Devotion you can see
Visitors to Tibetan temples and holy mountains often notice that pilgrims are not simply sightseeing. They are doing something: walking, bowing, spinning, chanting, offering. Each of these is a recognised practice with its own meaning, usually understood in terms of generating merit, purifying negative actions or showing devotion to the Buddha, the teachings and the community.
These are Tibetan Buddhist customs, found across the plateau and in Tibetan communities in Nepal, India and Bhutan. They vary by region, school and family tradition, and this article describes them in general, public terms only.
Circling and walking
The basic action of Tibetan pilgrimage is kora: walking clockwise around a sacred place. A pilgrim may walk around a stupa, a temple, a monastery or a whole mountain. The wider practice is described in the discussion of circumambulation practice. Some pilgrims walk quietly, some murmur mantras, and some carry beads or small prayer wheels.
Followers of Bon, the other religion native to the plateau, usually circle in the opposite direction, anticlockwise. Visitors may encounter both at once on a shared route.
Prostration
Some pilgrims bow with the whole body in a practice called prostration. In the full-length form, the pilgrim stands, brings joined hands to the forehead, throat and heart, then lowers to the ground, stretches out flat, and rises again. Wooden boards, aprons or gloves are often used to protect hands and clothing.
Prostration may be done in front of a temple, as a short daily practice, or all the way around a circuit, marking the ground with each length of the body. A pilgrimage done this way can take much longer than walking. Pilgrims on a prostrating journey are mid-devotion and deserve space. Do not step in their path, do not photograph them without asking, and do not offer money unless it is clear that this is wanted.
Prayer wheels
Prayer wheels are cylinders, often with a rolled paper or cloth text of mantras inside. Spinning one is understood to carry the benefit of the prayers contained in it. The best-known mantra is Om Mani Padme Hum, the mantra associated with Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion.
Large wheels line the paths around temples and are turned by passing pilgrims. The usual courtesy is to turn them clockwise, using the right hand, and to keep walking in the same direction as everyone else. Hand-held wheels are personal devotional objects and are not casual souvenirs. The design and meaning of these objects are covered in a separate article on prayer wheels and flags.
Prayer flags
Prayer flags are strings of cloth squares printed with mantras and prayers. They are traditionally arranged in five colours, usually blue, white, red, green and yellow, linked in tradition to elements. They are hung on passes, bridges, rooftops and holy sites. Wind is said to carry the prayers, so the flags are left to fade and fray naturally.
Faded flags carry sacred text, so it is best not to step on them, burn them carelessly or throw them in rubbish. If you are unsure what to do with old flags, ask locally. Visitors who purchase flags and hang them should follow local advice on where it is appropriate.
Mani stones and mani walls
Mani stones are flat stones carved or painted with mantras, most often Om Mani Padme Hum. They are left in piles, along walls and at passes, sometimes built into long mani walls. Their creation is itself a devotional act, and the carvers’ work is valued.
The courtesy for mani walls is the same as for other sacred objects: pass them with the wall on your right, do not take stones away, do not step over or sit on them, and do not add stones from elsewhere unless invited to.
Offerings
Offerings vary but commonly include:
- Butter lamps burned in front of images, often with butter brought by the pilgrims.
- Khata, a white or coloured ceremonial scarf, offered to teachers or placed before images.
- Incense, often juniper, burned at purification fires or small incense burners.
- Small money offerings, placed at shrines according to local custom.
- Flour, grain or water in small amounts at altars.
The subject of shrine offerings is treated more fully in a separate article. As a visitor, the safest approach is to watch what local people do, offer discreetly, and avoid touching anything on an altar. Giving to monks and nuns has its own conventions, discussed in the guidance on giving alms respectfully.
Behaving as a visitor
A few points apply almost everywhere:
- Walk clockwise around temples, stupas and mani walls.
- Remove shoes and hats where signs or practice show it is expected; general temple entry customs are covered elsewhere.
- Dress modestly.
- Follow temple photography etiquette: ask before taking photographs, particularly of people practising or of images inside chapels.
- Keep voices low and move calmly.
- Do not touch monks, nuns, sacred objects or offerings.
Customs vary between monasteries and regions, and local guidance should always come first. These customs are lived religion, and pilgrims often accept visitors graciously when they are watched with respect.