The faithful Pet Dog

On 12th December 2014, seeping spy wine to kill off my extreme boredom at V.M Mansion. I was joined by my Thai brother and sister to for a drink and chat for the night hours. With his bald and barren head dazzling  with light, brother shared me very sad story of his faithful pet dog that he adopted at his house long time ago. It was tough time for him to find the seller of that pet which he searched in Google but finally he  could get the contact point of the dealers. He ranged with happy mood to see his lucky pet who will join as the new family member. Reaching the owner's house brought him great delight and happiness for he was able to get reunion with his past life parent "would be pet"  as Buddhist always belief and stress on. Paying the exact amount that the owner demanded and came with his favorite pet to have fun and joy by providing love and care that we all expect from our owner. 

Showering with great love and care to his new family member and time went by without any notice. One day, the poisonous snake visited his house and the faithful pet could bark and chase away the snake who would bite the family members. The danger from the external source was firstly noticed and sensed by their pet dog and family members never sense such life-threatening snake came into their room while they dine at table. Indeed, the snake was really frequenting their house every night from no where and the faithful pet dog did his duty to chase away by barking loudly. The family members could join him to drive away that snake or the black Naga who could kill them by just a bite.

Oh! This snake came again to their room as a ritualistic visit. They did not give much damn to it but that was a significant bad omen for the family. That night, the faithful pet dog tried his best to chase away the deadly poisonous snake as ritualistic duty. It was very unlucky duty for the pet dog which got bitten by that deadly snake on his nose. They rushed him to the hospital immediately, but very sadly, it was declared as curfew on that night and moreover the traffic in Bangkok is horrible. The pet dog's life was getting shorter and shorter every minutes with attack from poison injected by snake bite. Finally, they could not save this faithful pet dog from this deadly attack of poison and passed away on the lap of my brother. Reaching the story at this juncture, his eyes were dripping with tears and emotionally broke down. How sad it was listening to such great sacrifice that pet dog made for other family members who could have dead if he was not in the family. With broken-heart it was buried under the soil and he could not think of buying any new pet hereafter for it was such a pain and great loss in his life. 

We Bhutanese people always say that "Dogs are faithful animals than cats". This story proved  by this sad sacrifice of faithful pet dog who saved the lives of owners. If he was not in that house as pet, one of their family members could have died out of snake bite and traffic congestion. Therefore, I dedicate all my small collection of merits to this pet dog who was supposed to be Buddha in dog form came to save my brother's family members.  I also share the pain and loss of such faithful and good pet of my brother indeed.  We should be always kind to our animals and save them from mass killing.  May the peace and happiness prevail on this earth with harmony an love. May the obstacles of human and animals be reduced and waive off by the power of Guru Rinpoche.

Mindu Wangdi

Full of Surprises!

My stay in Bangkok is now eighteen months when the December is over and out. Reflecting back  from the beginning of my arrival to pursue my master degree in Leadership and Human Resource management at College of Management Mahidol University. During the course of my educational journey at Thailand, I saw many surprising events, people and culture around me that makes me feel uncomfortable to live and move on to achieve my dream to earn my master degree as another milestone in my life. As old saying goes" life is journey, travel it", indeed I traveled alone in the land of smile and smile sometimes is cruel and hurtful. Smile in Thai culture can be sometimes interpreted as hatred towards us and rejection from their heart or group. The smiling and nodding of their head is enough to say that he/she avoid your contact and never want to be friend.Such events are another unforgettable memory that I carry back to Bhutan from Thailand as culture surprise. 

Photo Courtesy- Google  

It was amazing to meet many foreigners as exchange students from France, US, Germany in different classes that we have on particular semester, who are open minded people and want to interact freely with me. It was great to meet such friends in the group for every semester where I enjoyed chatting, sharing our cultural differences and perception of values in life. What I value most is invaluable for foreigners and their values seems meaningless to my heart and mind either.  It was incredible to encounter such blue-eyed people who can talk openly of their Thai girlfriends and lovers that they used and kick-out like clothes after their studies are over and out. The Thai girls will accept any type of foreigners, who, sometimes look physically terrible and shabby man. The value Thai girls hunt for is money not the love from such shapeless men who destroys their beauty and charm. It is interesting to observe that, the Thai girls never give damn and smile to Asian men, like me who got no money  to spend for her enjoyment unlike foreigners do possess. However, Thai girls even don't want Thai men either to be their boyfriend/husband for their "butterfly nature" which the ladies hate ever since. Such is the trend developing and is moving fast in Thailand. 

Roaming in the street in midnight, brings me another experience where I can see many sexy girls out on their nigh duty. They would approach me and request to take me home which makes me feel nervous and blush in the crowds and I would say, no please! It is not the nurse attending their night shift duty in hospital  but these girls are attending the men for selling their bodies at younger age to earn money as easy means of earning life. I saw many foreigners, Bhutanese  and Thai men chose from the crowd of selling girls for their bed-partner with negotiation for the price for one go. Sad to see that many girls turned their bodies  as commodity to be sold out for money. She already lost her dignity in society for sake of making easy money. It is nothing to be shocked, even some men land up picking the lady-boy as bed partner as he cannot differentiate between the true girl or lady-boy in midnight. The men get crazy in his room when he sees similar phallus from the lady-boy. The money is paid already, nothing he can do, but end up without action and try to send away that lady-boy where his sexual desire is unfulfilled, frustrated and other friends will make fun of his coincidences. Such are typical surprises that I saw during my stay at Thailand. I cannot forget such events that are recorded in my low GB memory shelf. 

One of my Thai lady friend said I am both female and male in one. Indeed, she was born as lady but she want be transgender. So, how should address she or he?  I was in big dilemma when she said that to me. With the help of scientific research, the ladies can become men and men can turn into women after surgery and transplantation of the organs. It is crossing beyond the nature of human norms and definitions. Therefore, we really cannot say, that girl or boy after attending their maturity of age. There is every risk, boy will turn into lady-boy or transgender. It was such crazy things I encountered and made me numbed and speechless. We human beings don't like to be what we are but want to act very strange and different from all. Such ideas are spreading even far to such small country like Bhutan, where there are gays and lesbians who are proud to come out in public. It is another surprising trend in modern workforce where Human Resource Managers need to handle with care in designing their company toilets for such diversity of workforce available in different countries. 

Another interesting observation that I made during my stay in Thailand was that gay hates ladies deeply and ladies felt as threat to their sex-business when the gay population increases. These gay and lady-boy enter into their business and their market share is stolen. How come, every where there is business and strategies applied even in such disgusting place of sex- business. It is becoming the most lucrative business to earn easy money and forgo the fame and dignity. There is endless encounters which are already deleted from my low GB memory where one Bhutanese women commented as "Tube light". It means, my memory takes so long to read through the data that are piled up for longer duration. How critical she was in analyzing my low GB memory that she hates deeply indeed. Nevertheless, I am happy to receive many bold criticisms from my friends so that I learn and improve in my life after I say Goodbye to Thailand and CMMU family! It is my request to readers not take it seriously but just have fun with my shameless thoughts that I cannot hide anymore in my thin memory card.

Mindu Wangdi

Farewell 987 Souls!

