‘Not the perfect Bhutanese Citizen’

‘Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country’. Perhaps one might not be able gauge or comprehend the above statement completely for we the Bhutanese take everything for granted. So, is becoming a martyr the only thing deemed worthy of saying that we are a true Bhutanese? 

We cannot deny the efforts and the sacrifice of our kings and the government. Nowhere in this world would one find such benevolent kings and the governing bodies. Democracy has indeed been a gift to the people from our ever grandeur kings. But, are we doing enough to live up to the faith and trust entrusted upon us by our kings?

We have become too relaxed and complacent, and we expect somebody else to carry out the job. Someone has no qualms taking a selfie in front of a raging forest fire and posting it in facebook; someone has no qualms taking inordinate amount of alcohol despite doctor’s repeated warning and advice. A raging forest fire and we all feel it is not our responsibility; somebody else will take care of it. Even if I drink myself to death everything will be taken care of by the government. Such selfish acts should perhaps be deemed treacherous acts.

An innocuous strike of the match stick results in an uncontrollable conflagration, and the government loses millions in revenue. Every year alcohol related illness digs deep into the government’s coffers. So, who is responsible? It is definitely not the government; it is us the citizens of Bhutan. Each and every one of us who take everything for granted is responsible: every one of us who think ‘paracetamol or PCM’ is useless, everyone of us who think that it’s fire fighter’s responsibility to douse the forest fire, everyone of us who breaks the line to get faster medical attention, everyone of us who dare punch ones teacher in the face.

What makes us a good citizen? I really don’t have any yardstick or index to say that such and such can be categorized as a good citizen, but should I name one then Khenpo Thubten Dorji surely inspires me. Khenpo hails from a remote kheng region and upon seeing many young boys from poor and broken families in his native village; he decided to set up a monastery for them. Khenpo started the construction works in 2003 with a mere Nu. 1500, and today the monastery is a home to over one hundred monks practicing Buddhist literature and philosophy. Khenpo also travels intensively across the country conducting ‘Dechen Shingdrup’ or ‘Lord Amitabh Puja’ for the peace and prosperity of our country Bhutan.

‘Dechen Shingdrup’ is a prayer of aspiration or can be sufficed as the praise to ‘Lord Amitabha’ (Sangay Yoepamai) and it is the paradise of Lord Amitabha that every one of us should aspire to be born upon breathing our last breath. According to Buddhist beliefs, amongst all the paradise ‘Lord Amitabh’s Paradise’ or commonly known as ‘Dewachen Zhimkham’ is the only paradise where rebirth is easy and less demanding. Once we are born in ‘Dewachen’ then there is no coming back to Samsara, and it is where we get our prophecy for enlightenment.

Such a sacred religious activities like ‘Shingdrup’ across Bhutan would not be possible without the support of our Dharma kings, and it is also because of our Dharma kings that both Mahayana and Vajrayana still exist and thrive in Bhutan. Khenpo’s aspiration to conduct ‘Shingdrup’ across Bhutan is thus to pay tribute and homage to our Dharma kings, because without our Dharma kings at our helm then the world that we know would be lot different.

All of us born in Bhutan are Buddhist by default but unfortunately our view and perspective sometimes portray otherwise. I am not saying that we all try to emulate Khenpo Thubten or other Buddhist lamas whose only aspiration is to serve the ‘tsa wa sum’, and I am not saying that we enroll ourselves in Buddhist monasteries. All I am saying is that we become morally responsible and conscious. Instead of breaking the line to get faster medical checkup, think about those who have been standing for hours. Instead of pampering your kids make them understand the value of things. Instead of speaking rudely speak politely. Instead of getting upset about ‘paracetamol’, just think about the hardship the government bears to provide free medical care. Instead of punching ones teacher in the face think about ordeal that the teacher undergoes to prepare the lesson-plan.

Are we the perfect citizens of Bhutan?

We may not be the perfect Bhutanese citizen, but we must uphold our king in high esteem because it’s because of our kings that we can proudly say that we are from Bhutan. We may not be the perfect Bhutanese citizen, but we must consider ourselves fortunate enough to be born in Bhutan.

We may not be the perfect Bhutanese citizen, but we must be grateful to the government for their hard work and dedication. We may not be the perfect Bhutanese citizen, but we must constantly pray for the well being of the nation. We may not be the perfect Bhutanese citizen, but we must be willing to sacrifice our lives for the sake of the ‘tsa wa sum’.