Lessons in Buddhism

I have traveled quite a bit and pretty much have every shot/vaccination you can get, with one exception, rabies. It has always been listed as optional, including for Bhutan, however this should really be required. Bhutan has hundreds of thousands of dogs everywhere. They are all wild, and thus very territorial, so I had to exercise a little caution. I saw quite a few while walking around yesterday, however they mostly sleep during the day and it is not until night that they come out. At first I thought there was some huge party going on last night, however it never stopped. These dogs howl and bark all night and a pair of earplugs is not a bad idea.


I woke up this morning and had rice, noodles, and vegetables for breakfast. I waited for my guide as I watched the kids go to school this morning.


We headed off towards the Tango monastery about an hour out of town. We would park at the base of the mountain and then hike another 45 minutes up to the monastery. As we drove we passed a unit from Bhutan’s military, who with basically negative crime rates, was out picnicking.


We passed a few prayer wheels that were in constant motion from flowing streams and they rang a bell on every rotation.


We got to the base of our hike and saw our destination up the mountain. Even though this was one of the easier hikes, it would prove difficult as just yesterday I arrived at this altitude and was still acclimating.




I kept a nice steady step, not over exerting myself, and it was not that bad.




Along the way I saw what appeared to be over sized Hersey kisses and asked my guide what they were. He said that they are dead people. In Bhutan they cremate the body and give most of it back to the earth. However, they keep a small bit of ash which they create a small stupa with and place them on the mountain.


I pushed on passing many prayer flags.


If you look closely every flag has an actual prayer on it.


We came to a stupa and went to the left, or clockwise as my guide informed me.


We had our first sighting of monks coming down from the monastery.


Finally the monastery is getting closer.




The surrounding houses are for people to come and live in, and meditate anywhere from three months to three years.


Up the mountain there were monkeys playing as we approached.




As we got close I knew that soon my cameras would have to be shut down. My guide in his traditional dress leading the way on the left.


A few last shots before I lose my camera and shoes.








Before entering I would get my first lesson in Buddhism from my guide, a practicing Buddhist. He covered the six domains represented in this single painting, (God, Jealous God, Human, Animal, Hungry Ghost, and Hell), that explained the entire meaning of life, current, past, and present. We spent 30-45 minutes here with my various questions, before entering the monastery.


I was able to snap a few shots inside the courtyard before sitting down for a formal lesson. This place is amazing and I wish I could show you everything I saw, every corridor I went down, behind every door I opened. I could have spent days here exploring and would even consider being a monk, only for a few months though.










After my self-guided tour of the monastery I had the incredible opportunity to sit down with other monks for a daily lesson. We sat on bamboo mats, huge Buddha statues surrounded us, the ancient wood was so smooth that no splinter could ever pierce one’s barefoot. My lungs filled with incense that had been burning for hundreds of years. It was dark with a little light coming in the windows and a few candles burning away. At front a teacher, teaching lessons in a language that I could not understand. But it did not matter and again I felt so fortunate to be here up in the Himalayans, experiencing a lesson in Buddhism that has been taught this way since the beginning. After the lesson I had a chance to meditate, and never before have I been able to clear my mind so quickly and easily.


We passed a woman weaving. Her kids were playing near by and her chilies were drying out on the roof.






We stopped for lunch and it had a zero based elevator just like the one at my hotel. As a computer guy I found these pretty cool and of course had to push the negative one button just to see it work.


A small weaving factory.


I then had the opportunity to walk around Thimphu.






And then I came across this sign which seems to read "Restaurant and Cum Bar". I thought, well maybe this is a language translation issue, or perhaps this is some animal product that gives strength and long life.


Then I found this place and the paintings on the walls looked pretty human. So I now thought, well in Thailand you can get a massage with a happy ending, maybe in Bhutan you can get a beer with a jerk off.


I did not get the full details of how this worked until the following day so I’ll let you ponder it until the next page.

We then headed to Tashichhodzong and waited for the administration to finish their daily business. It was interesting to see a real functional government, and government employees doing actual work to further their country and people. Being from the US this is something I have never before seen.


Government officials leaving for the day.


A few photographs I could take inside the courtyard.




Because any decisions also involve the spiritual well being they also consult the monks.




That night I had a very special experience in that I got to have dinner with a family in their home. The owner of the local tour company invited me over and his wife made a traditional meal. He had three kids and I enjoyed talking to them about school. They pretty much have the same kind of classes as we do with the addition of Buddhism and English, they all spoke English quite well. His youngest son was hoping to one day fly for Drukair. The meal was red rice, spinach soup, deep fried vegetables, and pork. Everything tasted great but I did have a little trouble with the pork as they were big pieces and they eat it with the skin on. I was not able to bite it apart and did not have a knife to cut it, so I had to try and swallow it, a beer chaser really helped and I got it down. He brewed his own beer and brought it out in previously used plastic water bottles, it was not bad but I much prefer Druk 11000.


As it was their private home I restrained from taking many pictures. The people really love their king, and with good reason, so every house has a picture of the king. We ate and then talked for almost four hours, it was so amazing to share each of our stories, and one of those evenings that I will never forget.




I got back to my hotel and with a wonderful feeling of joy left over from tonight’s dining experience, I drifted off to sleep. OK, I took one more trip on the elevator so I could push the negative one button again.

VIDEO: Day 2 - Thimphu