Video

Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East?
Yong-Kyun Bae

This wonderful film, astonishingly rich in its formal beauty and affirmation of life, is not only an extraordinary cinematic gem, but a transcendent evocation of the mystery and humanity of Zen Buddhism.

In a remote monastery high up in the mountains, an old master, a young monk and an orphaned boy devote themselves to the Buddhist teachings. As the master faces death, he must lead his disciples away from their past ties to the outside world and its rapidly changing values, and point them toward their quest for enlightenment. The title of the film is based on a Zen koan - an unanswerable riddle that is both a challenge and an aid on the path to spiritual transformation.

In Korean with English subtitles. $26.99 (save 10%)

Siddhartha
Conrad Rooks
Siddhartha, adapted from the famous novel by Hermann Hesse, follows the spiritual quest of Siddhartha (Shashi Kapoor), a restless young Brahmin of India who leaves home to find inner peace. The son of a wealthy family, Siddhartha first renounces his possessions and wanders the country as a pilgrim, then indulges in sexual pleasure (with lovely Simi Garewal) and material success, but none of these things gives him what he yearns for. Finally, working as a ferryman across a river, he finds a way of being that calms his spirit. Cinematographer Sven Nykvist gives Siddhartha a look that transforms its philosophical searching into a visual poem.
$24.99 (save 17%)

Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion
This video brings audiences to the long-forbidden "rooftop of the world" with an unprecedented richness of imagery... from rarely-seen rituals in remote monasteries, to horse races with Khamba warriors; from brothels and slums in the holy city of Lhasa, to magnificent Himalayan peaks still traveled by nomadic yak caravans. The dark secrets of Tibet's recent past are powerfully chronicled through riveting personal stories and interviews, and a collection of undercover and archival images never before assembled in one documentary. A definitive exploration of a legendary subject, Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion is an epic story of courage and compassion. $26.99 (save 10%)

Tibetan Book of the Dead
A Way of Life and a Great Liberation
Death is real, it comes without warning and it cannot be escaped. An ancient source of strength and guidance, The Tibetan Book of the Dead remains an essential teaching in the Buddhist cultures of the Himalayas. Narrated by Leonard Cohen, this enlightening two-part series explores the sacred text and boldly visualizes the afterlife according to its profound wisdom. Part 1: A Way of Life reveals the history of The Tibetan Book of the Dead and examines its traditional use in northern India, as well as its acceptance in Western hospices. Shot over a four-month period, the film contains footage of the rites and liturgies for a deceased Ladakhi elder and includes an interview with the Dalai Lama, who shares his views on the book's meaning and importance. Part 2: The Great Liberation follows an old lama and his novice monk as they guide a Himalayan villager into the afterlife using readings from The Tibetan Book of the Dead. The soul's 49-day journey towards rebirth is envisioned through actual photography of rarely seen Buddhist rituals, interwoven with groundbreaking animation by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Ishu Patel. $19.99 (save 20%)

Robert Thurman Collection
Robert Thurman

Explore the history and culture of Tibet, from its ancient past to modern times, with Robert A.F. Thurman, Tibetan scholar, writer and translator. In this three-part series, Thurman tells us, with humor and insight, the stories and legends of the ancient Tibetan kings, heroes, sages, saints, and adepts. We see how the Dharma progressed in Tibet and how a powerful renaissance spirit seized the nation and a life dedicated to evolutionary progress towards buddhahood became the prevalent model for Tibetans. $48.99 (save 11%)

Robert A.F.Thurman on Buddhism
Robert Thurman

A set of three films comprising talks on the Three Jewels, the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Each of these is the focus of one tape in Thurman's three-part lecture series On Buddhism, an extremely thorough introduction to the philosophy, theology, and history of Buddhism. Thurman is well-known as a professor of Indo-Tibetan studies at Columbia University, having also translated The Tibetan Book of the Dead into English. In these lectures, Thurman patiently takes apart each jewel of Buddhism: the Buddha as the teacher of enlightenment, the Dharma as the teaching, or enlightenment itself, and the Sangha as the historical and current community of learners seeking to become Buddhas. $26.99 (save 10%)