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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Nepal is known to the world as a land of peace and purity as it is the birth
place of buddha and has been graced with many saintly men in the interval of
time. It's well known that Buddhist philosophy promotion and monastery
development committee has been doing yearly programs to promote and preserve
Buddhist philosophy and has also been documenting the various Gonpa and
Viharas spread across the nation, and has been an important benefactor in their
repair and reconstruction. On one hand we have been providing financial aid for
Buddhist Philosophy education in order for it to reach the masses whereas
Buddhist art, medicine and excursive pilgrimage, research have also been
accorded.
 
In the present paradigm when the country has been adjusting to federal
system it's natural for the field of work and duties of our committee to have minor
change in accordance. In 2036 According to Development committee act 2013
High Level Monastery and Lama provision committee was formed and after the
formation command in 2041 and 2042 Monastery management and development
committee, the present day Buddhist Philosophy promotion and monastery
development committee has been running in accordance under the first
amendment act 2075 and been preserving, developing the  nationwide
monasteries and viharas as well as Buddhist philosophy studies and development
and has remained  Government of Nepal's Buddhist Philosophy Promotion and
Monastery development committee since the establishment.  the workings of
Buddhist philosophy promotion and monastery development committee has been
in accordance to its conduction act which was accepted in 2071.
 
The main aim of this committee is to provide for the nation’s overall
development by making Buddhist philosophy as the medium for which Buddhist
philosophy having to reach the masses seems quintessential. Spreading Buddhism
in order to promote amicability and mutual brotherhood, virtue and the feeling of
fraternity to help develop the country sustainably, establish Nepal as a pilgrimage
tourist destination as route towards a more prosperous Nepal. One on hand the
committee is dedicated to the work it has been doing for years however our
committee has also recognized the urgency to take a leap forward.

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1.2 Statement of the Problem

This part will be dealing with the study on the following aspects of research topic:
1.2.1 What are the myths regarding Gumbas
1.2.2 What is the actual truth and facts about Gumbas and Buddhists?
1.2.3 What is the impact of gumbas around hindu community?

1.3 Objective of the Study

The purpose of the study is to have acquaintance about the following issues:
1.3.1 To study the facts of Gumbas
1.3.2 To find their occupation, source of income.
1.3.3 the impact of gumbas around hindu community
1.3.4 What are the myths regarding Gumbas

1.4 Research Methodology

As the objective of the research was to analyze the livelihood sources in hilly
areas of western region, so Parbat, one of the hilly districts was taken as universe for the
research. The district comprised of 7 local level comprising of 2 municipality and 5 rural
municipality. Out of 7, 1 municipality i.e. Kushma municipality and 1 rural municipality
i.e. Modi rural municipality were selected purposively. The criteria for selection were on
the bases of economic activities performed by rural households in these regions.
Preliminary information was collected from district level officials record and verbal
discussion with the officials in district Parbat. Also, the questionnaire was carried out
with the local people. Secondary data are endeavored to collect from different website
articles, news media-audio and newspapers. Informal interviews were conducted by
walking to people's houses and asking for their consent if they would be willing to
participate in my research. I interviewed people of different age, gender, occupation etc. I
tried to find people of different age groups (young people, and old people; but due to the
sensitivity of some topics, I did not include children in my interview), of different
genders, and of different occupations.

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1.5 Significance of the Study

This research is made with the aim to provide crucial information and knowledge
about the myth and realities from the respondents. It is the challenges for the researcher
for upcoming of this topic being completely new in this field of study. Therefore that will
guide and navigate them in credible and reliable factors that are known as indispensable
data for understanding the topic in abroad sense. Also this research is going to be the
major source of enlightenment that they will necessarily be considered in their upcoming
studies.

1.6 Limitation of the Study

This research, however, is subject to several limitations. At first, due to the

limited time everything had to be conducted fast. Whatever, the holy buddhists told me I
am supposed to believe it. I did not investigate on it. The unofficial talk with the head of
ward suggests there is no new study about this topic. So this research can be useful for
those who are willing to know the myths and facts regarding Gumba

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1.7 Organization of the Chapters

Chapter I Introduction

Chapter II Literature Review

Chapter III Livelihood Strategies Today

Chapter IV Traditional Livelihood Strategies

Chapter V Changes in Livelihood Strategies

Chapter VI Sources of Income

Chapter VII Finding Conclusions and Recommendation

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Before the research, the relevant chapters of the book; The Monastery Rules:
Buddhist Monastic organization in pre-modern Tibet, explores about the Buddhist
monastery. It has included that the entry in the monasteries were restricted before.
Contrary to which is often thought, the monastery was not open to all. The monastic
guideline provides information on which was and was not allowed to become a monk.
The work gives reasons that are economic, geographical or that have to do with (ritual)
purity. It also explains how the community was formed and how monastic official and
administrative roles were divided.

