which tells the story of a monk whose master dies, leaving him charged with the responsibility of finding the reincarnation of his teacher. it's an interesting, albeit somewhat flat, film that gives tantalizing glimpses into psychology, sociology and culture of Tibetan Buddhism without ever really delving into them:
what role, for example, does poverty play in the minds of the family who send their four year old to live with the lamas in a monastery? how do the rituals of Mahayana intersect with the bureaucratic functions of the state? how are these matters complicated by the administration of a government in exile?
the film never goes into these things, choosing instead to skirt around the edges in a quasi-Orientalist posture that relies as much upon the Himalayas and burgundy robes as it does addressing the fundamental questions of day to day existence. it made me think back some months ago, when i was granted:
at the end of this event, the Dalai Lama answered questions that had been submitted by the audience. his replies were more thoughtful than many of the queries, and i was left to ponder what i would ask him if i had the chance:
how much of who we are is determined how others treat us?
this question surfaced again last night, as i watched the small child (rechristened Tenzin Phuntsok Rinpoche by His Holiness Himself) laying silk sashes across the necks of devotees. it was clear that the child was already learning what was expected of him, how to act, how to behave like a reincarnated master. but what about the other scenes – crying when his parents leave him, begging for them not to shave his head – when he seems less like a lama and more like a scared little boy who has no idea why this is happening to him?
these are the questions i wonder about and, if being a Buddha is as simple as being treated like a Buddha, then imagine a world where each of us spent less time striving to be something or someone, and more time treating others like the people we wish we were...
No comments:
Post a Comment