Stories to tell . . .: Tibet - Friendship Highway

November 2013

Friendship Highway - Lhasa to Kathmandu

The journey to Lhasa started in Kaili, Hunan Province, China. My friend Mary-Anna and I took an overnight hard-sleeper train to Chongqing where we picked up our travel permits for the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and took a direct flight to Lhasa. We left the hazy sky of busy Chinese cities for the incredible bright blue sky over the high plains of Lhasa. Our guide, Chimee, welcomed us with the traditional ivory Khata (prayer scarf) that symbolizes sincerity and purity of heart. At last... Lhasa.

Lhasa: Sera Monastery, Deprung Monaster, Jokhang Temple, and the Potola Palace
Friendship Highway: 587 miles - Kambala Pass, Yamdrak Lake, Palkhor Monastery, Tashilunpo Monastery
Kathmandu: Bodnath Stupa, Swayambhunath Temple, Garden of Dreams, Kopan MonasteryCrematoria, Bagmati River

Potala Palace

Situated at an elevation of more than 12,000 feet, Potala Palace construction began in 1645 by Lozang Gyatso, the 5th Dalai Lama. It was home to the 14th Dalai Lama until 1959 when he fled to Dharamsala.

Though quite cold in November, we were fortunate to miss the crowds that come during peak seasons. We were able to walk through the Palace slowly and comfortably with plenty of time to listen to Chimee's lessons in history and Buddhism.

Potala Palace

The top floor balcony of the White Palace, trimmed with yellow curtains, is where the Dalai Lama would view ceremonies and dances performed in the courtyard below. We visited the living quarters, administrative rooms, and temples used by all the various Dalai Lamas who had resided in this palace.

Jokhang Temple

Built by King Songsten Gampo in 642, the Jokhang Temple is considered the most sacred and revered temple in Tibet because it houses 2 very important statues of Buddha. The statues were brought to Tibet as part of the dowery of Princess Wencheng of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal. The marriages established political alliances at the time but the spiritual impact to Buddhists remains today.

Jokhang Temple

Friendship Highway - Lhasa to Tibet, 585 miles

Views along the Friendship Highway

Yamdrok Lake is one of the three holy lakes in Tibet. Mt Nojin Kangsang, 23,592 feet, and other peaks over 19,000 feet surround the lake.

Yamdrok Lake

Typical moonscape of the high Tibetan plains.

Palkhor Monastery's Kumbum Stupa has 108 chapels in its four floors. Each chapel has unique & amazing murals of Buddhist deities and mandalas.

Palkhor Monastery

Gyatso La Pass, 17,200 feet

View of Qomolongma, Mount Everest, from Old Tingri.

Qomolangma - Mount Everest, 29,029 feet

Leaving the high plains, beginning the descent into Nepal

Down to the border town of Zhangmu

Travel Buddies

Malaysia - Cela, Yanna, EG

Germany - Marc

USA - Mary-Anna & Stephanie

Lessons Along the Way

Our wonderful Tibetan guide, Chimee, did her best to teach us about the Tibetan culture & Buddhism while we traveled along the Friendship Highway. How accurate these legends and customs are may just be a matter of interpretation, but Chimee believes these to be true and I enjoyed being her student for one short week in Tibet.

So many "manifestations" of Buddha, so many stories about compassion - here are ones I particularly found interesting.

One of the proofs that Siddartha had achieved nirvana occurred one day as he walking in the forest. He came upon a mother tiger & her cubs. Siddartha could see they were starving and so laid so down & offered his body to them to eat. Siddartha felt no pain as the tigers ate - they were saved. His body no longer felt pain as his state of nirvana provided for him; he was truly transformed to the manifestation of Present Buddha, Shakiamuna.

Tibetans, unlike some other Himalayan Buddhists, do kill animals to eat their meat for nourishment because of the harshness of the Tibetan plains. However, to spare the animals they choose to butcher only the larger animals (such as cow or yak) rather than smaller animals. That way, they kill one animal to feed many rather than many animals to feed few.

The funeral custom is amazing and embodies compassion & giving back to Mother Earth. Funeral plans rely on Tibetan astrology to tell the family the form - either sky or river. The role of undertaker is passed on from generation to generation. Once the plan is final the undertaker takes the body to a sacred mountain or river. All the flesh, muscle, & organs are removed from the body and the bones are pulverized. The remains are offered to the birds of the sky or the fish of the river. All of the deceased's belongings are given to the undertaker so that by selling the items he receives payment & the belongings continue to provide use to others. That completes the cycle of taking & giving - giving & taking, thus providing nourishment & comfort to all beings.