The boredom and loneliness piles on me after I am done away with my breakfast swiftly slipping into my stomach. What is my next agenda for the day is the haunting, ghostly question, which I have to find solution immediately. The self- motivation to study is already dead and gone from my mind and heart, but thinking how to kill my free time alone in the room. The immediate solution for my free time is to fly away to temple and earn some merits and dedicate to all the mankind for peace and prosperity on this earth. This motivation is generated from the deepest of my heart with zeal  and trust to Lord Buddha where no one did push me to go unwillingly. The natural willingness is always invoked in my heart and mind to visit temple for countless times.  Hanging on my small bag containing my pocket and mobile phone, I would ride on the scooter to reach me nearby the fly-over bridge. 

My eyes could capture what people are doing in the morning street life during my walk towards the temple. I can see meat, fish, chicken vendors cutting their products with loud noise to attract the customers to their shops. The street cooking business is another beautiful scene I can enjoy with varieties of foods and curry packed in the plastics. The display of fruits, clothes and books along the way is normal busy market day. The beggar with one leg is lying flat on the road holding a plate so that kind people could donate him some food and coins. Women with her small kid on her lap too sits nearby the road with plates on her hand, symbolizing begging time for meals. My eyes could scan some beautiful ladies along the street too as another amazing events to remember. 

Having entered the shop where I could buy small bottle of cooking oil for butter lamp to be offered in the temple, whereby, the shopper could immediately pick up two bottles of oil and rush off after making payment and continue next shop to buy garland and incense sticks where an old lady with Indian musics played on her tape makes me feel as if I am at Bodh Gaya street to visit Lord Buddha. With those items I moved towards the temple to make my sincere payers and lay man wishes.  It is normal thing to see my old friends in the temple and say "Swadi Khap" folding my hands as Thai culture. 

My little offerings are made to Lord Buddha and merits that I could earn is dedicated to all sentient beings without expectations in my mind. The sun oust side the temple is beating so hard on my head and hunt to shed rest. Luckily, the big temple's ground floor door is open today for some death ritual purpose. I have an golden opportunity to enter inside  and saw many name plates with photos of those death people pasted on the walls. The flowers are hung on the frame as an offer to their beloved ones who left them sadly. Gazing at different photos of old man, women, lady, men and kids send back chilling effect on my backbones. Indeed, I have no connection with these death people personally but I felt as if all are my parents and friends who are looking at me with their sad heart and gloomy eyes who need merits to pull from sinking under the mud" Hellish realms".

I was counting the numbers of name plates pasted on the temple wall and it ends with 987 after making one round. This indicates, 987 people died and were burnt in this small temple and their ashes and names are inscribed on the cement plates as the last memory of human life live in Thailand. I could see even Chinese faces among the  death people. Death indeed has occurred to all across the ages. Since the images are all mixed of old, young and pretty girls indicating death has no partiality but differ on schedules.  I realized that I was looking at the dead-end of human life where we work hard to earn money, fame, power, position, love and sex forgetting that we are here on this earth for  the great  mission to get enlightenment as human being. 

I was wandering, what did these  987 souls could have taken with them after hoarding lots of money in the banks and shares in the stock markets for whole life. Now they are gone and bidden farewell with just small name plate and garland on it. How pathetic is our human life that we all applaud as success and achievement as Scientists, Engineers, Doctors, Executives, Managers and Educationist that all goes naked from this world and wander in the intermediate state "Bardo" without direction and guidance for billions of years. Tears roll down my checks feeling very sad while I see their faces printed out just in "black and white" color only. It means, you are gone and no more human being. You, 987 have lost your brightness, life, beauty and power on this earth but back to poor state of lonely journey that you travel with terror and fears.

Nevertheless, you, 987 taught me very good lesson on the impermanence and death as truth that we all should accept with happy face. I know one day or other will follow your foot step and may not even have my own name plate inside the temple for sure I can predict my predicament. It would also serve as great teaching to other fellow beings who clings so much to their bodies and power. Just a glimpse of you 987 souls can change the mind of the deadly non-believer on Buddha Dharma could convert and follow the right path. I as lay man, would like to dedicate all my tiny merits to 987 souls and may you all attain the land of pureness and shower me with your love, compassion and blessings to achieve my dreams and wishes to spread Buddha Dharma on this earth.  May I become great human being who can dispel the sufferings of the sentient beings.

Mindu Wangdi

"Love" The Powerful Bait

The "Divine Mad Man" who is popularly known as Lam Drukpa Kuenlay in Bhutan declared the mass  crowd in Tibet during 15th Century stating that "The Karmapa has lost his mind discipline now" by falling love to a beautiful lady present during the ceremony of  empowerment seating at the highest level of throne offered by the devotees. What if such greatly revered master Karmapa (future Buddha)  even became the pray of "love" for a short while and lost his pureness  and discipline of pure monk life. The "Divine Mad Man" could read the mind or current of thoughts generated in His Holiness  Karmapa at an instant through his Yogic power and wisdom eyes. It was happily accepted by His Holiness Karmapa and requested Yogi to compose some poems on this event which came to be known as "Mani Na Chung Ma" This is just an historical depiction of love for charming ladies and its bait that every being falls into and die unwanted death. Everyone of us are swimming in the oceans of "cheating love" and end up with suffering and pain that follows like a shadow aftermath.

The whales, dolphins and fishes in the ocean has to die when a cheating colorful bait is eaten as food but got hooked and fished out by the cruel fishermen for selling their meat and skin to make more money. It is our attachment for such beautiful object like bait "love" and trusting it blindly brings us the disaster and destruction. Indeed, I am haunted by many dead lovers in my dreams with their sad stories and need solutions and help from me for it. They do visit me during my dreams and share their stories of love and sex that occurred before they get into troubled and killed each other as an end game. 

The game is not still over even they killed each other and become formless. It seems they are meet even in the intermediate (Bardo) state and continue their revenge on each other and vicious circle never ends. What a sad lesson to learn from them and made me cautious of my emotional breakdowns and risking of such events in the future. It could refresh all my past failed love affair memories during my schooling period that are not happy to recollect and rejoice and future looks so gloomy in the field of married "love and Life". Love is always accompanied by cheating and mistrust that boils us to highest level of stress and pain at heart. This "love affair" is the most complicated subject ever I dealt with for many years with little options available in it. It slowly dries up your lifeblood and everything  gets mess up after few years of relationship and living together.

One beautiful lady complaint to me that she was murdered by her boy friend in my routine dreams. She wants some help from me in this matter to end her game for bad revenge on her lover. She is still looking for ways to hurt and murder her boy friend who is alive and enjoying with other damsels. Therefore, she feel very jealous and sad even if the ex-boy friend may not see it. The jealousy in her mind and soul is burning like fire and she wants to razed her man to the ground. This very risky game of love that we human beings play and try to find some craziness in it. To support my dream as truth; one of the foreigner guys did kill Thai his girl friend by throwing her from the fifth floor balcony of V.M Mansion several year back was shared by our manager as reliable source. How sad it was to hear such story, that women ends up at hands of man in course of making money  and life from strange foreigners in Thailand. That man was hunt down by the police and sent jail for human murder case.

As a gesture of help to this dead lover girl, I visited the temple nearby to light butter lamp, incense stick and garland to Buddha and dedicate all merits to this unknown and strange women who haunts me in my dreams. It was really a magic that worked; this lady did not come to my dreams again and throw her frustration and suffering constantly. She could have already reached the land of thousand Buddhas or heavenly Gods by the power of Lord Buddha and little merit that I gave her through my simple process even my pocket is running dry every time as a student life in Thailand. This is how I have to help her and request her to forget and forgive her boy friend rather than looking for chance to revenge on him by waiting in the intermediate state.  

