Min tibetanska barndom i Zorgay - Life and Culture on the Tibetan ...

espected lama. Children came with their parents to look at me
curiously. The villagers said I had graduated from a famous
university, which made my family proud. My parents' h<strong>and</strong>s
were red from being shaken by every villager, congratulating
them on my new job. Joyful tears filled their eyes, but they
begrudged shedding them because they were tears of
happiness for the glory brought to them by their youngest son.
Mother ran to me <strong>and</strong> kissed me to show her love for her son.
"My dear, at last you succeeded in achieving your
goal <strong>and</strong> fulfilling our hopes," said Mother. We then entered
our house where my family had prepared a marvelous feast.
"I told you I would bring you <strong>and</strong> Father to Lhasa once
I got a job. Do you remember? So now I've returned to take
you to Holy Lhasa," I said. Their surprised, skeptical
expressions told me that they did not believe what they had
heard.
"Yes, dear, how could I forget? I just can't believe this
would all come true so soon. Time flies so quickly, leaving only
wrinkles on our faces," said Mother, with a big smile. It was the
happiest moment of her life. My parents longed to go to Lhasa,
which they believed to be Heaven on earth. A visit to Lhasa
meant no regret when death eventually came.
"In this complex life, at last I can visit Lhasa <strong>and</strong> then
I'll surely die in peace," said Father, murmuring mani under his
breath.
"I'm sure I'll miss tsampa, so I'll bring a bag with me,"
said Mother, preparing for her pilgrimage.
We were suddenly in Lhasa. The Potala Palace, its
majesty <strong>and</strong> magnificence so well known internationally,
towered above us. Its gilded roof shone under the glorious
sun, as if greeting us. My parents put their palms together to
pray. Father said, "If you are pious, then you can see Buddha
in the sky welcoming you."
"How true! A friend told me she saw Buddha in the sky
when she walked to Lhasa. We are not lucky enough to see
him greet us," said Mother, looking disappointed.
"No Mother, but we are lucky to be here at last. There
is no difference between seeing Buddha in the sky or his
image in a temple, as long as we believe in him," I said.
"Of course, I believe as much as any pious person
▪65▪