All language subtitles for Vajra Sky Over Tibet _ Journey Into Buddhism FULL SPECIAL _ PBS America-fxDnEUitkWg

JOHN: I ALWAYS WONDERED HOW IT
HAPPENED - ALL THROUGHOUT ASIA,

HOW DID SO MANY OF THE GREAT
BUDDHIST CIVILIZATIONS

JUST SIMPLY VANISH?

IN TIBET I BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND.

WE WENT AS PILGRIMS TO TIBET -

NO PERMISSION FOR
FILMING WAS ASKED

OF THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES
AND NONE WAS GIVEN.

WE CHOSE NOT TO
INCLUDE INTERVIEWS

OF TIBETANS LIVING THERE
BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE REPRISALS.

WE WILL SHARE WITH YOU
WHAT WAS FREELY SHARED

WITH US ON THIS PILGRIMAGE.

YOU WILL HEAR THE VOICES
OF ME THE FILMMAKER AND

OF TWO TIBETANS IN EXILE -

TENZIN L. CHOEGYAL AND THE
ACCLAIMED SINGER DADON.

VAJRA IS A SANSKRIT WORD -

THE THUNDERBOLT OF ILLUMINATION

FLASHING FROM THE
VASTNESS OF AN OPEN SKY.

VAJRA IS THE INDESTRUCTIBLE
POWER OF TRUTH

AT THE HEART OF THE TIBETAN'S
STRUGGLE FOR THE SURVIVAL

OF THEIR CULTURE.

SPREAD OVER A MOUNTAINSIDE
AT NEARLY 15,000 FEET,

GANDEN MONASTERY WAS BUILT IN
1409 AND WAS ONE OF TIBET'S

GREATEST CENTERS OF LEARNING.

I FIRST ENCOUNTERED TIBETAN
BUDDHISM ON YATRA IN

INDIA 35 YEARS AGO.

THIS ANCIENT FAITH ASTONISHED
ME WITH THE RELEVANCE

OF ITS CONCEPTS
FOR MODERN TIMES.

GANDEN IS THE TRADITIONAL
CENTER OF THE GELUGPA ORDER,

THE YELLOW HATS, THE LINEAGE OF
HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA.

THE MONASTERIES OF TIBET
HELD VAST LIBRARIES

OF WRITINGS ON THE
SCIENCE OF THE MIND AND

COMPASSION OF THE HEART
- UNIQUE ROADMAPS

FOR THE EVOLUTION OF
HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS.

TENZIN: THIS REVERED PLACE OF
LEARNING WAS, BY FORCE,

ABANDONED AFTER THE CHINESE
COMMUNIST TAKEOVER

AND LATER WAS DESTROYED.

MUCH OF GANDEN STILL
REMAINS IN RUINS -

YET IN RECENT DECADES SOME OF
THE MONKS WHO HAD FLED,

RETURNED AND BEGAN
REBUILDING IT.

ONCE HOUSING AS MANY
AS 7000 MONKS -

GANDEN IS NOW HOME TO A MONASTIC
COMMUNITY OF ABOUT 400

AND UNDER CLOSE SCRUTINY.

JOHN: THE JOURNEY FROM GANDEN
TO THE CAPITAL OF TIBET,

THE LEGENDARY CITY OF LHASA,
TAKES ABOUT TWO HOURS.

FOR MORE THAN A THOUSAND
YEARS, MILLIONS OF PILGRIMS

HAVE COME FROM ALL OVER TIBET
TO CIRCUMAMBULATE THE BARKHOR:

A CIRCULAR JOURNEY OF BLESSINGS
WITH NO BEGINNING OR END.

IT FOLLOWS THE PERIMETER OF THE
MOST REVERED TEMPLE IN TIBET -

THE JOKHANG AND ITS ENVIRONS.

THE BARKHOR IS THE OUTER
CIRCLE OF A MANDALA.

THE PRAYER WHEELS ARE
FILLED WITH SACRED MANTRAS

HERE I FINALLY UNDERSTOOD THAT
THAT EACH TURN OF THE WHEEL

IS THE EQUIVALENT OF
SAYING ALL THE PRAYERS

WITHIN AND SENDING
THEM INTO THE WORLD.

SHARING THEIR BLESSINGS
WITH ALL SENTIENT BEINGS.

TENZIN: AS A TOUCHSTONE TO THE
PAINFUL PUZZLE OF LIFE IN TIBET,

A STATUE OF GAUTAMA
BUDDHA IS SOLD ALONGSIDE

ONE OF THE COMMUNIST DICTATOR
MAO TSE TUNG.

