Reb's Travels: Phajoding Monastery

While traveling with his disciples, Tsangpa Gyare, the Tibetan founder of the Drukpa Kagyud sect of Buddhism, saw nine dragons rise out of the earth and fill the sky with flowers. After his vision, Tsangpa Gyare prophesied that another monk would meet great success in a land to the south. A century later, in 1224, Phajo Drugom Zhigpo traveled south from Tibet to Bhutan to spread the teachings of the Drukpa Kagyud, thereby fulfilling the prophesy. Phajo established a center for meditation perched on a mountainside, at a place that now bears his name: Phajoding. Consisting of ten temples and a series of meditation houses, Phajoding has since been the regional center for a spiritual tradition that seeks the divine through solitary meditation.

This was another amazing, amazing day. Maybe the highlight of the trip. We hiked about 2 hours, well ahead of everyone else even though we were going at a slow pace, love that Boulder training. LopenSherab was with us again, but since we'd already talked so much, this hike had wonderful periods of quiet. We were hiking through a forest most of the time even though we were going to 12,000+ feet. Their tree line is much higher. About 2/3's of the way up, we were met by two monks at a small chorten with tea, puffed rice to put in the tea and crackers. I'd been my usual lady-like self while exercising and was dripping sweat to the point of really wishing I had those tennis bands. Hot tea? Turned out to be perfect. Then we sat in the shade, a bit of breeze blowing and monks serving us tea. Oh and Sherab off to the side with paper and pen, on the cel doing work since the holiday started the next day. We marveled at the extent of the cel range here. It was a great break. We then went the rest of the way up and waited for the rest of the crew who weren't that far behind us.

Welcome!

We got to the top and the monks had set up a gate with flags and two young monks (they start at 6) were waiting to start blowing these clarinet like instruments. The reason we were being hosted at all was because they are desperate for funders to rehab the monastery which is exquisite and decrepit at the same time. Think Ms. Havisham in her wedding finery. When a key member arrived, the trumpets started blowing and we walked through the gate (His face was, well, I'm grinning thinking of it. A modest guy.) Because of the situation, we were able to go through AND take pictures of this incredible place and I think everyone of us was ready to plunk down money.

The place is the first place that I've been that had such a sense of serenity and spirituality that I thought I could do a month+ retreat here. And, in fact, many monks do just this at this location. However, I'd want summertime and really good bedding and clothes, because this is a monastery of artistic splendor, huge historical significance and true privation. I'm going to send photos that hopefully convey what we were seeing. About 30 monks live here, a number of them young boys. At the end they were playing a cricketish game and had plenty for two teams. The wind blows so hard that one of the roofs had blown off last time one of our hosts had been there. There were huge gaps in the plaster, walls propped up with poles, bricks and wood falling, plastic taped up above the little room where the boys study to keep plaster from falling on them. The bathroom building was built for them by some UN agency and was a great step up for them. It was so bad that one friend, a female, walked in and right back out again. However, I didn't have the luxury of walking right back out again and it was doable. Basically a building with 4 open stalls, trench running down the middle, low wall separating the trenches from a hose to wash with. Four windows looking out that the guys said made it really not so bad. Of course, they could look at the window....

I digressed. So we went into the main temple and it was fantastic. The Buddha was so big that you could see the head and chest from the second floor. So it was basically two floors of two different worship places, but with the same gigantic Buddha. Though, of course, there were other alters, other Buddhas, amazing paintings etc. We walked in and sat down on carpets and they gave us butter tea and butter rice with raisons (Carol, I thought of you). Really pretty good, just a bit of regret the next morning. Then we started touring this fantastic building with at least, hmm, run together a bit, maybe 3 worship areas? We had 5 architects and conservationists with us from the ministry and everyone was photographing. They were photographing ruin and we were photographing amazing.

We then went out and walked around this two story building to the back and there hung a Thanka that covered the whole backside of the building. Two stories high and building width. Unbelievable image. You stand back and see this incredible Bhuddha (I've about given up trying to remember which one whenever I see one) and then walk up close and see the incredible stitchery and applique that comprised this Thanka (religious painting or tapestry). Truly, truly awe-inspiring. It was created 230 years ago and this was the maybe the third or fourth time it had been shown (they don't keep records "like you do" the head monk told me). And we got to not only see it but take photos. I'm awe-inspired again just remembering.

We then walked up to the monastery where the monks live (how?!) and tiptoed around the broken floors and walls to see 3 more unbelievable worship areas. Just heart-breaking and really hope they get a more finalized plan and get some funding. When you looked out the window of one of the alter areas down into the courtyard where people used to enter even last year, it was filled with debris that had fallen off the building.

The monks were great, telling us stories, letting us throw the three dice and get our futures (Rick didn't throw, I did and got looks of surprise because I got a 13, I guess that was very good. They didn't take me over to the sheets of paper tacked to the wall that tell you what to do if you get a bad number.)

Then they served us lunch, siting out looking over all of Thimphu valley. We could see where all the royalty live, including the fifth or current king and all the queen mothers. I guess the fourth king wore himself out because he's off across the valley and up in another set of hills and rarely is seen in public anymore, though he's helping his son run things. Higher mountains behind, blue sky and clouds. Like above Boulder, but not.

Oh, forgot. Last thing we did was walk up behind the monastery. The head monk, in english they called him Principal, led us saying this was the last really important thing he wanted us to see. We walked along a trail with really amazing vegetation, moss, small flowers, fall colors just starting to turn the leaves and all in miniature. Made me think of that movie "Fairies". Something like that. We walked up, two monks ahead and they turned, in their red robes against the green and pointed up against a wall face. There on the bottom was a Buddha, unmistakable. A miracle. The skeptics amongst us said it was a tourist miracle. I believed. It was totally cool, not painted, just minerals run together. Think we have a photo. Rick was on this day with the camera.

We then marched back through flags and bugeling (sp?) and were off.
Isn't that an amazing day?