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Thuenpa Puen Zhi: The Four Harmonious Friends

The Four Harmonious Friends, Thuenpa Puen Zhi, is a popular symbol in the Buddhist iconography. One can find paintings of them in the form of murals decorating the walls of temples and monasteries. While some believe that it will bring them peace in the household, others believe that it ensures unity and harmony in the family. It is also a popular subject for thangka paintings.
Many are familiar with the story of how the four friends tried to determine who amongst them was the eldest. The story of their respect, cooperation, unity and interdependence is a popular part of the Bhutanese folklore. However, many are not familiar with the subtle significance that the story holds. It is believed that the four friends were Buddha Shakyamuni (Bird), Shariputra or Sheri bu (Rabbit), Maugyalyana or Mon-Gelgi-bu (Monkey) and Kuengao or Ananda (Elephant) in one of their previous lives. Therefore, the enlightenment of Buddha, institution of Buddhism and the turning of the wheel of Dharma in harmony and unity by the Buddha and his three disciples can be seen as a result of their karmic background.
The Four Harmonious Friends still exist today, in many ways in many areas. The Four Harmonious Friends in the educational sphere are Government, Parents, Teachers and Students. The full fruit-bearing tree, in this regard, is educated and productive graduates.
1. Like the mighty elephant, the Government must stand at the base of the Four Harmonious Friends. The strength of the elephant ensures comfort and stability for all the other three atop each other. Hence, the Government, through sound planning and formulation of policies and programs, must create steadiness and prospects for the other three to prosper. The accomplishment of the three other friends is determined by the sturdiness and forte of the Government.
2. The second friend who rides atop the elephant (Government) is Parents. Parents are a child’s first teacher. They lay the foundation of a child’s lifelong attitude, value, character and discipline. The child’s achievement in school can only be as good as his/her parent’s exertions at home. Most often than not, what the child achieves at school, is only the reflection of the success of parents in nurturing their children. Hence, the pulsating plans and programs laid by the Government must be substantiated with vibrant assistance from the parents.
3. Thirdly, like the rabbit, teachers are an integral part of the link. No matter how worthy the plans and programs are, the desired outcome will always be over the next horizon without the support of teachers. On the contrary, the unity of these three will bring unprecedented success. Effervescent teachers hold the power to meticulously prepare children for the concealed future, only if flanked by the Government and Parents.
4. Finally, the most important link in the chain are the students. The values, attitudes, motivation and discipline of the child have substantial impression on the strength of the unity, harmony and nature of interdependence of the other three friends. They are the ‘make or break’ link of the chain. The immaculate plans and programs by the Government, the admirable efforts of the parents at home and relentless exertion by teachers at school, will all be ineffectual if the students do not understand the weight of their role and the purpose of their life.
Hence, all the four friends play a very imperative role in the successful accomplishment of the vision, mission and goals of the education ministry. It is only through the understanding and acceptance of individual responsibility and accountability that we can reach the Promised Land. It is only through the respect for the symbiotic relationship among the four that the fruit of unified effort can be harvested. None of the four can afford the slightest luxury of complacency and distrust. In the event of success or failure, we must remember that we were united by fate to coexist in harmony through mutual interdependence as the Four Harmonious Friends of Education.

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