Tulku

Tulku~~To be Reborn!!
I have been waiting for Tulku for a long time and it didn't disappoint me. Until I received the DVD last week I had seen snippets and anxiously awaited it's release. Gesar Mukpo leads viewers on a journey of a reborn Tibetan Lama, actually the teacher of his father Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. The cultural challenges resulting from this Tibetan experience in the West bridges many social and religious dogma.

Gesar adds color to his experience by interviewing other Western Tulkus as they share their doubt and questions. Gesar travels to India for some of these interviews and concludes with an interview with his spiritual teacher Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, who is also a film producer (The Cup) and also questions the Tulku tradition.

I highly recommend this documentary.

Tulku was a masterpiece
This documentary was enlightening and educational. The Tulku concept is terribly misunderstood by most all westerners and this effort by Gesar - himself a tulku - helps us to know that the title Tulku is not indicative in itself of any particular realization. It is silly to hold such people in some kind of enamored awe without more. These men in the documentary are obviously ordinary people and basic beginners on the Buddhist path. In fact, some don't even seem to have begun. They are reborn from some degree of enlightened past life but still so obviously confused in this one. It shows the necessity of looking past the title when seeking a teacher.

I do wish Gesar had spent more time showing the practice and study exhibited by these men, since I do know that at least one of them does spend much time in retreat. Gesar did not see this practice aspect important for some reason.which really is confusing when one is watching a documentary about people who acheved such...

Intimate portrait
This film is an intimate study in realizing who you are. Strip away the Buddhist framework and its a timeless tale of coming to grips with being human. Very well done, inspiring and reflective without any excuses or proselytizing.

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