Intercollege Debate Competition commemorating the Sgerig Century

On 23 May 2012 (Wednesday), Inter-College Debate Competition was held at Gaeddu College of Business Studies to celebrate "Sherig Centenary". Four colleges under Royal University of Bhutan participated in the event.

The debate session began with participants debating on the corporal punishment issue,  in national language. Royal Thimphu College and College of Science and Technology opposed Samtse college and Gaeddu Collge stating that "corporal punishment " is not very necessary to discipline our youth/students. For English debate, Samtse College of Education and Royal Thimphu College stated points supporting the statement that the rupee shortage is due to the inefficiency and ineffectiveness in the regulation system of the government while Gaeddu College of Business Studies and College of Science and Technology argued their points.

(a participant stating the points)

The judges included senior teachers from the High school (Gedu Higher  Secondary School) and media (Kuensel and Bhutan Times). At the end, Gaeddu and College of Science and Technology stood the winner for English, while Samtse and Gaeddu were declared winner for Dzongkha Debate. And the best debater for both English and Dzongkha were begged by the participants of Gaeddu College

(The Director, Mr. Lhato Jamba offering College memento to the Chief Guest)

            

(The Faculty Representatives of SCE & GCBS receiving Trophy for the "Best Team" from the Chief Guest )

The following is the Welcome Speech (I presented before the actual debate begun):

(Dasho Sonam Kinga speaking after the debate)

Hon’ble Dasho Sonam Kuenga, Vice Chaiman, National Council, Honble Dasho Tshewang Jurmey, member of the National Council,  Director, Deans, distinguished guests, representatives from media, members of the faculty and the students:

Very warm welcome to the Inter-College Debate Competition.

It is indeed a matter of privilege for Gaeddu College of Business Studies to host the Inter College Debate Competition to commemorate the “Hundred Years of Education in Bhutan”, in other words, to Celebrate “SHERIG CENTENARY”. Besides this, the objective behind organizing this activity is to bring different colleges under the Royal University of Bhutan closer and enhance the cooperation among the colleges and to give students a platform to participate in meaningful academic activity.

Minister of Education, Lynpo Thakhur Singh Powdel mentioned during the Second Conference on Gross National Happiness at St. Francis Zavier University, Canada in 2005 that,

“…a university is the expression of the needs of a community, a society or a nation, devoted to the fashioning of its intellect. As an institution of higher education, a university is dedicated to the pursuit and propagation of knowledge, to the study and clarification of values, and to the advancement of interests of the society and the nation at large”

The Article 2 of (The Wheel of Academic Law) under: The objectives of the university states that:

“The overall objective of the university shall be to provide, through the dissemination of knowledge and the advancement of learning and the granting of awards, for the economic and cultural development of the Kingdom of Bhutan and to promote the cultural enrichment, personal development and the wellbeing of our people.”

It is so hoped that, through this kind of public discourse, we as a member of the university would at least help realise some of the actual objectives that the university as an institution of higher learning has. Thus we kept the theme: “Transforming Higher Education through Reasoned Public Discourse.” 

In brief, we also expect that this kind of activities would help our students gain general academic skills like: Critical reasoning; analysis; evaluation; the handling of evidence; the identification of problems and their solution; conceptualization; synthesis and creativity.

Just Before I conclude, I on behalf of Whole Gaeddu Collge family would like to once again welcome all our guests to this Inter College Debate Competition.

THANK YOU!!!!!

Message in the devine prophecy

One fine day, on the 10th day of the 6th month in Tiger year, it is believed that the Guru Ugyen Padma Jungjey  had sent message from the south-western land of Demons to Tibet. You must have heard, and even read that message.

Well I got the message electronically. I don't remember exactly when but I saved it because I found it interesting and true at times; I suppose I had e-mail, chain-letter they say, asking me to forward to other as many as I could. And the warning, if i didn't. I hardly believed; I did nothing to have merit (=there was mention that if I did what I was asked, I would get merit). Lol...Why should have I trusted that not-so genuine message?. At least, I inquired some people if that could be really genuine, and nobody knew to be exact. But, I confirmed myself that it indeed was genuine: I saw the same message written on the rock in Paro. You can see the same message on one of the rocks, just a kilometer left from Paro College of Education to Paro dzong (bypass road,).

The following are the first few lines from the Guru's message (translated into English):

"By the power of blessing of all Buddhas
When there is peace just for a moment now
All lamas and incarnations (will) go for fame and popularity
Living (wandering) in villages, they deceive sentient being (People)
With adroit talk trick and deceptive ideas they (will) take upon other‘s
possession (wealth/property)
Instead of using wealth (collection) for dharmic cause, they (will)
cling to it with attachment
Monks will indulge in singing songs and dancing rather than
chanting prayers
Rather than engaging in virtuous acts of generosity (given alms to needy)
they will wool for ways to snatch other's wealth
Their behaviour (conduct) and costume (will) change to be that of
anti-Buddhist ( Countries of Ja and Hor)...."

Now are you shocked?
Whatever, these lines of prophecy seem to be making sense. Agreed?
Time seems to be changing, but we are again already reminded that, actually people change, the mind, behaviour and intention of people change. However, we can not, in any way generalise that every Lama or Truelku does for popularity and fame through deceit-may be we are too harsh sometimes to say, or even think that we are being deceived. Saints like Drukpa Kuenley in fifteen-sixteen century had appeared in most unusual way yet with one intention: to help liberate sentient beings. Even Drupthobs ( Maha sidhas) are said to live their own way, not conventionalised way of life.

These days, we encounter many Truelkus and Lamas with various characteristics-some very descent, some not so descent. We still pretend to have faith, devotion and trust. In other words, we have "HOPE" to be liberated. As a common, lay Buddhist we are incapable of identifying genuineness in lama/Truelkus we come across. But the good thing is, this shows our strong believe in "Koenchog sum" and desire to be a good human being. That is one reason why we are so interested in religious discourses, teachings and Lamas.

But the fact is, we might become divided-self. And this could be even very dangerous-worst of all. I mean, in the course of following religion, we could become anti-religious. Let's say: a Truelku has an extra-marital affairs, goes to karaoke, impersonate, steal what is not being offered, drinks too much,plays snooker, injects drugs and smokes. So, can we still keep our faith in him/them ? Can we still believe in religion, when the missionaries ( who are suppose to be propagating the genuineness of the religion) fail themselves to convince us?. The answer could be both: YES and No.

YES: because there are some examples who have shown odd behavior and they were still genuine bodhisatva like Drukpa Kuenley as mentioned earlier . And there is also a believe that whatever negatives they have are all due to our accumulated demerit-if we question or even think against them would only add to the demerit we already have. So, we are some how forced/obliged to have faith.

NO: because, anyone who does odd things cannot be capable of being pure, meaning there is every chance that we could be fooled by some stupids. We also have believed set of norms on how real, genuine, bona fide Truelkus/Bodhisattva/lamas portray normally. We expect them to be descent. So, the odd behavior could only breed doubts for us. 

Thus "Self-divided" we become when we can't stand on either fence. This is how we might loss our faith in lamas/Truelkus and finally even the religion; this is how we continue to live in ignorance in the ignorant world.

You might visit this link, if in case you have time.

PS: 1. This is not edited. Forgive me, if this article has any loopholes.
      2. I have no intention to hurt anyone. You might take it simply generally.
      3. Don't understand me otherwise-I am neither nihilistic nor atheist. I still have religion.