Feb 08,2025 – Bhutan Trongsa Survey Day 5 (Nubi)
Hello. This is the fifth day of the Trongsa survey in Bhutan. Today, we visited Bji Chiwog, Simphu-daba Chiwog, and Bemji-chella Chiwog in Nubi Gewog and had conversations with the residents.
Sunim did his morning practice and meditation, then reviewed manuscripts before having breakfast. During the meal, he reviewed the cost estimate for building an irrigation canal in the Zhemgang Khomsar area and checked the progress of ongoing projects with JTS staff.
At 8:30 AM, we departed for Bji Chiwog, our first survey site of the day. After a 40-minute drive, we could see white smoke rising in the distance from burning juniper. As we approached the village entrance, we could see residents waiting for Sunim through the smoke.
As Sunim got out of the car, the residents began singing and guided Sunim’s group into the village. We walked into a house in the village, accompanied by the singing residents.
Sunim first paid respects at the shrine room and had tea. Then, to sit closer to the residents, he moved down from the Dharma seat.
Guided by the Gup, the leader of the Gewog, we heard about the current situation of Nubi Gewog. Then, the Tshogpa explained the current state of Bji Chiwog.
Sunim recited the Three Refuges in Pali and then began a conversation with the villagers.
“Thank you all for welcoming me like this. I’m grateful that you even sang songs to welcome me from the entrance to here. The Gup gave a welcoming speech, and the Tshogpa explained the village situation well.
I understand your situation well. And you’ve prepared so many offerings despite your difficult circumstances. I pray to the Three Jewels – the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha – that all those who have made offerings may be healthy and successful in everything they do by the merit of their offerings. I will also offer a small donation to you. Please use it for the village. As I’m on a survey trip, I will offer back to you the offerings I’ve received.”
Sunim handed over the donation to the Tshogpa.
“I am a monk from Korea. So I cannot fulfill many of your requests like ‘Please pave the road’ or ‘Please provide electricity.’ However, if you ask me to ‘Please speak about the Buddha’s teachings,’ that is something I can do. My main work in Korea is to expound the Buddha’s teachings to help people overcome their suffering. Among the last words of the Buddha before he entered nirvana, there is this saying:
‘Even when the Buddha is not present, there are four types of offerings that have as much merit as offerings made to the Buddha. First, giving food to the hungry. Second, giving medicine to treat the sick. Third, helping the poor and comforting the lonely. Fourth, supporting pure practitioners who practice well. These four have the same merit as offerings made to the Buddha.’
According to these teachings, we should help the poor. In Korea, people who have overcome their suffering by listening to my Dharma talks make donations. I use these donations to help those in need, following the Buddha’s teachings.
Bhutan is a country that has preserved its natural environment and traditional culture well. However, to maintain this preservation, people must accept some inconveniences in their daily lives. Therefore, the King of Bhutan decided to pursue two approaches simultaneously. In Gelephu, a new city will be developed, while the rest of the country will maintain its focus on preserving the natural environment and traditional culture. After 20 years, these two approaches will be combined to achieve both development and preservation of traditional culture.”
After explaining the Bhutanese government’s policy to the residents, Sunim continued to describe the principles JTS would follow in working with the community. He first proposed improving the living environment to make it more convenient and clean. He suggested making shelves, cleaning toilets, and installing chimneys in kitchens to eliminate smoke, among other improvements to their current homes.
“While you may not live like the wealthy, you can still live more comfortably and cleanly than you do now. Let’s repair and improve what you already have. Does that sound good?”
“Yes, that sounds good.”
“And it’s not easy to farm because of the wild animals, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“As I was coming here, I saw that you had put up fences around your fields. But those fences only keep out cattle; other wild animals can still get in.”
Sunim then explained in detail to the residents how to build effective fences.
“First, since wild boars dig under fences, you need to attach wire mesh to the ground and make the bottom part very dense. If wild boars still get in, you need to block the holes. Animals don’t enter from just anywhere; they use specific paths. So, observe where the animals are breaking through and keep blocking those spots two or three times.
Deer jump over fences, so you need to add an extra line at the top. At the bottom, you should have three or four dense lines, then two lines in the middle, and one more at the very top. In total, you need seven to eight lines. But right now, your fences have gaps that allow animals to pass through easily.”
“We don’t have money to buy wire fencing, so we’ve done what we can.”
