8/2/2019 Little Buddha

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Little Buddha is a story about the quest of a group of monks,led by Lama Norbu (Ruocheng Ying), to seek out thereincarnation of his great Buddhist teacher, Lama Dorje(Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen). Lama Norbu and his fellow monksbelieve they have found a candidate of Dorje's reincarnationwithin a boy named Jesse Conrad (Alex Wiesendanger) inSeattle. While Jesse is fascinated with the monks and their

way of life, his parents, Dean (Chris Isaak) and Lisa (BridgetFonda), are wary, and that wariness turns into near-hostilitywhen Norbu announces that he would like to take Jesseback with him to Bhutan to be tested. Jesse's father changeshis mind however, after one of his close friends andcolleagues commits suicide, seeming to realize that therecould be more to life than work and money. He then decidesto go to Bhutan with his son. In Nepal, two children who arealso candidates are encountered, Raju (Rajuh Lal) and Gita(Greishma Makar Singh).

In the story, the Lama Norbu relates Buddha's life story froma book entitled "Little Buddha," which is also enacted as astory within the movie. In the story, a Hindu prince calledSiddhartha sets on a journey to achieve his goal. Mara, a

jealous demon, senses that Siddhartha (Keanu Reeves) isabout to attain enlightenment and sends his daughters todistract him. Failing to do so, he attempts to shatter Siddharthas resolve and thus begins an onslaught of threats,intimidation and temptation. Mara summons a terrifyinghorde of monsters of every conceivable description but evensomething as horrific as this still leaves Siddharthaunmoved, unperturbed. Instead he transforms the weaponswhich these hosts throw at him into lotus petals which exudea lovely fragrance as they gently floated down to earth. Maradecides that Siddhartha will not deny himself and turns intohis image in a reflection on a pool of water. InsteadSiddhartha reaches and pulls the image out of the water.The classic Buddhist dialogue between Mara and Siddhartha

takes place:

Mara: "You who go where others dare not; Will you be myGod? The architect of my house?"

Siddhartha: "Finally I meet the illusion of self; Your evilhouse will not be built again."

Mara: "But you live in me; I am your house."

Siddhartha: "O, trickster; phantom of my own ego, you arepure illusion. You, self, do not exist. The earth is my witnessto this Supreme Enlightenment."

Lama Norbu explains that Siddhartha defeated an army of demons, simply through his observance of patience andtolerance. He achieved great peacefulness and compassion,through self-detachment from illusions.

In the end, it is found that all three children arereincarnations of the Lama Dorje, separate manifestations of his body (Raju), speech (Gita), and mind (Jesse). Hisreincarnation represents the three most important aspects of life. A funeral is held for Lama Norbu. The children distribute

his ashes to respect Norbu's teaching of reincarnationthrough setting off the ashes in many places.

Lama Norbu comes to Seattle in search of the reincarnationof his dead teacher, Lama Dorje. His search leads him toyoung Jesse Conrad, Raju, a waif from Kathmandu, and anupper class Indian girl. Together, they journey to Bhutan

where the three children must undergo a test to prove whichis the true reincarnation. Interspersed with this, is the story of Siddharta, later known as the Buddha. It traces his spiritual

journey from ignorance to true enlightenment

Bertolucci is a director who doesn't keep making the samemovie.

Little Buddha has much about it that can be praised. Itshows much, tells some, and demands of the viewer somethought. This is not something always appreciated by theviewer. The key to understanding this movie, I believe, is notthe search for the reincarnation of an important Buddhistteacher, nor is it the life of the Buddha up to the time heachieves enlightenment, but the way a child, or children, andan old man, come to understand together something of theconnections that may exist between themselves. We don'tsee through a character's eyes, we watch the effects of thecharacters on each other. In particular, Jesse, the 9 year old

American who may or may not be the reincarnation, holdsour attention because we watch him absorb the lessons thatare being taught, and as he learns them, he grows in wayswe can expect a 9 year old to grow. We also watch hisfather, whose character becomes more sympathetic as themovie progresses, who has even further to grow than hisson, because he has already learned too much.

The movie is also beautiful to watch. The cinematography,the editing and the direction combine to provide just the right

dramatic tension to a movie whose pacing is deceptive, inthat it seems slow, but is not. The ultimate result is that aviewer who allows it, will find him or herself transported for alittle while, to unexpected places.

It literally means awakening and understanding . Someonewho is awakened is said to have gained insight into theworkings of the mind which is said to keep sentient beingsimprisoned in craving, suffering and rebirth, and has alsogained insight into the way to liberate oneself from thisimprisonment. it refers to insight into the true nature of reality,

"Reincarnation" normally is understood to be the

transmigration of a soul to another body after death.There is no such teaching in Buddhism. One of the

most fundamental doctrines of Buddhism is anatta ,

or anatman -- no soul or no self . There is no

permanent essence of an individual self that survives

death.However, Buddhists often speak of "rebirth." If

there is no soul or permanent self, what is it that is

"reborn"?