A documentary currently under production - by Happydance films.
Film Synopsis
The recent Rigpa scandal has thrown the Western Buddhist world into a state of turmoil and division. Criticisms have been directed towards the very legitimacy of Vajrayana Buddhism, especially questioning the value of the Tantric path of teacher-disciple devotion.
Masters, Mystics & Madmen is a film that grapples with the controversial and contradictory nature of the Vajrayana and examines the rationale for the guru-disciple relationship.
Is it possible to tell an authentic master from a phony? A mystic from a madman?
Is there a way to ensure the survival of Tibetan Buddhism and protect it from being distorted or exploited in the modern world?
And what exactly does it mean to be an authentic Buddhist practitioner anyway?
Masters, Mystics & Madmen is a film that grapples with the controversial and contradictory nature of the Vajrayana and examines the rationale for the guru-disciple relationship.
Is it possible to tell an authentic master from a phony? A mystic from a madman?
Is there a way to ensure the survival of Tibetan Buddhism and protect it from being distorted or exploited in the modern world?
And what exactly does it mean to be an authentic Buddhist practitioner anyway?
The conundrumIn a world full of self-made gurus, opportunistic charlatans, predatory teachers, and throne-seeking tulkus, how can Western Buddhists recognise a legitimate teacher from a fake? What is the purpose of having a teacher and is it even necessary? Is Vajrayana Buddhism still a relevant path for the West? If so, what does genuine spiritual accomplishment look like? Can the tradition of the mahasiddha/ crazy yogi survive in this era of political correctness? What do our own approaches to the spiritual path reveal about our preconceptions and cultural biases? Masters, Mystics & Madmen doesn't necessarily provide answers to these questions for the audience. It simply attempts, in a thought-provoking way, to separate dharma from dogma, calumny from custom, and myth from wisdom.
|
What qualities distinguish an authentic practitioner from a charlatan? And would we be able to tell the difference between the two? |
Why tell this story?
|
This info-saturated world is characterised by a hyper-consumerist society seeking for quick fixes and showy brands. The modern spiritual path tends to veer between the extremes of uptight, rigid fundamentalism, and an "anything goes," "be-your-own-guru" kind of attitude. For a genuine practitioner of the Vajrayana , both of these approaches are problematic.
Just as problematic, is the cultural baggage that frequently eclipses the actual teachings of the Buddha. Too often, an in-depth understanding of the role of the teacher in Tantric Buddhism gets hijacked by the Tibetan legacy of spoilt Tulkus and enthroned Lamas. |
|
|
We feel that there is an urgency to address some of the issues of exploitation and abuse in Tibetan Buddhism - and to promote a thorough discussion, that can contribute to the future integrity of the Vajrayana tradition and help students navigate its precipices, with clarity and confidence.
|
How can we separate dharma from dogma? Calumny from custom? And myth from wisdom? |