“That’s why I’m offering to provide you with wire fencing. You’ve asked for steel pipes instead of wooden posts because wood rots and needs annual repairs, which is a lot of work. But are there any trees in this area that will grow roots if you cut and plant them during the rainy season? You can plant these trees between the wire fences here and there. After about three years, these trees will grow as thick as an arm, and it won’t matter if the original wooden posts rot. The living trees will become the fence. When these trees grow too big and start to shade the fields, you can trim them to keep them at about 2 meters high.
Next year, I’ll compare which household used the least amount of wire fencing and had the least animal damage, and I’ll give out an award. After that, everyone can learn from the award-winning household’s fencing method.”
Sunim then surveyed the village to identify areas with steep slopes or sharp curves that needed road paving, checked if any households lacked proper housing, and promised to support the expansion of water tanks to address water shortage issues.
“Don’t rush; it will be too hard. You also need to farm, so do this work in winter when there’s less farming to do. It’s good to work on these projects during the agricultural off-season instead of being idle.”
“If you provide the materials, Sunim, we’ll prioritize repairing the roads for two months, even if it means not farming.”
The villagers were enthusiastic and active. After the conversation with Sunim ended, they offered to sing for him and requested a group photo.
The residents escorted Sunim to the village entrance with songs and dances, just as they had when he first arrived. Sunim said goodbye to the villagers as he got into the car.
“Thank you for preserving your traditions.”
At 12:50 PM, the group arrived at the second destination, Simphudaba village. Sunim was welcomed by the residents and guided to the temple by singing women.
After paying respects at the temple, Sunim took his seat, and the residents offered him gifts one by one.
As Sunim was about to start a conversation with the residents, he noticed they were sitting sparsely. He rearranged the seating.
“Come on, everyone, move forward and sit closer. Those who aren’t pretty can sit at the back.”
Sunim’s lighthearted joke helped the villagers feel more at ease.
Sunim began the conversation by explaining Korea’s economic growth and development.
“You might think Korea is well-off, but I’m not sure if Korea is truly doing well. Food, clothing, and housing have all improved. However, people’s suffering and conflicts are growing. If you focus solely on economic development, you’ll end up like Korea. Young people will all move to big cities or foreign countries, leaving only the elderly in rural areas.”
“Yes, that’s right. It’s already happening.”
“It’s true that with economic development, houses improve and people dress better. But families have to live apart. If you think, ‘It’s okay if I don’t see my son often as long as he sends money regularly,’ then it might be fine.”
“Sunim, nowadays we can see our sons’ faces on our phones.” (Laughter)
Both Sunim and the villagers laughed together.
“Believing that economic figures alone determine well-being is not correct. That’s why Bhutan’s fourth king introduced the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH). This concept considers factors like air quality, water purity, community cohesion, and people’s health as more important than economic development. Now, many people worldwide agree with this standard. As consumption increases, climate change causes wildfires, storms, and other difficulties in many aspects of life. That’s why the GNH concept has become more important.
However, Bhutan has a national policy to preserve traditional culture and protect nature. Nevertheless, people need to live comfortably. So, while protecting nature and maintaining traditions, we should improve living conditions to make them more convenient and cleaner than they are now.”
Sunim then proposed to start by improving the poor living conditions and informed the residents about how JTS funds are collected and the principles of their use. He then inquired about the difficulties faced by the villagers. He asked if there were people without homes, if there were partitions inside the houses, and if they were using fire inside their homes.
Sunim had heard from the Tshogpa’s report that there were nomadic residents in Simpudawa village. He asked the villagers who these people were.
“Who are the nomads? Please raise your hands. I heard that tigers prey on yaks. Have you actually seen tigers?”
“We haven’t actually seen them.”
“Then how many yaks are actually affected?”
“About five yaks are killed by tigers each year.”
“I heard there’s compensation from the government. Is that correct?”
“There’s an insurance system, but the annual premium is 200 ngultrum per cow. We understand it’s operated with funds provided by foreigners.”
“That seems a bit expensive when you put it that way. I’ll think about how we can support this aspect.”
“The damage from tigers is really significant. Sometimes they even come down to the village and prey on cattle.”
“While tigers may be dangerous and harmful to individuals, for Bhutan as a whole, it means that the natural environment is well preserved. But has anyone actually seen a tiger?”
“Sunim, if you directly encounter a tiger, you die.”
Everyone laughed several times at the witty response from the Simphudaba residents. After concluding the conversation in a comfortable atmosphere, Sunim had lunch prepared by the villagers. After finishing lunch, he returned to the village entrance accompanied by the women’s singing. Sunim gifted prayer beads to the residents who had sent him off with songs before moving on to Bemjichella Chiwog.
