B UDDHI S M , LI T E RA T URE S T UF F, T RA V E L T A LE S B y GRE E NE R P A S T URE S / OCT OB E R 22, 2011 @ 2: 24 P M
PROGRESSIVE BUDDHISM
It is hard to pinpoint a major dominant religion of Northeast India . Due to its vast cultural and ethnic diversity, religion here too has a broad spectrum. And within it lies Hinduism, Islam, along with Christianity , Tibetan Buddhism and Indigenous beliefs. Religion has always intrigued me. I was born a Hindu in the plains of Assam, had a brief infatuation with Christianity in Nagaland , heard folktales of indigenous faiths from Manipur and Eastern Arunachal and now I am somewhere between Sikkim and Western Arunachal, where the mysteries of Tibetan Buddhism have caught me by the arm and is slowly leading me onto the path to realization.
A Buddhist Tribal Lady in Western Arunachal Pradesh
Neo Vaisnavite Culture in Majuli Island
Along my travels, I have seen that this sect of Buddhist have prayer flags along with its many other intricacies. These colorful prayer flags are tied or suspended, and it is believed that the wind would carry these prayers to heaven. What a wonderful process; using Gods medium to transport mortal prayers into the kingdom of heaven. Sometimes an entire stretch of a town will be covered with these prayer flags, giving it almost a very fierce magical touch.
A Buddhist Town Enroute to Tawang
A Small Monastery at 13,000 ft
Prayer Flags And The Wind
Another aspect that stands out about Tibetan Buddhism is their fascination with colors. Their monasteries and gompas are definitely architectural wonders, but it is their skillful splash of colors that brings these wonders to life. From bright yellow rooftops to very detailed colorful woodwork, it gives a weary mind a moment of calm and stillness. Be it the Roomtek Monastery in Sikkim or the 400 year old Tawang Monastery in Arunachal which is believed to be the second largest monastery in the world. Solace – is the closest word that comes to my mind when I try to pen my feelings in these monasteries.
The majestic door of the Tawang Monastery
At Bomdilla Monastery, Arunachal Pradesh.
At Tawang Monastery
Rumtek Monastery, Sikkim
Maybe because the origin of this religion is from the cradle of the Himalayas , there is an air of secrecy surrounding it and proof of it are their paintings. The patterns of these paintings are passed on from generations to generations, and only they hold the key of its exact meaning and origins. Little that I could comprehend after years of inspection and study is that these paintings have a pattern; they speak of life-cycles, about karma, about salvation or moksha, but they also depict a rather darker edge of their faith, like female Shaktism , Bonn-animism, sympathetic magic, shamanism, Vajrayana mysticism. This maybe because many of the local deities predating the arrival of Buddhism were co opted and made ‘protectors’ of the teachings of the Buddha.
Himalaya
Buddhist Art
Inside the Tawang Monastery
I cannot say that Tibetan Buddhism has transformed me, but it has in a way certainly calm my restless spirit. And the beauty of religion is somewhat like a book without a definite ending, because I believe that at the core of every religion there is a very ‘humane’ endeavor to pursue good and question behavior, and this learning is endless.
A Monk and Lord Buddha
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Greener Pastures is a boutique travel company based in the fascinating lands of Northeast India. Run by a small team of passionate experts, the company offers responsible tours and adventures to exotic places and cultures. With a focus on sustainable travel, the core motive is to engage with tourism as a means to improving lives, preserving culture and enhancing the environment. Blog
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The Sherdukpen Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh | Celebrating Indigenous Peoples
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The Bugun Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh | Celebrating Indigenous Peoples
The Monpa Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh | Celebrating Indigenous Peoples
A DD Y OURS
Del Rio Adventures on October 23, 2011 at 5:12 AM
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Hello! I really enjoyed this piece, I also find the intersection of religions interesting, especially the contemplative traditions. Great photos too, I would love to so some trekking in the area! Also, I noticed that some of the comments you made on my blog ended up in the spam folder, I’m not sure why but nevertheless thanks for stopping by and for commenting (especially on the Rhino story), I’m sorry I only saw them now. Keep up all the great stories! Cheers Barry
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greenerpasturesind on October 24, 2011 at 1:23 PM
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Thanks Barry…
Its funny to end up in the spam folder.
