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The
Kingdom of Bhutan is a small, secluded, mountainous
kingdom in the eastern Himalayas. Sandwiched between
Tibet (now occupied by China) to the north and India
to the south, Bhutan has deliberately chosen to move
slowly into the future to insure the survival of its
rich spiritual culture. Bhutan covers an area of approximately
18,000 square miles - larger than Switzerland but smaller
than the U.S. state of West Virginia. As recently as
1961 there were no telephones, no post offices, no newspapers
no village schools, no hospitals, no movie theaters,
and no airports in Bhutan. The country's first paved
road was not completed until 1962. |
The
Mystic Lands program we produced on Bhutan is called
BHUTAN: Land of the Thunder Dragon.
Here
are some fun facts, words, and people important to the history
and spirituality of Bhutan:
-
Druk Yul - Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon; Bhutan.
When a Tibetan monastery was being dedicated in the 12th
century, thunder was heard rolling off the mountains. The
people believed that the thunder was druk, the voice of
the dragon. The monastery became known as Druk and its religious
school Drukpa. By the 17th century when the Drukpas had
united the country, they called it Druk Yul, Land of the
Thunder Dragon.
-
Guru Rinpoche - Also know as Guru Padma Sambhava
(8th century A.D.), Buddhist monk and missionary from India
who came to Bhutan; called the "Precious Teacher"; known
as the Second Buddha. He is credited with introducing Tantric
Buddhism to Bhutan. He is a great spiritual force in Bhutan,
celebrated in legends, honored at festivals, and venerated
in temples. The Bhutanese believe he performed miracles
in subduing the forces of evil.
-
Tiger's Nest - Also known as the Taktsang Monastery;
cliffside monastery built more than 2,500 feet above the
Paro Valley floor. Bhutanese mythology says that when Guru
Rinpoche flew to Bhutan from Tibet on the back of a miraculous
tiger, he landed at Taktsang. He meditated in a mountain
cave for three months. The cave was surrounded by Tiger's
Nest monastery and is one of the most revered sites in the
Buddhist world. The original monastery was recently destroyed
by fire. It is now being rebuilt.
For
additional information about The Duncan Group, the Mystic
Lands series, or Wisconsin, please contact Patty@DuncanEntertainment.com.
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