Chapter 10 8. Pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain and Holy Lake

A beautiful mountain peak like a crystal pagoda stands under the blue sky; on the black base as strong as cast iron, there is a peak like a white crystal tower, which is incomparably wonderful and magnificent.I was overwhelmed by her mysterious and unpredictable aura, and fell to the ground involuntarily to worship... It was a gloomy morning, and the drizzle did not prevent devout believers from embarking on the road to the holy mountain Kailash Rinpochen.Although I really stood at the feet of Kailash Rinpoqin, this sacred mountain showed the demeanor of a fairy who could not see the end, making it impossible to see its true face.I started to climb up to the high place of the holy mountain along the zigzag mountain road. After walking for a while, I felt out of breath.It is indeed very difficult to climb the mountain on the plateau at an altitude of 4,000 meters. However, we still walked a long way to the depths of Kailash Rinpoqin. It is a holy mountain that people admire and pilgrimage to in Asia.

Gang Rinpoqin, which means "treasure of the snow mountain" in Tibetan, is the main peak of the Gangdise Mountains, with an altitude of 6,714 meters.Kailash Rinpoche is not only a natural mountain, but also a mountain of culture and religion; because it is regarded as the birthplace of Bon, Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism, it is the Jerusalem of the East, almost common holy place of all religions. According to historical documents, the founder of the religion, Dunba Xinrao, descended from the sky on Mount Kailash when the people in the ancient Tibetan area were suffering from disasters; His mana made him a prophet and saint in Tibetan history.Therefore, Gang Rinpoqin has a lofty status in the hearts of the ancient Tibetan people.Bon believers regard it as the holy mountain and the king of thousands of mountains, and believe that it dominates the world; its rise and fall, joy, anger, sorrow and joy are directly related to the safety and survival of the world, and the formation and development of ancient Tibetan civilization are closely related to it.

Gang Rinpochen is called "Keras" mountain by Hinduism, because among the Hindu gods, Shiva, the most powerful god of destruction, lives here.The temple of Shiva, the great god believed by Hinduism, is locally called "Kerasanta", apparently its name borrows the sound of "Keras" from Sanskrit.Hinduism also regards Kailash Rinpoqin as the residence of Brahma, and many temples in Hinduism are built on the basis of Kailash Rinpochen; Kailash Rinpoqin has also been described to varying degrees in books such as Kopporata. The Jains in ancient India and Nepal called Kailash Rinpoche "Ashta Poda", the "highest mountain", and regarded it as a spiritual holy mountain.Because Le Xiabaha, the founder of the religion, was liberated in this mountain and achieved great enlightenment.

Buddhism even regards Kailash as its holy land, because when Buddhism was introduced into Tibet, the protracted dispute between Buddha and Ben was finally decided in Kailash.It is said that Venerable Milarepa, a legendary figure in the history of Tibetan Buddhism, and Venerable Narupun Joyong of the Bon religion fought for the last contest to win and ensure the ownership of the holy mountain for their own religion. The first one to ascend Kailash Rinpochen is the winner.In the early morning of that day, Naru Benqiong, who was proficient in witchcraft, rode on the drum and flew to the top of the mountain before dawn.At this time, Milarepa remained motionless. When the sun rose from the east, Milarepa walked out of the cave where he preached the scriptures, and took the first rays of the sun to reach the top of Mount Kailash.Narubenqiong, who was full of the belief of victory, was about to fly to the top of the mountain when he suddenly saw Milarepa sitting on the top of the ice and snow in the morning glow. Frightened, the drum under his crotch rolled down the mountain. Poe left a deep ditch that is still visible today.This competition finally established the supremacy of Buddhism in Tibetan areas.

Legends are legends after all, but according to historical records, Gang Rinpoche has a religious and cultural history of at least seven hundred years.In the minds of people in Tibetan areas and Central Asia, this place is the center of the world and the universe, and all human and spiritual worlds spread out and extend around here.Through this mountain, people express their wishes to the gods, tell their misfortunes, and pray for the blessings of the gods. They also feel and experience the majesty of the world of gods through this mountain, and fulfill their lifelong wishes. Overlooking Mount Kailash

Just as we climbed to the halfway up Kailash Rinpochen, there was a moving scene in the southeast direction, a light appeared among the clouds in the sky, and then we saw purple and dark blue clouds hanging in the sky, and then showed rose and golden yellow , the outline of Namunani Peak in the Himalayas in the cloud curtain gradually became clear.The breeze blows in the morning light, stop and immerse yourself in the fleeting changes of the universe. This scene is so subtle that it is impossible to grasp its changes, which is unforgettable for a long time.We were unable to complete the pilgrimage due to exhaustion from the high altitude.Looking northwards at this pilgrimage road, there is no end in sight.Countless mani stone piles piled up by pilgrims stand alone on both sides of the winding road; some of these mani piles seem to be looking forward to the pilgrims coming from afar, and some seem to be Looking affectionately at the majestic Mount Kailash, some seem to be in meditation and deep thought.The cloudy sky prevented us from witnessing the true face of the holy mountain. However, during the spiritual journey of Kailash pilgrimage, each of us seemed to have been cleansed of our souls.

