The revered Korean Dharma master and Buddhist activist Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (법륜스님) recently returned to Bhutan, where he has been conducting a range of community surveys and social development activities among remote communities, aiming to improve the quality of life and to explore sustainable development projects that could serve as models to be replicated around the world.* During his four-day visit from 28–31 October, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim and a team of volunteers from the Buddhist humanitarian relief organization Join Together Society (JTS) conducted rural site visits to review development projects that included completion ceremonies for two landmark water projects for villages that had been experiencing shortages of potable water.
Ven. Pomnyun Sunim’s undertakings in Bhutan are being implemented by JTS Korea in cooperation with Bhutan’s royal family and government. Ven. Pomnyun Sunim established Join Together Society (JTS) as an expression of the compassion of engaged Buddhism, and based on the principle that helping others is the best way to enrich one’s own life. Charged with bringing hope, empowerment, and self-reliance to underprivileged communities in developing countries, JTS is operated and manned by unpaid volunteers, who carry out relief work in countries suffering from humanitarian disasters. JTS has engaged in humanitarian projects in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. The relief organization has also earned Special Consultative Status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
After a 25-hour journey from Seoul, including a 10-hour drive along winding mountain roads, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim arrived at Nabji Village in central Bhutan’s Trongsa District. Over the previous two months, Nabji residents had been working on paving the roads within the village. The main events during Ven. Pomnyun Sunim’s visit on this occasion were formal completion ceremonies for water pipeline projects in the nearby villages of Rimapong and Rebati.
After a further 50-minute drive along mountain roads to Rimapong Chiwog in Goshing Gewog,** home to about 70 households, they received a warm welcome from the local residents. Sunim met with the governor of Zhemgang District at the village entrance and together they climbed up to higher ground inspect the newly built water tank and begin the completion ceremony.
The village lama offered a prayer of blessing, which was followed by a ceremony of gratitude to the Buddha. Then Sunim offered a prayer of blessing before descending to the school building, where about 100 residents of Rimapong Village were assembled.
Because the villagers and the local school were previously reliant on the same water source, there had been a shortage of fresh water. The new water supply project was initiated at the proposal of the tshogpa (village leader) to resolve the shortage by accessing a newly discovered water source exclusively for the school.
The villagers had worked tirelessly for 45 days, from early September to mid-October, to build a four-kilometer below-ground pipeline from the new water source to the village and to construct the new water storage tank. By separating the water supplies for the village and the school, the residents were able to ensure a stable supply for the entire village, and to resolve the water shortage.
Before the assembled villagers, the county head expressed gratitude to Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: “The water shortage problem at the school was serious. Sunim visited our village, listened to our situation, and provided a lot of support. Now that the water problem has been resolved, life has become very convenient. We are sincerely grateful.” (Jungto Society)
The county leader then invited Sunim to say a few words.
“All of you residents have worked hard to lay down a pipeline for the water supply,” Ven. Pomnyun Sunim observed. “It was difficult while doing the work, but now that it’s completed you can use water conveniently and all the past efforts have become memories that will bring joy each time you use water.
“Of course, this is the result of JTS providing materials coupled with your own efforts, but the water itself originally comes from nature. Therefore, we should recognize the preciousness of nature that provides us with water and all other food that sustains our lives, and be grateful.
“However, modern people are increasingly forgetting to be thankful to nature. Humanity is now facing climate crises and many disasters as a result of excessive desires and consequent development. So even if there is enough water, we should always use it sparingly and be grateful.
“We were able to complete this first project in Zhemgang thanks to, firstly, the blessings of the Buddha and the care of [Bhutan’s] king. Because of this, we can live peacefully and do such valuable work. . . .
“You have all worked hard. I also wanted to make time to work together with you, but unfortunately I couldn’t. Once again, thank you for your efforts in completing the first project in Zhemgang in such a short time. Today, the commemorative plaque only says ‘Supported by JTS,’ but in the future please write, ‘Created together by JTS and the villagers.’ (Laughter)
“Not only this, but if there’s anything else needed for the people in the village in the future, JTS will always be ready to work together. If you can cooperate like this time, we will do whatever is needed together . . .
