Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Himalaya, Where the Wind Dwells (2009)


Beautifully shot film, a little low on plot however.

Himalaya, Where the Wind Dwells (2009)
Kim is on the way home after divorce procedure. He feels obsessive, watching TV news about suicide in the subway of an illegally staying labor of Nepal, Sham. He sleeps, returning home. As he dreams a small mountain village of the Himalayas, he wakes up. He goes to Sham’s funeral home. He asks people of a human rights organization in charge of the funeral arrangements to take Sham’s ashes to his family in Nepal. As Kim arrives in Zomsom, mountain region in Nepal, asks around about Sham’s home. He leaves for Jharkot with a map and a bag. Kim walks long, dry and winding roads. Climbing highlands, he suffers from nasal haemorrhage and headache because of mountain sickness. It’s in two days that he arrives in Sham’s hometown, which is located on the top of a mountain in the Himalayas with snow. There are Sham’s ill mother and his three sisters living in a ragged house. As Kim gives Sham’s ashes to the first sister of Sham’s, Sunita, she gulps down tears, but runs to a hill outside, and cries out loud in sorrow. Sunita asks Kim not to tell her families about Sham’s death. While Kim stays a night in Sham’s, he suffers from serious illness from fatigue and stomach-ache. He stays more under Sunita’s careful nursing.

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Sunday, December 20, 2009

Sugata Saurabha


Sugata Saurabha: An Epic Poem from Nepal on the Life of the Buddha - Chittadhar Hridaya
The Sugata Saurabha is an epic poem that retells the story of the Buddha's life. It was published in 1947 in the Nepalese language, Newari, by Chittadhar Hridaya, one of the greatest literary figures of 20th-century Nepal. The text is remarkable for its comprehensiveness, artistry, and nuance. It covers the Buddha's life from birth to death and conveys his basic teachings with simple clarity. It is also of interest because, where the classical sources are silent, Hridaya inserts details of personal life and cultural context that are Nepalese. The effect is to humanize the founder and add the texture of real life. A third point of interest is the modernist perspective that underlies the author's manner of retelling this great spiritual narrative. This rendering, in a long line of accounts of the Buddha's life dating back almost 2,000 years, may be the last ever to be produced that conforms to the traditions of Indic classic poetry. It will not only appeal to scholars of Buddhism but will find use in courses that introduce students to the life of the Buddha.

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Tibetan Ritual


Tibetan Ritual
Ritual is one of the most pervasive religious phenomena in the Tibetan cultural world. Despite its ubiquity and importance to Tibetan cultural life, however, only in recent years has Tibetan ritual been given the attention it deserves. This is the first scholarly collection to focus on this important subject. Unique in its historical, geographical and disciplinary breadth, this book brings together eleven essays by an international cast of scholars working on ritual texts, institutions and practices in the greater Tibetan cultural world - Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and Mongolia. While most of the chapters focus on Buddhism, two deal with ritual in Tibet's indigenous Bon religion. All of the essays are original to this volume. An extensive introduction by the editor provides a broad overview of Tibetan ritual and contextualizes the chapters within the field of Buddhist and Tibetan studies. The book should find use in advanced undergraduate courses and graduate seminars on Tibetan religion. It will also be of interest to students and scholars of ritual generally.

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Tuesday, December 15, 2009

The Dhamma Brothers


The Dhamma Brothers
East meets West in the Deep South. An overcrowded maximum-security prison-the end of the line in Alabama's correctional system-is dramatically changed by the influence of an ancient meditation program. Behind high security towers and a double row of barbed wire and electrical fence dwells a host of convicts who will never see the light of day. But for some of these men, a spark is ignited when it becomes the first maximum-security prison in North America to hold an extended Vipassana retreat, an emotionally and physically demanding course of silent meditation lasting ten days. The Dhamma Brothers tells a dramatic tale of human potential and transformation as it closely follows and documents the stories of the prison inmates at Donaldson Correction Facility who enter into this arduous and intensive program

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Sunday, December 13, 2009

Out of Your Mind: Essential Listening From the Alan Watts Audio Archives


Out of Your Mind: Essential Listening From the Alan Watts Audio Archives
In order to come to your senses, Alan Watts often said, you sometimes need to go "out of your mind." Perhaps more than any other teacher in the West, this celebrated author, former Anglican priest, and self-described "spiritual entertainer" was responsible for igniting the passion of countless wisdom seekers to the spiritual and philosophical delights of Asia and India. Now, with Out of Your Mind: Essential Listening from the Alan Watts Audio Archives, you are invited to immerse yourself in twelve of this legendary thinker's pinnacle teaching sessions on how to break through the limits of the rational mind and begin expanding your awareness and appreciation for "the Great Game" unfolding all around us.
Out of Your Mind brings you six complete seminars carefully selected from hundreds of recordings by Alan Watts' son and archivist Mark Watts that capture the true scope of this brilliant teacher in action. On these superb, digitally restored recordings, you will delve into Alan Watts' favorite pathways out of "the trap of conventional awareness."

