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A Tibetan person must bow at least 100,000 times in their lifetime, following the distinctive Tibetan ritual: triple body - five elements - earth integration.
Impressed by the ritual of 'triple body - five elements - earth integration' in Tibet
Despite hearing about it beforehand, as a traveler from a distant land, I couldn't escape a profound sense of emotion when arriving in the region known as the 'roof of the world.'
The first time I witnessed this ritual was when I visited the Potala Palace - a UNESCO World Heritage site in the capital city of Lhasa, Tibet.
As my body adjusted to the altitude of over 3,800 meters and the thin air, I had to abruptly stop just to closely observe the women on a bustling street performing the bowing ritual of 'triple body - five elements - earth integration.'
Faces, whether radiant or marked by countless instances of touching the ground, besmeared or adorned with scars!
Regardless of the weather, irrespective of the curious gazes from tourists, undeterred by long or short distances, unfazed by time, and even indifferent to the potential danger to their own lives.
They travel alone or occasionally with a companion. Day and night, their gear consists of a wooden apparatus strapped to their hands for gliding along the long road, a Yak leather piece worn across the chest to shield from the wind and abrasions, and two rubber pads covering the knees, tips of their shoes.
These individuals devoutly bow in silence and patience. Only the sound of the wooden pads meeting when their hands touch (the hand-held wheels acting as support to ease the strain and propel them forward).
Due to such extended journeys, they often receive charitable offerings from passersby, aiding in their modest provisions. Beyond the hardships of meager sustenance, they must also confront numerous challenges, even peril, from malicious individuals along the way.
Many have left their mortal coil on this pilgrimage. Believing life to be transient, the people of Tibet hold that these individuals departed contentedly, having embarked on a journey meaningful for an entire lifetime.
I believe in that. Observing the ritualistic bows performed by the Tibetan people, I sense the emanation of their profound, intense, and unchanging spiritual conviction, often visible even without looking into their eyes.
According to Le Minh Ha/Tuoi Tre
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Reference: Travel guide Mytour
MytourMay 31, 2018