Through this experience, I could conclude that we human beings are "Hooked in the bait of love and sex" without any limit and which can turn into nightmarish event by murdering each other at certain point of hatred being developed. The love last for only for three days after marriage or engagement ceremony and vanes like the full moon into half and completely black night. The hatred for each other will rule on and plan for murder and separation comes like thunder dragon. Love and affairs are dangerous game that we human beings play which can turn into poison one day and it never works as we wished for but frustrates more and leads to many unwanted events of suicide and murder each other. Therefore, we should have some limit on playing such life risking game of Love and marriages  and make our life more meaningful by practicing Buddha Dharma which is the only true friend that accompanies us after we die and walks alone in the hellish realms. I would like to request  to all youths and adults not to get addicted to "Love Game". If it does not work, don't push but leave it behind and enjoy alone with the Nature!!!!

Mindu Wangdi

The Woman & Her Expectations

It is my routine job to visit the temple (Wat in Thai) nearby and wander around with the people whom I am known and familiar with. One day, I was accompanied by my host to the inner chapel where the monks giving teaching to small kids on Buddha Dharma by chanting prayers and learning the values. Watching the process and activities inside the temple where some kids started feeling sleepy from the begging of class and their eyes peeping through the windows outside and just mouth murmuring the prayers for sake of doing. I understood that these kids could concentrate for few minutes in their prayers and listening to the lectures given by the revered monk as generation builder of Thailand.

Observing their behaviors, I could conclude that these kids felt it was just another burden on their free time amusement could have happened in the children park. These kids really did not enjoy praying but doing it for the sake of doing to fulfill the wishes of monks and parents.  On top of that praying, kids were asked to bow down on the ground paying respect to the Buddha and its values where some of them could face difficulty in performing it. How pity was seeing these kids tamed at so young age with bombardment of culture and traditions which they may not carry further after their adulthood. Will all these kids live with these values forever or one day they throw out  into trash bin and those efforts are gone into drain?

To me, those kids were like an "caged birds" in a chapel who wishes to flay away in the distant land and sing a beautiful song of freedom and amusement at such tender age. Recollecting my childhood days wandering with cattle in the deep forest listening the musical flow of nightingales and watching the best part of Nature and rivers whole day playing around. The musical instrument known as the flute was my best friend which I could play with joy in my heart and fill the forests with such charming notes. Think of those days that I enjoyed the extreme freedom of childhood and these kids are already burden with their studies and another cultural session given by the monks on Sunday. Their freedom is already lost at such tender age. The motivating factor for kids are like free coffee and some snacks to pick up from the balcony during the course and start munching to satiate their hunger and thirst provided by the monks and join the prayer holding the prayer books.

Indeed, I was the only foreigner, who visited these kids session on weekend holiday and observe their behaviors carefully.  To keep myself engaged, they provided me some books on "How to Talk So Kids Can Learn" written by Lisa Nyberg & Rosalyn Anstine Templeton in English version which I enjoyed reading through and enlightened me with some basic tips to guide our kids at home. It provides us the psychological handling of our kids by teacher and parents so that they can become the best nation builders instead of robbers and murders at the adulthood. I could recommend other readers can brush through this book. It certainly can give you very fine tactics to handle the problematic kids in the school and at home.

Seeping a cup of hot coffee at balcony with my kind host. An old woman came nearby us and my host had good conversation with her in Thai language. She finally could translate their talks to me in this way. "This Thai old woman with an specks dangling on her nose wishes to have one Bhutanese boy friend in Thailand". It was really shock to hear such wishes from an old lady who is already down the line. She could be around sixty plus by now.  It seems she is single for whole life or could be divorced long years back. It made me shut up for while and gave myself second thought to answer her needs at current moment. After analyzing the situation in my mind, I said to the old lady in this way. " At my apartment V.M Mansion, there are very few Bhutanese men living and I may not find one for you. Therefore, I offer you an option that I can be your Bhutanese boy friend for six months . Are you willing to accept my offer. There was great laughter filled the air which came from my Thai host and the Old lady could not say anything to my offer. Her face turn into red and felt so ashamed and left the scene immediately.

This incident made me to think, why Thai women like Bhutanese men the most? Does Bhutanese men have any special qualities and quantities that they can measure it as compared to other men.  I have many hypotheses in my mind for these but I want to leave it for the audiences to find themselves in course of time.


Mindu Wangdi

The Scientist Walking Behind

According to Lord Buddha, there are 84,000 types of diseases which can destroy human beings and animals and cause many illnesses. This declaration was made 2500 year ago by the Lord Buddha who had already perfected his wisdom in Biology and Chemistry of diseases indeed. How amazing it is to learn that Buddhism is not an orthodox text or crowds of beliefs we all place on but proven as scientific study done by our only Lord Buddha and left many medical solutions for the future generations to deal with. The Buddhism has got many medical and esoteric solutions that helps to prevent and protect from all these alien diseases and calamities as blessed by Lord Buddha so that we human beings can live happy and healthy life. 

The fear of AIDS, HIV, High Blood pressure, Diabetes  virus is now taken over by the latest Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) out break from African Countries and  scientists and Doctors are left without any solutions for this virus to content it. How come, our scientist and Doctors are walking behind the diseases. The virus can take advantage in different forms to destroy human beings and our scientific development and research is always lagging behind the virus and feel great level of frustrations when they are helpless to destroy the virus of Ebola. This Ebola virus have already killed many people and now the World Health Organization is declaring as emergency state to contain the virus through prevention to other Nations. The Bhutanese people are also trying their best to prevent the deadly virus from entering our soil and the Health Ministry is deputing many health workers in the airport for quarantine of sick people which may be the perfect solution. 

It is very interesting to learn that disease can take very strategic level of changes in their forms that the medicines cannot easily destroy them. How come, these viruses acts like human beings. They uses many tactics and strategies to puzzle our Scientist and Doctors leaving behind. When the enemy "virus" is killing the patients; the Gods "Doctors or Scientists" are watching the drama for they are fighting the war without any guns in their hands to shoot their enemies instantly. How pathetic we human beings are indeed, we cannot understand the best strategy of viruses that destroys faster than we can can prevent through medical solutions? We all think, we are the best and great thinkers and innovators but sometimes, we lose the war to such tinny viruses and get killed in mass. How should the scientists and Doctors find the solutions to such mutating viruses? 

Should the scientists and Doctors follow what lord Buddha has left for us as solutions available in Sutras and Tantric forms of evading such alien viral attacks? The scientific advancement is in slack  period and the viral attack in critical path in this modern days? It is my sincere and humble request to the scientists and Doctors to explore some solution from the Buddhism to apply in the world and accept as the scientific proof instead of getting frustrated without any solutions left after long scientific study. We should fight the war with guns in our hands, if we want to win the war from Ebola virus.  Prevention alone is not long term solution to such attacks which might wipe away the human population from this earth. May Buddha Bless you all and live happy and long life ahead!

Mindu Wangdi

The Man & Book

It was really wonderful to open my heart and listen carefully to his (Thai brother's) story for long hours in his room seeping a cup of tea and munching some fruits offered on the bamboo made table. He would throw out his sad moments and troubled times and ask for any solutions to adopt immediately in the future and the conversation continued for many nights under the dim light and soft Thai music played on his radio. Being senior people, suggesting some solution is quite sensitive and re-bouncing for their want to remain in their "caged thought". The resistant to change is sensed but I could melt his heart with my diplomatic way of advice based on Buddhist principles which loves to embrace it.

