Spiritual Calling of an IT Guy

From this Buddha’s memorial chorten, amidst the celebration of the 16th Kuechey of Khenchen Jigme Phuntsho at Gawadrog, Samtse in 2020, a profound realization struck me like a thunderbolt: for 37 years, I had been navigating through life without a moment's respite from the relentless churn of thoughts. Tears cascaded down my face as I grappled with this realization. In the morning, I found myself unexpectedly driving Rinpoche in my car to the chorten, accompanied by my wife and Rinpoche's assistance. During the drive, I asked Rinpoche whether I needed to visit Jagar Dorjiden to attain enlightenment. Rinpoche's response that enlightenment resides within one's heart rather than in a physical place, his words left me immersed in deep contemplation. As we approached the up rough road, navigating the recently constructed road with sand on top, making it hard to drive, Rinpoche and I almost had an accident. Upon arrival, I observed with a sense of auspiciousness that the Ch...

   In 2020, something truly special happened during the ninth lunar month of the Bhutanese calendar, known as Lhabab Dawa, which generally coincides  with November in the Western world. It's a time when Bhutanese people come together for virtuous activities and prayers, all in the pursuit of peace and harmony. What made Lhabab Dawa 2020 remarkable was the coincidence of especial Buddhist and Hindu festivals, along with celebrations honoring Bhutan's kings and national pride. It was a month filled with spirituality and celebration. The month began with Navaratri, a 9-day festival where Bhutanese invited Devi into our homes, seeking purity and divine blessings. On the 10th day, Dasain and Vajrakilaya Puja were celebrated, symbolizing the victory of good over evil. It was a time of hope and positivity. The 16th marked the coronation anniversary of His Majesty the 5th king. Bhutanese people gathered in different regions to wish for his long and prosperous reign, showing our u...

    The number 16 holds profound significance in the ongoing national transformation of Bhutan and in my life. This significance is rooted in a mystical event that occurred on the 16th day of the Bhutanese calendar during the 16th Kuchey of Khenchen Jigme Phuntsho at the Jangchub Gatshel Chorten in Samtse. This sacred memorial stupa, deeply connected with Buddha, is currently under construction, guided by the wise leadership of His Majesty the 5th King of Bhutan. Its noble purpose is to symbolize peace, security and sovereignty within our beloved nation. Remarkably, in the same year, His Majesty's coronation took place on the 16th day of the 9th lunar month of the Bhutanese calendar, known as Lhabab Dawa, also associated with Buddha. Almost two years later, a significant development occurred on the international stage when India and China reaffirmed their commitment to restoring peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) during the 16th round of talks add...

  In the journey of self-discovery and spiritual awakening, we often find ourselves in situations that serve as profound lessons. It is during these moments that we realize the importance of self-awareness, mindfulness, and the power of listening, both to ourselves and to others. Today, I would like to share a personal incident that taught me a valuable lesson about this very aspect of life. The Incident: With my Wife Oflet, my wife and I happened to be in one of the friends' house. There were four of us, himself,another friend and two of us. My wife, known for her exceptional social skills, was her usual talkative self. On the other hand, I tend to be more reserved, often preferring to listen rather than speak. Prior to this incident, I had shared with my wife my belief that she should strive to listen more and talk less in social situations. My intention behind this advice was rooted in my spiritual pursuit and my desire to help her unlock the power of mindful listening and, in t...

  When we contemplate the present figurehead in science and technology, Elon Musk readily comes to mind as a front-runner in this domain. His triumph as an entrepreneur is propelled by his revolutionary innovations, exceptional aptitude, influence, and substantial income, which he both earns and relishes. On a divergent note, when considering the foremost spiritual guide worldwide, the name of Sadhguru often emerges. Revered as a yogi, mystic, and modern guru by his followers, he offers diverse programs aimed at fostering physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Unquestionably, these exceptional individuals are fortunate few who inspire millions seeking success. Now, envision a leader or individual embodying qualities inherent to both these remarkable figures. Such a person would transcend leadership itself. The query arises: What educational framework can cultivate such exceptional individuals within our nation? Education stands as a prime catalyst in shaping a child's life. As...

  You might be acquainted with Aum Dungtima Ney and Kopi Dham, situated near the Amo Chu (Toorsa) river in Phuntsholing. These sacred sites hold a special place in my heart, owing to my personal experiences with them. As per the historical account provided in the " སྟོན་པ་བདེ་བར་གཤེགས་པའི་རྣམ་ཐར་ཏཱ་ར་ནཱ་ཐས " (Biography of Buddha), King Dondrup (the previous incarnation of Lord Buddha) faced adversity at Aum Dungtima Ney due to the གང་ལ་གང་འདོད་སྦྱིན་པ་བཏང་།  including animals. However, with his visionary leadership, harmony was swiftly restored. These Neys have been prophesied to exhibit "Tendrel" (auspicious interdependence) in the future, which appears to be unfolding now.   In my view, it is an auspicious alignment for these two Neys to collaborate harmoniously, guided by compassion and adhering to the legal principles of our nation, to achieve our collective vision. My prayers extend to these sacred sites for the successful realization of transformative refo...

  To ensure the fruition of our triumphant transformative reforms—a precious offering from our Dharma King—I would earnestly propose adhering to the guiding tenets of མཉམ་རུབ། ཞི་འཇམ། and ཁྲིམས་མཐུན། as we strive to attain our envisioned future for Bhutan.