Right, I've finally come to this post, where I will conclude everything about my trip to Tibet.
To begin with, Tibet has been a place I've been fascinated with since I'm young. And as a Buddhist, it is definitely a place that I've always wanted to go to. The culture, religion and people of this region have captivated me for a long time, and to have spent these 10 days in Tibet and experienced all of these, I felt really really happy. It feels like I've made an accomplishment in life.
The beautiful landscapes and endless blue sky, probably the clearest shade of blue I've seen, have really been a feast for the eyes. The rolling hills, snow-capped peaks, rivers and Himalayan mountains are truly a beautiful sight to behold. And driving across these landscapes, and to spend ten days, seeing different and amazing sights in each day, is definitely an unforgettable memory for me.
The Tibetan culture is also something that I've never come across before. The Tibetan people are some of the friendliest and amazing people I've met on earth. They are also some of the most resilient and devoted people I've met. I left Tibet with three words inside my mind that remind me of Tibet and her people. They are: resilience, devotion and compassion.
The resilience of the Tibetan people has won a place in my heart. Seeing the landscape that the Tibetans live in - where nothing much grows, really made me gain an admiration from them. The hard work and determination that they put in to grow crops in such a challenging environment is endearing. And you can also see their resilience in how they work together, be it doing constructions or renovations. How they would work together, and at the same time sing and do it with joy.
This is resilience. To find joy in times of toughness.
The devotion of the Tibetan people has humbled my heart too. Seeing people spinning their prayer wheels as they walk, doing prostrations in front of Jokhang and all the devotees praying in the temples are pretty endearing sights to me. And I am thankful to have shared some moments praying together with fellow Tibetan Buddhist devotees, and at the same time learning more about their religion.
Seeing them queuing to go inside the temple/monastery to offer their prayers, or to add yak-butter to the candles and lamps is pretty heartwarming to me. I've always believed that devotion is something that keeps a religion alive and going. Tibetan Buddhism will not be Tibetan Buddhism without this devotional practices that the Tibetans do with all their hearts every day.
And I really hope that these practices can go on forever in Tibet.
Compassion is a central component of Buddhism and I see no wonder that it is reflected in the lives of the Tibetans. Refusing to kill, liberating one's suffering at time of death, wishing happiness to others - all of these are compassion. And you can see and feel them in Tibet every day.
Just to give a few examples - Tibetan farmers would come together to do prayers before they start ploughing their lands. They do this for the small insects and animals that might get killed in the process. Drivers would honk their vehicles from a distance when they see cows/yaks/sheep on the road or even near the road to warn them. Some would even stop their vehicles to let them pass. And when they see a bug got killed on the window or something like that, they would quickly offer a prayer.
You can even see compassion in their forms of burial - the sky burial or water burial. This form of burial is essentially a last opportunity that they can take to be beneficial to other sentient beings. And I find this really really.... Just serendipitous. I would gladly perform a sky burial for my funeral but I'm pretty sure it's illegal in Indonesia heh. I'll just let my body be fertilisers to the surrounding soil.
And in general, Tibetans are some of the most caring, kindest and sweetest people I've met. They would greet you, wave at you and smile at you. I didn't come across any Tibetan that made me upset in this trip. They truly have a special place in my heart.
These ten days in Tibet has been nothing else but an incredible journey and a dream come true for me. An adventure of a lifetime, and truly a spiritually enlightening and liberating experience. The resilience, devotion and compassion of the Tibetan people will stay and go far with me in life. I want to give nothing else but my blessings to the Tibetan people. Tibet has been amazing in every aspect of the region.
The Tibetans are to me an endearing symbol of the human spirit.
I would also like to once again send my gratitude to two of our wonderful guides, whom I feel so thankful to have crossed-paths with. And also the people that have shared this adventure of a lifetime together with me. I will definitely miss all of you and the days we spent together.
Well so long Tibet. I hope that I can one day walk on your soil again. Thank you for everything that you have shared with me in these seemingly short ten days. I'm glad to have brought this body of mine to see you and your culture before I leave him behind in this world. Tujeche from the bottom of my heart!
:)
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