The Story of Old Man...3 (reached Lhasa)

 Coincidently at the same moment, the lady was already wake up and covered the left over porridge on fireplace. She makes a kettle full of churned butter tea especially for them but when she reached barn. She saw father Phentsokbreath heavily and being afflicted by the illness. Immediately the lady brought hot charcoal and burned tsampa and put the odor to father Phentsok. He came back to sense and even the heart beat become normal when the lady gave warm left over porridge quickly to father Phentsok . The lady wake up Palden and gave tea and pak (tsampa which is moistened with a liquid like tea and kneaded into balls) until they are satisfied. Father Phentsok recuperates as if he took effective medicine, noticing the health the lady said “father if your health is better, today is 15^th day of lunar month saga dawa and you will accumulate great merit if you can visit venerable Sakyamuni. Rooster’s second crow is yet to make so, if you two depart, will see the Sakyamuni by the sunrise”. “Thank you so much mistress. I will pray to Sakyamuni for your good fortune. May you live long” father Phentsok said then hold Palden hand and start their journey. 

Potala Palace

 

Father Phentsok deems to reach Lhasa as fast as possible when they reached dock and enter the ferryboat. With excitement he lifted his foot heavily, which makes the wound of the right fish scales unclog which was bitten by nomad dog. “Father, blood is spilling (flowing)” Palden said to father when he saw the pus and blood flowing from the hole of ragged trousers. “Do not worry son, it will be fine seeing the Sakyamuni” response to Palden and lift him to his lap and sited inside the leather boat. 

When father and son reached the outer circumambulation circular road, it was dawn and the heath (steppe) was clear and saw people lined up on both side. When they reach nearer, saw some people reciting Mani (mantra) and some reading scripture where laid down white cloth waiting with the hope of alms. Some circles Mani (praying wheel) with the right hand while requesting for alms by showing left thumb. Right after that row of prisoner were locked their head inside the wooden hole while both hand and foot were locked up with iron. Then there is a row of disabled, handicapped, blind and crippled, however the eyes couldn’t capture as every space was filled with beggar. Going to the outer circumambulation was successively one after another without a break. Some wear light kalsang cap and a rosary in one hand while intoning (reciting) scripture. Without noticing around, they walk whirling while losing the front person. If calculate, seems like they had firmly decided to circumambulate thrice.

Some  people take two to three goats behind while some takes dog which looks alike lion but smaller in size. But some have neither goats nor dogs to take out but encircled by more than twenty stay dogs as they had Pak in knapsack and gave to them. Especially many people came to give alms to beggars, successively one after another they take out money, tsampa and so on through their pouch and other bags while circumambulating the outer circumambulation. Some got dressed up while decorated by various precious gems while other wear enough clothes to cover their bodies to save their personality. Just like the continuous flowing water, the crowds of different region, race, costume were rushing in one direction. At the time, both the father and son were amazed and shocked that they were absorbed for the time being. Suddenly as if remembers, father pulled Palden's hand and inquiry the way and stride. Without taking much time, they reached the shrine's door

READ NEXT WHAT HAPPENED.................................. WILL BE CONTINUE....

The story of old man...2 (my beloved wife)

To illustrate the possession father Phentsok had, there was a cup and a leather bag with little tsampa in his pocket. A broken cup in boy's pocket other than that, there was nothing to called wealth except two needle hang by the father's chupa. A wooden cane in the hand  to use as well as to handle the dog, there was nothing more to see. Noticing such condition, unconditionally the lady felt pity. She went to religion pilgrimage only twice to Potala to visit venerable Sakyamuni even it takes only a day to reach. But father and son struggle such hardship of six months just to get a glimpse of Sakyamuni, such fortitude is only the matter of religion.
She welcomes both father and son to home, thinking providing alms to the pilgrimage worth a similar merit even staying home. She gave content of tea, tsampa, porridge and so on. It was evening so, even told them to spend the night and guide them to the barn. That night both father and son quenched their thirst, stomach bloated. Even received blanket to wear and hay to lay as a mattress. The young boy felt sleep right after he put his head on it but the happiness and excitement couldn't let father Phentsok sleep as his desire to visit venerable Sakyamuni has finally come.