He would complain to me that his friends never listen to his problems but ignored him and once he bang the table during the dinner which hurt his friends emotionally and their strong bonds nearly got shattered with that incident. I can see his frustration and stress in his face, as he comes to my room with beer and guitar to release his tension. I offered him chair and we continued talking on his failed and troubled days. His future worries are like, maintaining of his house which is getting natural decay, financial re-bounce, family stress, client handling and many future plans that he listed. So he would ask me "Mindu" how do you deal with it?

He cornered me with such big issues that is beyond my advice and suggestions indeed. Nevertheless, I offered him some options to handle with those problems by selling away the house before it is gone completely that he cannot think of it yet. Otherwise, rent out to some people nearby for minimum amount of rent. The problem is that he never trust anyone to stay in his house and maintain it annually. There is big doubt in his mind looming around that people will destroy his house if allowed. His house is now being haunted by Thai Ghosts and demons since the owner is far away in the city. This makes him go crazy as he spent huge amount of money to purchase. I told him the story of Naga (serpent) with nine heads with nine jewels on it and have to guard it from the enemies. How worrisome and difficult time that Naga is having under the ocean safeguarding the jewels. In the similar manner, your life is also pressured with worries of house, money, family,car. girl friend,  boy friends and neighbors.  

The best solution that I suggested him is to reduce your desire of wanting to possess and live contented life with what you have. Don't plan too much; you get frustrated when your plan fails. Don't visualize future too much, it is uncertain to reach that goal and it would again bring unhappiness to your mind. In Buddhist way of living is to live at present moment. No point of regressing the past and forecasting future as both would bring unhappy results. These suggestions have huge impact on his mind whereby I can see smile in his face and laughter coming naturally. He is now re-united with his friends with dinner and chats.

 And finally, he showed me his secret note book where he writes all his sadness, worries and complaints. Since, he wants to blow out his tension by writing everything in his thin note book which quite amazing and typical character that I could see this man. He said, this is my twin soul ("notebook"). How difficult time did he face when no one listened to his personal problems. It was me who could open his mind and heart by listening carefully with compassion and love for narrator with nodding my head and interrupting few moments for clarifications.  This is power of good listening and we could change and influence someone to live happy life  and save from  future dangers of killing oneself when people find one solutions in their life. We need not get training of Psychiatrist to heal someone but we should learn and listen to their problems well and let them open their hearts and minds for the change. Show them the new paths to walk in life and you will feel satisfaction at heart for serving them without involving any financial support.  

Currently, people need love and compassion from others not the money and powerful words of science to heal them from mental stress and torture from their job and surrounding. This is how I help sentient beings in little way to live simple and happy life rather than buried under tension and die with worries on their head.

Mindu Wangdi

The Black Magicians

The principle of Yin-Yang (Good & Bad)  rules this world. During my childhood days, my mother used to hide me from some strange and dangerous village people who can poison and do some black magic to kill me and family. The man with disabled left hand would visit my house and ask for some butter and food for his dogs at home and my mother has to give it immediately without any question in her mind. I was really innocent to understand such strange and harmful man which my mother used to share me after he left the scene. Indeed, he is a "black magician" who killed many village people, cattle and horses with his black magic if he is not granted what he wished from the owner. The village people are really afraid of this ugly man who would frequent the villages asking to give him as he wishes. No one can dare to deny his wishes, otherwise, that family will be in critical danger zone if done. This man will leave a word, "I will see you whether you can make up to few days on this earth". Such dreadful comments and torture did subdue everyone in the village. He acts like king in our village ordering to innocent people to provide his sustenance.  This man and his wife will never work in the field but ask from others and sustain on it. My father and mother used to feel such fear of this black magician. My late father was ill for more than one year due to this ugly man's black magic. He nearly killed my father with his black magic before we sort out with another black magician to backfire his wrath on my father and regained his health. He also killed many of our cattle and horses and pet dogs according to my mother's narration.

This black magician would always go for fishing in the river and once he got bitterly stoned by the village people near river bank. People in the village hate him so much and wanted to end him with any means so that our village have good people to trust and live in peacefully. The happiness of villagers are lost due to this black magicians presence as ghostly haunts. Villagers felt he is just like a dust in their eyes and wanted to clean out but the Black magicians never die early due to his hidden spirit power and support. To my surprise, this old man taught his black magic to many bad villager men and became his good followers by killing others. The bad people in the village started to flourish in my village since Buddha Dharma is rarely heard and practiced. The few dedicated practitioners are helping villagers with Buddhist ceremonies of death and rituals. Most of young men turn into black magician rather than good people. It is a sad trend developing in rural life setting. Indeed, the Yang (bad) people are winning the war against the Yin (good) and people wanted to leave their village forever and get settled in good community.

The readers may not believe in what I am saying if I have no support from other context. Having lived for more than one year, my adopted sister at Thailand shared me her own story of black magicians in Thailand. According her narration, her ex-husband is an dangerous man who possess black magic to destroy her life. She is a very dedicated women who meditates for many hours everyday in the temples. She said, her husband is doing black magic to control her and keep as his wife even after he got married with another lady. His ex- husband declared that 'you cannot go away from him" and she got struck in this dilemma. She feels pain at her back and sees someone stabbing on her during her dream. This is her husband who wants to destroy her but power of Buddha saved her from fatal death. She asked me "do you have any solutions for this black magic" which is mystery and beyond my thoughts. I am want to explore solutions to this cancerous attack of black magicians and save many lives.

Finally, some astrologers said that, I am also under the attacks from black magic since I have had an dispute over the land fragmentation in my village. Most of my relatives are unhappy about our land distributions happened few years ago.  It seems that they hired someone to do black magic on me to revenge. It was true indeed, as I was sick for more than one year at Bangkok even after long medication, my sickness could not get fixed and be normal. The dangerous dreams always haunts me signalling some danger behind the scene. Some people may not believe on this subject but it is still there in the community harming others and destruction are done every time. That is why Yin-Yang goes together and sometimes good forces are defeated by such evils people. Be mindful of such dangerous people living in the community every where in Bhutan and Thailand. 

Mindu Wangdi

Perceptions on me!

Seeping a cup of tea offered by Thai sisters at MBK shopping mall was another memorable day. My sisters working as freelance tourist guide at tour east travel company owned by a Singaporean business tycoon.  Resting my arms on the sofa set and watching shoppers ferrying with purchases and checking their face-book status on their I-phone striking likes and share buttons. Nearby me, an old  Indian woman  tourist who is settled in London namely Sonia with her daughter were also in the cohort of discussion. With long nose and wrinkled face burning with  ballooning egoistic  mind.  She said, her father was smart man and she too is smart lady at brain. Moreover, she praised her daughter is far better than anyone of their family members. Then, my conversation with this old lady abruptly end for she thinks as if she knows everything like Gods. She was the women who declared me as "fool". She finally concluded me as foolish man! That was her perception on me. I never defend her description on me and remained silent until we departed to different directions. Did she really comprehend my inner quality or Is she deluded completely with her own burning ego?

Chit and chat on the way with my sister, suddenly reached to another beautiful temple for earning merits for all sentient beings. No sooner did I enter the gate of temple, the peace and happiness begins to settle in my heart forgetting all my mundane worries like, study, research, money and sickness that tortured me for almost fifteen months. Trailing through the foot path surrounded by forest cover in the heart of city. It was such an experience of having reached the secluded place of retreat and happiness provided by Lord Buddha and Yogis. I was taken to a place where the famous Thia masters statues were erected for their blessings and empowerment. Having down  in front of Thai masters, prayed for their support and blessings for my practices to become true realization so that I can support all sentient beings. Listening to my sister briefing on these famous Thai master made me feel shocked and amazed of their level of meditation realization. 