BEHIND THEM BOTH IS
MANJUSHRI HOLDING

THE FLAMING SWORD OF WISDOM
THAT CUTS THROUGH DELUSION.

JOHN: PILGRIMS FIRST VISIT THE
MANY SMALL TEMPLES AND

SHRINES AROUND THE BARKHOR.

OFFERINGS OF MONEY REPRESENT
A REAL SACRIFICE,

AND ARE CELEBRATED AS
SPIRITUAL GENEROSITY.

WITH THE EXILE OF THE GREAT
DHARMA MASTERS THE TEACHINGS

HAVE GREATLY DECLINED.

TIBETANS ALONG THE WAY
REPEATEDLY TELL US -

WE WANT OUR TEACHERS BACK.

TENZIN: THROUGHOUT TIBET ARE
IMAGES OF PADMASAMBHAVA.

ALSO KNOWN AS GURU RINPOCHE -

HE BROUGHT TANTRIC BUDDHISM TO
TIBET FROM INDIA.

IT WAS HE WHO COMPOSED THE
TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD.

DADON: ON THE WALLS OF THIS
TEMPLE ARE THE MASTERS

OF THE BURIAL GROUND.

THEY REMIND PILGRIMS OF
THE EPHEMERAL NATURE

OF EARTHLY EXISTENCE
AND TO FEAR NOT.

TENZIN: THE JOHKANG IS THE
MOST REVERED TEMPLE

IN ALL OF TIBET.

UNTIL RECENTLY
ITS SETTING WAS AN INTIMATE

LABYRINTH OF LANES AND BYWAYS
AT THE CENTER OF THE BARKHOR.

SOME YEARS BACK, THE
AUTHORITIES RAZED THESE

EXTENSIVE HISTORIC
NEIGHBORHOODS, DISPLACING THE

TIBETANS AND CREATING
THIS LARGE EMPTY PLAZA.

THIS WAS AN ATTEMPT TO
WESTERNIZE THE SITE,

TO ALLOW SURVEILLANCE AND
QUICK MILITARY ACCESS.

LHASA
IS THE CAPITAL OF TIBET

YET MORE THAN HALF OF ITS
POPULATION IS NOW TRANSPLANTED

HAN CHINESE.

THE GOVERNMENT IS NOW
BUILDING A TRAIN SYSTEM

OVER THE MOUNTAINS LINKING
TIBET TO EVERYWHERE IN CHINA.

TIBETANS FEAR THE ONGOING

FLOOD OF PEOPLE IT WILL BRING
WILL BE THE ULTIMATE THREAT TO

THE VERY SURVIVAL
OF THEIR CULTURE.

YET ONE CAN STILL WITNESS THE
TRUE DEVOTION TIBETANS FEEL

FOR THEIR BELOVED
JOKHANG TEMPLE AND

THE LEGENDARY JOWO BUDDHA
INSIDE.

JOHN: WITHIN THE OUTER WALLS
OF THE JOKHANG COMPLEX,

PILGRIMS WALK THIS NEXT
CIRCLE OF THE MANDALA

AROUND THE TEMPLE.

THIS IS A TIMELESS PRACTICE
I ALSO WITNESSED IN INDIA

AND THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST ASIA.

YATRA OR PILGRIMAGE IS
THE PROCESS OF SHEDDING

WORLDLY ATTACHMENTS AND
SEPARATENESS TO ENTER INTO

A CYCLE OF SACRED SPACE
AND INTER-CONNECTION.

ENTERING INTO THE JOKHANG
TEMPLE WE STEP INTO 1500 YEARS

OF CONTINUOUS WORSHIP BY THE
TIBETAN BUDDHIST COMMUNITY.

HERE THE PANTHEON OF VAJRAYANA
BUDDHISM IS PORTRAYED IN ITS

MANY SHRINES AND CHAPELS.

TENZIN: AVALOKETESVARA IS
THE GREAT BODDHISATTVA OF

COMPASSION. HE IS SHOWN HERE IN
HIS FORM OF ONE THOUSAND ARMS

ACTIVELY REACHING OUT IN
TO RELIEVE THE SUFFERING

OF ALL BEINGS.

FOR TIBETANS, THE DALAI LAMA IS

A HUMAN INCARNATION OF
AVALOKETESVARA.

TARA IS THE FEMALE EMANATION
OF AVALOKETESVARA.

AS THE MIRACULOUS
FULFILLER OF HOPES AND

THE DISPELLER OF FEARS; TARA
IS THE SAVIOURESS OF TIBET.

SHE IS KNOWN AS THE
MOTHER OF ALL BUDDHAS.

MAITREYA IS THE FUTURE BUDDHA
- THE ONE WHO IS COMING.

