Nawa Buddha Tamu Sewa Samiti

By Nira Gurung Introduction Buddhism is the fourth largest religion in the world, being exceeded in numbers only by Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. It was founded in Northern India by the first known Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. In 535 BCE, he attained enlightenment and assumed the title Lord Buddha (one who has awakened). As Buddhism expanded across Asia, it evolved into two main forms, which evolved largely independently from each other: Theravada Buddhism, sometimes called Southern Buddhism; occasionally spelled Therevada) has been the dominant school of Buddhism in most of Southeast Asia since the thirteenth century, with the establishment of the monarchies in Thailand, Burma, Cambodia and Laos. It is also called ‘the way of the elders’. Mahayana Buddhism, the more popular ‘the bigger way, the greater raft’ (sometimes called Northern Buddhism) is largely found in China, Japan, Korea, Tibet and Mongolia. Within the Mahayana group, there developed another group called the Vajrayana, to mean the Diamond way. The term ‘vajra’ originated in Hindu mythology and was the diamond hard thunderbolt used as a weapon by the gods. This became an object of Buddhist authority, similar to a royal scepture. The Vajrayana Buddists accepted a tantric way of practice using ritual, religious images, diagrams, chanting, and song. Tantric Buddhists incorporated Hindu chants and initiations into the philosophy which evolved in India about 600-700 AD. Tantric Buddhism blends the physical and spiritual world and engage both. The physical has an effect on the spiritual and similarly spiritual effect on the physical. The Vajrayana Buddhism is predominant in the Himalayan nations of Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and also Mongolia but it reached its fullest potential and further developed in Tibet. This came to be known as the Tibetan Buddhism, developed in isolation from Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism because of the remoteness of Tibet. Tibet was a latecomer to Buddhism, and an Indian monk, Padmasambhava, also called Guru Rinpoche, who followed the Tantric school in India came to Tibet in 747 AD. He established the main Tibetan schools and it came to be known as the Tibetan Buddism. At the centre of Tibetan Buddhism is the religious figure called the lama, Tibetan for "guru"," source of another of its names, Lamaism. Tibetan Buddhism has four main schools and these are (i) Nyingma(pa), the Ancient Ones, the oldest and original school founded by Padmasambahva himself; (ii) Kagyu(pa), the Oral Lineage headed by Karmapa; (iii) Saky (pa), the Grey Earth headed by Sakya Trinzin; and (iv) Geluk(pa), Way of Virtue, also known as Yellow Hats, by Ganden Tripa and whose spiritual and temporal head is the Dalai Lama, now based in Dharamsala, India after fled from Tibet in 1954. The suffice ‘pa’ means ‘sect’. Each sect as its own own belief and practice, diverse yet with common features. The differences are mainly in various interpretations of common doctrines – sutras and tantras as their lineage Gurus differed. All schools and their practitioners accept that the ‘goal of Tantra is to remove ignorance and delfilement in order to realise this innate ultimaitel reality and attain Buddhahood.’ Many of the original texts were translated into the local languages, and after Buddhism declined in India, Tibet became a primary centre of learning about Buddhism. Buddhism did well in Tibet and enjoyed royal patronage. Tibetan Buddhism spread in others parts of the Himalayan countreis, including Nepal . Most of the ritualitisc ceremomies remained as before except the probition of blood sacrifice after the introduction of Buddhism. According to the Popuation Census 2001, about 11% of Nepal's population practices Buddhism, consisting mainly of groups of Tibeto-Burman origin. Buddhism is the dominant religion of the thinly-populated northern areas, which are inhabited by Tibetan-related peoples, namely the Sherpa, Lopa, Manangi, Thakali, Lhomi, Dolpa and Nyimba. They constitute a small minority of the country's population. Ethnic groups that live in central Nepal, such as Gurung, Lepcha, Tamang, Magar, Newar, Yakkha, Thami and Chepang, are also followers of Buddhism. These ethnic groups have larger populations compared to their northern neighbours. . However, they came under the influence of Hinduism due to their close contacts with the Hindu castes and many of them eventually adopted Hinduism and have been largely integrated into the caste system. Gurungs as one of the indigeneous inhabitants of Nepal Himalayas solely followed the shamanism of the black bon category since time immmerial. However, Buddhist influences are evident in the culture of Nepal, mainly due to Nepal's close proximity to Tibet. Hindus and animist castes have been heavily inlfuenced by Buddhism and likewise Buddhism has also been influencd by Hinduism. In many instances there has been a blend of influences to suit the local needs and environment, leading to a close co-existence between the two great religions. Most people in Nepal are found to worship and rever both the religions with equal fervour. In Nepal, religion cannot be separated from other aspects of society. It is an important aspect of human life. For them religion means dharma, which also means duty, ethics, morality, rules, merit and pious