Tibetan Custom
Posted on: Wed, 2007-01-31 06:52
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Tibetan Custom
Presenting Hada
Present hada is a common practice among the Tibetan people to express their best wishes on many occasions, such as wedding ceremonies, festivals, visiting the elders and the betters, and entertaining guests. The white hada, a long narrow scarf made of silk, embodies purity and good fortune.
Proposing a Toast and Tea
Proposing a Toast and Tea When you come to a Tibetan family, the host will propose a toast, usually barley wine. You should sip three times and then drink up. To entertain guests with tea is a daily etiquette. The guest has not to drink until the host presents the tea to you.
Greetings
Greetings Don't forget to add "la"after saying hello to the Tibetan people to show respect . Make Way to others. Try not to make any sounds while eating and drinking.
Sky Burials
Sky burial is a common form in Tibet. There are many prohibitions. Strangers are not allowed to attend the ceremony. Visitors should respect this custom and keep away from such occasions.
Tibetan Buddhism
Also known as the Lamaism, the Tibetan Buddhism was introduced to Tibet from the mainland and India in the seventh century. The Tibetan Buddhism consists of four major sects, the Ge-lug-pa(Yellow) Sect, the Nying-ma-pa(Red)Sec, the Saturday-kya-pa(Variegated) Sect, and the Ka-gyu-pa(White) Sect.
Pilgrimage
The immediate motivations of pilgrimage are many, but for the ordinary Tibetan it amounts to a means of accumulating merit or good luck. The lay practitioner might go on pilgrimage in the hope of winning a better rebirth, cure an illness, end a spate of bad luck or simply because of a vow to take a pilgrimage if a bodhisattva granted a wish.
In Tibet there are countless sacred destinations, ranging from lakes and mountains to monasteries and caves that once served as meditation retreats for important yogin. Specific pilgrimages are often proscribed for specific ills; certain mountains for example expiate certain sins. A circumambulation of Mt. Kailash offers the possibility of liberation within three lifetimes, while a circuit of Lake Manasarovar can result in spontaneous Buddhahood.
Cultural Consideration in Tibet
The Tibetans are among the easiest people to get along with in Asia. But still there are some cultural considerations you should better to pay attention to when you travel in Tibet.
1.Do not photo them without permission!
2.Always circumambulate gompas and other religious objects clockwise , thus keeping shrines and chortens to your right.
3.Don't touch or remove anything on an altar.
4.Don't take photos during a prayer meeting. At other times always ask permission to take a photo, especially one using flash. The larger monasteries charge photography fees.
5.Don't wear shorts or short skirts in a monastery.
6.Take your hat off when you go into a chapel.
7.Don't smoke in a monastery.
8.Do not eat dog, donkey and horse in Tibet.
Be aware that Tibetans often gesture with their lips to show a direction, so if a member of the opposite sex pouts at you they are just showing you where to go.
from:ChinaGuide--- www.sortchina.com