JOHN: HIS HAND IS IN THE
GESTURE, OR MUDRA,

OF TURNING THE WHEEL OF DHARMA.

HE REPRESENTS AN UNBROKEN
LINEAGE OF BUDDHAS

THROUGH TIME APPEARING
IN THE WORLD TO REVEAL

THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT.

THE DHARMA CHAKRA IS ALSO KNOWN
AS THE GREAT WHEEL OF LAW.

AT ITS VERY CENTER ARE THE
THREE JEWELS OF BUDDHISM -

THE BUDDHA, THE DHARMA,
AND THE SANGHA -

THE EIGHT SPOKES ARE THE NOBLE
EIGHTFOLD PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT.

THE DHARMACHAKRA IS ALSO A
CLASSIC MANDALA FORM WITH ITS

INNER TRUTH RADIATING
OUT IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

TIBETAN MANDALAS GUIDE THE
PRACTITIONER ON A JOURNEY

INTO THE INNER SANCTUM
OF A MEDITATION DEITY.

THE MANDALA IS A LUMINOUS
MIRROR INSPIRING ONE TO SEE

THE SACRED SPACE WITHIN AND
THE CIRCULAR UNITY WITHOUT.

TENZIN: ON THE ROOF TERRACES OF
THE JOKHANG PREPARATIONS

ARE MADE FOR THE
AFTERNOON'S DEBATE.

A YOUNG MONK VIGOROUSLY DEFENDS

A TRADITIONAL POINT
OF VIEW AGAINST

ALL WHO CHALLENGE
HIS UNDERSTANDING.

FROM THIS WINDOW, THE VISITING
DALAI LAMA WOULD INSPIRE

THE FEATURED DEBATERS
TO EVOLVE THEIR CRAFT.

JOHN: DEEP IN THE OLD TIBETAN
PRECINCT WE VISITED

THE ANI SANGKHUNG NUNNERY.

TIBETAN NUNNERIES HAVE BEEN
ACTIVE CENTERS OF PROTEST

CALLING FOR GREATER
RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS.

HERE, FOR MORE THAN
FIVE HUNDRED YEARS,

WOMEN HAVE GIVEN UP
TRADITIONAL DOMESTIC ROLES

TO GO MORE DEEPLY INTO
THEIR SPIRITUAL PRACTICE.

DADON: THESE YOUNG NUNS, AS PART
OF THEIR DAILY SPIRITUAL

PRACTICE, PREPARE THE PRAYERS
THAT GO INTO PRAYER WHEELS.

POWERFUL MANTRAS ARE
PRINTED ONTO PAPER

WITH CARVED WOODEN BLOCKS.

THEY ARE CUT INTO STRIPS,
ROLLED UP, WRAPPED IN CLOTH

AND SEALED - READY TO BE
PLACED ON A SPINDLE THAT GOES

INSIDE A PRAYER WHEEL.

IN VAJRAYANA BUDDHISM,
WISDOM IS UNDERSTOOD

TO BE THE FEMALE ENERGY.

TIBETAN SCRIPTURES SAY THAT
WOMEN WHO PRACTICE DILIGENTLY

MAY REALIZE FULL ENLIGHTENMENT
MORE QUICKLY THAN MEN.

TENZIN: THE JOKHANG INTERIORS
WERE COMPLETELY DESECRATED

BY THE RED GUARDS DURING THE
CHINESE CULTURAL REVOLUTION.

MOST SCULPTURES WERE
LOOTED OR DESTROYED.

PART OF THE TEMPLE BECAME
AN ANIMAL SLAUGHTERHOUSE

AND THE INNER SANCTUM WAS
EVEN USED AS A PIGSTY.

WITH THE LIBERALIZATION
POLICIES IN CHINA

OF THE 1980S, RESTORATION OF
WHAT WERE NOW SEEN AS CHINESE

NATIONAL TREASURES BEGAN.

THE JOKHANG, IN A MASSIVE
FACE SAVING EFFORT,

BEGAN TO BE RESTORED;
SIMULATING WHAT IT WAS

THROUGH THE CENTURIES.

THE MONASTIC COMMUNITY
OF THIS TEMPLE,

HOWEVER, FEELS COMPROMISED
BY YEARS OF INFILTRATION

AND STRICT CONTROL
BY THE AUTHORITIES.

A UNIQUE ASPECT OF VAJRAYANA
BUDDHISM

IS HOW IT ACTIVELY WORKS
WITH DARKNESS AND NEGATIVITY

TRANSFORMING THEM INTO
LUMINOUS WISDOM.

WITHIN VAJRAYANA MEDITATION
PRACTICE THE WRATHFUL DEITIES

ARE WELCOMED AS INTENSE
AND OVERWHELMING

DESTROYERS OF EGO.

