The
first immigrants apparently reached Bhutan 2000
B.C. However, there have not been any archeological
investigations in Bhutan. It is therefore difficult
to shed light on its history before the arrival
of Buddhism. Occasionally, while ploughing their
fields, farmers found tools made out of stone,
which they considered to be the weapons of gods
or celestial deities which had fallen down on
earth during their wars. The only stone axe
that has so far been investigated scientifically
could be dated to the period from 2000
to 1500 B.C.
In
Bhutan, the native inhabitants are called Mönpa.
This name is used for a people of mongolian origin
who lived in the woodlands south of the Himalayas.
At that time the religion of the Mönpa was
not Buddhism, but probably a mixture of animistic
ideas and shamanistic customs. In Bhutan this
religion is usually called Bön.
Before
the unification of the state |
At
the beginning of the 17th century, the territory
of present-day Bhutan consisted of various small
regional principalities. The east was controlled
by old aristocratic families, who mostly based
their authority on divine descent. In central
Buthan monasteries formed alliances with the ruling
families, and in the west various religious schools
started to play an ever increasing political role.
Despite the increasing importance of the Drukpa
school, they could not come to an agreement with
various independent local realms, which would
have allowed a unification.
In
the seventh century an event occurred that was
decisive for Bhutan’s history: the Tibetan
king Songtsen Gampo (619-649)
erected the first Buddhist temples, the Kyichu-Lhakhang
in Paro and the Jampe-Lhakhang
in Bumthang.
The
display of the monuments marked the victory of
Buddhism over pre-Buddhist deities. Songtsen Gampo
wanted to tame a huge demon whose body covered
all of Tibet and its neighbouring areas, which
posed a particularly big problem to the spreading
of buddhism. The king thus decided to erect a
temple on each of the demon’s joints so
that she would no longer be able to move. Songtsen
Gampo was said to have magically multiplied himself
and to have sent all of his emanations into the
various areas of Tibet so as to erect 108 temples
in one day.
Towering
over the heart of the demon there is the famous
Jokhang-Temple in Lhasa. The
demon’s left knee is held by the Jampe-Lhakhang
of Bumthang and her left sole is fixed by the
Kyichu-Lhakhang in Paro. This,
however, does not imply that Tibet held sovereignty
over the southern valleys of the Himalayas. At
that time, Bhutan's valley people did not seem
to have any objections against the erection of
the temples.
Buddhism
was lastingly and successfully introduced in
Bhutan by the mystic and magician Guru Rinpoche
in the eighth century. At that time the country
was ruled by demons and powerful local deities,
which seems to indicate that the spreading of
Buddhism, after the erection of the first two
temples, had made little progress. Coming from
India, Guru Rinpoche embodied Buddhism in the
various Himalayan countries.
A
mural in the monastery of Taktsang shows the
Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo. He was an important
promoter of Buddhism.
The
Temple of Kyichu in the Paro valley is one of
the most important shrines of Bhutan. It is
an important place of pilgrimage and of ceremonies
for the royal family.
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