Tulku (film)
Encyclopedia
Tulku is a 2009 documentary
film, written and directed by Gesar Mukpo. The film details the personal experiences of five young Western men who were identified in childhood as being tulku
s, or reincarnated
Tibetan Buddhist masters.
For over 700 years tulkus have been sought out as highly revered leaders and teachers of Tibetan Buddhism. Beginning in the 1970s, several tulkus have been identified as having incarnated in the West. These new, Western-born, very modern tulkus lead lives prone to culture clash and identity confusion.
of Shechen), one of his own father's teachers in Tibet. Three-year-old Gesar was then enthroned
as a tulku
in Berkeley, California.
In the film, Mukpo's British mother describes her scandalous marriage to a Tibetan monk, and her vision in a dream of a being who asked to be her son. When Gesar was born and was identified as a tulku, his father believed he could be a great teacher, but did not send him away to a monastery, believing it would separate him from his environment too much.
Mukpo, who grew up internationally, and whose father died in 1987, lives an ordinary secular life in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He has a daughter, is separated from his wife, and is a music video
director and producer. Aware of the irony of his situation and the ambiguity of his life purpose, in the film he sets out to interview other Western tulkus to see if their disorientation is similar to his own, and to see how each has coped with the unique status of Western-born tulku. Mukpo travels to various locations to interview other young Western tulkus and the significant people in their lives. In the process, he relates his own life story and dilemmas as well.
, the 16th Karmapa
, who requested that Henderson come to the Rumtek Monastery
in India for the rest of his life. Chögyam Trungpa, however, recommended that he remain in the West. Henderson maintains his Buddhist studies and practices, but without the form and structure present in the East. He has a degree in anthropology and history.
In New York City
, Mukpo visits his younger half-brother Ashoka Mukpo, who was also identified as a tulku. Ashoka, like Gesar, leads a secular life, working in the U.S. division of Human Rights Watch
. Although he has not adopted the life of a Buddhist tulku, he has a thangka
wall-hanging portrait of his previous incarnation, Khamyon Rinpoche, in his apartment. Ashoka was enthroned as a tulku in Tibet, and found the experience, as well as the expectations of others, very intense and at times uncomfortable. He feels his path is not to be a teacher, wearing monk's robes, but rather to help others and give back in ways appropriate to his location and culture.
Mukpo visits the Tibetan refugee colony of Bir
in Northern India, which since the 1950s has welcomed fleeing Tibetans after the Chinese occupation of Tibet. He interviews his mentor Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, with whom he studied in India instead of attending college. Khyentse, who is an award-winning filmmaker (The Cup, Travelers and Magicians) as well as a renowned Buddhist master, speaks eloquently about the development of the tulku system, and also about its flaws and possible failings, especially as Buddhism spreads in the West. Mukpo describes his own internal conflict between his Buddhist side and his Western side, lamenting both the seeming incongruousness of the practice when he became a teen and wanted to fit in, and the pressure and obligation he has felt because he bears the designation of tulku.
Mukpo meets a 20-year-old from San Francisco, Wyatt Arnold, who is has been studying Tibetan in India for the past year. Arnold was identified as a tulku as a young child and enthroned at the age of five. He was slated to go to India at that time, but his parents decided against it. Arnold speaks about his early memories of his former incarnation, and about his fond memories of his childhood Tibetan Buddhist teacher in the U.S., Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche
. Arnold seems youthfully conflicted about his role and task, and seeks advice and feedback from Mukpo, who is 14 years his senior.
In Nepal
, Mukpo visits the Shechen Monastery
. This brings back fond memories: When Mukpo was 15, his father died, and his mother sent him there to study with Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche for a year. While in Nepal, Mukpo also interviews Reuben Derksen, who was born in Amsterdam in 1986, raised in Nepal and Bhutan, and recognized as a tulku at the age of 11. Derksen is the most cynical of all the young tulkus Mukpo interviews, having had a largely negative experience at the Tibetan Buddhist monastery in India he lived at for three years following high school. Although he no longer considers himself a Buddhist, he still goes back annually to emcee the weeklong Buddhist ceremony in Bhutan
, mainly because his presence makes the people there so happy.