acts. The Gurungs who lived in the high Himalayas became influenced by the teaching of Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche), also took up the learning of Lamaism. A legend tells how some of the Kwonma clan went from Siklis to Nar in Manang to learn Lamaism from recently-arrived Tibetan Lamas. On their return those who had learned well were called Lam, those who had not, Lem. They started following the lamaist rituals and rites in their day-to-day affairs of life. They started following the lamaist rituals and rites in their day-to-day affairs of life. Therefore just as the Guru Ghar [House of Learning] of the pachyu-Gyabre is Libro Masau in Mustang, that of the Lama is the Nara Khola in Manang. The three main religious priests of the Tamus are the Pachyu, Gyabre and the Lamas. The pachyu culture is the Gurung’s first culture. As mentioned above, before the infiltration of the Buddhism, bonism the ancient Tibetan religion was in practice. Bon is concerned with the worship of the natural phenomena and nature (sildo-naldo = sime bhumi) and ancestral worship accompanied by animal sacrifices where flesh, blood, and wines were offered. Through the history there has been a strong amalgamation of these three groups to form a uniquely Tamu religious practices. A perfect blend of these three was maintained by the Gurungs in their villages by assigning each of three with separate but interlinked functions. With the influence of Lamaism spreading among the Gurungs, the other two traditional priests, the Pachyu and Gyabre also learned new things from the Lamas and some of the new teaching were assimilated and incorporated into their own religious texts (pe) and culture (lhu). Similarly, the Lamas also incorporated some of the aspects of the traditional priests such those concerning life cycles and rituals (chhya). Therefore, the Tamu Lama used both the teachings of the Tibetan Lamaism and their own traditional practices and culture to create its own unique Tamu Lama practices. Basically such lamas are called Bon-Lamas. The Tibetan Lama and the Tamu lamas read and learn the same texts, but the way of performing their religious rites and rituals are some what different. However, the Tamus recognize both as important elements of the Tamu religion. The learning of the lama is now not restricted only to the Lama clan but those from other clans also taken up the Lama learning. Migration has been a common feature among the Gurungs as shown by history. Historians say that Gurung originally came from Mongolia and Western China about eight or nine thousand years ago. They wandered down through China, reaching the Yarlu valley of the Lhoka region of Eastern Tibet in about one thousand B.C. and started migrating further into Nepal, settling down permanently in the Gandaki region after moving in different places in search of fertile lands or were forced to move on due to natural calamities. The route of migration is mentioned in the oral history of Gurungs, the ‘Pye-ta’n, Lhu-ta’n’ which also accounts its culture, rituals, migration, state established and the Gurung norms and values. Gurungs are thus found to have migrated to different parts of the country such in the central, west, east and tarai areas. In the eastern parts of Nepal, Gurungs are found to have settled in such areas as Rumjatar, Sindhupalchowk, Ilam, Okhaldunga, Khotang, and later to major cities such as Kathmandu, Pokhara, Dharan, Chitwan, Butwal, and so on. In due course, they eventually started assimilating the local predominant culture, traditions and values of the Hindu hill people, the so called high caste Brahmins and Chettris. It is also evidently clear that the rulers at that time rigorously implemented as part of the state policy, the process of Hinduisation in the name of national integration and unity. It was only natural in the course of time, that Gurungs living in these areas started forgetting and abandoning their own culture, traditions, language, dress, religion and became fully immersed in the alien cultures. The case of eastern Gurungs is a good example. However things are now beginning to change. The so called ‘purbeli’ Gurungs, who have been quite recently unaware about their own culture and traditions due to reasons mentioned above, have now become a strong force in Kathmandu and other major cities. They are seeking out their true identity, including culture, beliefs and religious practices. This has been made possible by the recent phenomena of ethnic movement that has been taking place post 1990 democracy movement leading to a tremendous amount of awareness among them. As the civilization progressed from that of an ancient to the modern one, people learned to shed their old ways of life to adapt to the better change/reformed ways life including their culture and religious practices. Settling down in unknown cities has its perils, and this basically is true at the time of death. Death is a serious matter for the Gurungs and one has to follow certain rites and rituals to ensure that the soul of dead person is reunited with his ancestors in the heaven. In the village, the whole community comes together to help carry out the related tasks. However, coming to a city is altogether a different matter when one is cut off from its own village community. When a death occurred in a family, the Gurungs had no place to turn or any familiar faces to help. The Gurungs also face a