Creative Debating: Khyabtha

It was after memorizing a few pages of the text of ‘One’s holds’ (Rangluk), namely the writer’s holds of his unique way of holding his grounds as per Gomang Textual Interpretations. The whole text falls into the three categories: Countering the Others’ Grounds, Presenting One’s Holds and Proving them through Debates. It was after memorizing a few pages of One’s Holds on The Collected Basic Works on Pranama by Thukse Ngawang Tashi that the master named Jangchup had begun to teach, the basic means of answering and questioning in his creative way. Ngodup had learned no other teachers taught so. Jangchup, as per his sharpness and creativity, had thought to teach the basic means of answering and questioning by bringing common terms like Mug, Flask, Bowl, etc. rather than using the textual terms (Pillar, Urn, the four basic colors (Blue, Yellow, White and Red), Rabbit Horn as an example of impossibility, etc. are textual terms.). So he began by using the three basic subjects of questioning (The Topic (Choechen), Its Attribute (Selwa) and The Reason (Tak)) by asking as ‘Is Mug Flask?’ There is means of answering positively and negatively. The next is like ‘It’s Flask because it’s Pillar.’ So through such both the basic means of questioning and answering are introduced. There are five means of answering: Yes (Dhoe), No (Chicher) for answering if the topic is attribute or not; Reason Rejected (Takmadup) as the topic doesn’t conform to the reason; Reason non-containing (Makhyab) as the reason doesn’t wholly contain Attribute like A sentient being is adept because he or she is human (every human can’t be adept as there are humans who aren’t adept); Reason invalid (Galkhyab) as the reason stands in stark opposite to the attribute like A sentient being is enlightened because he or she is human (a human isn't enlightened at all).  So master Jangchup used basic common terms with an expression of jest and solemnity to engage the students in funny yet learning way of debating. It was really easy too. Ngodup found it funny so far.

It was after learning such basic means of answering and questioning, when master Jangchup would ask himself first and then let the students, not more than 10 in his small room with a bed and bookcase, engage themselves by asking one to carry on so with the other beside. He would listen and smile. He would be more animated when he found the process funny and progressing. The Australian monk came later after such class. Ngodup always found he had already arrived when they arrived. It was that master Jangchup had been learning English from him in the form of conversing with him in English.

There was a Ladhaki novice named Gelek who was two years older than Ngodup. He was his classmate at master Jangchup. He was sort of active practical, who worked hard but poor in studies as of his lagging intuition. He had poor memory and learning sense in funny way. It was his protruding upper lip that marked his speaking first and asking funny questions. It was his active movements and gait that marked his arriving first and going back ahead as well.

One day someone, a senior Ladhaki monk, happened to know that Gelek had been attending class at master Jangchup. The senior was sort of thrilled, as he must have thought that Gelek wasn’t the type for such learning for his tendency towards being more extrovert, namely distracted, through his haste and boisterousness.

‘Gelek I was pleased to learn so. Then how is the class. What you have been learning so far?’

‘Oh, it’s okay. We haven’t gone that far. We are still at the stage of Mug and Flask,’ said Gelek innocently or sincerely.

The senior monk was sort of both taken aback and regaled by such joke. Gelek was transfixed to find such comic touch in his remarks. The senior one later told a few others who passed it on to many others. It became a local joke at which Gelek could laugh after years.