In Search of Kundun with Martin Scorsese (1998)

The movie Kundun portrays the struggle the Tibetans face in their everyday lives and their religion. This movie depicts the importance of the Dalai Lama to the Tibetans. The Tibetans refer to The Dalai Lama as Kundun meaning simply The Presence. This movie explained many significant aspects of the Tibetan s culture, struggle, and religion through Dalai Lama s point of view. Tibet has long been known as the Forbidden Land because of its isolation. There are approximately four million Tibetans ;they are a distinctive and separate race and not Chinese. Their language bears no relation to those of India or China, although the Tibetan script has its origin in India. The religious tradition in this movie taught me a lot about the Tibetans and their appreciation of their religion. The Tibetans in this movie seem to be a kind, honest, open and cheerful people who are at the same time hardy, tough self-reliant and fiercely independent. Their devotion to their Buddhist religion pervades their every thought and action. Kundun depicts their reverence and deep affection for His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The movie starts off at the time when the thirteenth Dalai Lama had died. It is extremely important for the Tibetan Buddhists to find the next incarnated soul of the Buddha of Compassion. Therefore, the Tibetan government's task was to search for and discover a child in whom The Buddha would incarnate. Rinpoche was sent out to do the search. The Fourteenth Dalai Lama was discovered four years after the thirteenth had died due to several significant reasons. His birth was a unique one. During his birth black crows had appeared. Also, his mother noticed something special about him ;he was born a quiet baby without crying. From the start, the little boy seemed to know that he was special. His love and compassion for living things were portrayed in this movie. For instance, the little boy had hid a beetle and protected it from danger. His actions were of importance to the Rinpoche. He was wearing a rosary that had belonged to the thirteenth Dalai Lama, and the little boy recognized it and demanded that it be given to him. The little boy seemed very wise and understood why the Rinpoche was there. The little boy was given a series of tests which included items that had belonged to the thirteenth Dalai Lama, such as eyeglasses, a walking stick and a bell ;he had passed the tests. They were convinced that the reincarnation had been found. In the begging of Dalai Lama s discovery he seemed awkward and uncomfortable with the situation. Several times he wanted his mother. He seemed scared and unhappy in a way while living in the monastery. The only thing that brought him happiness was his love for nature and animals. He wanted to protect the sheep and cows. Another central point of Buddhism is that all people need to have a teacher because people cannot simply enlighten themselves. One of the more interesting facets of the movie is that not even Kundun is beyond criticism. There were times when his teachers correct his thinking on key points. This movie signifies the importance of some of the basic teachings of Buddhism, such as the Four Noble Truths, the Dharma of Impermanence, and the awakening of Compassion. The Dalai Lama is taught and urged to learn the Buddhists teachings. The religious tradition portrayed in this movie depicted the Tibetan rituals in detail. I learned that the Tibetan Buddhist worship consisted mainly in reciting prayers and sacred texts and chanting hymns to the accompaniment of horns, trumpets, and drums. The mystical technique of the sand mandala played a major role in this movie. It was depicted several time and its beauty and detail were looked at intensely. This was their way of encountering Buddha nature within themselves. Other significant aspects were portrayed as well, such as other religious rites which were performed by the Lamas involved the use of rosaries, prayer wheel which protected them against the weather and evil spirits, and the prayer flags. A lot of magic and rituals were performed in this movie. Also, the monks repeatedly chanted the om mani padme h um which signified their appreciation for their religion. The people of Tibet were willing to sacrifice everything for their religion. This indicated their true love and dedication for their religion and Dalai Lama. He is both a spiritual and political leader of Tibet. The Tibetans passively got on their hands and knees bowing to Kundun and waited for him to bless them. He is like their hope and their savior. The Tibetans appreciate his compassion and optimism. He abhorred violence and secede peace all the time. Dalai Lama was a larger than life symbol of the people s resistance against the Chinese occupation of their homeland. I think that it is very difficult to see Dalai Lama as a political leader because to his people he is a demigod. His views are spiritual and very religious ;it is extremely rare to combine religion and politics in this life time. The religious portrayal in this movie is very accurate from what I have learned in class and gathered from research. This portrayal is somewhat positive because the movie depicts the Tibetans as simple and happy people who are oppressed by the Communist Chinese government. Kundun indicates the suffering that the Tibetans endure under the Chinese government.