Educational Media Reviews Online

While the meaning of the life of Buddha began and evolved over two millennia through an ancient eastern convergence and dispersal of history, art, and culture, western interest in Buddhism is primarily a twentieth century phenomena, no doubt amplified by a print and digital publishing revolution, the rise of global media, and, more recently, internet-based social and cultural connectivity. The diversity that characterizes the world of Buddhist practice around the world has inevitably intersected with the dominance of the English language as the lingua franca, a common denominator of communication and learning that is absorbing aspects of global culture as its use continues to grow. How timely to have coordinated effort between the Asia Society museum curators of Pilgrimage and Buddhist Art (March 16 – June 20, 2010), the non-profit Public Broadcasting System (PBS), writer and director David Grubin, and a recognizable cast of Buddhist academics and humanists, including His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. The collaborative result is a highly polished biography, an introduction to the historical Buddha and the core tenets of Buddhist teachings that derive from his life and legacy.

Actor Richard Gere, a notable advocate for Tibetan people and culture, provides the principal audio narration. The approximately 12O artifacts of the Pilgrimage and Buddhist Art exhibit are featured as documentary evidence for stories associated with the Buddha's life. Adherents and dramatic visual landscapes at Indian Buddhist historical sites such as Sarnath, Kushinagara, and Bodh Gaya are presented with both natural and programmed musical soundtracks. Additional narration takes the form of recorded interview responses by notable Buddhist scholars, including psychiatrist Mark Epstein, poets Jane Hirshfield and W.S. Merwin, academics Max Moerman, Kevin Trainor, and Robert Thurman, and astrophysicist Trinh X. Thuan. His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, Venerable Metteyya Sakyaputta, and Venerable Bhaddhamanika, a Buddhist nun, provide the perspective of contemporary practitioners of monastic Buddhist traditions.

The chronologic review of the Buddha’s life is visually adorned with artifacts, interviews, comments, rituals, and stories. The narrative travels the Buddha’s four traditional sufferings: birth, aging, illness, and death. Another component of the film's successful continuity are animated illustrated sequences that visualize some of the supernatural beliefs and stories associated with the Buddha's compassion, enlightenment, and desire to share his teachings widely. These animated sequences are also at times abstract enough to offer individual viewers an opportunity to have a unique perception. Because the on-location video footage is taking advantage of historical Indian monastic locations, the monastic sequences are a narrow slice contemporary Buddhist experience. Yet this realistic tour inside the reverential experience is authentically sampling the austere and fulfilling commitment of a Buddhist monastic community. Venerable Metteyya Sakyaputta and Venerable Bhaddhamanika speak eloquently of their spiritual dedication and desire to save others from suffering.

The superior production values are clearly meeting the public broadcasting standards for cinematography, authenticity, engagement, and effortless transitions. A rich website constructed for the contemporary online audience offers video excerpts, historical background, educational materials, even an online game (Buddha Mahjong) for those with shorter attention spans. The entire transcript of the film, including all quotes from all commentators, is also presented on the website.

His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet provides the most profound take-away message of what the Buddha’s life means for all of us: “Every sentient being, even insect have Buddha nature. The seed of Buddha, that’s the seed of enlightenment. So therefore there’s no reason to believe some sentient beings cannot become Buddha.” If you are reading this, that means you.

The Buddha is a welcome addition to the Buddhist film canon, destined for introductory use in many high school and college classes. The Buddha can be used with students of all ages, but it would be expected that only patient adults could sit still for nearly two consecutive hours of intimately photographed art, monastic chanting, and calm insights. This reviewer highly recommends this production and hopes that classes intending to use it consider several sessions following the outline of sections, allowing time for discussion and the sharing of impressions.