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The Best Guide to Eastern Philosophy and Religion


The Best Guide to Eastern Philosophy and Religion
Want to get more out of your yoga class? Explore the teachings of the Tao Te Ching? Are you looking for the Zen wisdom that makes Phil Jackson such a success? This examination of the ancient beliefs of Asia takes the mystery out of Eastern thought. Targeted for the Westerner, this enlightening audiobook is sophisticated in content, yet easy to follow. It provides a thorough account of the histories and beliefs of Eastern philosophies as well as a “quick take” on the practices of the various religions.The Best Guide to Eastern Philosophy and Religion is the one source for everything anyone would want to know about Eastern traditions. There are complete discussions of the tenets of: • Hinduism • Buddhism • Confucianism • Taoism • Shintoism • Jainism • Zoroastrianism.
Best of all, this Best Guide elaborates on the meaning of the Eastern practices that Westerners find most compelling, such as tantric sex, the martial arts, and feng shui. It also explores the connection between Asian beliefs and Western writers like William Blake and Deepak Chopra, and Western seekers like the Beatles and Richard Gere.Whether a first time explorer of Eastern ideas or a seasoned practitioner, this guide shows the way through the beautiful labyrinth of Asian thought.

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Friday, December 11, 2009

Buddha, Bees and the Giant Hornet Queen


Buddha, Bees and the Giant Hornet Queen (BBC Natural World)
There's no fiercer looking or more dangerous insect than the giant Japanese hornet. The film follows the life of a giant hornet queen as she emerges from hibernation and starts to build her colony in an old temple garden. At first she is vulnerable, fighting bad weather as she painstakingly constructs her paper nest. But as workers hatch, her empire gains strength and desperate for food the hornets start to search for their favorite meal – honeybee grubs.

A beekeeper monk witnesses the rising power of the giant hornet colony, and despite the hornets' attacks on his own bees he reveals a deep respect for these incredible predators.

FYI: Frame Rate seems to be a little fast on this, so if your using VLC player slow the playback a bit.

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Peace Pilgrim: An American Sage Who Walked Her Talk

I posted this over on SRF but I think it deserves being posted here as well. Peace.

Peace Pilgrim: An American Sage Who Walked Her Talk
This is a powerful documentary about an extraordinary woman. At age 44, Mildred Norman left her life circumstances and became Peace Pilgrim -- walking coast to coast for peace for nearly 30 years, living on faith and sharing her wisdom and exhuberance generously with people across the land. This 60-minute documentary is a poetic and musical exploration of her life and message, which is as relevant today as ever. Also included are interviews with Dalai Lama, Maya Angelou, John Robbins, Elizabeth Kubler Ross, and many of Peace Pilgrim's friends, admirers, and relatives, along with newsreel footage from the 1950's, 1960's, and 1970's, when Peace was on her walk for peace. The video is narrated by Reverend Michael Beckwith. This video was scripted and edited by Sharon Janis (Kumuda) of Night Lotus Productions, using materials that had been filmed and gathered over two decades. You can order a copy of this video or Peace Pilgrim's books or audio materials from Friends of Peace Pilgrim Foundation at http://www.peacepilgrim.org . In accordance with Peace Pilgrim's belief that spiritual teachings should be given rather than sold, all of her materials are offered without charge (although donations to continue their work are welcome)

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Mediating the Power of Buddhas: Ritual in the Manjusrimulakalpa


Mediating the Power of Buddhas: Ritual in the Manjusrimulakalpa
Mediating the Power of Buddhas offers a fascinating analysis of the seventh-century ritual manual, the Manjusrimulakalpa. This medieval text is intended to reveal the path into a ritual universe where the power of a buddha abides. Author Glenn Wallis traces the strategies of the Manjusrimulakalpa to enable its committed reader to perfect the promised ritual, uncovering what conditions must be met for ritual practice to succeed and what personal characteristics practitioners must possess in order to realize the ritual intentions of the Buddhist community. The manual itself was written at a key point in Buddhist history, one when Hindu forms of practice were still imitated and on the cusp of the shift from Mahaµyaµna to Vajrayaµna (or Tantric) Buddhism. In addition, the Manjusrimulakalpa presents a rich compendium of Buddhist life in an earlier era, containing information on a variety of its readers' concerns: astrology, astronomy, medicine and healing, ritual practice, iconography, devotion, and meditation.