We happily walked towards the inner part of huge temple where many white dressed men and women doing meditation and reciting some prayers. Nevertheless, my sister too join the cohort to resume her concentration on the chair. I was walking round the relics of Buddha and Yogis preserved in the glass container. Vow! There is many Buddhist relics in Thailand which are very precious, rare and wish fulling for faithful people.  Having sat for while with cup of coffee offered by sister after her meditation under the canopy. She opened her heart and shared with me of her realization as  a practitioner. She is such a women who can communicate with Nagas (serpents) and other spirits who want her help to get merits from Buddha. She is a messenger of Nagas,devils, Pretas and Gods to connect with Lord Buddha. It was really amazing women with her level of practices as a die-hard Buddhist and dedicated women. 

Looking at me, she said, "you are not a human being in her eyes but a yogi" that is found in Tibetan mountains wandering freely. I could not believe in her statement for I am just a lay man who does not know anything and still confused with delusions. And I said " Are you sure that you can see me as Yogi at my heart?". She said, yes, I can see you through my third eyes that ordinary beings cannot penetrate your mind and heart. And one of my sisters said, you are like a "witchcraft" or "black magician" who can chase away the ghosts and devils from patients. That was another perception on me from the audiences. 

Nonetheless, it was such an amazing declarations of their own perceptions and comprehensions on after we share our views and comments. The famous Yogi, Lam Drukpa Kinlay (The Divine Mad Man)  too accepted whatever the audiences declared sometimes him.  I am  "Yogi"; "foolish man"  and  "witchcraft or black magician". Vow! Who is right in defining me based on their judgmental thoughts? Hope to get more perceptions from other audiences and friends before I leave this world.

Mindu Wangdi 

The Monk and Cigarettes

Life in Bangkok   is in-complete for me as a Buddhist by birth and die as die-hard Buddhist follower only until I get enlightened fully. If I don't visit temples and explore in-depth of their philosophical values embraced by society that was purely gifted from Lord Buddha to Thai people to have peace and harmonious life.

The Thai society have placed the highest respect for the monks residing in temples by paying their homage and receiving blessings every morning hours. Even the cold military man will refrain from harming or shooting at monks under any dire circumstances of conflicts. Since it is considered as the greatest sin to commit crime and harm to monks in Thai society and this value is embedded in every ones heart and purely upheld. The girl and women cannot even touch the monks saffrons for it will soil their celibacy and vows of the monks during an offer of alms too. If touched, the monks will have to undergo very rigorous purification process to retain its vows of celibacy and purity. I also noticed that women usually keep safe distance while talking and offering alms with monks. I salute for that and hope this culture will live for generations to come. The opposite is happening in Bhutanese monasteries where monks have girl friend and hidden wife and kids at home  to enjoy. This made me wander, how come,the same Buddhist monk could have two different ethics and etiquette?  Are our Bhutanese monks really upholding such pure celibacy or is already broken into pieces and just wearing the monk's dress to earn the livelihood and some respect from the Bhutanese society.

Sitting on the Chair under the cool shed of giant umbrella in front of the temple where the donation box is frequented by Thai people writing their names on the golden name plate with their wishes and prayers made for the success in life. What wish they seek from Lord Buddha is very mysterious to me as ordinary human being. My estimation could be; they did wish for family happiness, wealth, peace, prosperity and lottery winning. To me, such wishes are shortsighted and selfish intentions that does not fetch much merits in the long run.

To my surprise, sixty five years old, a retired single women, who was my humble guide in the temple declared, " Buddha did not give me any wishes as of now". Indeed it was the most frustrating voice ever she declared in front of me. I consoled her by quoting from Rigzin Jigme Lingpa "The true Buddhist practitioners/Yogi will never and ever wish in kind or benefits from Buddha and patrons". Such practitioners will receive the support of Gods and Goddess and mankind finally. Oh! With this words, she was really convinced and  she felt relief by placing her faith to Lord Buddha and never to break five precepts and try her best to meditate for the rest of her life. She was about to lose faith in Buddha indeed by hearing her frustrations yelled out to me. I, heard many such complaints from Thai friends during my conversation with them in the College leaving behind the Buddha forever. The people pray to Hindu Gods for winning lottery which is not the real Buddhist precept and doctrine. We human beings are looking for economic gain not for enlightenment to end our subtle suffering.

The Culture shock that I experienced in Bangkok is that monks smoke freely in the temple. In contrast, smoking by monks in Bhutan is strictly prohibited and is banned in the monasteries and Dzongs.  To quote one practical experience during my visit to temple; the senior and old monk would come out from his room and sit nearby me and talk with other caretakers in Thai. He would rarely utter an English word for me. But I am very happy to say to him that" I come from Bhutan" and he would raise his eye brow and gaze at me. Further, I would explain him by quoting our King's name" Jigme" and finally I would convince him that I am Bhutanese. With smile on his wrinkled face, he would open his cigarette cover and light one of them to satisfy his addiction for smoking. He would puff off the smokes in front of Buddha statue without any hesitations and guilt at his heart. I could see his eyes turning red  and starts coughing "Oh Oh Oh" after he inhales the smoke. I felt very sorry for him, as his lungs must have already gone black and blocked by the smokes. The fact of the matter is that, he is really addicted to these cigarettes and he would not live without it until and unless he is taken to rehabilitation center to quit smoking to live long life.

It is really disturbing and sad to see monks smoking freely instead of teaching other commoners to live happy and healthy life as the up holder of Buddha Dharma in such a wonderful country. The monks  represent always good and pure in the eyes of common people like me and Thai citizens. I have my full respect and obedience to their way of life but my trust breaks down when I see them cigarettes in their mouth dangling freely. Scientifically, smoking is injurious to our health. The second Buddha, Guru Rinpoche said that smoking hurts everyone nearby since it's is the product of evil forces. We have choice to live short-life or long life? No one can dictate someones life style, change should happen within ourselves and we can be the ruler or servant of our mind.


Mindu Wangdi

My Thai Friends!

I am blessed with two days, three hours, class to attend at the College of Management Mahidol University, and rest of days free to do my private works at home and loiter nearby shopping malls for window shopping and trying to make my self engaged fully. Sometimes, I am hooked inside my room whole day with my research works as assigned to look for by adviser. Nevertheless, I don't want to become a jailed man but want to explore more on Thai culture and Buddhism practiced for many centuries. This inner quest for exploratory  feeling on Thai Culture and Buddhist values push me out of my door with my small hand bag that contains my slim pocket, mobile phone and few garlands to be offered to Lord Buddha at temple. As we Bhutanese popularly say" Even a small flower can be treated as an offering item to Buddha". So, is the case happens to me as a student who has few bahts to spare to buy few garlands available in the market, supposed to be offered to Lord Buddha to gain huge merits in my life.

