33 mins confidence:   Tibetan forms of pilgrimage
Explanation:
磕长头——在藏传佛教盛行的地区，信徒与教徒的一促虔诚的拜佛仪式。
在各地前往拉萨的大道上，人们不时见到信徒们从遥远的故乡伊始，手佩护具，膝着护膝，前身挂一毛皮衣物，尘灰覆面，沿首道路不惧千难万苦，三步一磕，或积月、或积年而至拉萨朝佛，相识的人们三五成队，在共同信念支配下，虔诚地移步而行。久远的过去，朝佛的信徒双手空空，衣粮不备，沿路乞讨；当今一般的是有一信徒专司衣粮，主管磕长头信徒的衣食住等方面的后勤，为同伴提供方便，并且此人不得更换他人磕长头。而磕长头的信徒则一丝苟，绝不想用偷懒的办法来减轻劳累，遇有交错车辆或因故暂停磕头，划线或积石为志，就这样不折不扣，矢志不渝，靠坚强的信念，步步趋向圣城拉萨。
磕头时信徒们尊循这样的程度：首先取立正姿势，口中念念有词，多为诵六字真言：“唵、嘛、呢、叭、咪、吽”，是印度佛教密宗的“真宝言”，一边双手合什，高举过头，然后行一步，双手继续合什，移至面前，再行一步；双手合十移至胸前，迈第三步时，双手自胸前移开，与地面平行前身，掌心朝下俯地，膝盖先着地，后全身俯地，额头轻叩地面。再站起，重新开始复前，该过程中，口与手并用六字真言诵念之声连续不断。
还有一种为原地磕长头，于殿堂之内或外围，教徒们与信徒们身前铺一毡或毯，原地不断磕长头，只是不行步，余者与行进中的磕长头一样，或还愿或祈求保佑，赐福免灾因不同心理意愿，而犹人无入人之境，教徒们认为在修行中，一个人至少要磕一万次，叩头时赤脚，这样才表示虔诚。
还有一种是围绕着寺庙，依顺时针方向自寺院正门开始，而向寺庙侧向行进磕头，亦是三步一磕，绕寺而行，或侧向寺庙，向前叩进，亦为三步一磕，仪式中诵唱佛经，以六字真言为多。
In Tibet the ancient art and yoga of pilgrimage is still alive. Even under cultural suppression since Chinese occupation in 1959 Tibetans have managed to engage in this spiritual practice that is so integral to their culture. The Tibetan community in exile has shared many of the amazing gifts of their culture with the wider world from Buddhist teachings to sand mandalas and other forms of sacred art and practice. The Tibetan forms of pilgrimage have been harder to share outside of their own country.
Reference: http://www.naropa.edu/envma/annparker/pilgrimagetibet.html
| Ray Luo
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:10
Native speaker of:  Chinese
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48 mins confidence: a full bow
Explanation:
This would indicate that there are forms of bowing that are less ornate, less involved, less meaningful.
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Note added at 1 hr (2006-06-23 22:12:15 GMT)
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I think you will find that the words "kowtow" and "prostration" engender thoughts of negative, exaggerated, often political, subservience among native English speakers that have no place in matters related to spiritual devotion.
If the goal of the author is too ridicule the Buddhist religion and Tibetan worshipers, then the words kowtow and prostration are quite appropriate. If the author's goal is to capture the notion of deep spiritiual devotion and sincere respect before a worshiped diety, then I suggest that you find other terms of expression. I have provided you with one.
| | | Notes to answerer
Asker: Agree with Lesley that a bow is normally from the waist or neck. Tibetan monks really do lie down fully on the ground when 磕长头.
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4 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): +1 Tibetan prayer
Explanation:
In order to show proper respect it is sometimes necessary to avoid pithy word combinations that, however accurate, could produce the wrong image.
Just because you can find evidence that other people, including Tibetan buddhists, have used the word "prostrate" does not insure that the word will be received positively by native English speakers.
Although the word may be appropriate in an instruction manual that teaches proper physical Tibetan praying technique, beyond the context of the manual I would seek another term for the religious act. Similarly, I can well imagine that a foreign observer would describe the act as "prolonged prostrate prayer", but that would be the end of it -- a foreign observer's description of an act that he observes, but does himself not participate in.
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33 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +4 full-body prostrations
Explanation:
Along the side of the road, a Buddhist pilgrim does full-body prostrations as he slowly makes his way toward a holy site.
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Note added at 10 hrs (2006-06-24 07:42:24 GMT)
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Mt. Kailash, Tibet - [ Traduire cette page ]Tibetan Buddhists call the mountain Kang Rimpoche, the 'Precious One of ... two to three weeks for the Kora by making full body prostrations the entire way. ...
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my Tibet - Buddhist Video and DVD's - [ Traduire cette page ]Along the side of the road, a Buddhist pilgrim does full-body prostrations as he slowly makes his way toward a holy site. The unique nature of Tibet, ...
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Mt. Kailash, Tibet -Tibet Travel - [ Traduire cette page ]Mt. Kailash, Tibet. A great mass of black rock soaring to over 22000 feet, ... to three weeks for the Kora by making full body prostrations the entire way. ...
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google research: 523 hits on "Tibetan full-body prostrations"
| IC --
Local time: 10:10
Works in field
Native speaker of:  Chinese
PRO pts in category: 4
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| | Grading comment | Thanks. I think this is the closest answer based on my understanding of 磕长头. |
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