Week 2: Lecture 2: Where Mountains Meet the Divine: Bhutan's Sacred Peaks

Three Brothers Mountains - general definition

Prior to the arrival of Buddhism, 3 mountains in the Haa region were associated with folklore, in the 8th century, become associated with Vajrayana Buddhism

3 brothers mountains: Bhutanese names

Chenrezig: eye embedded in both hands

• God of compassion

Chana-Dorji: holding a sword

• God of wrath

Jampelyahng: holding a scroll

• God of wisdom

3 brothers mountains: associated Bodhisattvas

Avalokiteshvara

• Bodhisattva of compassion

Vajrapani

• Bodhisattva of power/ victory

Majushri

• Bodhisattva of wisdom

Relationship to mountains

Temples built at the foot, not the top

Haaps conceive of the mountains as the abode of deities, as well as the trees on the mountains

Better knowledge of mountains leads to better survival

Main events in the Buddha’s life story

• Birth

• Enlightenment

• First sermon

• Death

Prayer wheels

Meant to relieve all living beings of misery

• Encourage enlightenment

Gross National Happiness - idea

Coined by the 4th king of Bhutan

Vision of economy which “promotes harmony and respect for nature and each other, that respects our ancient wisdom traditions and protects our most vulnerable people as our own family and that give us time to live and enjoy our lives and to appreciate rather than destroy our world. It will be an economic system, in short, that is fully sustainable and that is rooted in true abiding happiness and wellbeing.”

• “Development with values”

Percentage of Bhutan that must be under forest cover in perpetuity

60%

Four pillars/ Brahmavihāra of GNH, and the Buddhist values they reflect

1. Sustainable and equitable socioeconomic development-

• Reflects upekśā (equinamity

2. Environmental conservation

• Reflects karuņa (compassion fro all sentient beings and the earth)

3. Preservation and promotion of culture

• Reflects muditā (joy)

4. Good governance

• Reflects maitri (loving-kindness)

4 sacred animals of Bhutan

• Snow lion

• Tiger

• Garuda

• Dragon

Sacred Space and ecological conservation

No mountain-climbing because mountains are sacred

Gelephu Mindfulness City

Different rules, a new model of economic development

Attempt to create a city that doesn’t displace nature

Funded by hydro power sold to India

Notable development policies in Bhutan

60% of land forested in perpetuity

Curren carbon-negative status, commitment to being a carbon-neutral nation in perpetuity

Currently prohibits the export of unprocessed timber

51% of the country is in protected areas

• More than 70% of the country is under forest cover

• Biodiversity hotspot

In 2012, committed to transitioning to 100% organic agriculture