I loved watching monks debating at Sera Monastery in Lhasa, but sadly it seemed to be a bit of a tourist circus. This looks like the monks were having fun, rather than performing 🙂

@Megan Deutsch: That book would be a great place to start, Megan! Although I remember buying a book on tape version ages ago & boy did that thing fly over my head (I was just out of college though). I guess I gave up after that. Time heals wounds though and R.Thurman is one of the greatest Buddhist philosophers out there (his son was also one of my favorite yoga teachers in NYC!)

@Megan RTW: That’s so sad to hear that about Lhasa (but I’m totally envious you got to get out to Tibet!). Many authentic rituals seem to be turning into tourist paparazzi fests these days. I was in Laos watching monks take alms; it was really disheartening to see the tourist vans pull in at 5A and pour camera flashes out. And I guess those colors resemble Google’s! Ha ha… Didn’t think of it. The inscription says “Om mane padme hum”. You’ll see that inscription everywhere Tibetan– on rock carvings, necklaces, prayer wheels– I even saw them etched like graffiti on some of the Tibetan mountain regions of Ladakh.