Monday, October 15, 2007
The Roof of The World
Tibet is long known to be 'The roof of the world'. and it certainly feels like that.
To start with its located on a high plateau (average of 4000M), but much higher are the Tibetan people, which pose the real inspiration and create a surrounding spirit elevation. This unique Tibetan-Buddhist spirit is felt not merely inside the temples and gumpas, but also on the streets - everyone seems to be dealing with religion/philosophy in some way, as if there are no doubts in their strong belief and their way of life is clear.
The Tibetan people are peaceful, friendly, happy and kind - always greeting hello ('Tashi Delek'), clapping their hands and smiling. Some resembles the Latin America Indians (women actually reminds the Bolivian 'Chulas'). Chanting monks, dressed up with their typical red/orange clothes, are praying, singing and laughing. The Buddhist praying mantra: 'OM MANI PADME HOM' (which means 'Hail the jewel in the lotus') seemed to be repeated everywhere.
Naturally, once in Tibet, one cannot resist gliding into a "being" state of mind.
The praying methods are smart, simple and suited even for the poor and ignorant people - turning praying wheels, counting praying beads (with 108 beads), circling sacred temples (known as 'Kora'), and putting out colorful praying flags (white, red, green, yellow and blue to denote the Buddhist core elements - wind, fire, air, earth and water), leaving it to the wind the make the pray.
Lhasa, the capital, is a mysterious spiritual city lying at 3600M and captured between even higher mountains. Shining out lies the marvelous Potala temple which has kind of a magnetic impact.
One of the most amazing sights are the prostrating pilgrims, who pray their way to enlightenment by literally crawling on the ground from their home town to the Lhasa's Jokhang temple - an unbelievable phenomenon which cannot be grasped till actually seen.As a complete conrtadicition, it is interesting to see how cell phones are being used by monks and poor people, bypassing the landline phone era.
To start with its located on a high plateau (average of 4000M), but much higher are the Tibetan people, which pose the real inspiration and create a surrounding spirit elevation. This unique Tibetan-Buddhist spirit is felt not merely inside the temples and gumpas, but also on the streets - everyone seems to be dealing with religion/philosophy in some way, as if there are no doubts in their strong belief and their way of life is clear.
The Tibetan people are peaceful, friendly, happy and kind - always greeting hello ('Tashi Delek'), clapping their hands and smiling. Some resembles the Latin America Indians (women actually reminds the Bolivian 'Chulas'). Chanting monks, dressed up with their typical red/orange clothes, are praying, singing and laughing. The Buddhist praying mantra: 'OM MANI PADME HOM' (which means 'Hail the jewel in the lotus') seemed to be repeated everywhere.
Naturally, once in Tibet, one cannot resist gliding into a "being" state of mind.
The praying methods are smart, simple and suited even for the poor and ignorant people - turning praying wheels, counting praying beads (with 108 beads), circling sacred temples (known as 'Kora'), and putting out colorful praying flags (white, red, green, yellow and blue to denote the Buddhist core elements - wind, fire, air, earth and water), leaving it to the wind the make the pray.
Lhasa, the capital, is a mysterious spiritual city lying at 3600M and captured between even higher mountains. Shining out lies the marvelous Potala temple which has kind of a magnetic impact.
One of the most amazing sights are the prostrating pilgrims, who pray their way to enlightenment by literally crawling on the ground from their home town to the Lhasa's Jokhang temple - an unbelievable phenomenon which cannot be grasped till actually seen.As a complete conrtadicition, it is interesting to see how cell phones are being used by monks and poor people, bypassing the landline phone era.
# posted by Hanan @ 4:11 AM 
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Interesting blog, it reminds me of Drepung Monastery in Tibet, founded in 1416 by Jamyang Choge Tashi Palden, one of Tsong Kha Pa main disciples and also known as the second Dalai Lama.
tried to write a blog about it, hope you also like it in https://stenote.blogspot.com/2021/12/tibet-at-drepung-monastery.html.
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tried to write a blog about it, hope you also like it in https://stenote.blogspot.com/2021/12/tibet-at-drepung-monastery.html.
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