural and social norms, are in the way.

We must also remember that heart and mind need to work together. If we understand something rationally but don’t love it, there is no completeness for us, no fulfillment. If we love something but don’t understand it, the same applies. If we have a relationship with another person, and we love the person but don’t understand him or her, the relationship is incomplete; if we understand that person but don’t love him or her, it is equally unfulfilled. How much more so on our spiritual path. We have to understand the meaning of the teaching and also love it. In the beginning our understanding will only be partial, so our love has to be even greater.
“Three qualities enable people to understand the teachings: objectivity, which means an open mind; intelligence, which is the critical faculty to discern the real meaning by checking the teachings of Buddha; and interest and commitment, which means enthusiasm.
Unfortunately, there are questionable teachers, traditions and centers in the Buddhist world. Unfortunately, the only website that simply listed them was pestered out of existence, so please, do use your critical intellect to analyse and test them as the Buddha advised, before you get seriously involved. Putting your trust in a spiritual teacher is not a small matter, see also the page on a Spiritual Teacher.

FAITH
Buddhism appears to put less emphasis on faith than many other religions, still the very first words of Shakyamuni Buddha as a teacher were:
“Opened are the gates of immortality, you that have ears to hear, release your faith.”
In Buddhism, faith is defined as: a positive attitude to virtue and objects worthy of respect. It is said to be the doorway for all positive qualities. Several different types of faith are distinguished:
a. Uncritical faith: motivation is for no apparent reason
b. Longing faith: motivation is led by an emotionally unstable mind
c. Conviction: motivated by sound reasoning
Although the first two types of faith may be helpful, it is explained that they may easily collapse ‘when the going gets rough’. In other words, the uncritical and longing faith may easily be forgotten when difficult decisions are to be made. Only the conviction which has arisen from a sound understanding will form a good basis to work with. This is one of the reasons why most Buddhist schools emphasise critical study and proper understanding from the beginning onwards.

Bhutan Bhuddhism

WHAT IS BUDDHISM?

This question is easier asked than answered. Lama Anagorika Govinda expressed it as follows in ‘Living Buddhism for the West’:

“Thus we could say that the Buddha’s Dharma is, as experience and as a way to practical realization, a religion; as the intellectual formulation of this experience, a philosophy; and as a result of self-observation and analysis, a psychology.
Whoever treads this path acquires a norm of behavior that is not dictated from without, but is the result of an inner process of maturation and that we - regarding it from without - can call morality.

THE KALAMA DISCOURSE

One time, when the Buddha passed through the city of Kalama, people asked him: “So many teachers were here, and all of them gave us excellent teachings, but they contradict each other. What should we do? The Buddha then gave the so-called Kalama Discourse and expounded on ten aspects that one should consider when listening to spiritual teachings.
Summarized, the Buddha said:

“Do not believe a spiritual teaching just because:

1. it is repeatedly recited,
2. it is written in a scripture,
3. it was handed from guru to disciple,
4. everyone around you believes it,
5. it has supernatural qualities,
6. it fits my beliefs anyway,
7. it sounds rational to me,
8. it is taught by a respectable person,
9. it was said to be the truth by the teacher,
10. one must defend it or fight for it.

However, only when it agrees with your experience and reason, and when it is conducive to the good and gain of oneself and all others, then one should accept the teachings, and live up to them.
Dharma-Wheel (symbol of the Buddha) with two Deer or, as the Buddha taught:

“My teaching is not a philosophy. It is the result of direct experience…
My teaching is a means of practice, not something to hold onto or worship.
My teaching is like a raft used to cross the river.
Only a fool would carry the raft around after he had already reached the other shore of liberation.

“If you were to follow the Dharma purely out of love for me or because you respect me, I would not accept you as disciple. But if you follow the Dharma because you have yourself experienced its truth, because you understand and act accordingly - only under these conditions have you the right to call yourself a disciple of the Exalted One.

A SPIRITUAL PATH

“The most important thing is not to get trapped in what I see everywhere in the West, a “shopping mentality” : shopping around from master to master, teaching to teaching, without any continuity or real, sustained dedication to any one discipline. Nearly all the great spiritual masters of all traditions agree that the essential thing is to master one way, one path to the truth, by following one tradition with all your heart and mind to the end of the spiritual journey, while remaining open and respectful towards the insights of all others. …
The modern faddish idea that we can always keep all our options open and so never need commit ourselves to anything is one of the greatest and most dangerous delusions of our culture, and one of the ego’s most effective ways of sabotaging our spiritual search.

Few people are capable of wholehearted commitment, and that is why so few people experience a real transformation through their spiritual practice. It is a matter of giving up our own viewpoints, of letting go of opinions and preconceived ideas, and instead following the Buddha’s guidelines. Although this sounds simple, in practice most people find it extremely difficult. Their ingrained viewpoints, based on deductions derived from cultural and social norms, are in the way.

We must also remember that heart and mind need to work together. If we understand something rationally but don’t love it, there is no completeness for us, no fulfillment. If we love something but don’t understand it, the same applies. If we have a relationship with another person, and we love the person but don’t understand him or her, the relationship is incomplete; if we understand that person but don’t love him or her, it is equally unfulfilled. How much more so on our spiritual path. We have to understand the meaning of the teaching and also love it. In the beginning our understanding will only be partial, so our love has to be even greater.
“Three qualities enable people to understand the teachings: objectivity, which means an open mind; intelligence, which is the critical faculty to discern the real meaning by checking the teachings of Buddha; and interest and commitment, which means enthusiasm.
Unfortunately, there are questionable teachers, traditions and centers in the Buddhist world. Unfortunately, the only website that simply listed them was pestered out of existence, so please, do use your critical intellect to analyse and test them as the Buddha advised, before you get seriously involved. Putting your trust in a spiritual teacher is not a small matter, see also the page on a Spiritual Teacher.

FAITH
Buddhism appears to put less emphasis on faith than many other religions, still the very first words of Shakyamuni Buddha as a teacher were:
“Opened are the gates of immortality, you that have ears to hear, release your faith.”
In Buddhism, faith is defined as: a positive attitude to virtue and objects worthy of respect. It is said to be the doorway for all positive qualities. Several different types of faith are distinguished:
a. Uncritical faith: motivation is for no apparent reason
b. Longing faith: motivation is led by an emotionally unstable mind
c. Conviction: motivated by sound reasoning
Although the first two types of faith may be helpful, it is explained that they may easily collapse ‘when the going gets rough’. In other words, the uncritical and longing faith may easily be forgotten when difficult decisions are to be made. Only the conviction which has arisen from a sound understanding will form a good basis to work with. This is one of the reasons why most Buddhist schools emphasise critical study and proper understanding from the beginning onwards.