OPENING TO THE WRATHFUL
DEITIES BECOMES

A WAY TO FACE THE DEEPEST FEARS
OF ONE'S SUBCONSCIOUS ...

AND TO BECOME FREE OF THEM.

JOHN: LONG LINES OF DEVOUT
TIBETANS FORM TO VISIT THE

HALLOWED SHRINE OF
THE JOWO BUDDHA.

MOVING TOWARD THE CENTER
OF THIS SACRED MANDALA

WE FEEL PRIVILEGED TO SHARE IN
THIS AUSPICIOUS RITUAL.

THE JOWO - A GOLDEN IMAGE
OF THE YOUNG SAKYAMUNI

BUDDHA IS THE MOST
REVERED STATUE IN TIBET.

HE HAS LOOKED OUT OVER THIS
LAND FOR NEARLY 1200 YEARS.

TENZIN: TOWERING OVER LHASA IS
THE POTALA PALACE.

THIS MARVEL OF ASIAN
ARCHITECTURE IS THE HOME OF

THE REINCARNATED LEADERS
OF THIS FAITH -

THE DALAI
LAMAS.

HIS HOLINESS THE 14TH DALAI
LAMA INHERITED A THEOCRACY

THAT HAD BECOME CORRUPTED.

HE HAS DESCRIBED IT AS
A MEDIEVAL SYSTEM WITH

SOCIAL INEQUITIES
NEEDING TO BE CHANGED.

THE POTALA INTERIOR, ONCE A
SPLENDID AND SACRED SHRINE,

IS NOW LIKE A MUSTY MAUSOLEUM.

WHILE PORTRAITS OF THE
OTHER DALAI LAMAS REMAIN -

ALL IMAGES OF THE 14TH DALAI
LAMA HAVE BEEN REMOVED.

HIS PHOTOGRAPH IS NOW ILLEGAL
EVERYWHERE IN TIBET.

DADON: FOR TIBETANS
THE DALAI LAMA IS OUR

LIVING BUDDHA ON THIS EARTH.

AND WITHOUT HIM THERE
IS ONLY DARKNESS.

SINCE HIS HOLINESS WAS
FORCED INTO EXILE IN 1959

OVER ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND
TIBETANS HAVE LEFT EVERYTHING

MAKING THE DANGEROUS
TREK ON FOOT

ACROSS THE HIMALAYAS TO INDIA.

FOR MANY, TO STAY BEHIND
MEANT BEING IMPRISONED,

TORTURED OR MURDERED
FOR THEIR BELIEFS.

THOSE WHO REMAIN FEEL AN
EXILE IN THEIR OWN HOME -

AN ANGUISHED HEART, THE
LONELINESS OF SEPARATION,

AN EMPTINESS OF FUTURE.

ON THE ROOF OF THE POTALA,

OPEN TO THE LIMITLESS SKY, ONE
FEELS A SUDDEN RELEASE

FROM THE IMPOTENT IDEOLOGIES
THAT CAN BIND THE HANDS

BUT NOT THE HEART.

TENZIN: TWO MILES WEST OF THE
POTALA;

THE NORBULINKA, OR JEWEL
PARK,

IS THE SUMMER PALACE OF THE
SUCCESSION OF DALAI LAMAS.

HELD EVERY YEAR THROUGHOUT
THE CENTURIES,

THIS IS THE TIME OF THE
TIBETAN OPERA FESTIVAL.

BOTH CHINESE AND TIBETANS
SHARE COMMON GROUND

IN THIS CULTURAL
CELEBRATION OF THE OPERA.

TEMPORARY PAVILIONS ARE CREATED

ON THE PARK GROUNDS FOR
FEASTING, SINGING AND

SIMPLE GAMES OF CHANCE.

THIS IS NOW ALSO A
CHINESE AFFAIR.

JOHN: BEFORE 1949 CHINA WAS THE
LARGEST BUDDHIST NATION

IN THE WORLD WITH A
MONASTIC COMMUNITY OF

OVER 20,000,000 MONKS AND NUNS.

AFTER THE COMMUNIST VICTORY IN
THE CIVIL WAR,

MILLIONS OF CHINESE BUDDHISTS
WERE ALSO PUNISHED, IMPRISONED

AND MURDERED FOR THEIR BELIEFS.

ALL FORMS OF RELIGION
WERE OUTLAWED ...

AND BUDDHISM ALL BUT DISAPPEARED
IN CHINA.

