Thinley Namgay

To inculcate spiritual awareness among the students, the Zhung Dratshang organised a two-week programme engaging about 891 students from the schools in Thimphu.

This is the eighth edition of the ‘Buddhist Tradition Orientation and Training Programme.’

Zhung Dratshang’s Laytshog Lopon, Sangay Dorji presided over the inaugural ceremony held at Yangchenphug Higher Secondary coinciding with the birth anniversary of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel. The event will, however, be conducted at four other locations: Babesa Higher Secondary School, Zilukha Middle Secondary, National Memorial Chorten and Changjiji Lhakhang.

This is a part of community service to engage youth in a meaningful purpose on Zhung Dratshang’s part since 2016.

Laytshog Lopon, Sangay Dorji, in his opening remarks said that it’s important to understand actions pursued by body, mind and speech. “If the mind is pure, the actions of one’s body and speech will be inevitably good. The programme is mainly to bring positive impact on mindsets of students,” he said.

“A person with positive mindset will serve the country with integrity,” Laytshog Lopon said adding that students will also learn about Driglam Choesum,  an integral part of Bhutanese identity.

Tandin Phub, an employee of the Institute of Traditional Medicine and a volunteer, said that students will learn history, Buddhism and culture.

“The programme also engages our youth in useful purposes during vacation,” Tandin Phub said.

As a part of the programme, 80 students who completed the programme earlier will go to Druk Namgay Choling Dratshang in Phuentsholing to learn and experience various religious conducts.

Tenzin Jamtsho, 18, a class XI student of YHSS, is one of them. He had joined the programme since 2016. “The programme has brought positive changes in my life and moreover people also believe us when we share the lessons that we learnt.”

Tenzin Jamtsho said that his group will request the monks to teach them Shetring and Gyalsey Laglen, an integral part of Dzongkha syllabus in school.

The programme ends on January 19.