Returning home to Halifax and his family, Mukpo reflects upon his life and upon the experiences of the tulkus and teachers he has interviewed. He admits that there are no easy answers to the complications and contradictions of being a Westerner identified as a Tibetan tulku in a modern, rapidly changing world. One compensation to the culture confict is the meaningful connection formed to beloved teachers, communities, and heritages. Speaking about his fellow Western tulkus, he concludes, "There is no certain path for any of us, other than the path of self-discovery."
, as part of the Reel Diversity Competition for emerging filmmakers of colour. According to Mukpo:
Tulku took two years to complete, and was shot on location in Nova Scotia, Florida, New York City, India, and Nepal. While Mukpo was filming in Bir
, two local Westerners offered to take him and his cameraman paragliding for free, resulting in beautiful aerial shots of Northern India. The film also features rare archival footage from Tibet, and archival footage and photographs of Tibetan masters such as Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
, and Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche
.
The soundtrack to the film includes two prominently featured songs by Don Brownrigg: "In It", and "Remember Home".
. It was also an official selection at the Vancouver Film Festival
, the International Buddhist Film Festival
, the Buddhist Film Festival Europe, the Atlantic Film Festival
, and the Calgary International Film Festival
.
The film was televised on August 10, 2010 on the CBC News Network's program, The Passionate Eye
. The film also screened at Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado
on August 18, 2010.
The special edition DVD of the film was released in March 2011 by Festival Media. The DVD includes 60 minutes of bonus features, including a 35-minute uncut in-depth interview with Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, and a candid 20-minute post-film interview with Gesar Mukpo reflecting on the film and his life and place in the world.
called it "intensely personal", and The Coast
described the documentary as "both inspiring and, like Mukpo, endearingly down to earth." The Epoch Times
calls the documentary "a first-of-its-kind film", adding that "Gesar Mukpo ... tells a vivid story".
Angela Pressburger, daughter of famed British filmmaker Emeric Pressburger
, deemed Tulku an "intimate and honest exploration". Writing in the Shambhala Times, she also observed, at the film's premiere:
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
film, written and directed by Gesar Mukpo. The film details the personal experiences of five young Western men who were identified in childhood as being tulku
Tulku
In Tibetan Buddhism, a tulku is a particular high-ranking lama, of whom the Dalai Lama is one, who can choose the manner of his rebirth. Normally the lama would be reincarnated as a human, and of the same sex as his predecessor. In contrast to a tulku, all other sentient beings including other...
s, or reincarnated
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
Tibetan Buddhist masters.
For over 700 years tulkus have been sought out as highly revered leaders and teachers of Tibetan Buddhism. Beginning in the 1970s, several tulkus have been identified as having incarnated in the West. These new, Western-born, very modern tulkus lead lives prone to culture clash and identity confusion.
Background
Gesar Mukpo, who wrote and directed Tulku, was born in 1973, the son of world-renowned Tibetan Buddhist master Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and his British wife Diana. At the age of three, Mukpo was indentified by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche as the reincarnation of the late Shechen Kongtrul Rinpoche (the Jamgon KongtrulJamgon Kongtrul
Jamgön Kongtrül is a name of a prominent line of Tibetan Buddhist teachers , primarily identified with the first Jamgon Kongtrul, but also the name shared by members of a lineage held by tradition to be his subsequent reincarnations , to date....
of Shechen), one of his own father's teachers in Tibet. Three-year-old Gesar was then enthroned
Enthronement
An enthronement is a ceremony of inauguration, involving a person—usually a monarch or religious leader—being formally seated for the first time upon their throne. This ritual is generally distinguished from a coronation because there is no crown or other regalia that is physically...
as a tulku
Tulku
In Tibetan Buddhism, a tulku is a particular high-ranking lama, of whom the Dalai Lama is one, who can choose the manner of his rebirth. Normally the lama would be reincarnated as a human, and of the same sex as his predecessor. In contrast to a tulku, all other sentient beings including other...
in Berkeley, California.
In the film, Mukpo's British mother describes her scandalous marriage to a Tibetan monk, and her vision in a dream of a being who asked to be her son. When Gesar was born and was identified as a tulku, his father believed he could be a great teacher, but did not send him away to a monastery, believing it would separate him from his environment too much.