By then, the face of his beloved wife appears vividly and lost in memory.....My wife Zompa became my friend when she was just 16. At least for the past forty years, she loves me sincerely and with artless way in every circumstance. When my old heart disease emerged, she feed me spoon by spoon with her eyes filed with tears. She help me the best she could do. Without regarding day and night, she stood by the bed with anguish and keeps asking how my health was. If there was fresh and tasty food, she give me first and does all the hard work by herself. Last year when she felt sick seriously even holds my hand and said "I am about to die now. Father Phentsok you have a heart disease so, be careful yourself" she give more significant to me rather than herself. In whole life, she never said about her desire but before she die, she stroke gently on son's face and said "Please take our only son Palden once to Potala to visit venerable Sakyamuni" she took out only turquoise ornament she had in her head and put inside my hand while saying. After shedding some drops of tears "father Phentsok, donate this to Sakyamuni and pray for the happiness and fortunate life of our son Palden" she take her final breath by then.

He felt great joy that tomorrow his late wife Zompa's desire will be fulfill and will be bless by venerable Sakyamuni as well. Suddenly by then his heart start to beat harder and dropped sweat from the forehead. When he falls into rigor situation of inhaling and exhaling, he express his sorrow "unfortunate me, even my old heart disease has to come now" He was worried as he doesn't know what to do.

Coincidentally the lady had already wake up and cover the left over porridge on fireplace...see what happen next..............WILL CONTINUE NEXT

The story of old man..

Felt the warmness and aroma of butter lamp while stepping inside the shrine. The entire front space was filled with butter lamp and the statue was unable to see clearly as it was covered up with silk. The glittering blue ferocious face was shining along with the reddish yellow radiant of the butter lamp making more frightening. The hair will be disturbed whoever sees such frightening statue.

rain start falling ...

Nearby, father Phentsok uplift his face and prostrate thrice stretching his body and hold his palm toward forehead while kneeling down. He pray “Oh!! deity, as you know. Although I take birth in human life but due to lack of merit accumulation, until now I spend my life in depress and hard labor. Now for the sake of next life, with intension to get bless from venerable Sakyamuni of Potala, I came for pilgrimage and it’s been six months since I left my village and till now more than forty pilgrimage sites and monasteries were visited. Now I came by you deity. Tomorrow is the 15^th day of the lunar month and Saga Dawa as well; now it’s time to get bless from venerable Sakyamuni. Till then I request you to protect us from obstacles” father Phentsok took the cane nearby knee and slowly stands up while putting right hand on the shoulder of young boy who stands by left.  He keeps glancing again and again at the statue while walking away from it.

Suddenly thunder start thundering and lighting, watching the black clouds rolling in the sky, father Phentsok knew that rainstorm will fall so, took a shelter nearby. Father Phentsok recites Mani while rolling beats of rosary through his right fingers, before completing a circle, rainstorm start and quickly he kept the boy in his lap and continues reciting and wishing it to stop sooner or later. The lady of house come to know that there are people sheltering under her roof. She saw an old father and son cuddle with each other when she checked the door. Afflicted by hunger and exhausted, fatigue, sallow and thin old man was holding a young boy in his lap. She understood the circumstance when father Phentsok honestly response the question the lady asked.

When she examine from head to foot, old father’s chupa was covered up with patches while kneecap were reveal out as a trousers was tore. Bare foot touches the earth as the sole of the shoes has worn out. A young boy has nothing to wear even no trousers that he was covered with short ragged clothing cloth. His hair matted together and became disheveled, dirt has form as if coal was put on a face. Through nostril the snot hang up and down with the inhaling and exhaling process. 

TO BE CONTINUE.....