PBS Journeys Into Buddhism

Vajra Sky Over Tibet (2013)(125 minutes). Why did great Buddhist civilizations vanish? John Bush is the filmmaker. They went to Tibet, with it's complicated politics. They did not ask for permission and they did not interview anyone because they could get in trouble for speaking about the Chinese invasion. They go to Ganden Monastery, 2 hours from Lhasa. Center for Gelugpa tradition. The Buddhists there fled but returned. It used to have 700 people, now it has 400. It is under close scrutiny by the Chinese officials. It's popular to circumambulate the Barkhor in Lhasa around the Jokhang temple. Spinning the prayer wheel is "equivalent" to saying all the prayers on the wheel turned. They show a market where along with Manjushri, they sell statues of Mao. "We want our teachers back," the Tibetan people repeatedly say to the film makers. The filmmaker reports half of Lhasa is now Han Chinese. People prostrate to get to the Jowo Shakyamuni statue. Inside people walk around the temple. They discuss the teachings and show various images. They show monks debating. They visit Ani Tsankhung Nunnery (blog post about a visit). They write out mantras that go into prayer wheels. Supposedly women can realize enlightenment more quickly than men according to Tibetan scriptures. For a time after the Chinese invasion they desecrated the temples, they used them as a slaughterhouse, and a pig stye. Discussion of wrathful deities. Long lines in front of Jowo Buddha. They show the Potala Palace, and a Tibetan Opera festival. They talk about the cultural revolution. They go to Norbulingka, the summer residence of the Dalai Lama. How he fled. They take a 6 hour journey to Gyantse. Bush talks about Buddha nature, dualism. He quotes Dagpo Tashi Namgyal. They visit the Kumbum. Below is a photo from the monastery 

Dadon Dawa Dolma is a narrator at times (YouTube song Goddess Festival held in Woodstock, NY, in 1999). They talk about sadhana meditation and Green Tara. The show mountains, farmers. They go to Shalou Monastery. During the Cultural Revolution they used it as a grain house. Shigatse is the second largest city in Tibet. It's weird there's a Tibetan quarter in the city. Tashi Lhunpo Monastery is there, the home of the Panchen Lama, second to the Dalai Lama. Where the Dalai Lama is a manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, Panchen Lama is a manifestation of Amitabha. The previous lama was probably poisoned by the Chinese. The Dalai Lama found the new one Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, and he has never been seen again. If he is still alive he is the youngest political prisoner. The Chinese chose Gyaincain Norbu to be the 11th Panchen Lama. They listen to memories of elderly monks who remember the 10th Panchen Lama. They show them, but they don't speak on camera and they just report that he was a playful boy who was their spiritual master. The young monks have far out hats, skewing to one side. The drink yak butter tea. China controls who are in leadership roles of the monastery. The Panchen Lama finds the Dalai Lama in a child. China gets to now pick the next Dalai Lama. And thus ensures the death of the culture in Tibet, but it has spread out all over the world, and who knows how it survives now. They go to Drepung Monastery for the unveiling of gigantic tanka. They throw white prayer scars (katha) and paper mantras onto the tanka.

Bush asks why there are so many sites, where Buddhism has vanished. Great monuments with few living caretakers. Part of it is the chaos of the world, conquering and diaspora. Which makes me want to go to Iceland which has the highest peace index. It makes me think about Porter's book touring the comeback of Buddhism in China.

The invasion of Tibet by China is an ongoing atrocity that roles out. I know civilizations are wiped out frequently. Here in America I am on Marossepinck land, a branch of Lenape. Now it's got many Orthodox Jews (from all over), Bukharians from Tajikistan, Poles, Albanians, Ukrainians, Chinese, Columbians, Venezuelans, Brazilians, Ecuadorians, Korean, Irish, Afghanistan, India, and Portuguese immigrants. Even if change is inevitable, the choices of Chinese government are pretty horrible. They even oppress their own people. Autocracy is on the rise in America, and elections are going to be held on Tuesday. I hope you vote.

There are 2 more Bush PBS documentaries.

Dharma Earth: This one starts in Thailand and Wat Phra Kaew and uses the Chao Phraya River as an organizing principle for exploration. They go to Laos, Burma.

Prajna Earth explores the lost civilization of Angkor in Cambodia, the magnificent Angkor Wat temple and Bali’s sacred landscapes.