Hanging my bag on my shoulder, I would always walk away from my room to the place where I could catch up the scooter to reach me nearby the temple. I, would keep my ten baht inside my T-Shirt pocket for the scooter charge as ritualistic way. Passing through, a fly over bridge could take me near the busy street of Ding Daeng Road in morning hours with street hawkers and beggar freely spread out to make their day successful. Meandering through the street watching the different activities left and right would make me rejoice at heart for Thai way of life. I would be dashing through such busy street and finally reach the temple gate. Firstly, I am welcomed by three Buddha statues facing the temple gate, to whom I fold my hands and offer my respect through gesture mixed with Thai-Bhutanese way. I am trying to transform and assimilate Thai culture into my traditions bit different even we are Buddhist by birth.  

My  sixty five and sixty two year old lady would be happily smiling and welcoming in front of the temple whenever I visit. I would greet them with the word" Swadhi Khap" meaning "Kuzuzangpo" with my folded hands placed on my chest. Then, firstly, I would visit the big statue of Lord Buddha and make my garland offering with my lay man's prayers for all sentient beings as dedication of my small drop of merits that I gathered for the day. Nevertheless, there are many small chapels that I visit and make prayers for the well being of all sentient beings. I would also check my future forecasting with shaking the lucky numbers written on flat bamboo stick and matching with  written paper pasted on the wall. 

It says in this way; "Just like an orchard tree not yet yielding fruits, awaiting for rainfall. Do not make a hasty decision to move away from the place. Wait and see. Some development under way. No child forthcoming. Meeting companionable persons and relatives. Good lucks approaching. Love not being satisfied in immediate future." This my latest futuristic prediction came from the omniscient Lord Buddha after I requested with my deepest devotion and reverence. It is this predictions which gave me courage to fight with hard times of sickness and obstacles encountered in my here in Bangkok. The power and blessings given by Lord Buddha pushed me further to meditate constantly  and study in-spite of the fact that I am weak and troubled deeply. This is not the end but just begging of my life and Lord Buddha will never deny me and in return I will be his faithful and dedicated follower too.

After all temple visit are said and done, I would sit on the chair outside the temple and chat with my Thai old lady friends with my few Thai words. One of my Thai ladies can speak English well and she is now my guide and best friend. They treat me as their son from Farang" Foreign" land. Many visitor would pass by and we continue with our talks on Thai culture and beliefs. Indeed, I became the listener and they are my teachers who teach me the complex culture of Thailand and she always introduces me to different monks and other Thai people with her English translation which I never pay for it. 

Indeed, I don't feel any cultural shock as other foreigners did since I could sink in lot of new cultures without much struggles and avoidance. The senior monks would come and talk with me for few minutes and share their dreams to visit Bhutan one day. In the minds of Thai people, Bhutan is the Happiest Country in the world where there is a peace and harmony and successful democratic Nation. Even my clinical doctor would happily share her wishes to visit Bhutan one day as tourist inside the Doctor chamber. On the other hand, Bhutanese people are denying our, religion, culture and traditions and Philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH) and looking always towards US and Australia to make money and settle there forever. 

To conclude my writing, I would say that if we are good at heart, we also meet good and supportive people anywhere.To get friendship and support, we don't have make any special gift but understand the other people well and let them know yourself well. Be open heart always wins the hearts of many people and they are always with you for anything. Be always frank and direct, never hide your feelings, it would spoil the friendship. Friend is need indeed. May my  Thai old women live long and happy life.

Mindu Wangdi

The Patient

On 9th September 2014, I had an appointment with doctor for my hyper acidity check up at Ramathibodhi hospital that I waited for one month long to seek medical advice. Ridding on the scooter from V.M Mansion to hospital is very interesting and dangerous travel too. As the scooter moves between the huge buses crammed in jam roads to reach faster to the destinations. Having reached the hospital and I was asked to do blood pressure check up in different counters. I was sitting on the chair and nurse  asked me in Thai which I could not understand anything and I heard word like "Time". Therefore, I took off my wrist watch and kept on the table. To my surprise the nurse  started laughing at me which made me feel so embarrassed and shy in front many fellow patients behind me. Oh! It was such bad hospital service I received as foreigner. A senior English  speaking nurse attended me and she made me feel as deserving patient with her smiling look and caring way. The quality of nurse and behaviors in the medical service is not that developed as expected. Such small incident could bring down the great image of Ramathibodhi hospital in the eyes of foreigners who always trust Thai medical services and care.   

Having done the blood pressure check up and waited for doctor for more than two hours to call my name by the assisting nurse in the long line. I had good nap for while on the chair when everyone is chat with their friends. I am foreigner, no one speaks to me but they stare at me which made feel more discomfort to sit on the chair for that long hours. Some young lady patients are busy with their mobile chat with their friends on Facebook and lines to keep ourselves engaged fully. Surprisingly, one man came with pushing his wheel chair loaded with young boy patient holding magazine on his hand. Looking at this boy's outer appearances, I was him watering his mouth frequently whereby his mother used to clean with handkerchief every now and then. His hands looked like half paralyzed.  Sometimes, this boy used to read magazines silently on his wheel chair. The father and mother get few minutes to rest on the chair peacefully. 

Oh! This boy becomes restless frequently  and starts pulling his wheel chair after few minutes of reading. The sad looking father has no option to pull his wheel chair slowly and make the round before turn comes to visit the doctor in the chamber. The mother too look very sad and gloomy in her eyes. How much pain and agony is undergoing with his parents I could see by their physical look and facial mood. Indeed, these parents are suffering more than the patient (son) because of psychological trauma and torture given by the ailing son. Both of them try their best to cope with the worse situation and hide their sad feeling underneath and I as a parent could detect their pathetic situation  that they undergo. 

When the disease symptom attacks his brain, the boy shouts like "an elephant" in front all these waiting patients. This really made the parents feel worse and embarrassed  in front of us. They both try to cool down the boy but it is beyond their control. The boy is a patient and he has no control over his disease which is very strange in this modern world. Such type of disease and symptom of  shouting as " an elephant" by human being is scary and confusing to me. Immediately, I prayed to Guru Rinpoche for his help to this boy's sickness to cure as fast as possible since the parents are traumatized equally and the boy looks so weak and unstable mental state.   That was my inner and silent prayer  dedicated to the boy's health. How do we feel if our kids suffer in the same way? The  parent showers unlimited love and care for their kids when I saw these sad couples trying their best to treat the boy with lot sacrifices. May their suffering be reduced and enjoy the happiest moments thereafter was my sincere and humble prayer dedicated to this unknown parents and ailing son.

Mindu Wangdi

  

Buddhism in Thailand.

The world knows that Thailand is a Buddhist Nation and its citizens are Buddhist by birth. Lord Buddha was born in Nepal and got enlightened in India and spread his Dharma in Asian Countries to help sentient beings to end their suffering in this hellish realm by practicing Dharma  and was considered as the light of Asia. 

To my surprise, I being another Buddhist follower hailing from Country so called kingdom of Bhutan located at Himalayas capped with snow fall and icy winter and mild summer season. To be frank, I am very poor in the tradition of Theravada  Buddhism being practiced at Thailand. I could understand few concepts of their depth meaning of Buddhism which have volumes of teaching being taught in Thai language by Lord Buddha, the omniscient one who could speak out all languages of Gods, Nagas and Pretas, animals and different human languages while he discoursed the pith instruction to his followers. Lord Buddha did not hire any language experts to translate his teachings to different followers but it got translated into their own language by his magical powers. The modern Google translator can translate only one language at one go but Lord Buddha translated into many languages at one go and essence of his teaching were not lost in the translation.