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Thursday, December 10, 2009

Buddha Lounge Tribute to the Beatles

Generally I loathe those Buddha Lounge Albums, but this is sinking to new lows. Without a doubt the worst Album I've heard this year. Has nothing to do with Buddhism or Music. However it is an excellent meditation on patience.

Buddha Lounge Tribute to the Beatles
I love Beatle cover tunes and have a huge collection and this is definitely bottom of the barrel. The ingredients are synthesizer, an electronic drum track, and occasional use of tabla and sitar. In the background on a couple of tracks is a siren. I kid you not. I was listening this in the car and kept checking the rear view mirror. This sounds like a mash up of Lord Sitar and the Hollyridge Strings. That sounds better than it is, Both Lord Sitar and the Hollyridge Strings are enjoyable. This disc is not.

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Sunday, December 6, 2009

Mustang - Journey of Transformation


Mustang - Journey of Transformation
Narrated by Richard Gere, Mustang – Journey of Transformation, tells the remarkable story of a culture pulled back from the brink of extinction through the restoration of its most sacred sites. The Himalayan Kingdom of Mustang lies on a windswept plateau between Nepal and Tibet in one of the most remote regions of the world. Isolated both by geography and politics, Mustang—known as the Forbidden Kingdom—has been completely off limits to westerners for fifty years. Although Mustang is culturally and ethnically Tibetan, politically it is part of Nepal. This starkly beautiful place is home to one of the last surviving repositories of Tibetan sacred art from the 15th century. To travel here is to journey into the past where one can witness the ancient ways of life. In 1991, Nepal opened Mustang’s border to the outside world. What the first visitors found was shocking—the ancient monasteries were on the verge of collapse; the Buddhist wall paintings were disintegrating; the community was deeply impoverished. The people needed health care, education and jobs. Surprisingly, the King’s first plea to outsiders offering help was to save the monasteries. Mustang – Journey of Transformation features interviews with the Dalai Lama; the King of Mustang; Luigi Fieni, the chief art restorer; and Richard Blum, founder of the American Himalayan Foundation, the NGO that worked closely with the community to restore the monasteries and bring essential social services to the people.

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Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Tantras of Gyuto (1972)


Tantras of Gyuto (1972)
Maybe the music itself just wasn't mysterious enough for the Nonesuch label, so on a subsequent reissue of this title all that was reissued was the title itself, but the recording featured is actually different than the material that was included on this, the original album version. Major recorded documentation took place in Bhutan in both the early '60s and early '70s; when producer David Lewiston actually did his recording of these Gyuto monks is not something the busy producer of world music recordings seems to have wanted to share with his audience, not even as a reward for squinting at the liner notes. The sloppiness of the vinyl pressing did nothing to help this particular series of releases, which were first of all mastered with an extremely wide dynamic range, then pressed on the el cheapo side, because after all, this was a budget label. Thus both a pristine copy and one wedged out from the bottom of the used-record pile will no doubt have a supply of surface noise that will seriously compete with the extended chanting and beautiful held notes of the monks, although nothing -- that is, nothing -- will drown out the clattering handheld cymbals accompanied by brief bass drum thumps. Even in ideal circumstances the volume contrast between the cymbals and the voices will be bothersome to some listeners, although one can't imagine the producer having altered it in any way. These two extended pieces are intense and absorbing, although these collections lack the excitement of the Lyrichord and Baren Reiter series.

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World Religions: Buddhism


World Religions: Buddhism
"Buddhism, Fourth Edition" tells the story of Buddhism's origins and its development into three major schools of thought - and presents the particular beliefs and practices of those schools of Buddhism that still flourish today. This fascinating title explores the concept of the 'socially engaged Buddhist,' the growth and practice of Buddhism in America, and the recent revival of Buddhism in Asia. Coverage includes: introduction to the modern Buddhist world; the life of the Buddha; the spread of Buddhism throughout Asia, and the world; differences between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism; the literature of Buddhism; Buddhism and the arts' the year in Buddhism; and Buddhism today and in the future.

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