Happiness on the Tibetan Plateau

Abstract

The Tibetan plateau, characterized by high altitude, long winters of extreme cold, and sparse vegetation is arguably among the harshest of populated terrains on the planet. Nonetheless, the Tibetan nomads have survived on the plateau for hundreds of years eking out a meager living predominantly as yak herders. Conditions in many of these high altitude areas have changed significantly over the past 15 years, shifting in countless respects the lifestyle of these nomadic people from livestock herding toward greater urbanization. While many have not been directly exposed personally to the teachings of Buddhism, their faith is strong. This accounts for a view of life that in the West would perhaps be described as happy and content. Working in the region over a period of about five years I was able to gain some insight in to what lay behind their happiness in spite of the great hardships they confronted daily. This chapter describes some of what I found.