The sunshine in Lhasa is really good, warm and compassionate, like the embrace of Buddha.
The streets of Lhasa are full of sunbathing people and dogs. The dogs I saw were lying on their backs, lazily basking in the sun, half squinting at the world.
Both Tibetans and tourists love this sunshine, as if there is no rush in life as long as one sits in this shining Buddha's light.
We changed our posture and position to enjoy the sunshine, sitting in front of the Da Zhao Monastery, walking slowly on Barkhor Street, basking in the sun. We also went to many temples, in the open space in front of the Buddha, watching the mulberry smoke rise and turn in the ultraviolet light.
Musi
In front of the Potala Palace, there is a busy road running from east to west called Beijing Road. The roads here, like those in Shanghai, are named after provinces and cities across the country.
Because of the "one-to-one" mutual aid system adopted at the start of the Western Development Program, the provinces and cities that participated in the reconstruction had their own designated areas for support. Beijing and Jiangsu mainly supported Lhasa, so there are Beijing Road and Jiangsu Road.
Straight ahead along Beijing East Road. There is said to be a wooden temple.
It is a small temple older than the Da Zhao Temple. It has been silent, abandoned and restored, retaining the vicissitudes of time and antiquity.
Unfortunately, by the time we arrived, scaffolding had surrounded the old building with a broken wall.
Construction workers were busy tearing down the wall, throwing down broken bricks and tiles from time to time. This place is going to be renovated, too. The vicissitudes of life have gone, the old stories have passed away with the wind, and only the flowers in the courtyard are still blooming.
The small regret of the journey is that the places I wanted to see are no longer there.
Zaki Temple
Jiza Temple, which sounds like a temple that sells "fried chicken," smells great. By the time I got out of the car, I was already a little drunk on the growing alcohol.
The Jiza Temple is the only temple of the God of Wealth in Tibet. The god of wealth enshrined in the temple is known for his alcoholism. Why, only Dukkha, as if the bodhisattva were any different.
The small store in front of the temple is crowded, and everyone who comes to worship the god and pray for blessings has to buy a bottle of wine here. There are many kinds of wine, with prices ranging from a few dollars to a dozen dollars. We bought a nine-dollar bottle, which wasn't rude, come to think of it.
A long line formed in front of the main hall as people waited to offer their hearts to the God of Wealth with wine in one hand and a hatha in the other. A lama stood at the entrance handing out hatha for a dollar a piece, so he bought another hatha. After handing out the hatha, the lama went in and took a bundle from the many hathas on the bodhisattva's body and went out to continue selling them to the faithful.
When they entered the temple, they only saw a big vat beside the bodhisattva, and another lama stood beside the vat, responsible for receiving the wine offered by the faithful, opening it and pouring it into the vat as a kind of filial honor to the bodhisattva.
The wine poured into the altar does not go to waste. If you want, you can bring your own jug and pour it full again. Although it's a few dollars of ordinary white wine, it's no longer the wine it used to be, much less ordinary, but the divine wine opened by the Bodhisattva. That's why the locals bring their own bottles with them, and return with wine when they're done worshipping.
Look closely at the kindly Bodhisattva. It looks like her cheeks are really reddening fast and she's still a bit drunk and disoriented. Do the scriptures say that the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss wafts with the scent of wine?
Sera Monastery
Sera Monastery is built on Gokyo Mountain where wild roses once bloomed. The temple is built on the mountain and is majestic.
Sela Monastery is the superior unit of Zagyi Monastery. In Tibetan, "Zhaji Monastery" means "temple with four monks", because it was Sera Monastery that sent four monks to be in charge of this sub-monastery.
Both temples belong to the Gelug school, a branch of Tibetan Buddhism that emphasizes strict observance of the precepts. Because the monks wear yellow hats, they are also called the Yellow Religion. I recalled the smell of alcohol in Zaghi Temple, I think the rules and Li did not "ban alcohol"
Sera Monastery is much larger and feels more solemn. It is also the place where Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelugpa sect, said. From the bottom of the mountain, the monastery full of road, dense but not crowded, mixed but not chaotic. But I didn't see any monks wearing yellow hats on the road.
We had come to read the scriptures. Every day at 3 p.m., the monks at the Buddhist College have a debate on Buddhist knowledge at the 3-3-3-5-4 Sutra Debate, a unique Tibetan Buddhist learning method that promotes monks' reading of sutras and study of the Buddha's teachings.
When we arrived at the debate venue, the debate had already begun. The venue is small, a square playground the size of a goalball court. Lamas in red robes argued vehemently, danced and spat under the trees. The playground was already crowded with bystanders who couldn't understand a word.
The debate is similar to a Zen quiz on solving crimes. The lamas are in pairs, one standing and asking questions, one sitting and answering. Whatever question the seated person faces, he or she will have to respond calmly and coolly. The one standing would have to engage in vigorous rebuttals, forcing the respondent into more difficult and challenging situations.
So the lamas who stood up had stern expressions. They were angry with each other at one point, raising their voices an octave, standing on one foot, clapping hard, and waving their Buddhist beads excitedly in front of their opponents. I also saw one lama, eyes wide open, raise his bare arm high in the air and slash it down like a great sword across the nose of the lama sitting on the ground.
I later realized that such grave threats and exaggerated physical gestures were not because they were really angry or agitated, but they were trying to overcome each other's ignorance with the prestige and knowledge of the Buddha.
Although they could not understand anything, they all watched with great interest, like they were watching a great show.
Behind the debate arena, on Wuzi Mountain, there are huge boulders painted with colorful images of bodhisattvas, like a seated Buddha looking down on all living beings from the sun-drenched mountaintop.
Tibetan Ancient Monastery
In Tibet, monasteries are held in extremely high regard.
Temples are the spiritual home of the people, the authority in the secular world, and the repositories of wealth, art and scientific research. The boys of the family were sent to the monasteries to learn not only about Buddhism, but also about medicine, art, theater, and various other cultures.
Because of their close relationship to the lives of ordinary people, many monasteries were built in the city centers, even on the busiest streets.
This is a nunnery located in the downtown area of Canggu Monastery. The main door opens into an alley near Barkhor Street, next to a brightly lit bar and nightclub.
The daughters of very rich families used to become nuns here, and there were always racy encounters.
A song once circulated on the streets of Lhasa: "Only the nuns of the Canggu Monastery can practice Buddhism and live a secular life," describing their happy life of "chanting during the day and knocking on doors at night.
In today's Kuratani Temple, the entrance fee is 40 yuan, and the sweet tea house down the street has become a famous tourist attraction. Search for Kuratani Temple on the Internet, and an intelligent search engine will automatically match you with your favorite sweet tea house among the Kuratani Temple-home sweet tea houses.
The popular guidebooks will also write excitedly that this is the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in Tibetan life.
That day, we went to Canggu Monastery, which was quiet. Two nuns were working at the sweet tea house, where there were many Tibetans in addition to tourists.
Why not sit down and have a cup of tea while the sky was high and the sun was shining. There's nowhere special to go anyway.