| Comment | The first in a two part series, this remarkable documentary was shot over a four month period in Europe and northern India. The film documents the history of The Tibetan Book of the Dead and its traditional applications. According to Tibetan Buddhist belief, after a person dies, they are in a state of "bardo," on a different plane for 49 days until the next rebirth. The Tibetan Book of the Dead is a guide for the period between death and the rebirth to come. The film uses extraordinary footage of the rites performed on a recently deceased Ladakhi elder and an interview with the Dalai Lama, who shares his views of the meaning and importance of the book. Tibetan Buddhists believe that after a person dies, they enter a state of "bardo" for 49 days until a rebirth. In part two of the series, traditional Buddhist teachings on compassion and truth are vividly detailed. The contents of The Tibetan Book of the Dead are examined as we observe an elderly monk and his young student guide the soul of a person, recently deceased, into the afterlife. This remarkable documentary interweaves images and sounds of traditional Buddhist life. |
