Driglam Choesum: Bhutanese Ethos
“What we call ‘Driglam-choesum’– the manner with which
we work, communicate, interact and behave with each other, is a precious
legacy, safeguarded and passed on for generations by our ancestors, and there
is great wisdom in it. The Bhutanese have high emotional intelligence, because
we have been brought up with Driglam-choesum. As a result, we have
safeguarded and protected our country successfully for millennia. If we value
our cultural legacy, and recognize its importance, we will continue to succeed,
as individuals and as a Nation.” (His Majesty during His Royal audience to the
Scholarship Students, 11th March 2014)
The general characteristic features
of a Bhutanese which is charismatically ‘unique’ is due to the fact that teachings
of the Buddha has embedded deeply within the souls of Bhutan since the advent
of Buddhism in the country in the 8th Century C.E. The Driglam
(the etiquette/code of conduct) in Bhutan would have normally started
after the arrival of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal during building of the country
as a ‘nation-state’ with the introduction of the administrative centres in the
early 17th Century C.E. Throughout the centuries, their codes of
etiquette were enforced in Bhutan’s administrative centres and state
monasteries, and the common people emulated the practices.
Driglam Choesum
refers to the traditional Bhutanese code of etiquette. It is the
customary practice of polite behaviour, speech, and attitude. It is often
interchangeably used with Driglam Namzha, although their literary
meanings differ. Lay-Judre refers to the causes and effects of
one’s actions or deeds which, in short, is simply reaping what one sow. Tha-damtshig
refers to moral principles such as fidelity, loyalty, uprightness,
filial piety, gratitude, and commitment. The communal
ethos of Bhutan consists of traditional moral principles, concepts, and values.
They include moral precepts such as lay-judre and tha-damtshig, driglam namzha
or the code of etiquette, zhenphen or common good, Tsawasum,
and Gross National Happiness.
It means Bhutan’s code of etiquette. Driglam means
the way of maintaining order, while Namzha refers to a concept or
system. driglam literally
means the way/method (ལམ་) of
maintaining order while namzha (རྣམ་བཞག་) refers
to a concept or system. Driglam namzha is thus a
system of orderly and cultured behavior or, the standards and rules that
constitute it. Good mannerisms in Bhutan is to a great
extent defined by the Buddhist ethics of wholesome physical, verbal and mental
conducts.
The zacha drosum refers to physical
behaviours, including manners of eating, chewing and walking. The
way the Bhutanese eat, behave and walk is also part of this discipline, known
as zhacha dro sum. It reflects wholesome values such as humility, self-control,
calm and compassion while also displaying sensitivity and respect towards
others. Every act is carried cautiously with the values. It encompasses
the physical,
verbal and mental behaviours and, adopting civil and courteous conducts of the
body, speech and mind. The concept of driglam, like bézha (འབད་བཞག་) or jaluchalu (བྱ་ལུགས་ཆ་ལུགས་), refers
in a broad sense to the good manners adopted by individuals that are heavily
influenced by the concept of Buddhist good conduct.
3. Ley Judre
It means the law of karmic ‘cause and effect.’ One of the main among the many of Lord
Buddha’s teachings is about the ‘action’ and its ‘consequences.’
4. Tha Damtshig
It is a pledge, honesty, fidelity, moral integrity, moral rectitude,
moral coherence, reciprocal affection, gratitude, filial piety, etc., that
binds the people together consequently bringing more meaning in their lives. For
example, a loyalty to the family and local and, the national community (filial
piety) and loyal to the state and the government. Tha-damtsig does not only
applies with the outer existences but also within oneself (being loyal to one’s
thought and actions).
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| Bhutanese way of formal greeting to the seniors Image Source: Daily Bhutan. |
Additional Sources: Dr. Karma Phuntsho.
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