Sanctuary (Frameless Print)

Ganden Tubchen Chokhorling Monastery, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture: I slip into the main hall of the lamasery, where the corridor opens into a vast room. Hundreds of students sit cross-legged, eyes fixed on a young lama in the center, energetically debating with sharp hand gestures. This is the art of gewa– a traditional Tibetan Buddhist method to hone logic and analytical skills. As I approach the edge of the room, the students notice me, and suddenly, I’ve become a point of interest. A gentle touch on my arm pulls me from the moment. I turn to see an old abbott with a kind, weathered face, gesturing for me to follow. We pass through a dim corridor, the air thick with the scent of incense and aged wood. Squatting to avoid the low beams, I realize we’re in the rafters above a hall, where two massive Buddha statues sit below in quiet repose. This part of the temple is clearly not often visited. We climb a narrow wooden staircase to a simple room, where afternoon light spills thro