Although Lama Ridge Temple is less than a hundred years old, it's renowned throughout the region. Local folks say the temple houses the most prestigious living Buddha in the area.
Although Lama Ridge Temple is less than a hundred years old, it's renowned throughout the region. Local folks say the temple houses the most prestigious living Buddha in the area.
A new day has just begun.
In the yard of the Lama Ridge Temple, a family waits its turn. They've taken two hour bus ride so their newborn baby can catch a glimpse of the most famous living Buddha in the area and ask for advice in naming the child.
A pilgrim in Nyingchi prefecture, Tibet, said, "He is indeed the most prestigious living Buddha in the entire region."
91-year-old Chonyid is the living Buddha they speak about.
As the Abbot of the Lama Ridge Temple, he looks more like an ordinary Tibetan senior citizen.
He enjoys caring for flowers and plants. He also keeps a little dog, which follows him everywhere.
He said, "These rose trees were very small when we planted them, now you can see how big they have grown."The Lama Ridge Temple was originally a family temple, built by Chonyid's father-in-law back eighty years ago. The old temple was destroyed in an earthquake in the 1950s, after which Chonyid and his wife led locals in building a new one--the temple we see today. It's now being renovated. Over half of the workers are locals, who have come here voluntarily, and refuse payment for their services.