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Progressive Buddhism « In search of Greener Pastures … | Buddhism in modern society | Scoop.it on October 23, 2011 at 8:56 PM
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[…] Progressive Buddhism « In search of Greener Pastures … It is hard to pinpoint a major dominant religion of Northeast India. Due to its vast cultural and ethnic diversity, religion here too has a broad spectrum. And within it lies Hinduism, Islam, along with Christianity, Tibetan Buddhism … Source: greenerpasturesind.wordpress.com […]
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A journey onto Buddhism and Arunachal Pradesh. - India Travel Forum, BCMTouring on October 24, 2011 at 8:49 AM
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[…] my infatuation with Buddhism afer having encountered its depth in Wertern Arunachal. Article is at Progressive Buddhism Hope you all like the read and the photographs. […]
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A Social Visit! « Ralphie´s Portal on October 25, 2011 at 11:12 AM
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photographer on October 27, 2011 at 3:19 AM
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[…] Progressive Buddhism (greenerpasturesind.wordpress.com) […] Reply
Your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own singapore event photographer website now.I would like to thank you for the amount of efforts you’ve put in writing this web site. I am hoping the same top grade website post from you in the upcoming as well. Actually the blogging is spreading its wings rapidly. Your write up is a great example of it.
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greenerpasturesind on November 5, 2011 at 6:12 AM
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hii.. thankyou so much for the encouragement. And yes, it does need effort initially. But once u begin writing(with you heart) words becomes music. If my article was an inspiration for you to write. Well it has inspired me to write more. And am anxiously waiting for your blog..
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Best most popular Buddhist Books « my LINK on October 31, 2011 at 1:02 PM Reply
[…] Progressive Buddhism […]
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Tsering Wange on November 3, 2011 at 2:57 AM
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L o v e l y . . . . b e a u t i f u l piece of information for all those who are interested in Arunachal Pradesh and its varied cultural and religious heritage. Arunachal beckons one and all . . . . . . .
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greenerpasturesind on November 7, 2011 at 10:30 AM
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Thank you for your comments Mr. Wange. Arunachal truly is majestic.
» BlogAdda’s Spicy Saturday Picks – Nov. 5, ’11 » BlogAdda Blog on November 5, 2011 at 9:26 AM
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[…] : Greenpasturesind What : Progressive Buddhism Spicy : Greener Pastures Ind takes us through the lanes of Sikkim and informs us about their […]
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Prateek on November 6, 2011 at 12:13 PM
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I have always loved Buddhist cult, perhaps because some of my believes and ideologies happen to be unknowingly adapted from them. Their origin, rituals, shrines almost everything gives a fine impact of spirituality.
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greenerpasturesind on January 30, 2012 at 7:12 PM
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Truly spoken Prateek. A fine impact of spirituality, like they reached that level of consciousness somewhere.
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panic transmit on February 17, 2012 at 8:20 AM
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I have been checking out some of your stories and i can claim pretty good stuff. I will definitely bookmark your website.
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subhorup on November 18, 2012 at 3:20 AM
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Great post. Buddhism has a very broad canon, and it is sad that Tibetan or the tantric branch of Buddhism that is still extant in the north-east has been treated like a poor cousin of the more popular sects. I grew up reading the Bardo Doloi and the more pop Lobsang Rampa and my understanding of Buddha’s teaching has been shaped by them, though I do not practice Tibetan Buddhism myself. Enjoyed reading. Hope you enjoyed hearing back on this post after one year!
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Greener Pastures on November 18, 2012 at 8:10 AM
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Definetly nice to find a reply in this old post. It is true that the tantric practices of eastern Himalayas have not much been highlighted. Appreciate your comments.
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