major problem in not being able to find their own traditional priests - pachyus and gyabre nor lamas for such rituals and rites. The Gurung lamas are very few and at times, they are forced to rely on Sherpa lamas to carry out their dead rituals and services. With the cultural awareness among the Gurungs on high agenda, and access to education, Gurungs are now against any forms of violence and sacrifices in their religious practices. This influence is now directly affecting some of their socio-religious practices. Many who believe in non-violence have taken up Tibetan Buddhism whereas others who still believe in their age-old ancient practices are loyal to the traditional priests. Likewise, some of the Gurungs from the east have now turned to embracing the Tibetan Buddhism and not Bon-Lamaism. In this regard, the Nawa Buddha Gurung Sewa Samiti (NBGSS) was established in Kathmandu on 2057 Mangsir 09 as a social and non-profit organization. The prefix ‘Nawa’ was chosen to the organization’s name because Gurungs have just been awakened into embracing the Tibet Buddhism, which is considered a new phenomenon. Although the prime focus is on the promotion of the Tibetan Buddhism, NBGSS is no less behind in promoting and fulfilling other socio-cultural, economic and education sectors, especially providing scholarship to poor and deserving students, providing economic help at difficult times, providing shelter to old and helpless people, including children. The office is located at Chabahil, Majijubahal, Kathmandu. The Nawa Baudha Gurung Sewa Samiti (NBGSS) offers a common platform for all Gurungs from the east, to meet and share matters relating to the Gurung community and contributing to this upliftment. Mission, Objectives and Strategy Mission To promote Tibetan Buddhism among the Tamu community, generate compassion feelings for all beings and help promote and preserve the unique Tamu cultures, traditions, practices, norms and values. Objectives The objectives of NBGSS are - Promote the development and education of Tibetan Buddhism teachings and its philosophy among all Gurungs in a religious harmony, without hurting sentiments of other communities - To bring and unite all Gurung from the east and west as a single pillar on common platform without any discrimination - To promote and strengthen the Tamu identity, language, religion, culture, literature, and dress code and literature - To help one another in time of trouble and need, especially at the time of death - Assist and provide shelter to the elderly people and other helpless people - Provide financial assistance to educate children of those Tamu who are poor; provide them with moral education to enable them to become up righteous citizens in the future. Strategy In order to achieve the above objectives, the NBGSS has embarked upon the following strategies: · Provide religious teaching in Buddhism covering its evolution, philosophy and teachings among the Tamu community · Promote development of Gurung lamas well versed in Buddhism teaching by helping to coordinate and sponsor education, locally and abroad · Organize interaction programmes and seminars to disseminate information on the teachings and philosophy of the Tibetan Buddhism · Carry out various programmes to help conserve, preserve and protect Gurung language, religion, culture, its norms, values and traditional practices · Construct a multi-functional building to house and provide all related religious services and rituals · Extend support and mutual cooperation in times of difficulties such as death, natural disasters and contribute towards community development work. · Participate actively in programmes, activities and meetings conducted by other social organizations and seek/provide intellectuals inputs wherever necessary The Executive Committee, Membership and Programmes/Achievements: The Executive Committee There are 13 members in the Executive Committee out of which 4 are women as members, 9 men. Apart from the main Executive Body/Management Committee, there are three Committees to help support the full functioning of the work. These are the Compassionate (sarahau) Committee, Youth (Yuva) Committee and the Mother’s Group (Aama Samuha) Committee as well as an Advisory Committee. On order to coordinate work in different areas in the valley, there are 14 area units and a person assigned the responsibility for a particular area. This ensures effective message dissemination and collection of membership fees. The areas are Maharajgunj, Dhapasi, Bansbari, Narayansthan, Chahabil, Dhaksin Dhoka/Jorpati , Kapan, Maijubahal, Saraswatinagar, Koteswor, Baneswor, Lokhanthali and Changu Narayan. More units will be added with increase in membership. The meetings of NBGSS are held regularly. These are monthly meeting, annual meeting, special meetings and general meetings. Information calling the meetings has to be sent out at stipulated time period along with agenda. The new executive members are elected at its general meeting which takes place every two years. Monthly meeting takes place on the last Saturday of each month at 11 am. Since the NBGSS does not have a proper office yet, small meetings are held at houses of members and mass gathering are orgnaised at nearby schools. Three yearly general meetings (BS 2058/1/9 (1st); 2059/10/17 (2nd) and 2060/9/19 (3rd) have so far been held since its establishment At these meetings, programmes highlights, progress