Crossing a
long river, the lama led us to visit the practicing rooms of the jo mo (Tibetan
Buddhist nuns). At Yaqing Temple, there are many more women practitioners than
men. For the convenience of listening to sutras and engaging in Buddhist
practice, the jo mo built the small individual rooms along the riverbed. Over
the years, these rooms have become an incredible village of jo mos. The
frightful looking wild dogs wander about leisurely. On our arrival at Yaqing
Temple, a traveler came running into the kitchen with his coat shredded to
pieces. We then learned that we had to be careful with the dogs around Yaqing
Temple. Every time we set off, someone would remind us to take a stick in case
a wild dog attacked us!
