Blog II
I have been carrying out conversations with my Bhutanese friends, usually in an informal setting, just casually asking them so that it would seem the least interview like where they may feel pressured to present information in a certain way. I wanted to know things from their own perspectives. To begin with I had certain questions on my mind that seemed important to address before I began looking into their personal behaviors. The questions were as follows:
Why is Buddhism the main religion practiced in Bhutan?
Bhutan is located particularly close to Tibet, a country which was originally Buddhist. Many of the religious figures you will see in Bhutanese Buddhism (Mahayana Buddhism) were/are Tibetan priests or monks who traveled into Bhutan and brought the religion with them. That is how Buddhism came into the country and it has since then been the predominant religion with over 95% of the people identifying themselves as Buddhists.
What has been the most significant influence of Buddhism on your culture?
Buddhism has influenced almost every aspect of a Bhutanese person’s life. This includes not just their culture in the sense of traditions, heritage, etc. but also by in a way of determining daily activities of an individual. The line between culture and religion in Bhutan may be very blurred. Buddhism is integrated in some form or another in all aspects of the culture.
Do you believe that Buddhism has a significant influence on your behaviors as well as on your culture, Bhutan?
While my friends say that they cannot speak for everyone, they admit to their being Buddhists influencing some of their behaviors and collectively having a bigger influence on their culture. Subconsciously, whether they practice the religion (in terms of rituals/prayers) or not, it determines how they would react and deal with certain situations in their life. One of them admits to it saying that even normal every day activities carry subliminal messages that relate to Buddhism.
Has there been a time where you asked yourself as to why you do certain behaviors which are considered rather unusual to others?
They say because it is mostly carried out subconsciously they do not really question themselves. It is only when someone points it out particularly that they find themselves validating it by mostly relating it to their religion and their culture. For them it is not unusual, just a norm but they can see why others may see it as being odd.
From my first “interview” it was clear to me that their behaviors have been influenced by both their culture and religion. It triggered a much higher curiosity to examine the reasons behind the details of their behaviors.
I have been carrying out conversations with my Bhutanese friends, usually in an informal setting, just casually asking them so that it would seem the least interview like where they may feel pressured to present information in a certain way. I wanted to know things from their own perspectives. To begin with I had certain questions on my mind that seemed important to address before I began looking into their personal behaviors. The questions were as follows:
Why is Buddhism the main religion practiced in Bhutan?
Bhutan is located particularly close to Tibet, a country which was originally Buddhist. Many of the religious figures you will see in Bhutanese Buddhism (Mahayana Buddhism) were/are Tibetan priests or monks who traveled into Bhutan and brought the religion with them. That is how Buddhism came into the country and it has since then been the predominant religion with over 95% of the people identifying themselves as Buddhists.
What has been the most significant influence of Buddhism on your culture?
Buddhism has influenced almost every aspect of a Bhutanese person’s life. This includes not just their culture in the sense of traditions, heritage, etc. but also by in a way of determining daily activities of an individual. The line between culture and religion in Bhutan may be very blurred. Buddhism is integrated in some form or another in all aspects of the culture.
Do you believe that Buddhism has a significant influence on your behaviors as well as on your culture, Bhutan?
While my friends say that they cannot speak for everyone, they admit to their being Buddhists influencing some of their behaviors and collectively having a bigger influence on their culture. Subconsciously, whether they practice the religion (in terms of rituals/prayers) or not, it determines how they would react and deal with certain situations in their life. One of them admits to it saying that even normal every day activities carry subliminal messages that relate to Buddhism.
Has there been a time where you asked yourself as to why you do certain behaviors which are considered rather unusual to others?
They say because it is mostly carried out subconsciously they do not really question themselves. It is only when someone points it out particularly that they find themselves validating it by mostly relating it to their religion and their culture. For them it is not unusual, just a norm but they can see why others may see it as being odd.
From my first “interview” it was clear to me that their behaviors have been influenced by both their culture and religion. It triggered a much higher curiosity to examine the reasons behind the details of their behaviors.
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