Tibetan Engravers-the Most Devout Artisans in the World

People travel to Tibet are always curious about the local culture and its artisans. It is said that Tibetan engravers are the most devout artisans in the world.

According to the traditional belief, once the stone is carved with sutra lines, it becomes something holy. The stone carved with the Six-Syllable Prayer or sutra lines is called a Mani Stone Mound. The shape and size of Mani Stone Mound is not fixed, and the amount of stones is not also set. There are some Mani Stone Mounds on which a yak horn clinging to the frontal bone is placed, and some on which golden ball symbolizing treasure and a silvery cluster of arrows symbolizing divinity are hung.

Because of this Tibetan stone worship, a group making a living by carving stones has emerged. They mostly are monks. The herders also invite artisans to carve sutra lines or images of Buddha on a huge stone, and some herders themselves are also carvers. They believe that this action is a way of worshiping Buddha.

When walking along the road, one can often see some fist-sized, carved Mani stones at the roadside. They are put there to pray for good fortune for the passerby. Some carvers carve the cobblestones in the river with sutra lines so that the stream will carry forward the Buddhist doctrine. Monk and lay carvers, wandering among the mountains with hammers and chisels on their back, at random carve images of Buddha or several propitious patterns on the cliffs, troubling the wind to carry forward the Buddhist doctrine.

Of the numerous cliff carvings, the carved stones with the Six-Syllable Prayer are the most. One still can see an old and mysterious sign. People are unable to decide whether it is the symbol of the sun or that of constant rotation of Dharma wheels. But it can be certain that it has the meanings of “eternal of life” and “forever”.

No one can clearly know how many carved stones on earth are hidden among the chain of precipitous mountains. Those carvers of sincerely worshiping Buddha tirelessly rush about among lofty and precipitous peaks and leave the chaste art behind on the rocks, only to profess their belief for the rocks and pursue their physical and mental inclination to Buddha.