SINCE THE MID 18TH
CENTURY THE DALAI LAMAS AND

THEIR ENTIRE RETINUE WOULD
COME IN A GRAND PROCESSION

FROM THE AUSTERE HEIGHTS
OF THE POTALA TO THE

WOODED PARK OF THE NORBULINKA.

EACH DALAI LAMA CAME TO THIS
JEWEL PARK TO MEDITATE

AND ENJOY THE PLEASURES OF
NATURE.

DADON: "REALIZING THE GROUNDLESS
NATURE OF IGNORANCE

MY FORMER AWARENESS,
CLOUDED AND UNSTABLE

LIKE REFLECTIONS OF THE
MOON IN RIPPLING WATER

BECOMES TRANSPARENT, CLEAR
AS SHINING CRYSTAL" -

FROM THE ONE HUNDRED
THOUSAND SONGS OF MILAREPA

TENZIN: THIS WAS THE NEW
RESIDENCE OF HIS HOLINESS

THE 14TH DALAI LAMA.

THESE ARE THE ROOMS HE LIVED
IN AND WHERE HIS MOTHER

WOULD SOMETIMES TAKE RESIDENCE.

IT WAS ALSO WHERE HE WOULD MEET
WITH FOREIGN DIGNITARIES AND

ADMINISTER TO MATTERS OF STATE.

IN 1959 THERE WAS A POPULAR
UPRISING ALL OVER TIBET

AGAINST THE COMMUNIST
OCCUPATION.

HIS HOLINESS WAS IN
IMMINENT DANGER

OF DEATH OR IMPRISONMENT
BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES.

OVER 30,000 TIBETANS CAME HERE
TO NORBULINKA TO PROTECT HIM -

PUTTING THEIR BODIES BETWEEN
HIM AND THE CHINESE ARMY.

DURING THIS CRISIS, TO PREVENT
MASSIVE BLOODSHED AND

TO PRESERVE THIS WISDOM
TRADITION HE ESCAPED,

DISGUISED AS A TIBETAN
SOLDIER GOING SOUTH

ACROSS THE HIMALAYAS ON
HORSEBACK

FOR THE SAFE HAVEN OF
INDIA.

JOHN: THE EXUBERANCE OF
THE TIBETAN SUMMER IN

FULL BLOOM SIGNALS CYCLES
OF NATURAL RETURN.

THE PROMISE OF COMING AGAIN, THE
HOPE OF NATURAL RECONCILIATION.

OUR JOURNEY WEST FROM LHASA TO
GYANTSE TAKES ABOUT 6 HOURS

AND GOES THROUGH A MOUNTAIN
PASS OF OVER 17,000 FEET.

MY OWN TIBETAN TEACHERS TAUGHT
THAT THE ULTIMATE EXPRESSION

OF THE VAJRAYANA TEACHINGS
SEES THE HEART-MIND

AS ALREADY EXISTING IN A STATE
OF INNATE ENLIGHTENMENT.

THIS PANORAMIC AWARENESS IS
SUPPORTED BY DEEP MEDITATION

PRACTICE, GROUNDED
IN EVERYDAY LIFE.

IT AFFIRMS THE NATURAL
STATE OF ONE'S EXISTENCE

BEYOND THE DUALISTIC PATTERNS
OF CONDITIONING AND THINKING.

TENZIN: 'ELEVATE YOUR EXPERIENCE

AND REMAIN WIDE
OPEN LIKE THE SKY.

EXPAND YOUR MINDFULNESS
AND REMAIN PERVASIVE

LIKE THE EARTH.

STEADY YOUR ATTENTION AND REMAIN
UNSHAKABLE LIKE A MOUNTAIN.

BRIGHTEN YOUR AWARENESS
AND REMAIN SHINING

LIKE A FLAME.

CLEAR YOUR THOUGHTFREE
WAKEFULNESS AND REMAIN LUCID

LIKE A CRYSTAL'
- DAKPO TASHI NAMGYAL

(A 16TH CENTURY TIBETAN
BUDDHIST MASTER)

JOHN: THIS HILLTOP ZONG OR
CASTLE OVERLOOKS THE ONCE

PROSPEROUS TOWN OF GYANTSE.

ONE OF THE GREATEST CULTURAL
TREASURES OF TIBET THE

GYANTSE KUMBUM WAS
CREATED IN 1439 AND

IS ONE OF THE FEW GREAT
SITES REMAINING INTACT.

THE CHINESE PREMIER
CHOU EN LAI COMMANDED

THE RAMPAGING RED
GUARDS TO SPARE IT

FROM EMINENT DESTRUCTION.

KUMBUM MEANS THE PAGODA OF
100,000 BUDDHA IMAGES.

THIS IS A COLOSSAL, THREE
DIMENSIONAL MANDALA,

TRANSPORTING US INTO CELESTIAL
REALMS OF THE VAJRAYANA.

