[Buddha-l] Fwd: Prostrating couple from Tibet reaches Kathmandu

[Christopher Fynn]

This kind single minded devotion to the Dharma always blows me away....

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Phayul[Saturday, October 13, 2007 16:58]
Prostrating couple from Tibet reaches Kathmandu
By Tenzin Choephel
Phayul Correspondent

Kathmandu, October 12: In yet another example of eternal Tibetan 
spirituality, an elderly Tibetan man from Thangkor Township of Dzoge 
County in Amdo Region of Tibet came prostrating to Kathmandu on October 
2 and is now on his way to Bodh Gaya, India. Karton, 55, is the second 
person this year prostrating from Tibet to India. He is supported by his 
equally pious wife Sangye Dolma, 60, who pulls their metal cart of food 
supplies and bedding and she also prostrates at a position while waiting 
for her husband to catch up and doing so she has completed over 500,000 
holy prostrations and is counting.

The couple started their prostration journey in the beginning of 2005 
from their native place and reached Lhasa a year later. Due to old age 
they could not continue their prostration and had to take break of about 
three months before coming back to Lhasa to carry on with their 
prostration to India. Their journey to Kathmandu took three months. They 
are on their way to Bodh Gaya in India where they would most probably 
end their prostration journey. Buddha Shaykyamuni attained enlightenment 
in Bodh Gaya some 2600 years ago. From there, they intend to continue 
their journey to Dharamsala walking and are hoping to seek an audience 
with His Holiness the Dalai Lama there.

Their objective of this classic Tibetan devotion is for long life of His 
Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Holiness the Panchen Lama and all other 
Tibetan lamas, pilgrimage, flourishing of Buddhism in this world and for 
the well being of all sentient beings. “Since this year is kag 
(obstacle) year of His Holiness (the Dalai Lama), I wish to complete 
this mission particularly for Him,” says Karton. On hearing his decision 
to undertake holy mission, his wife happily decided to join and support 
him. Karton is a happy man to have a wife who is equally spiritual and a 
devout Buddhist. The couple is thankful to Tibetans they met on the way 
who have all been generously helpful.

Zodpa Namgyal, a lanky 33 years old monk from Amchok Tsenyi Monastery in 
Ngaba, Amdo, Tibet who arrived in Kathmandu prostrating few months ago, 
is continuing his spiritual mission to Dharamsala, the Dalai Lama’s 
hometown in exile. According to latest information, Zodpa was last seen 
prostrating near Lucknow city in India.

If there were a Guinness Book of World Record for prostrating, then 
these unrelenting holy Tibetan protractors are worth an attention. But 
getting recognition may not be their priority and I doubt if they are 
aware of such a record either.

<http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=18215&t=0>