According
to the sources; Chorten or Stupa is earliest form of the Buddha image to commemorate
major event in his life. To mark the sacred places where these event occurred. Stupa
built as memorial and contains relics and offerings. In Bhutan it is also built
as land mark.
One
early in the morning, I went to National Memorial Chorten to make some
circumambulations. I took a majestic walk along with some people who were on
the way to Chorten for the same reason. As soon as I reach near hospital
campus, I stopped for a very short span of time. I saw a big group walking magnificently
towards chorten. I just stand on road side. They went ahead of me talking in
their own languages, something about the chorten and a day’s program. They walked
on smiling at me and talking within themselves. I smiled too and stand side by
the road little more.
Another
group came and went off. I still wait there and went on following our senior
citizens. Amongst all, the majority were women. As and when I reach below
hospital arcs, I saw people coming from different directions intending to
circumambulate the National Memorial Chorten. I joined the group and walked to
the chorten. They entered the courtyard of Chorten where I still wait outside
to read the information and see around to know more about it.
Before
I enter the chorten, I saw a giant board depicting the history and reasons for constructing
the chorten. History says that chorten was built on the commemoration of late 3rd
Dragon King of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, who is referred to as ‘Father of
Modern Bhutan’. He was born in 1928 and passed away in 1972. His mother late Gyalyum
Azhi Phuntsho Choden sponsor the construction of the chorten in order to
fulfill late His Majesty’s one of the three wishes. This chorten was built in
1974 after Kyabje Dejom Rinpoche visualized and architectural drawing was done by
His Holiness, Kyabje Dungsi Rinpoche.
It
is located in the heart of the Capital City of Bhutan, Thimphu. It is built in
the crossed junction of the city road, the Doebum Lam and Chorten Lam which
passes through Hospital to the Swimming pool complex and main town to the
hospital respectively.
Chenray
Zig is the Bodhisattva of Compassion or is god of compassion; Jampelyang is the
Bodhisattva of Wisdom or is god of wisdom or knowledge or intelligence, and
Chana Dorji is Bodhisattva of Power and is god of power.
The
gate or arch is fully in traditional of Bhutan. On top of the gate or arc from
inside is the Nirmakaya, which consists of present Buddha Shacha Thukpa
(Sakyamuni), Guru Rimpoche (the Tantric Master) and Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel
(the Unifier of Bhutan). Three of them are Trulkus. So it would be Nirmakayas.
When
I looked around, I saw our senior citizens chanting mantras, pulling and
pushing the Prayer wheels (Mani Dungkhor) in prayer wheel house. I went there
and asked some few people about the importance of chanting mantras. One of the
senior citizens steadily answered my questions and I got moral ideas of
chanting mantras. I was taught how to pull and push the prayer wheels. I
thanked them and request them to offer prayers for wellbeing of all sentient
beings as they did prior to. I enjoyed being with them for few minutes chatting
and gossiping.
I
walked towards chorten where the Good Angel statue is situated in octagon shaped
house. The good angel is offering the water to chorten and its internal shrine
and relics. Offering of water has many reasons. The very reason for offering
the water dates back to era of Buddha. In this universe, each and every one of
us is not gifted with same wealth and fortunes. Water is the cheapest and
easiest way to offer to the god. So, therefore, it is good to offer clean water
to the god to gain merits.
After
that I went around the chorten. I saw butter lamp offerings are done outside
the Chorten. Hundreds and thousands of butter lamps are offered in the butter
lamp house near the chorten. The importance of offering butter lamp is to gain
merits and fortunes in our life. The holy smoke or Sang is also offered to gain
merits. North to the chorten is Kuenray where rituals are conducted.
Before
completing a round, I saw many people prostrating towards the chorten from east
direction. The importance of prostration is to wash way sins that we
accumulated in our past and present life. The processes, methods or steps to
offer prostrations are as follows:
“Bring hands together
on our heart. Take it up on the head and bring down below chin or Jaw, then to
the heart. Then we bend down the knees and put our knees and hands on the
ground and also the forehead. Putting down the knees, hands and forehead
signifies pinning down the five poisons on the ground. The numbers of the
prostrations differs from person to person.”
Towards
the east is the front of the chorten. In the vase or Bumpa, the statue of
present Buddha, Shacha Thukpa or Sakyamuni is installed. The four Guardian
Kings are also installed below it, in four directions. The Guardian King of
East, Yulkhorsung or Dhritarashtra, Guardian King of South, Phagyelpo or
Virudhaka, Guardian King of West, Chemizang or Virupaksha and Guardian King of
North, Namthoese or Vaisravava. We can easily recognize the Four Guardian Kings
through their complexions, the weapons they hold, throne they sit on, and other
features.
Its
outer appearance is the Draduel or Jangchub or Stupa of conquest and it’s
purely based on Tibetan architecture. The Chorten is built to defeat the
temptation of attack of host Mara under Bodhi tree, and built by King Bimbisara
to mark the occasion. Have traditional four unadorned steps.
Whole
structures of the chorten represents as five purified elements; square base or
four cardinals and inter cardinal corners as ‘Earth’, hemispherical vase or
dome as ‘Water’, conical sphere or thirteen umbrella as ‘Fire’, the lotus
parasol and crescent moon as ‘Air’, and sun and dissolving point as ‘Space’. It
is also explained as body of the Buddha; the throne, legs in lotus posture,
torso, faces and eyes, ushnisha, and enlightenment respectively.
The
four Snow lions from four directions holding the iron chain signify that the
lons hold the chorten which is believed to be flying in the air. The snow lion
has a youthful, vibrant energy of goodness and natural sense of delight, so
they holds the chorten to stand still as it is.
Interior
of the Chorten is designed as Temple which houses the King’s photo in a
ceremonial dress adorns in ground floor along with Phurpa (Vajrakila Statues),
Kagae Teaching in first floor and teaching of Lama Goongdu in second floor.
Lama Goongdu teaching is the highest form of teaching in Tantric religion.
The
murals paintings of Nyingma Traditions are depicted on the walls of chorten.
There are uncountable paintings of Bodhisattvas, scholars and others in the
chorten.
Over
the years, National Memorial Chorten has become one of the best meeting points
in the heart of capital city. Early in the morning on my visit to chorten, I
saw numbers of Monks, Lay-Monks and Anims (Nuns) were waiting there. I wonder
why they were waiting. But the best answer I could generate was they were
waiting for the person who hired them to perform rituals at home. They chats
and gossips within themselves.
After
few minutes, cars parked in the parking lot, man came out from car, the group
of 8 monks and lay-monks got in the car. They plied to their destination.
Another group was also picked up from same place. Anims were also picked by
from the same place.
Our
senior citizens come there to meet their old friends apart from chanting
mantras. One good example I saw is a man from East and Central Bhutan served in
Army long time back. They met there after 23 years of their departure. They
said that they always come to chorten to meet face to face and talk what not
things about the past. They have been good friends in Dewathang before more
than two decades ago.
In
the evening I went back again to circumambulate the chorten. That time many
people gathered there for the same reason. But some young boys and girls
eagerly wait for their partners to come. They fix the meeting point at chorten
and diverts to other places. The numbers of young boys and girls were sitting
nearby chorten holding their cellular phones; replying wechat messages, receive
calls, and make calls. In some incidences, boys and girls quarrel there as they
fail to make on time to be at chorten.
The
civil servants, corporate and private employees, job seekers and others meet
there after long time. The house wives and unmarried circumambulates the
chorten and go back in evening. This is how our National Memorial Chorten has
significances and how it has become meeting point.