made , annual plans as well as audit reports are shared with all the members. Reports and minutes of the meetings are kept properly. Membership In terms of geographical coverage/area, the NBGSS covers the eastern part of Nepal where Gurungs reside and well as those residing major cities of Kathmandu, Pokhara and others. Basically targeting Gurungs from the east, they also welcome Gurungs from west or central parts of Nepal. There are four types of membership: Organizational, Ordinary and Honorary and Life. Organizational members are those who signatures appear at the time of registering the organization. Ordinary member has to pay Rs 550, which has to be renewed every year by paying the same amount. Those acquiring Life membership has to pay Rs. 5,000 at one time. Honorary membership is given to an individual who is recognized for his/her contribution to the society but he/she is not entitled to voting. There are now 163 members, out of which 57 are life members and rest ordinary members. Members are mostly from eastern parts of Nepal. Names of the new members are properly registered, with photos and issued with identity cards. In the first year of the establishment of the organization, the executive members went out of their way by going from door-to-door to ask the Gurungs to join the organization and later other means taken up such as by word of mouth, telephone and friends circle. Programmes/Achievements: - To promote the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, and to overcome shortage of Gurung lamas, NBGSS presently sponsors young Gurung boys to study Tibetan Buddhism in Mahisur Gompa, in Bangalore, India. In the fact programme of sending young boys to study Tibetan Buddhism started even before the establishment of NBGSS in 2001 at the individual/personal efforts of its founder member, Krishna Bahadur Gurung. In 1998, the first boy was sent; then 1999 three boys; in 2000 two; and in 2001 another two boys, bringing a total of eight boys. The study is for 10 years. Apart from this, two boys are being sent to two monasteries in Kathmandu – one in Nyima Gumba in Pharping and the other in Seto Gumba in Baudha Phulbari. The studies of these boys are fully met by the monasteries concerned. NBGSS provides travel cost of Rs. 2000 and stationery cost of Rs. 1,500 per year. These young lamas are yet to fully ordained as lamas and practice fully and it is hoped that these young Gurung lamas will fill in the gap/need in the Tamu community for learned and well-versed lamas. - Funds raised through ‘deusi/bhailo’ over the past four years (BS 2058, 59, 60 and 61) have been collected and along with money raised from their members, NBGSS is presently constructing a ‘kriyaputri’ building for carrying out all dead-related rituals on a public land at Sukhedhara, next to the Dhobikhola river. It has also bought all related utensils and others. Once completed, it will be made available free to those who could not afford and to others a nominal charge of Rs. 50/- per day will be levied. - NGBSS plans to build a shelter for the old people and as soon as they receive the approval from the government for a piece of public land. The envisaged shelter will provide lodging, food and care of the elderly people. - NBGSS is also constructing its own building to house a gumba, a place for carrying out ‘asubha karya’ i.e. dead rituals, etc. and a multipurpose section for other activities. Funds for the building has been entirely met from the membership fees and donations. The work is continuing. - To tide over difficulties at the time of death, some members of the organization contributes between Rs. 100-200 which is given to the bereaved family. Condolences are also given in the newspapers. - To those wishing to do business are given loan facility by the organization to help its members at its initial stage of setting up, leading to better standard of living - In time of needs and difficulty, NBGSS helps to meet some medical expenses of those Tamus who are not able to meet the costs. Although the NGBSS does not present has a Welfare trust set up yet, it is already involved in providing relief support. - It celebrates the main festival of the Gurungs, Lhochchar every year with great enthusiasm. Effective BS Poush 2062, a day after the main day programme on Poush 15, 2062 at Birendra International Convetion Centre, NBGSS has started celebrating within its own premises among its own members at Maijubahal by having cultural programme, traditional games and other activities. Members of other organizations were also invited to the function. - Women, as members of the Aama Samuha, play an important role in NBGSS. 