SOME OF THE ORIGINAL SCULPTURE
HAS BEEN RECENTLY REPAINTED

BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES
IN GARISH COLORS.

THE WALL PAINTINGS,
HOWEVER, ARE UNTOUCHED

AND SHOW THE REMARKABLE
SYNTHESIS OF NEPALI, INDIAN

AND CHINESE PAINTING STYLES SO
UNIQUE TO TIBETAN ART.

EACH DEITY POSSESSES
MANY ASPECTS -

BOTH BENEFICENT AND WRATHFUL.

TENZIN: THE ELABORATE
ORNAMENTATION OF TIBETAN TEMPLES

IS IN EXTREME CONTRAST TO THE
AUSTERITY OF THE LANDSCAPE.

A DELIBERATE DEVICE - THE
JOINING OF FORM AND FORMLESS.

DANON: THE MANIFESTATIONS OF
TARA ARE INNUMERABLE.

AND ALL TRANSMUTE NEGATIVE
ENERGY INTO WISDOM.

AFTER TARA TOOK THE
BODDHISATTVA VOW TO RELIEVE

THE SUFFERING OF ALL BEINGS
- SHE TOOK A SECOND VOW -

TO WORK FOR OTHERS FOREVER
IN THE FORM OF A WOMAN.

TARA REMAINS ETERNALLY
A FEMALE BUDDHA.

JOHN: THE VAJRAYANA PRACTICE
OF YIDAM VISUALIZATION

IS A POWERFUL METHOD OF
TRANSFORMATION

ONLY TO BE INITIATED
UNDER THE GUIDANCE

OF A TRUSTED MASTER.

IN THIS ELABORATE PRACTICE
THE MEDITATOR VISUALIZES

EVERY DETAIL OF A
CELESTIAL BEING.

THROUGH THIS VISUALIZATION
THE QUALITIES OF THE DEITY

MANIFEST THEMSELVES WITHIN
THE PRACTITIONER.

WITHOUT QUALIFIED TEACHERS,
THIS ESSENTIAL PRACTICE

IS NOW BEING LOST IN TIBET.

TENZIN: LIVING IN THE IMMENSITY
OF THIS LANDSCAPE,

UNDER A LIMITLESS SKY, THE
NOMADS ARE AN INTRINSIC PART

OF TIBETAN LIFE.

SHALU MONASTERY IS HOME
TO SOME OF TIBET'S

GREATEST PAINTINGS -
MANY RARELY SEEN.

SOME PAINTINGS ARE MORE
THAN 900 YEARS OLD,

REVEALING A RICHNESS
AND VIBRANCY THAT

INVOKES AN EXALTED DIVINE REALM.

DURING THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION
- THE RED GUARDS USED SHALU

MONASTERY AS A GRAIN WAREHOUSE.

THIS IRONICALLY SAVED MOST
OF THESE RARE FRESCOES

FROM TOTAL OBLITERATION.

JOHN: IN BUDDHISM HUMAN
FAILINGS ARE WORKED UPON

UNTIL THEY ARE TRANSFORMED
AND BECOME ASPECTS

OF ONE'S INHERENT WISDOM.

IN THE VAJRAYANA TRADITION,
BUDDHAS ARE ALIVE

ON EARTH AND THEIR LINEAGE
IS PASSED THROUGH

HIGHLY REALIZED TEACHERS.

TO TAKE TEACHINGS
FROM THESE MASTERS,

TO RECEIVE THEIR BLESSINGS,

AND PARTAKE IN THEIR LIVING
PRESENCE IS A VITAL PART

OF THIS TRADITION.

TENZIN: TO CUT TIBETANS OFF FROM
THE INSPIRING PRESENCE

OF THEIR LIVING BUDDHAS IS TO
TAKE THE HEART FROM THE BODY.

THIS HAS BECOME A SLOW AND
DELIBERATE ASPHYXIATION

OF THE TIBETAN BUDDHIST
FAITH WITHIN ITS OWN HOME.

JOHN: SHIGATSE IS THE SECOND
LARGEST CITY IN TIBET.

WHILE THE NEW CHINATOWN SPREADS
OUT ACROSS THE VALLEY,

THE TIBETAN QUARTER IS CLUSTERED
AT THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN.

AT THE HEART OF THE
TIBETAN QUARTER

IS TASHI LHUNPO MONASTERY, THE
TRADITIONAL HOME OF THE

PANCHEN LAMA - THE
HIGHEST SPIRITUAL LEADER

AFTER THE DALAI LAMA.

