JOKHANG TEMPLE

In the morning we took a walk around Barkhor, it was very crowded with people going to work and shopping in this big market.

I saw prayer bells ringing outside Jokhang Temple. The brass bells are inscribed with the mantra oM ma Ni padme hUM, which means she with the jewel in her lotus. She is associated with the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Goodness, the center of worship.

"They pray to be reborn with the Bodhisattva too, but they also believe that the mantra can reduce bad karma in previous lives." Norbu explained to us about the writing we saw on all the bells.

Several others carried portable prayer wheels that were rotated by hand while chanting mantras. This rotating wheel is like a prayer bell whose function is to recite a mantra.