At 3:30 PM, he arrived at the Nubi Gewog office. Residents of Bemjichella Chiwog were gathered at the Nubi Gewog office.
After listening to the Tshogpa’s explanation of the village’s current situation, Sunim began the conversation with the Bemjichella residents by sharing the connection that led to the survey of Trongsa Dzongkhag.
“Thank you for offering the alms. Before coming to Trongsa, I visited 40 chiwogs in Zhemgang. Originally, JTS projects were planned only for Zhemgang Dzongkhag. However, there was Golphu Gewog belonging to Trongsa Dzongkhag near Zhemgang Dzongkhag, and Golphu Gewog was selected as a pilot project area for JTS.
While working on the Golphu Gewog project, I frequently met with the Trongsa Governor. Then I heard that Phumzur village was a difficult place, so I visited Phumzur village and it looked very poor. I was also told that Langbi Chiwog and Baling Chiwog were struggling, so I planned to visit those villages. That’s when the Trongsa Governor suggested, ‘Sunim, since you’re here, why don’t you visit all the chiwogs in Trongsa Dzongkhag?’ He mentioned that there were also people in need in Trongsa Dzongkhag and suggested that I meet them. That’s how I came to meet you all today.
Upon visiting Trongsa Dzongkhag, I found it not much different from Zhemgang. If there’s a difference, it seems that Trongsa Dzongkhag has slightly fewer homeless people. In Zhemgang, perhaps because it’s in the south and warmer, many people were living in temporary houses. They were living in houses built with sturdy wood, which looked quite decent to me. So when I asked, ‘Isn’t this good enough?’, they said it was temporary housing. In Bhutan, it seems that only structures made of stone and earth are considered houses, while those made of wood are considered temporary dwellings.”
Sunim shared insights gained from his visits, emphasizing that JTS projects can only proceed with direct participation from local residents. He then opened the floor for questions about the residents’ needs. The villagers made various requests, such as “We lack drinking water,” “We want to build accommodations at the temple,” and “Please provide batteries for electric fences.” Sunim responded to each request in accordance with JTS project principles. He also inquired about housing conditions, checking if anyone lacked a home, if all houses had partitions and shelves, and if clean toilets were available.
“We need to review all of your requests today and prioritize which ones should be government projects and which should be JTS projects. You should understand that the government has limited funds. So when you make requests to the government, it may take a long time. In such cases, you can either wait for the government to act or ask JTS for support to address the issues directly.
The goal of this project is to live cleanly and comfortably in our own village, without having to go to places like Thimphu or Australia. You should take pride in thinking, ‘People in the cities might have more money, but we breathe clean air, drink good water, and live in a beautiful place, so we don’t envy them.’ Don’t focus too much on money. Let’s make our living place comfortable for ourselves. You’re not likely to suddenly come into a lot of money or be able to build a big house. Let’s renovate the houses we have to make them clean and convenient.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“If you give me this much food, will there be anything left for you to eat at home? I’ll give an offering to the Tshogpa. Please use it for the villagers. This food has been blessed by me for you, so please take it back and eat it yourselves.”
Sunim returned the food offerings from the villagers back to them.
After finishing the conversation with the people of Bemjichhela village, Sunim moved to his lodging.
After visiting three places, he arrived at his lodging at 6:10 PM. Sunim washed up, reviewed his manuscript, and concluded his daily routine.
As there was no Dharma talk today, We’ll conclude this post by introducing a conversation between a questioner and Sunim from last December’s Youth Talk-Talk Dharma Q&A for young people.
I’m Worried About Whether My Major Suits Me
“As a student, I understand why you have such concerns. But ask the adults here. How many of them do you think are doing their current jobs because it suits their aptitude? Probably very few. Even I’m not practicing as a monk because it suits my aptitude. In fact, I used to dislike religion. I attended church diligently in elementary school. In middle school, I even participated in Buddhist student activities, but I didn’t like religion because it seemed too unrealistic. In Gyeongsang dialect, it is like ‘the sound of a ghost peeling and eating rice seeds.’, which means nonsense talk. My dream was to become a scientist. But in high school, I was caught by a monk at a nearby temple and was forced to become a monk. At first, I thought science and religion didn’t match, but after practicing as a monk for a long time, I came to think it was okay.