The next book related to Monastery; How to be a monastic and not leave a day
job: An invitation to ablate life, explains about the life of the monks and nuns. This book
explains that cooking, cleaning, repairing, gardening and farming are the ordinary kind of
work that is done in monasteries. This religion place a high value on manual labour. It
says that sufficient work was necessary in order to keep their subjects out of trouble.
"Idleness is the enemy of the soul" so, even the infirm are given something to do that isn't
very tasking. Everyone who is able has work assignment.

Similar kind of text; The Dissolutions of Monasteries, explains that the

contribution of canons and monks in public ministry was curtailed by the demands of
their domestic administration. The majority of monasteries had been founded for
population larger than could be sustained in the later middle age and endowed
accordingly. Their property, agricultural, industrial and urbans was widespread and
diverse; their associated source of income, rents, custom and rights, fees and fines, were
complex not least because they had evolved over such a span of time. Now most houses
held fewer than half the original number of personnel to oversee them. As a result almost
all but the old, young and those physically and mentally unfit were assigned to a
department of a house to do their share of such wordly tasks as a accountancy, legal
administration, procurrent maintenance.

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CHAPTER III

DAILY ROUTINE OF MONASTERY

The weekly holiday on Saturday had been spent with friends or parents, cleaning
the rooms, washing cloths - the usual chores that need to be done. Every other Sunday
special activities are on the schedule, such as public speaking (in Tibetan and English),
spelling contest debate competions with other schools with the normal schedule starts
again at 5 pm, filling the air with multitudes of sounds. Outside the main assembly hall,
some young monks practice the traditional art of Cham or Lama Dance. Cymbals are
clashing, bodies moving, hands clapping to an ancient rhythm. From the upper floor of
the gompa the sounds of drums and chanting drift down; there the tantric monks perform
the daily rituals and prayers for the monastery. In the class rooms near the lower
courtyard, the young monks are memorizing their evening prayers. The older monks walk
around quietly in the courtyeard, reciting the philosophyl texts from memory in
preparation for debate the next day.

After dinner, the monks from the philosophy class assemble in the debate hall to
recite sutras. Someone is turning the big prayer wheel, the small bell tinkling along with
every turn. From the valley, sounds of music, drums, and singing can be heard
occasionally. It is the sound of Dharma in all its variations permeating the air. Monday
morning, the real business of prayers, study and school begins again with the morning
puja  at 5.30 am. The pujas performed are usually requested by members of Kopan's
world wide community. Breakfast is offered during the morning puja - simple fare: a cup
of Tibetan tea, a piece of bread, if someone made a special offering, there might be some
jam or even an omelet on the bread.
Memorizing starts at 7.30 am for all monks, and the murmur of hundreds of
voices rises up in the air. Texts that are to be studied in class, daily prayers and pujasneed
to be learned by heart. Every monk has to memorize a certain number of lines every day
and is examined daily on his progress. The Kopan clinic is open at this time for the small
and big monks to attend to their the various small or big problems. Allopathic, Tibetan
and Aryuvedic medicine are available, and usually the clinic is quite busy. Serious cases
are taken to one of the local hospitals. After the memorizing session there is a sudden
burst of energy noticeable. Released from the constrictions of discipline for a short while,
there is a lot of running around, shouting and laughing. 

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Then the bell rings and everybody disappears into their respective
classrooms, to emerge again in time for lunch. 
The food served at lunch is simple, nutritious, vegetarian, Nepal style, prepared in
a clean modern kitchen. 380 meals are prepared three times a day, every day. The monks
take turns Helping in the kitchen and serving the meal.  Specially when momos (a kind of
vegetable dumpling) are on the menu, extra helpers are always welcome.
The afternoon is filled with classes again till 4 pm when the memorizing classes
start for the small monks. The older students go to their various philosophy classes, till
dinner time at 6.30 pm.  At 7.30 pm the bell rings for the last session of the day –
chanting of the evening prayers, followed by debate, a lively and noisy affair with some
monks jumping up and down to make their points more forcefully.The day ends around
10.30 pm with dedication prayers and prostrations in the court yard. The soft sound of
prayer recitations can be heard well into the night, together with the occasional clanging
of the bell from the big prayer wheel, creating a peaceful atmosphere.
 
