Ambigious Practices.

My eldest sister and  I sat  in the Guru lhakhang     in    Sikkim       attending a ritual.  She was meticulously chanting “Om    Vajra    Guru       Padma   Siddhi Humn”. She    insisted me to       chant while  I        was       severely   having a rheumatism    accounting   to the long stay   without   movement.   With a big glare of     her eyes     she     scornfully complaint of my behavior. The sigh of disgust  to   have   sat for a long   time and    being     adamant  to  hymn  any verse   must have      been enough for anyone     to      describe  me  as     an “ATHIEST”.   Probably   so    did     my sister although never uttered.

This memory  triggered in me myraids of quizzical  quest on the practices we have   been doing    simply for the fact we     were taught to—some  kind of in line tradition. 

Well it's       amazing     to       see how bhutanese   people     are   so     much serious about the matters concerning God.  It may    be rare to spot a house without   an altar or         atleast some kupars(portrait).  Fancy offerings and uttering    mantras  are usual chore in every household.  

But       I ask      what   good it     does supplementing    to those man made   version      of      higher powers which   is   not       even   known      that        it exist.   Or     even       considering     it   does,      (by  metamorphosing those great    teachers    of all time)  what's the assurance that  they   would  help you in  return of your   oblation. Don't get      my        opinion   wrong.   I ain't writing any   blasphemy ( need   to be careful      this   days    or   I    shall be  condemned for infidel writing).  

Bhutanese      people    are       deeply rooted  in     worshipping. Perhaps of the  reason   it    came    as  an social obligation      from      our forefathers antiquity.     I do    believe   in     great teachers  like       Buddha and  in   his knowledge  but I    don't dare to stain   its     purity    by   dragging     into the ambiance      of       absurd           and unreasonable practices. 

I know     my mother would warn me never        to question       his powers because she    is     like many others who        believes      in                  Idol worshipping. Is  it   not possible    to attain        enlightentment     without having to chant those sophisticated     mantra? Or    without  making those offerings to them? Well Buddha  did without them,   through        years of contemplation  in a bodhi  tree. This itself is     a best testimony that idol practices is a sheer astray from the true essence of religion. 

I strongly believe he preached us to practice     and          follow           his teachings. Therefore     I can't find a better       way  to     venerate him by adhering            to         this     simple message.  

There are those true disciples   who would  listen     and abide     by their   teacher's       lessons      strictly and another students   who       are after appeasing    him      through special acknowledgements.    Perhaps   we perfectly    superimposes        those appeasers. Incantation  sometimes could    mean   a way         of paying homage   yet        it    little      brings satisfaction to     the  teacher  over those                 students           who accomplishes the words of him.

I see this     practices   too vague for meaningful   conducts.       So I don't find     it         necessary     to    follow them. I   don't think either God would want it. 

Its upto   individual opinion and each one   is      right      in       their       own way.   Yet it's   time  we scrutinize the ways and motives  we all    have lived with.