TENZIN: THE LAST PANCHEN LAMA
WAS A BELOVED FIGURE WHO

REMAINED IN TIBET
AFTER THE DALAI LAMA

WAS FORCED INTO EXILE.

TRYING TO WORK WITHIN
THE SYSTEM IMPOSED BY THE

CHINESE GOVERNMENT HE
FOUGHT FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM,

EDUCATION AND THE PRESERVATION
OF THE TIBETAN LANGUAGE.

IN THE 1960'S DURING THE
CHINESE CULTURAL REVOLUTION HE

WAS RELENTLESSLY PERSECUTED,
SUBJECTED TO TORTURE, AND

FINALLY IMPRISONED IN
SOLITARY CONFINEMENT

IN BEIJING FOR 10 YEARS.

IN 1989 THE PANCHEN LAMA
WAS ALLOWED TO RETURN

HERE TO HIS MONASTERY FOR THE
LARGEST GATHERING OF SPIRITUAL

LEADERS IN 30 YEARS.

HE PUBLICLY CALLED FOR
THE EXILED DALAI LAMA

TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH
HIM IN MAKING POLICY

DECISIONS FOR TIBET AND
CRITICIZED THE FAILINGS

OF THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP.

A FEW DAYS LATER HE WAS STRICKEN
BY A MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS

AND DIED AT 50 YEARS OLD.

MANY BELIEVE HE WAS POISONED.

JOHN: EACH IN THEIR EIGHTIES,
THESE 3 MONKS SHARE WITH US

THEIR MEMORIES OF THE
10TH PANCHEN LAMA.

THEY KNEW HIM AS A
PLAYFUL, GIFTED BOY

WHO WAS THEIR SPIRITUAL
MASTER.

YOUNG MONKS GATHER
OUTSIDE THE ASSEMBLY HALL

WAITING FOR EVENING PRAYERS.

CHURNING YAK BUTTER TEA FOR
THIS EVENING'S GATHERING

THESE YOUNG MONKS TAKE
TURNS SERVING EACH OTHER.

TENZIN: TO HAVE A SON IN THE
MONASTERY IS A GREAT HONOR

FOR THE TRADITIONAL
TIBETAN FAMILY.

THE LIFE OF A NOVICE
MONK IS DISCIPLINED,

FOCUSED AND DEMANDING.

THESE RIGORS ARE OFFSET
BY THE REALIZATION

THAT THEY WILL SOON BE
INITIATED INTO A CENTURIES OLD

WISDOM LINEAGE OF
PROFOUND DEPTH.

THIS ASPIRATION IS
NOW BEING UNDERMINED

AT TASHILUNPHO AS THIS
ANCIENT MONASTERY

IS NOW IN THE FULL CONTROL
OF GOVERNMENT OVERSEERS

AND THEIR HAND PICKED
MONASTIC OFFICERS.

JOHN: THIS ALL-SEEING WISDOM
BUDDHA LOOKS BEYOND THE

BRITTLENESS OF TIME AND
THE DUST OF HISTORY

TO AN EVER-PRESENT
LIMITLESS TRUTH.

IN THIS TRADITION, THE HIGHEST
LAMAS ARE INTENTIONALLY

REBORN AGAIN TO CONTINUE
THEIR TEACHINGS.

SOME YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH,
THE TEACHER IS SOUGHT BY HIS

CLOSEST DISCIPLES,
LIVING AS A YOUNG BOY.

HE IS RETURNED TO
HIS MONASTERY,

AWAKENS TO HIS CONTINUING ROLE

AND RESUMES THIS UNBROKEN WISDOM
LINEAGE.

TENZIN: AFTER THE DEATH OF THE
OLD PANCHEN LAMA,

THE DALAI LAMA TRADITIONALLY
INSTRUCTS THE SEARCH

COMMITTEE WHERE THE NEW
PANCHEN LAMA WILL BE FOUND.

IN 1995 HIS HOLINESS THE
DALAI LAMA ANNOUNCED

THAT THE 11TH PANCHEN
LAMA HAD BEEN DISCOVERED

AS THE SIX-YEAR OLD SON OF

POOR NOMADIC HERDERS IN
WESTERN TIBET.

SHORTLY AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT
OF HIS DISCOVERY,

COMMUNIST CADRES SWOOPED DOWN
ON THE FAMILY'S ENCAMPMENT

AND SPIRITED THEM BY
PLANE TO BEIJING.

THE BOY AND HIS FAMILY
HAVE NOT BEEN SEEN

IN MORE THAN NINE YEARS
AND ARE ALLEGEDLY

UNDER HOUSE ARREST.

HE IS THE WORLD'S YOUNGEST
POLITICAL PRISONER.

