Stones

OK, I have just returned from my second trip to Yushu, so maybe it is time to tell you a few things.

The first thing that comes to mind is a pile of stones, 3 minutes west of Yushu town. It is not just any old pile of any old stones, but a pile of "mani" stones. "Mani" stones are stones that have been engraved with Tibetan scriptures and "mantras", especially the mantra we know as 'O Mani Paday Hum' appears on many of the stones. The pile of "mani" stones I am thinking of is however not any old pile of "mani" stones, piles of "mani" stones appear everywhere in Tibet, sometimes a pile consists of only ten stones, usually more. This pile is however (according to sign) 283m long, 75m wide, 2.5m high and contains an estimated 2 billion stones. Most of the stones are not only engraved, but also painted, from a distance this gives the whole pile the appearance of a rubbish dump.

The fact that there are "mani" stones here, makes this a sacred site for the Tibetans, the fact there are this many of them only increases that fact. As with all sacred places, the Tibetans will walk around it, always clockwise. They believe this will improve their karma and thereby have a chance on a better rebirth (a little like reincarnation, but that is a western concept).
When we were there, between two and three hundred people were walking around the pile, most of them were using prayer wheels and constantly recited "mantras" (both with the purpose of improving their karma).

It was good to see so many Tibetans together, but sad to see them busy with this pointless exercise. It is however not an unusual picture on the plateau. Tibetans are very religious people and they are always working on improving their karma. It doesn't always happen on this scale, usually less, sometimes more, but it happens all the time, wherever people are present. The improving of karma often takes the most important place in their lives, and humanly speaking there is nothing that will stop them doing so.