 

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CHAPTER IV

IMPACTS OF GUMBAS IN KATHMANDU

Buddhism is the second oldest religion in Indonesia after Hinduism, which arrived

from India around the second century. The history of Buddhism in Indonesia is closely
related to the history of Hinduism, as a number of empires influenced by Indian
culture were established around the same period. The oldest Buddhist archaeological
site in Indonesia is arguably the Batujaya stupas complex in Karawang, West Java. The
oldest relic in Batujaya was estimated to originate from the 2nd century, while the latest
dated from the 12th century. Subsequently, significant numbers of Buddhist sites were
found in Jambi, Palembang and Riau provinces in Sumatra, as well as in Central and East
Java. The Indonesian archipelago has, over the centuries, witnessed the rise and fall of
powerful Buddhist empires, such as the Sailendra dynasty,
the Mataram and Srivijaya empires.
According to some Chinese source, a Chinese Buddhist monk I-tsing on his
pilgrim journey to India, witnessed the powerful maritime empire of Srivijaya based
on Sumatra in the 7th century. A number of Buddhist historical heritages can be found in
Indonesia, including the 8th century Borobudur mandala monument and Sewu temple
in Central Java, Batujaya in West Java, Muaro Jambi, Muara Takus and Bahal temple in
Sumatra, and numerous of statues or inscriptions from the earlier history of Indonesian
Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms.
During the era of Kediri, Singhasari and Majapahit empire, Buddhism—identified
as Dharma ri Kasogatan—was acknowledged as one of kingdom's official religions
along with Hinduism. Although some of kings might favour Hinduism over another,
nevertheless the harmony, toleration and even syncretism were promoted as manifested
in Bhinneka Tunggal Ika national motto, coined from Kakawin Sutasoma, written by
Mpu Tantular to promotes tolerance between Hindus (Shivaites) and Buddhists.[11] The
classical era of ancient Java also had produces some of the exquisite examples
of Buddhist arts, such as the statue of Prajnaparamita and the statue of Buddha
Vairochana and Boddhisttva Padmapani and Vajrapani in Mendut temple.
In contemporary Indonesian Buddhist perspective, Candi refers to a shrine, either
ancient or new. Several contemporary viharas in Indonesia for example, contain the
actual-size replica or reconstruction of famous Buddhist temples, such as the replica
of Pawon[12] and Plaosan's perwara (small) temples. In Buddhism, the role of a candi as a
shrine is sometimes interchangeable with a stupa, a domed structure to store Buddhist
relics or the ashes of cremated Buddhist priests, patrons or benefactors.

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CHAPTER V

MYTHS AND REALITIES ABOUT GUMBAS

A monastery is a building or a complex of buildings comprising the domestic

quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or
alone. The term monastery is used generically to refer to any kind of a number of types of
religious community. A monastery generally include a place reserved for prayer which
may be a church or temple. The people who lives in a monastery is known as monks. A
Buddhist monastery is the place for the worship for Buddhist, the followers of Buddhism.
They include the structure called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different
religions and language.

Being one of the oldest city of Nepal, Kathmandu is the hub of religious and
ancient religious monuments and temples. Similarly, for Buddhist and Hindus, Nepalese
territory is a sacred place. For Buddhist there are many gumbas where monks come from
different parts of the world for spiritual, learning and teaching purpose. Gumbas teaches
the ways of life to the fullest. The monks and nuns receive knowledge in the gumbas.
Gumba helps to preserve and promote Buddhism principle and help to spread peace and
unity to society.

Monasteries in Kathmandu;6

white Gumba (Amitabh monastery)

Kapan monastery

Pullahari monastery

Jamacho monastery

kri

Nagi gumba and so on

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CHAPTER VII
FINDING CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION

The research has been carried out by visiting various types of gumbas. There I got
to meet the monks and nuns. From those people we got to know various facts about the
gumbas. The Buddhist explains that to live in monastery as a monk, it is not necessary for
us to be a Buddhist. All the people irrespective of their caste, religion and status can be
the part of it. But the children below eight years old are not allowed to become a monk.
The people from all the parts of the countries are welcomed in monasteries

9.1 Finding and Conclusion

The monk said that the Gumbas are established on such area where there are no
road facilities so that the cost of the land would be less. All the money required for
providing foods, education and health facilities are collected from the international
donation. The children or the people who don't have parents or who cannot afford the
fees for their education and also the people who are interested in worshipping and prayers
goes to the monasteries. There is different education facility in monastery. They have
their own subjects in which recently the nepali subject had been added and they have
separate time for their academic study. They also said that like in military they also have
their own pre-planned schedule.

9.2 Recommendation

Hence, there are so many realities regarding the Gumbas that are been hidden.
This research helps us to differentiate what were the myth and what were the reality of
Gumba. For instance, as we used to say that only the Buddhist were allowed to be the
monk and it was our myth but the reality was that each and every people were allowed to
become a monk. As like that the conduct of academic classes, all the work arranged
according to scheduled are the realities of Gumbas that public people were unaware of.
There are other so many realities that has been mentioned in above paragraph.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_temple

2. https://kopanmonastery.com/about-kopan/mount-everest-school/a-day-in-the-life

3. http://www.monastery.gov.np/en/buddhism/

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