25% of the members are women and they have been running informally the Nawa Baudha Cooperative Association where members pay Rs 100 per month. It is invested in small enterprises such as shops, the sewingof ‘radi’ (traditional Gurung blanket), vegetable shops and small loans. It has been running of two years now. It will be registered formally under the Cooperative Act soon. - NBGSS organizes a rally during Buddha Jayanti every year along with other Buddhist organizations in Baudha. It has been doing since the past two years. - To encourage Tamu students, NBGSS organizes programmes to felicitate and congratulate SCL pass students. Students who obtain distinction honours (80% above), distinction (70-80%) and 1st division (60-70%) are given gold, silver and bronze medals. The top students also gets a cash prize of Rs. 5,000. Similarly, a college level top students gets a cash award of Rs. 10,000/- - NBGSS also actively takes place in all the other activities organized by other Tamu organizations be it an interaction programmes, meetings, cultural programmes etc. notable was a ‘jhaki’ depicting the life of Gurungs that was put at the opening of the General Convention organized by Gurung (Tamu) National Council from Baisakh 20-22, 2059 at the City Hall. - As ongoing part process, new members are properly registered and are issued with identity cards. Income Sources The main source of income for NBGSS is the membership fees raised from its members and donation that are received. It does not have a regular source of income nor does it have any external donors contributing to their income. The accounts are properly audited and information shared to all its members at its yearly general meetings. Human resources mainly composed of people doing most of the work voluntarily. Networking and Linkages Capacity NBGSS maintains a good relationship with all the other Tamu social organizations. They participate all the programmes as well as the meetings that are called by the Tamu Gurung National Council .They also participate in the programmes of other Tamu organizations based in Kathmandu as well as outside such as the progammes of Tamudhin Kaski, Tamu Baudha Arghun Sadan, Pehlu Sangh, and others. Plans are in the offing to open branch offices in other districts. Constraints and Challenges, and Future Plans Constraints and Challenges 4Gurung language is a great barrier for the organization since most of the Gurungs from the east do not speak their own mother tongue. The challenge is to learn it and use it. NBGSS would like to request Gurung (Tamu) National Council to create an environment for learning its mother tongue for the Gurungs in the east. Further it can also arrange for teachers and also pay for salaries, whereas NBGSS is willing to provide accommodation and food for the teachers. The government’s provision to include in its curriculum the teaching of the mother tongues (including that of the Gurung) at the primary level is welcomed but it is yet to be implemented. The Tamu organizations as a whole under the leadership of the Council can play a pivotal role in ensuring this. - Gurungs from the east are at a cross –road with regards to finding out its true religion. Many have been following Hinduism for many years and now that they are told that their true religion is bonism, an advance form of animism based pre-Buddhism practices and some say it is the Tibetan Buddhism. - Promoting internal unity and harmony among all Tamu coming together from different parts of the country and to draw people out of their drawing rooms to participate in the greater civil/social activities to make aware of their own positions and opportunities - Having a mutually agreed national festival with other ethnic groups (Sherpa and Tamnang) who also celebrate the Lhochhars at different times of the year and to have it recognized and declared by the Government by giving national holiday(s). - Lack of financial resources for construction of its multipurpose building as well as to carrying out effective programmes Future Plans While giving continuity to most of the work outlined above, some of the future plans are: - Mobilize funds to complete the construction of its multi-purpose office building which will house a monastery to provide education on Lamaist Buddhism - Provide mortuary services for people who have died within and abroad and build facility to carry out the dead rituals and cremation services - Run an old age home to take care of the elderly Tamu people as well as to homeless children - Formalize the Nawa Baudha Cooperative by having it registered presently operated informally by the Aama Samuha where the women contribute Rs. 100 per month. With the building up of a sound capital, it will be invested in small enterprises, and also hopes to provide scholarships to deserving Tamu students who are economically disadvantaged. - Literacy classes will be conducted to make the Gurung aware of their most fundamental legal rights that most of them do not know. - Work hand-in-hand with other organizations towards uniting the three lochhars of the Gurung, Tamang and Sherpa into one festival on a mutually agreed date and pressurize the government to declare 5 days as holidays like in the case of the major Hindu festivals of Dasain and Tihar. - Organize felicitation programess for Tamu individuals and professionals who have contributed towards the greater development of the Gurungs - Increase its members by carrying out membership drive - Its present Constitution of NBGSS will be looked into and redefined/amended to include more areas of concerns to widen its scope of operation. It will be presented at its next General Meeting that takes place every two years. REFERENCES: · http://www.religioustolerance.org/buddhism.htm#menu · http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_in_Nepal#Overview · Interviews and interactions of/with Mr. Krishna Bahadur Gurung, Chairperson and Surya Bahadur Gurung, Member Secretary of the Nawa Buddha Gurung Sewa Samiti (NBGSS) · Relevant documentation provided by Nawa Buddha Gurung Sewa Samiti For more information contact: Surya Bahadur Gurung, Member Secretary, NBGSS, Mobile No: 98510-49637