The teachings of sages like Buddha, Jesus, and Confucius have been distorted into mysticism for profit as they were passed down through generations. However, if we remove the fantastical stories and reconsider the scriptures in the context of social and historical reality, we can see that their teachings gave hope to many people of their time. And I believe these teachings can still be a great source of hope for us today. That’s why, as a monk, I’ve tried to follow the path of Gautama Siddhartha, who 2,600 years ago pondered life, left home to practice, attained enlightenment, and taught people. As I study his teachings and try to emulate his life, I’ve come to think it’s not bad.
They say there are two good things about getting old: ‘monks’ and ‘pumpkins.’ When a young monk becomes famous, people worry about potential scandals, but with an old monk, there’s no such worry. Just like how an old pumpkin tastes better. When I was young, I didn’t think being a monk was a perfect fit for me. But living this life, I’ve found that even though it wasn’t a path I chose, it’s quite good. Of course, there were many trials and errors. So when I meet young people, I ask them this:
‘Aren’t you walking the path you chose for yourself? I didn’t choose my path but followed the one given by my master, and looking back, it seems that steadily walking an unwanted path turned out okay. So why are you regretting the path you chose for yourself?’
If you’ve studied your major and feel it doesn’t suit you at all, that’s also good. Because now you know what doesn’t suit you. In this case, changing your major could be an option. So don’t worry too much if you don’t have a strong conviction that ‘this is really my path!’ It’s actually extremely rare to feel that ‘this path is perfect for me!’ Very few people think their studies, job, or spouse is a perfect match for them. So don’t try to find the perfect choice. If you really can’t do it, you can change, but if not, it’s okay to keep going for now.”
“It’s not that I absolutely can’t do it. I’m just worried about the future. I’m currently attending medical school, and my parents are putting a lot of pressure on me. Sometimes I wonder, ‘Do I really have to become a doctor?'”
“Is studying in medical school very difficult?”
“The study itself is okay.”
“Then just keep going. Your parents are probably willing to invest in you becoming a doctor, even if they have to take out loans. Other people make much riskier investments, but studying medicine is a relatively safe investment. Once, a student studying medicine in the U.S. came to me with concerns in his second year, saying he couldn’t continue. I told him, ‘Just graduate.’ Now, that young man is a very successful psychiatrist in LA. There’s a similar case in Korea. The child of a Jungto Society member said he couldn’t continue medical school around his second year. I told him, ‘Just graduate. After graduation, let’s go do global relief work together.’ That young person is now working as a doctor at a famous hospital in Korea. Another person was expelled from Seoul National University’s pre-med program while participating in labor movements. He entered the Korean medicine department at another university and became a Korean medicine doctor. Later, when Seoul National University allowed expelled students from the democratization movement to return, he re-entered Seoul National University’s medical school and graduated. Now he work at a university hospital, covering both Western and Korean medicine.
There are also people who became doctors and then quit because it really didn’t suit them. But generally, it’s advantageous to graduate first. You can always quit after working as a doctor for a while. If studying medicine is unbearably difficult, I’d say quit, but if not, it’s better to continue your studies.
As a pre-med student, you probably know that if you worry too much, it could be a sign of mental health issues. Since you tend to worry a lot, it might be good to seek psychological counseling to find mental stability while continuing your studies.”
“Thank you.”
“I have the right to summon those who almost gave up becoming doctors but ended up becoming doctors after hearing my advice. If I ever establish a hospital somewhere or engage in overseas relief work, I have the right to ask them to ‘quit your job and come here.’ Because without me, they wouldn’t have become doctors, right? So work moderately, and when the time is right, quit and come out to volunteer. (Laughs)
There was once a person who came out after living in prison for 20 years. He was trying to do many things in a hurry, so I advised him to ‘take it slow.’ Eventually, that person earned money and bought a house. Feeling grateful, he came to me and said, ‘Sunim, this house is yours.’ I replied, ‘Is that so? Then I’ll entrust it to you, so manage it well.’ After that, that person got married and had two children. But then, many people in North Korea were starving to death, and humanitarian aid was needed. So I called that person and said, ‘Remember when you said that house was mine? Now I need to use it.’ That person replied, ‘It’s been 10 years already, and now I have two children. How can I return it?’ So I said, ‘That’s your situation, but didn’t you clearly say that house was mine? Now people are starving to death, and I need to use it for humanitarian aid.’ In the end, that person couldn’t return the house but took out a mortgage and brought me 10 million won. This is how I make money. (Laughs)
Today’s questioner, if you quit being a doctor, I don’t know, but if I hear rumors that you’ve graduated and become a doctor later, I’ll come looking for you.” (Laughs)
“Thank you. I understand well.”
