Religion, Culture, Buddhism,
Monks, Monasteries,
Temples, Dzongs (Monstery-Castles)
The
Himalaya Kingdom of
Bhutan characteristically
is formed, as far as religion and way of life are concerned, by the Mahayana
Buddhism as predominant in Tibet: the Lamaistic and Tantric Buddhism. This religion
still is deeply rooted in the Bhutanese people.
The main schools of the Mahayana
Buddhism adhered to in Bhutan
are the Kargyü-pa-school in its form of the Kargyü-Druk-pa, and the
Ningma-pa-school respectively. The Kargyü Druk-pa school practically is
the “official church”, has the largest number of monks und nuns
as well as monasteries; His Holiness the Je Kempo, the highest religious authority
of Bhutan, always is an abbot of the Kargyü Druk-pa. The second largest
community is the Ningma-pa school which has a slightly smaller number of monks,
nuns and monasteries.
Visible proof of the deep religious devotion of the Bhutanese people are the
innumerable picturesque temples and monasteries, chorten and mani walls, prayer
wheels and prayer flags which decorate the villages and landscape, steep slopes
and hill tops. Prayer flags still are erected, often in dangerously steep places,
by the pious Bhutanese on advice of their family lamas at many occasions like
births, deaths and other important family affairs.
The ‘ capital’ of each of the 20 provinces of Bhutan is situated
around a very imposing Dzong or monastery-castle. Here, as in the past, reside
under one roof the worldly power , namely the office of the Governor (Dzongda)
of the province, and the religious power represented by a high ranking abbot
with many monks.
Buddhism still gives its undisputed stamp to the culture of Bhutan. The most
important festivals are religious ones with their colourful and mystic temple
dances. A special expression of Bhutanese culture is the traditional architecture
still mostly dominated by the religion: all design and construction elements,
the dimensions and proportions of doors and windows, the colours etc. have religious
implications; they have to assure that the benign spirits can easily enter the
building, and in contrast, that the bad demons have no access.
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Religion, Culture, Buddhism, Monks, Monasteries,
Temples, Dzongs (Monastery-Castles)
The Himalaya Kingdom of Bhutan characteristically is formed, as far
as religion and way of life are concerned, by the Mahayana Buddhism
as predominant in Tibet: the Lamaistic and Tantric Buddhism. This
religion still is deeply rooted in the Bhutanese people.
The main schools of the Mahayana Buddhism adhered to in Bhutan are
the Kargyü-pa-school in its form of the Kargyü-Druk-pa,
and the Ningma-pa-school respectively. The Kargyü Druk-pa school
practically is the “official church”, has the largest
number of monks and nuns as well as monasteries; His Holiness the
Je Kempo, the highest religious authority of Bhutan, always is an
abbot of the Kargyü Druk-pa. The second largest community is
the Ningma-pa school which has a slightly smaller number of monks,
nuns and monasteries.
Visible proof of the deep religious devotion of the Bhutanese people
are the innumerable picturesque temples and monasteries, chorten and
mani walls, prayer wheels and prayer flags which decorate the villages
and landscape, steep slopes and hill tops. Prayer flags still are
erected, often in dangerously steep places, by the pious Bhutanese
on advice of their family lamas at many occasions like births, deaths
and other important family affairs.
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|
The Dzong or Monastery- Castle of Punakha |
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The ‘capital’ of each of
the 20 provinces of Bhutan is situated around a very imposing Dzong
or monastery-castle. Here, as in the past, reside under one roof the
worldly power , namely the office of the Governor (Dzongda) of the
province, and the religious power represented by a high ranking abbot
with many monks.
Buddhism still gives its undisputed stamp to the culture of Bhutan.
The most important festivals are religious ones with their colourful
and mystic temple dances. A special expression of Bhutanese culture
is the traditional architecture still mostly dominated by the religion:
all design and construction elements, the dimensions and proportions
of doors and windows, the colours etc. have religious implications;
they have to assure that the benign spirits can easily enter the building,
and in contrast, that the bad demons have no access.
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|
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