I am very happy to see many old temples in Thailand filled with monks wearing yellowish robes and begging with their begging bowls with bear foot. Seeing their shaved heads, robes and begging bowl  at hand makes me feel at earlier days of 2500 years ago life style; so called Lord Buddha introduced in India and spread far flung Asian Nations. The common, business and travelers offer their offering of food items to these old monks who recites some prayers to the sponsors which I could hear only but could not comprehend anything. I am silent watcher to these activities that happens everyday in the morning rush hours at Ding Daeng Road. It is the sign of Buddhism is still flourishing in Thailand at this busiest days of life. The market is filled with business hawkers with different  cooked meals and  meats items are displayed for sale on the roads side. 

 The busy street is filled with joyous heart of hawkers ringing their bells to notify the customers. But on the other side, I can also see plenty of chickens, fishes, frogs hanged on their stalls for consumption. This makes me feel like, I have reached a slaughter house. According me, hell is represented by the display of meats being  roasted at ovens and heaven  by begging monks who is following the good path. I need not go underground to dig out the hellish life and use space ship discover the heaven. The highly qualified people of today will never accept that hell and heaven do exist after life. To be practical, this way of slaughter and commercial way of life itself is the definition of hell to my understanding where the greed for money is highly involved and bloated out leaving behind the concept of cause and effect.

Attending one of the water purification ceremony at this temple made me conclude that old, children and monks are the attendees to such Buddhist sacred celebration that happen annually. The energetic and highly qualified people like scientists, engineers, doctors, business tycoons are not found any way during the celebrations. This shows that Buddha Dharma in Thailand is left for older generations and innocent youths to make happy days with some free pick ups.  The qualified sections of Thai society has already denied the Buddha  and his teaching and never want to come back and keep the Dharma wheel turning forever. One of class mates has said " He already left Buddha for almost thirty years back and never want to embrace him" and he no longer to wanted to be Buddhist either. Hearing his words made me feel pain at heart since Buddha Dharma is dying in Thailand if such qualified people chose to deny him and his teachings. Many of my class mates are happy to declare that I am " Christen now". The Buddha Dharma is facing "slow death" in Thailand with encroachment of other belief and faiths. There are many converts taking place into Muslim and Christian and some does not have any faith but neutral populations. 

It was really shocking to hear from my old silent hair cutter at Rangnam asking me " Are you Muslim?". With light smile, I replied no " I am Buddhist" and he got silent  and resumed cutting my hair with his slow motion. And he said, I am "Thai Muslim" and smile with his wrinkled face. It was so strange that day he asked me that question and I could understand his belief and faith. I am loyal customer to his saloon for this long years and we never could share our faith and beliefs. 

An old women, Thai Muslim who sells alive fishes to temple visitors to earn money since  the Buddhist followers do save animals as an act of compassion by throwing into the rivers.  For her these fishes is nothing but just commercial product to earn money and want to visit Mecca, the holy land of Muslim world. She sells these fishes in front of Lord Buddha temple without any guilt in her heart and mind. I am one of her loyal customer to save those fishes and frogs costing ninety bahts for few numbers with my slim pocket as student. It is my belief and faith to Buddha mad me save at least some fishes before they are killed for meals being served for deadly eaters so called human beings.

With this incidences at my hand as proof to show; Lord Buddha is now denied by his own followers at this degenerated age with extreme conversions from different faiths. His true followers could be few old people and some monks doing out of no option to exist. This is the real sign of Buddha Dharma is retarding from its influence and impacts on their followers. When Buddha Dharma fails and retards, there will be more chaos and disorder in the society as people never want to live happy and peaceful co-existence with their environment but want to destroy everything with increased greed and lust for money and power. The nation will experience famine and wars when Buddha Dharma is phased out due to our concept of enemies and friends. 

My sincere prayer to young Thai society not to deny the Buddhism at any circumstances.  As Buddhism is not the doctrine or faith but it is the way of life. It teaches us to live and exist happily with what we have and teaches to prepare for the next life and continuity. There is no God in Buddhism and everyone is Buddha by its innate quality. It is the mater of being discovered by oneself through constant practice. There is solution to any problems in Buddhism, it is the matter of hunting down with our zeal. May the "Buddha Dharma flourish in Thailand like wild fire and revive from its slow death like the desert plant reviving after the rainfall." to its original shape and help all the sentient beings enjoy ever lasting peace.

Mindu Wangdi

The Bhutanese Wine Offering Culture

The Culture of offering local wine to our guests as a gesture of welcoming tea in the rural Bhutanese society existed since the dawn of Bhutanese civilization especially in the eastern parts of Bhutan. It was not that famous in the western parts of Bhutan but that Culture was infused into existence lately among the western Bhutanese society with the migration of Easterners to the west in the search of opportunities and prosperous way of life. The migratory nature of Bhutanese civilization have huge impacts on the cultural exchanges and diffusion between different societal norms like southerners, easterners and westerners. Every aspect of different culture is diffused with the marriage of different background couples and such mixed culture is inherited by their sons and daughters to be further passed down the line of history where the individual culture is lost during the transition period. The new settlers have to adjust with new cultural aspect of that society to fit in beautifully. If he/she fails to seamlessly sink in with different culture gets knocked out from that society with stigmatic blames and rejections as a "black sheep."

In Bhutanese culture, the raw wine is very much needed  for the offering to our protecting deities as "Serkaem" "Wine Offering Ceremony" with recitation of prayers by the monks in any activity that we carry on to be successful and fruitful. This Culture of wine offering was introduced by second Buddha, Guru Rinpoche during 8th the Century at Tibet. Guru Rinpoche offered wine "Serkaem" to all protecting and local deities to support  and complete the construction works without any obstacles from the devils and demons. The evils spirits destroyed the Samyay Monastery constructions works during the night with its forces pooled from the universal devils. Therefore, Guru Rinpoche offered blessed wine  to all  protecting and local deities to ward-off those devils who destroys everything. The Tibetan King, Thrisong Duetshen's dream of constructions were fulfilled finally with Guru Rinpoche's support received from protecting deities' blessings and empowerment.

Based on Guru Rinpoche's teaching on the offering of wine; Kuenkhen Pema Karpo, composed the prayer for wine offering which is widely used these days in Bhutan in any small activities like playing archery, promotion  and big ceremonies like king's coronation were kick-off with wine offering ceremony by the realized monks. This is the real Cultural aspect of "wine offering" widely accepted and practiced in Bhutanese society and is living in our hearts and minds. It has already touched deep down the blood veins of Bhutanese people. Without which we all feel something is missing from our agenda of the day and we always need the support of protecting deities to achieve our dreams in life with much easier way like Tibetan King did.

In the same way, the Eastern Bhutan has strong cultural bonding of offering locally brewed wine to their visiting guests as welcome note. Every guest will be ushered in with cup of wine in the east whether you like it or not. This is another small aspect of wine offering culture came into existence in the easterner's mind set. People value this culture as part of life and living mechanism. Every households will brew local wine using maize as raw materials with yeast applied for fermentation process and people drink wine during any local festivals and celebrations. These days, the beer brand has overtaken the local wine, in the villages with new shops selling beer and other alcoholic brands like Whiskey and Rum XXX etc.  With much higher disposable income, rural people shifted to these new brands as options to drink and socialize themselves. Drinkers can get many friends with the same feathers of birds flocking together and non-drinkers are left alone in this modern days even in the rural life settings.

