Bhutanese beliefs

Traveling to Bhutan can witness different customs and beliefs. The life of Bhutanese is inseparable from religion. Every family must have a Buddhist temple. Every life stage of each person is inseparable from religion. Here, religion and life are like an inseparable wick, and faith reflects everyone's heart and life.

Generally speaking, in addition to offering Buddhist scriptures for Buddhist chanting in Bhutanese homes, if a monk visits, the Buddhist hall is his resting place. Sometimes, the Buddhist hall also doubles as a VIP guest room. Regardless of the city or the countryside, Bhutanese still retain the annual family prayer ceremony (Choku) in Buddhist temples, inviting eminent monks to come to their homes to recite sutras. This blessing ceremony is more important than the Bhutanese New Year. It is necessary to choose an auspicious day when brothers and sisters who have worked hard in other places can return to their hometowns. After the prayer was over, the roof was replaced with a new flag. If you are invited to participate, don't miss it. On special occasions, such as the birthday of the Buddha, the day when the sky descends, or the Dharma assembly led by the Great Dharma King, believers will visit the Great Buddha in the capital.

Solemn wedding ceremony

Regardless of whether Bhutanese get married or have children, they cannot do without Buddhist temples. Strictly speaking, it is blessing and blessing. Usually before the newcomers arrive, the monks will recite mantras and smoke offerings outside the temple, praying for the Dharma protectors to complete the ceremony. In Bhutan, tantra attaches great importance to the relationship between teachers and teachers, so newcomers who come to the temple first bow to the lama and then worship the Buddha. After the couple bowed to the lama, the latter led them to light incense and lamps at the altar of the Three Buddhas and the Eight Great Bodhisattvas. After the two presented the hada they brought in front of the Buddha, the lama used the hada that had been hanged in the temple for a long time before, and collected the hada of merit and blessings such as chanting sutras, devotion, lighting lanterns, etc., to bless the two of them. Afterwards, the lama and two people took the seat and performed chanting in stages. First of all, purify the body, speech and mind and remove obstacles for the two of them. When the chanting pauses, the service staff prepare butter tea and raisin butter rice (Dresi) for all present. While continuing to chant the sutras, the monks offered wine to the Three Jewels, the Dharma protectors, and the crowd. In some places, the newlyweds are asked to take a sip each after the wine is served, but here a small spoon is poured into their palms to drink. After chanting sutras to wish longevity and happiness, they will then send fruits and betel nut for the two to feed each other. Before the ceremony, the husband and wife exchanged milk and wine, implying a hundred years of harmony.

The famous Qiuzi Temple

In Bhutan, there is a well-known child-seeking temple - Chimi Lhakhang (Chimi Lhakhang), which is visited by couples who are infertile after marriage. Legend has it that there was a mad Lama Drukpa Kunley (1455–1529) in this temple. He does not strictly observe the precepts like ordinary monks, but loves to sing and compose poetry, joke, drink and indulge.

Drukpa Kunlei believes that promoting the Dharma in a humorous, bold and outstanding way can break people's secular concepts, that is, attachment and fear, and then find the self-nature and Buddha-nature in the heart. According to legend, Drukpa Kunlie has boundless mana, and when the Dochu Pass was occupied by a banshee and threatened people's lives, he used the "Vajra of Wisdom", that is, the penis to subdue the demon.

In addition to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in Chemi Temple, you can see the statue of Drukpa Kunlie and the stupa made by him. The way of blessing here is especially special. Everyone, regardless of gender, receives the blessing of a wooden penis and a bow knocked on the head. Don't be afraid, this knock will not lead to pregnancy without will and action. So what should the beggar do? The woman who wants to get pregnant makes a wish in her heart and holds the huge wooden penis, like holding a baby, and circles the temple 3 times. Go back to the temple and throw 3 dice, 9, 11, 13 are excellent numbers. When the lucky number appears, the name is drawn by paper lottery. If the name is exclusively for girls, the girl will be born. It is said to be 90% accurate.

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