5 Pieces of Buddhist Wisdom the Land of Happiness Taught Me
And transformed me from a teacher into a Guru
Wisdom isn’t gained exclusively within the four walls of an institution.
This very mantra made me take a big step in life, 17 years ago, one sultry afternoon in the south Indian state of Kerala.
I boarded a train on one of the longest journeys across India — over 3000 kilometers and three days —from the southern tip to its northeast.
I was 25 years old and thirsty for adventure. It was only natural that I jumped at the opportunity to live and teach in Bhutan. All I knew about Bhutan till then was courtesy of books and articles. But I needed some first-hand information.
My search led me to a guy who had worked there before. His stories painted a picture of a land that is deep-rooted in religion, myths, and dark beliefs — a country with places remote and inaccessible for most parts of the year.
His stories only helped to fuel my desire for this Himalayan kingdom. Little did I know then that I would spend some of the most enlightening years of my life in this place. In hindsight, it would only be fair to say — Bhutan taught this teacher more than he could teach them!
Here is what I learned from them — timeless gems of Buddhist wisdom worth embracing for anyone.
1. Greet everyone with a smile, even if it is a stranger on the street.
I fell in love with the mountain country from the moment I set foot there. The place I worked in was a nature lover's paradise. My school was located right at the confluence of two rivers. Forested hills surrounded the valley.
After-school hours were spent on long walks through the beautiful countryside. Everyone I met on the way would greet me with a hearty smile. Even though they didn’t know me they would shout out “Kuzu Zangpo la” (hello in Dzongkha), across the paddy fields. They had a laid-back attitude to life and nobody was in a hurry to get anywhere.
Where I came from people wouldn’t even look at you as all were so busy in their own lives. If I went around smiling at people on the street they might take me to the local psychiatric hospital.
The people of Bhutan are some of the happiest on Earth. Their government has a policy of Gross National Happiness (GNH), as opposed to the Gross National Product of many countries. So you can see how much importance they give to being happy.
Life is too short to spend serious. So loosen up, smile more.
2. Don’t get caught up in the clutches of worldly pleasures.
“Sharing is caring, sir”.
This has to be the most popular adage among the Bhutanese. This was what students would say as they handed me a toffee — even if they weren’t in my class!
It was also common for students to give me a share of goodies their parents brought. The list includes, among many other things, a shaver and even a rice cooker!
One day a student brought me a six-pound fish he had caught from the nearby river! I had friends who would lend me their laptops and even cars without any hesitation at all. The principle of non-attachment in Buddhism is evident in their daily lives. Sharing things and helping others would help to acquire merits during one’s lifetime.
Living in Bhutan has made me a better teacher and a human being.
3. Remember to say Thank You, along with the smile.
It was the first week of my teaching job in Bhutan. One of my duties was to monitor the self-study time of the resident students. A senior teacher was assigned to guide me.
Halfway through, a class leader approached us with a complaint about one student. He would prowl in the corridor moving from class to class. Even after repeated warnings, he wouldn’t give up and at last, my colleague had to use the stick to discipline him.
Before going back to class, he bent forward waist-down and said:
“Thank you, sir”!
I was shocked and thought he was still trying to be smart with us! How could you thank the person who just whacked your palm with a cane!
For the next five minutes, I lectured him about the need for humility and discipline for a student. He nodded obediently to my advice — as much as he rubbed his now reddened palms.
After he went back to his study table my colleague enlightened me on the boy’s behavior. Bhutanese students would thank you even for punishment as they consider it as blessings from the teacher!
Saying thank you is one habit I have started to practice in my life, although I doubt if I’ll ever thank someone who hits me!
4. Live in the present and to the fullest.
All my life I had seen people around me keep away a good part of their incomes for the future and lead frugal lives. Most often it would be a reserve for the marriage of their daughters. The cringeworthy pomp and show Indian marriages associate themselves with, is notorious. Wedding budgets would easily run into hundreds and thousands of dollars.
So it was a huge surprise to me when I noticed young people in Bhutan starting their married lives by just moving in together. That simple! No jewelry, expensive costumes, 20-dish feasts, and best of all — no hypocritical uncles and aunties nitpicking every aspect of the wedding!
Bhutanese work hard, earn money and spend it on whatever would make their lives better. They wouldn’t have huge amounts lying around in their bank accounts but would have all the niceties of life. My neighbors who were a young couple bought a car in the first year of their jobs. Such courage to take a car loan in the initial stages of one’s job was mind-blowing for me.
I understood they are simple people who give importance to a present happy life than an uncertain future life.
5. Have compassion for all sentient beings.
Whenever I saw a dog on the street I would give it a wide berth. If possible I would chase it away. In India, street dogs wounding people and even causing death was common news.
One day I was out for a walk when a dog ran straight at me. My initial shock turned into horror when a whole gang of dogs surrounded me in a matter of seconds!
My whole life flashed before me as I stood paralyzed in fear.
I could see the dogs weren't aggressive. Still, my body wasn’t responding. I stood there breathing heavily in front of a shop. Thankfully, I was saved by the shopkeeper who came out to feed the dogs. As I sat there sipping the beer she offered me, the amused lady said:
“Dogs — previous life humans.”
She went on to explain at length the belief of Saṃsāra — dogs are beings nearest to humans in the life cycle of rebirth. She told me that humans and dogs were friendly to each other. Both religion and government policy encourages a congenial relationship between them.
Bhutanese people would never hurt any animal wilfully. Even a venomous snake would be caught with utmost care and set free in the jungle. The Buddhist philosophy of compassion for all sentient beings is evident in their daily lives.
Conclusion
It is impossible to sum up the Bhutan experience in a single blog post. I spent only a few years but this beautiful Himalayan country gave me enough wisdom to change my outlook on life. I can say with confidence that Bhutan has elevated me from a mere teacher to a Guru.
The Buddhist way of living helps them overcome the sufferings of the world. Virtues such as selflessness, tolerance, generosity, honesty, and charity are deep-rooted in their minds.
I would highly recommend Bhutan as a place to visit at least once in your life. Go once, and you will go again!
