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A few weeks ago, I took up a challenge
Along with India's premier expedition teams
I would attempt to be the first to climb the
virgin peak of Shahi Kangri
My producer Yash, and I
Didn't get the required permissions to go
through with the climb
After gruelling training with the team
We were asked to stay behind
While the expedition crew set out to make
the first ascent
Buddhism teaches you nothing happens by chance
Maybe I had a different purpose for being
in the mountains
With nothing to do
And yet so close to one of the biggest (Buddhist) monasteries in India
I decided I'd go there to try and understand
the life of these monks a little better
The monastery was located at the top of a
rocky slide valley
On the north side of the Indus river
It was established in 1831 by Lama Tsultim
Nima
The place was simple, austere and really quiet
I decided I'd talk to some of the monks
The Lamas here
See what a life of meditation and prayer was
all about
The first Lama I met was a young one
Only 21 years old
He was just starting his spiritual journey
in the mountains
Of the 21 years he had lived
He spent 15 studying Buddhist philosophy in Karnataka
Hello
- Hello
What's your name?
- Rinchen
I am Rosh
He tells me this monastery used to be his
temple
It has been a place of worship for him since he was a child
Was being a monk something he wanted as a child as well?
Earlier I wanted to become a teacher
Why didn't you become a teacher then?
I've become a Lama so I cannot become a teacher
now
A teacher
I guess he hasn't strayed too far from his
childhood dream
Buddhist monks and their teachings 
have been a guide for many
Including me
I ask him if he has any worldly desires
I'd like to visit England if got a chance
When I ask him about the problems of youth of addiction, violence
He tells me the only solution 
is to clear your heart
Everything would be fine 
if your karma is good
If you consume alcohol and drugs
Your thoughts will spoil and 
your life will be spoilt too
Be kind to people, he tells me
And karma will smile back at you
Somehow, we still fail to follow through
I met one of the senior most Lamas 
at the monastery next
He came to the monastery at the age of 15
His father got him here
My Father wanted me to join the army
I am telling the truth
I ran away from there
I came here and learnt dharma
and then I decided to stay here
I ask him if he's ever been bored living his
life away from it all
The world itself
He tells me he likes it this way
It's a luxury to have a place
where one can concentrate
Meditate and pray
Buddhism teaches how human life is very precious
If one has been blessed with life as a human
Then one has done something right in the past
Hence this positive karma
The lama doesn't have any worldly desires
He reminds me how Buddha
himself attained nirvana
Without a wife or family
A lot of the children who come to study here,
come from poverty
The monastery has free schooling
for everyone till the fifth standard
The kids are brought from different villages
They should follow their heart
If they wish to become monks they will
and if they don't, then they will leave
But as of now they are taken care by the monastery
But children are children
I don't think they spend much time
thinking about these things
Not when there are simpler things to be thankful for
Like a game of cricket or football
Buddhism teaches: to be truly happy,
is to be happy like a child
Because unlike adults, children don't 
really need a reason to be happy
He left me with some advice
Again, something simple
That usually goes ignored by us
You must be good to other living beings
Thats dharma
Not just human beings, you must
benefit animals as well
If you benefit others then you
will have a better life now and in future
I think we all need practise in that department
Of learning how to be good to all living things
It's not a very good world
I guess that's the point
Be the change or the good 
you want to see in the world
So, could I ever be happy like a child?
For no reason whatsoever?
I'm not sure
But this visit to the monastery did help me
get over my initial
mountain-climbing disappointment
And that works for me just fine