Nowadays, our parental culture has become dangerous to individual health that destroys our liver and many citizens got killed with excessive drinks. The fighting of youths are broken out due to alcoholic seepage. As we Bhutanese have local saying: " When wine seeps into our body; the words will pop up easily". This old saying is true as our youths are taking excessive alcohol and creates societal turbulence in the form of gang fights, looting and  murdering their enemies. The wonderful culture has been turn into more leisure activity and waste of economical resources. Many people are sent to Indian hospitals for treatment related to alcohol drinks. The health trust fund is now bleeding heavily to treat our culturally bonded illness blessed after drinking too much. The sad thing that I see during promotion of culture as offering wine in the east is highlighted in the television serial like "Pha Mai Lab Ja" ' Parental Guidance" should be continued forever and praised heavily as good. It will create positive energy to our young minds to drink more and be like others which is not proper way of life.

Therefore, should Bhutanese people now change our mind set from accepting wine offering as perennial living culture? Or Should Bhutanese people come up with much healthier and better culture instead of offering wine to please our guests but indirectly we are killing our guest finally as chronic alcoholic person. This culture is also non-sustainable to our economic health and citizens's well being in the long run. Religiously, this offering of wine is acceptable for our deities don't get drunk and die like common citizens do. The good culture is now being transformed into harmful culture by the end users with the passage of time. However, it is left to the judgement of readers to give second thought to our cultural drawbacks and hiccups to clear as learned society of twenty first century.

Mindu Wangdi

  

Plastic Bottle Hunter

My daily chore starts with wine offering " Soelkha"  to my protecting deities at seven morning sharp and some light breakfast to kick-off the day. Having to travel few minutes to attend my classes as scheduled by the College of Mahidol University, Thailand. It is disturbing and sad to see and meet always an old lady, bent back, with huge plastic bag on her back, gathering the plastic bottles from the dustbins being dumped by the dwellers for earning some money to sustain her old life. Seeing her struggle to hunt for plastic bottles at this critical age around eighties could be painful and difficult under the scorching sun that pounds her daily. Immediately, I could remember my old mother at home who also have to do some little domestic works to support my brother and kids at this old age. Deep inside my heart, I also share her pain and suffering for having to suffer in this way. 

This incident probed me to question that whether this old lady is having any sons and daughters to look after her at this old age instead of hunting for plastic bottles everyday? It is her best time to rest at home and recite some prayers to prepare for the death. The Thai people are proud of saying that they take care their parents very well at old age with comfort and peace. Seeing this old lady's pathetic condition gathering the plastic bottles proved to be wrong in what they used to claim always in front of me. In the oceans, there could be crocodiles, sharks, sea lions and also gold fish too. In the same way, there could be some bad sons and daughters  who never care their parents after their wishes are fulfilled in every society.

The western style of thinking as "individualism" has encroached every Country and old parents are becoming burden to their sons and daughters and finally chased out from home to sustain of their own way by doing such activity of brushing through dustbins smelling so horrible to find some bottles. This is the pitfall side of our modern economic paradigm and business mentality. Every one is hooked to do some ugly jobs for the sake of money. The concept of money has created all greed and war on this earth. For sake of money, people are murdered, sex is sold out and  banks are looted out. 

The most disturbing thing about this old lady is that I could meet her every street corners that I do visit. She is found at Victory Monument, Century Park, Century Mall, Rangam, Ding Daeng Road and  Center One shopping Mall carrying her plastic bag filled with bottles under burning sun. She looks very weak and tired after the long hours of hunting all dustbins for her sustenance.  I can see many rich sections of society in Thailand enjoy the life of luxury driving BMW  and enjoying swimming pool at condominium.  But on the other hand, this old lady represents the income distribution in Thai economy  is in-equal and unjustified one. 

As a Buddhist Country, we always claim to be kind and compassionate to our parents, but this lady really did not get any support and kind showering from the richer sections of society. She is left alone to fight for living at this old age brushing all ugly dustbins. She is living the life of street dogs standard. No one notices how much she suffers alone. Who bothers when some is dying for water; every one is now self-fish and want to become rich by cheating others in the form of business and forget our human values of loving kindness and compassion. We are going into deep life style of individualism and self-centered forgetting our parents completely behind. 

This is a great mistake we educated lots are making in this twenty first century. We should achieve our dreams to become rich and powerful people but never forget to take care of our parents who toiled their whole life for our upbringing. We all should be helping the old parents with decent home and foods to enjoy their last minutes of life on this earth. Whoever, could do this task of making our parents happy, could be the most learned and highly educated person with values and ethics of life. Otherwise, we are just not better than animals.  May the old parents enjoy peaceful life on this earth and end their suffering in toiling ugly jobs which is  dehumanizing valuable life that is rare to get.

Mindu Wangdi

Beyond My Control

I have landed on the Land of Smile, Thailand with an objective to earn my Master Degree in Leadership & Human Resource Management under the Thailand International Cooperation Agency scholarship that keeps me alive with little stuff that I can buy from my stipend of seven thousand Bahts monthly. The internet prepaid of four hundred bahts from seven thousand leaves me only six thousand six hundred in my pocket to complete the month long food expenses. My local travel expenses are to be met from this balance anyhow like visiting hospitals frequently and doing some shopping for kitchen items. Having to survive with that little amount is challenging and daunting task that I am fighting with. Wishful thinking of increasing our stipend is just like dreaming to build castle on sand bank.  It was beyond my control and no powerful mundane gods could come and throw some additional bahts to cushioned my pockets in my room. Dreams to visit beautiful places in Thailand is absolutely cut and broken due to thin pocket that I carry with me.  

Having to struggle with limited money in my pocket along with chronic hyper acidity in my stomach is further worsened by continuous sad and bad news of passing away of my In-law sister, nephew and In-law brother  in Bhutan recently. The information of their sad demise is fed to me very fast with the help of information technology like Wechat and Lines. Every moment of their approaching death is updated and the pain at my heart is unbearable one. Though I am far away from them, but the emotional pain is going through my heart and mind since I cannot meet them anyway. I am all alone suffering here in my room saying some prayers for their peaceful journey after death and to knock the door of Blissful Paradise of Guru Rinpoche and Chenrizi. The journey after death is like moving on the rough seas where the soul gets tortured endlessly before getting another rebirth in the form of human beings or animals depending on their merits collected during their stay on this earth as human beings. The power of merits will help the dead souls to gain any wishes that they make during the intermediate state of "Bardo". Therefore, doing some good deeds for their demise by the relatives is highly important as Buddhist concept of interdependence law of human life and death.

It was beyond my control, you all left me in sad and void mood alone here in the Land of Smile. I have no time to smile but feel always heavy at heart. How lucky to be born as my family members for very brief stay  on in this world as human being and bid me farewell suddenly leaving no traces of your faces and achievements in life. As said" Happy to meet but sad to depart", you all departed as destined to be. I know the fact that even if ten thousand Buddha cannot save us from schedule of "Death". It will snatch away our life forces and leave behind all crying family, friends and relatives for your passing away. You, demised souls can see me, but I cannot see you at all due to my limited realization or non-achievement of wisdom eye. Such are the facts of human life; birth, aging and death comes to everyone. It is just matter of who will go earlier and later but everyone has to pass this gate. Nonetheless, your passing away has alerted me to concentrate more on my meditation practices and you all are my teachers of impermanence and uncertain in life.  Let me pray that, we all will be reborn in the same family and continue to spread the Buddha Dharma and serve the sentient beings with sincere and dedicated hearts. May you all experience the visit of Dankinis for reception and attain the perfect peace.

Mindu Wangdi