Gang Rinpoqin did not disappoint its pilgrims who had traveled hard in the end. On the way we left Taqing Village and went to the holy lake Manasarovar, I finally saw the true face of the holy mountain.It was about two o'clock in the afternoon, and when I was driving with my eyes closed, I suddenly heard the driver Nima yell "Snow Mountain", then stopped and bowed down.I hurriedly jumped out of the car, only to see that the sky in the north cleared away, and a beautiful mountain peak like a crystal pagoda stood under the blue sky; on the black base as strong as cast iron, there was a peak like a white crystal tower, which was wonderful and magnificent. Unrivaled.If you don't see it with your own eyes, it's hard to imagine such a landscape that absolutely exists in nature.At that moment, I could truly appreciate Kailash's infinite divinity shining under the sun; the natural landscape reflected was also the ultimate beauty of the spiritual world.I was overwhelmed by its mysterious and refreshing atmosphere, and I couldn't help but fell to the ground to worship.A feeling that I have never had before, that is the tranquility and peace that I have been pursuing all the time, such as the spiritual sublimation that anyone living in the Kingdom of Shangri-La can feel.

Bathed in the bright sunshine in the afternoon, we drove to the bank of Mapang Yumco. This is the first time that we have been so close and truly felt the charm of the holy lake.Mapang Yumco, which means "eternal invincible lake" in Tibetan, was named to commemorate the battle between Milarepa and Narupunqiong and finally won the victory.At an altitude of 4,588 meters, Manasarovar is the highest freshwater lake in the world.The Hindi language of Mapang Yumco is "Manasa Lake". Hinduism believes that Uma, the wife of Lord Shiva with the greatest mana, bathes in this lake every day.Indians still have a feeling of admiration for Manasarovar Lake, and the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi, the famous leader of India, were also scattered in Manasarovar Yumco.It can be seen that Manasarovar has the same profound religious background and rich cultural connotation as Gang Rinpochen.

Stepping on the soft meadow beside the holy lake, you can see that the lake is as blue as sapphire, clear to the bottom, and the water surface is as calm as a virgin; occasionally, swans can be seen dancing in the lake, embellishing the holy lake with vitality.The holy lake is surrounded by endless snow-capped mountains, which adds a bit of solemnity and mystery to the holy lake.I leaned over and scooped up a handful of lake water, let it caress my face, it was cool, lubricated and rich in texture, making me intoxicated.Tap the lake water with the tip of your tongue, there is a kind of salty, as if you can appreciate the five-color life.This is the eternal holy lake in my heart. At that moment, I longed to turn myself into a water bird by the lake, bathing in the holy water and divinity of Manasarovar forever.

In fact, before arriving at Mapang Yumco, we also passed a small lake called "Laang Co", which was also beautiful and clear, but for some reason it was dubbed the title of "Ghost Lake".It is said that the nine-headed Rakshasa King, the devil in Hinduism, was imprisoned at the bottom of the lake; all the streams flowing from Mount Kailash flowed into Laang Co to deter the devil.Buddhism believes that Mapang Yumcuo and Laangcuo represent light and darkness respectively.Religious legends make Laon Cuo feel neglected so far. Approaching the Holy Lake Manasarovar That night, our group stayed at the home of a Tibetan family in Manasarovar.According to the introduction from the host, there is a hot spring near Manasarovar, and the spring water is very hot.For me who haven't showered for seven days, this is really great news.In Tibet during the rainy season, the golden sunset appeared for the first time at this time, reflecting the vastness of Ngari land.Taking advantage of the last rays of the setting sun, I bathed thoroughly in the hot springs. The red hot water and the lubricating water quality made me feel a kind of joy that I had never had before.Presumably this water must have the same root as the holy water of the holy lake Manasarovar, full of spirituality and divinity, and refreshing.

That night, I had my first good night's sleep in Tibet.