Part I: The Dalai Lama, monasteries and the people. Filmed at the residence of Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, northern India, and the rebuilt monastery Sera, the second largest monastery of old Tibet, the first part of the trilogy notes that the Dalai Lama in his dual role as head of State and spiritual teacher. In an elegant cinematic style, one with his subject, the film interweaves this personal portrait observed an intimate exploration of the ways in which knowledge develops within Tibetan Buddhist culture in monasteries, through an intense debate and meditation lonely, and communicate in the lay community.
Part II: Radiating the Fruit of the Truth. With extraordinary authenticity Part II of the trilogy of travel deep into the mystical inner world of monastic life. Located in the ancient village of Boudha, Nepal and the isolated mountain caves of the yogis, the film follows the lamas of the Sakya Monastery Phulwary through their contemplative retreats, the construction of a cosmogram, and conducting of an ancient protective ritual known as “A beautiful ornament. Through the ritual invocation of the female deity Tara, the malevolent forces that can do harm to society are invited and magically transformed. With a subtitled commentary based in the teachings of the great 20th century master Dudjom Rinpoche, the essence of tantric Buddhism is powerfully revealed.
Part III: The fields of the senses. Located in the majestic mountain landscape of Ladakh, Part III is a meditation on impermanence and the relationship between mind, body and the environment. It follows the monks and farmers through a day, ending with a description of the monastery’s strong response ritual of moving to a death in the community. As in the Tibetan Book of the Dead, the departed is guided through the dream, as the intermediate state between death and birth.