“There are seven principles that JTS pursues that you should keep in mind from now on: first, we try to spend as little money as possible; second, we try to make it as efficient and useful as possible; third, we involve as many people as possible to participate; fourth, we try to benefit as many people as possible; fifth, we try to use materials from our local area as much as possible; sixth, we try to use the skills of our local people as much as possible; seventh, not only should the result be good, but the process of doing it should also be joyful and good.” (Jungto Society)
After completing the inauguration, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim and the Jungto volunteers headed onward to Rebati Chiwog in Nangla Gewog, where they received another rousing welcome from the grateful community.
The residents of Rebati had undertaken a project to build a new water pipeline from a water source seven kilometers from the village. Plumbers and masons from the village had volunteered their expertise, and so no labor costs were incurred. The residents had also installed 23 intermediate water stations, with plans to build five more. Ven. Pomnyun Sunim and the Jungto volunteers arrived at the water station closest to the event venue to began the completion ceremony.
“You’ve worked extremely hard laying this pipeline over a distance of seven kilometers,” Ven. Pomnyun Sunim remarked to the assembled villagers. “At first, I thought it wouldn’t be possible because the distance was too far. I visited twice and tried to dissuade you, saying it was too difficult, but you insisted on continuing. In the end, we started and you did a great job! And to complete it in less than two months is really amazing. . . .
“This is your accomplishment. If we were to calculate the monetary value of your efforts, you’ve contributed more than half. This isn’t something JTS did alone, but something JTS and Rebati’s residents have done together. . . .
“When we join hands like this, we can accomplish anything. In the future, if there’s anything else the village needs, let’s work together to make it happen. Many government officials in Bhutan are also working hard to make your lives more convenient and happy. However, the national budget is not that abundant. It takes a long time for benefits to be distributed evenly. So we have to choose whether to wait for benefits to come or to do what we can with our own strength. If you gather your intentions and say you want to do something like this time, saying ‘Let’s secure our own drinking water,’ JTS will support you as much as possible.
“Of course, JTS provided support, but this was accomplished through your efforts. I’m more grateful to you than you are to me. It’s truly a miracle that you connected a seven-kilometer pipeline in just a month when it’s already difficult to manage your own lives. In the future, if you gather your strength and say you want to do something, I will support you in any way that I can. Because you’ve successfully completed this project, I will consider any project you propose very positively in the future. Above all, it’s very difficult for the village’s skilled people to volunteer their time and expertise without receiving any money. These days, most young people don’t want to do this kind of labor, so I’m deeply grateful that so many young people participated.”
Sunim then held discussions with the district governor on how to proceed with future projects, including conducting household healthcare surveys to provide treatment for eyes, ears, and teeth, paving roads, and creating irrigation channels. Sunim also emphasized the importance of building comfortable housing for the poor. It was decided that further discussions would take place when Sunim returns to Zhemgang in late December.
Ven. Pomnyun Sunim is a widely revered Korean Dharma teacher, author, and social activist. He has founded numerous organizations, initiatives, and projects across the world, among them: JTS Korea, an international humanitarian relief organization working to eradicate poverty and hunger; Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddha’s teachings and dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering; Ecobuddha, an organization focused on environmental ethics and sustainable living based on the teachings of the Buddha; and Good Friends, which promotes reconciliation and cooperation between the North and South Korea, and provides humanitarian aid to North Koreans. Ven. Pomnyun Sunim also works closely with the International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB).
In October 2020, the Niwano Peace Foundation in Japan presented the 37th Niwano Peace Prize to Ven. Pomnyun Sunim in recognition of his international humanitarian work, intensive environmental and social activism, and his tireless efforts to build trust and goodwill between communities of different faiths and cultures, toward the goal of world peace.***
* Engaged Buddhism Special Report: Ven. Pomnyun Sunim Explores Sustainable Development in Bhutan (BDG) and Engaged Buddhism Special Report: Ven. Pomnyun Sunim Explores Sustainable Development at Three-Day Workshop in Bhutan (BDG)
** A chiwog is an electoral precinct in Bhutan. A gewog or village block is a geographic administrative unit formed from a grouping of villages.
*** Buddhist Monk Ven. Pomnyun Sunim Awarded the 37th Niwano Peace Prize (BDG)
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Jungto Society
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Connecting a 7km Water Pipe in Just One Month is a Miracle (Jungto Society)
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