THE ATHEIST CHINESE
AUTHORITIES THEN CONDUCTED

THEIR OWN SEARCH FOR THE NEW
PANCHEN LAMA.

THE COMMUNIST LEADERS ENTHRONED
ANOTHER SIX-YEAR-OLD BOY

IN THE ROLE OF THE
SECOND HIGHEST LAMA

IN VAJRAYANA BUDDHISM.

THEY ORDERED PICTURES OF HIM
TO BE PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED

ON THE ALTARS OF TEMPLES
ALL OVER TIBET.

THE PANCHEN LAMA LEADS
THE SEARCH COMMITTEE

FOR THE NEW DALAI LAMA AFTER
THE DEATH OF THE OLD.

AS HIS HOLINESS THE 14TH
DALAI LAMA GROWS OLDER -

IT IS LIKELY THAT
AFTER HIS PASSING,

THE COMMUNISTS WILL THEN NAME
THEIR OWN PUPPET DALAI LAMA.

HIS HOLINESS HAS SAID HE
MAY NOT REINCARNATE AT ALL

BUT THAT IF HE DOES IT
WILL NOT BE IN TIBET.

JOHN: THERE IS A 1500-YEAR-OLD
PROPHECY OF PADMASAMBHAVA;

THAT WHEN THE IRON BIRD FLIES
THE DHARMA WILL GO TO THE WEST.

THE DECADES LONG ASSAULT ON
THIS GREAT SPIRITUAL TRADITION

HAS CREATED A
DIASPORA OF TIBETANS

FROM THEIR MOUNTAIN HOMELAND.

MANY OF THE GREAT VAJRAYANA
TEACHERS HAVE NOW BROUGHT

THEIR TEACHINGS TO MILLIONS
IN THE WEST.

THIS HOW I MET MY TIBETAN
TEACHERS 35 YEARS AGO.

TENZIN: AS MORNING BREAKS IN THE
FOOTHILLS OF LHASA -

MULTITUDES ARRIVE FOR
AN ANNUAL RITUAL

OF DEVOTION AND BLESSINGS.

PILGRIMS FROM MANY
BUDDHIST GROUPS HAVE

COME HERE TO CELEBRATE.

IN RURAL AREAS, AWAY FROM THE
CONTROL OF THE

AUTHORITIES, LARGE NUMBERS
OF LAY PRACTITIONERS ARE

ESTABLISHING NEW DHARMA
COMMUNITIES FILLING

THE VOID LEFT BY THE
MONASTIC DECLINE.

JOHN: AT THE END OF THEIR
SUMMER RAINS RETREAT,

THE MONKS OF DREPUNG MONASTERY
UNFURL A GIGANTIC THANGKA -

A COLORFUL SCROLL IMAGE
OF SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA

THAT COVERS A MOUNTAINSIDE.

THE THANGKA FESTIVAL
DRAWS TIBETAN FAITHFUL

JOINED BY TOURISTS, AND CHINESE
HUNGRY FOR SPIRITUAL MEANING

IN THEIR LIVES.

PILGRIMS BUY FRAGRANT OFFERINGS
TO BURN IN THE OFFERING FIRES

ALL ALONG THE MOUNTAIN.

THESE AROMATIC OFFERINGS
ENVELOPE US -

CREATING AN INTIMATE
SANCTUARY WITHIN

THE VASTNESS OF THE
NATURAL SCAPE;

A MOUNTAINSIDE CATHEDRAL
OF INFINITE PROPORTIONS.

CARRYING WHITE KATHAS
OR PRAYER SCARVES

AS OFFERINGS, UP AND UP, HIGHER
AND HIGHER ON THE MOUNTAIN,

WE MOVE CLOSER TO THE
FLOATING BUDDHA.

THROWING THE WHITE KATHA IS A
WAY OF TOUCHING THE BUDDHA

AND CONNECTING TO THIS
WISH-FULFILLING REALM.

CASCADES OF KNOTTED KATHAS
ROLL DOWN THE THANGKA,

COLORED PAPER PRAYERS
SKITTER IN THE WIND -

SHARING THEIR BLESSINGS WITH
ALL SENTIENT BEINGS.

TENZIN: WITH EVERY MANTRA, WITH
EVERY BOW, WITH EVERY LAMP,

THESE PILGRIMS SHARE THIS
EMPOWERING RITUAL -

ADDING THEIR LIGHT TO
THE LIGHT OF OTHERS.

THE SANGHA OF TIBET, THIS
NOBLE COMMUNITY OF TRUTH,

HOLDS TO A LUMINOUS
FAITH.

MAY THEY NEVER BE
FORGOTTEN, OR FORSAKEN.