Religion |
 The Bhutanese practice the Drukpa Kagyud or the Tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism as the official religion. Hinduism is also followed by certain group of people residing in the South. The way the Bhutanese people live is significantly influenced by religion. The Bhutanese accord great respect to all sentient beings and it is considered a sin to harm, hurt or kill any living thing, even if it is only a fly. Riding on the philosophy of compassion and forgiveness the Bhutanese live in harmony with their natural surroundings. The great Buddhist saint Guru Padmasambava is credited to have first introduced Buddhism when he visited Bhutan in the 8th century. Many Buddhist scholars further propagated the teachings of the Buddha. The most notable among them were Lam Phajo Drugom Zingpo who visited Bhutan in the 13th century and Lam Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel who came to Bhutan in the 17th century. It was the charismatic and spiritual leader Lam Zhabdrung who unified the country under the single Drukpa rule. Other legendary scholars are tertoen Pema Lingpa [the treasure discoverer] and Lam Drukpa Kinley [also known as the divine madman]. The Buddhist people take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. The philosophy and the essentials of Buddhism can be understood through logical reasoning and appropriate process of experiments. The cultivation of virtues such as kindness, generosity, compassion and forgiveness form the apex of Buddhist conduct. However the core of Buddhist teachings can be narrowed down to a single concept of  ‘suffering’ and finding the means to overcome these sufferings. The final goal of Buddhism is the attainment of ‘Nirvana’ or the state of utmost bliss and eternal happiness. Nirvana can be gained or experienced through meditation and by detaching from all selfishness, illusion, hatred, greed and delusion. |
