Crossing Tibet: 07 The Five Mothers

Episode 6: The Five Mothers Further along the way, Rinpoche came to a lake surrounded by mountains known as the Five Mothers, considered sacred in the ancient Bon tradition of Tibet. There, Rinpoche was faced with the moment he had known was coming, and which he had possibly feared in silence: he would take off the robes of a lama to conceal his identity. From early childhood, Rinpoche had worn only one garment, his robes. In their delightful mix of saffron, maroon, and gold brocade, the robes had a powerful but simple splendor, the colors full of meaning and symbolism that reached back 2,500 years to the time of the Buddha.