Why ethnic Tibetans are never daunted by the hardships they suffer while making pilgrimages to sacred mountains and lakes by walking round them? I put this question to a man who had walked round the sacred Mt. Khawah Gepoh in eastern Tibet 28 times. Here is his answer: “To endure those hardships during the pilgrimages, I mean to punish myself for the sins I have committed, in order to gain freedom from anxiety and increase the virtues in my soul, my inner world.”
    With help from some lamas, I learned by heart the words of prayer pilgrims keep uttering while walking round the sacred mountain:May all put into practice the virtues I am building  up in my soul through this pilgrimage;
    May the virtues I am trying to build up in my soul  usher in blessings and boundless happiness for all ;  May warmth befall all those who are suffering from  cold ; May all the mortalsenjoy ever-lasting happiness in the course of transmigration.May all the souls suffering in hell be released from  there and regain happiness.May I and all other mortals live in peace.The lamas told me to help fellow pilgrims and  never use rude language while walking round the sacred mountain. “If you are not benevolent  towards others,” they warned, “your pilgrimagewill be meaningless no matter how much you suffer.”