Mukpo, who grew up internationally, and whose father died in 1987, lives an ordinary secular life in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He has a daughter, is separated from his wife, and is a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
director and producer. Aware of the irony of his situation and the ambiguity of his life purpose, in the film he sets out to interview other Western tulkus to see if their disorientation is similar to his own, and to see how each has coped with the unique status of Western-born tulku. Mukpo travels to various locations to interview other young Western tulkus and the significant people in their lives. In the process, he relates his own life story and dilemmas as well.
Synopsis
Gesar Mukpo begins by interviewing a fellow Canadian, Dylan Henderson, who was the first Caucasian tulku discovered in the West, recognized in 1975 by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche as the incarnation of one of his teachers. The identification was confirmed by Rangjung Rigpe DorjeRangjung Rigpe Dorje
The sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje was spiritual leader of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism...
, the 16th Karmapa
Karmapa
The Karmapa is the head of the Karma Kagyu, the largest sub-school of the Kagyupa , itself one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism....
, who requested that Henderson come to the Rumtek Monastery
Rumtek Monastery
Rumtek , also called the Dharmachakra Centre, is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery located in the Indian state of Sikkim near the capital Gangtok...
in India for the rest of his life. Chögyam Trungpa, however, recommended that he remain in the West. Henderson maintains his Buddhist studies and practices, but without the form and structure present in the East. He has a degree in anthropology and history.
In New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Mukpo visits his younger half-brother Ashoka Mukpo, who was also identified as a tulku. Ashoka, like Gesar, leads a secular life, working in the U.S. division of Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
. Although he has not adopted the life of a Buddhist tulku, he has a thangka
Thangka
A "Thangka," also known as "Tangka", "Thanka" or "Tanka" is a Tibetan silk painting with embroidery, usually depicting a Buddhist deity, famous scene, or mandala of some sort. The thankga is not a flat creation like an oil painting or acrylic painting...
wall-hanging portrait of his previous incarnation, Khamyon Rinpoche, in his apartment. Ashoka was enthroned as a tulku in Tibet, and found the experience, as well as the expectations of others, very intense and at times uncomfortable. He feels his path is not to be a teacher, wearing monk's robes, but rather to help others and give back in ways appropriate to his location and culture.
Mukpo visits the Tibetan refugee colony of Bir
Bir Tibetan
Chowgan, also known as Bir Tibetan Colony is a Tibetan refugee settlement on the outskirts of the Himalayan village of Bir in the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India....
in Northern India, which since the 1950s has welcomed fleeing Tibetans after the Chinese occupation of Tibet. He interviews his mentor Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, with whom he studied in India instead of attending college. Khyentse, who is an award-winning filmmaker (The Cup, Travelers and Magicians) as well as a renowned Buddhist master, speaks eloquently about the development of the tulku system, and also about its flaws and possible failings, especially as Buddhism spreads in the West. Mukpo describes his own internal conflict between his Buddhist side and his Western side, lamenting both the seeming incongruousness of the practice when he became a teen and wanted to fit in, and the pressure and obligation he has felt because he bears the designation of tulku.
Mukpo meets a 20-year-old from San Francisco, Wyatt Arnold, who is has been studying Tibetan in India for the past year. Arnold was identified as a tulku as a young child and enthroned at the age of five. He was slated to go to India at that time, but his parents decided against it. Arnold speaks about his early memories of his former incarnation, and about his fond memories of his childhood Tibetan Buddhist teacher in the U.S., Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche
Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche
Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche was a teacher of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism. He was known and respected in the West for his teachings, his melodic chanting voice, his artistry as a sculptor and painter, and his skill as a physician...
. Arnold seems youthfully conflicted about his role and task, and seeks advice and feedback from Mukpo, who is 14 years his senior.
In Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, Mukpo visits the Shechen Monastery
Shechen Monastery
The Shechen Monastery is one of the primary monasteries of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, in Tibet. It is located in Derge between Nangdo and Dzogchen Monastery...
. This brings back fond memories: When Mukpo was 15, his father died, and his mother sent him there to study with Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche for a year. While in Nepal, Mukpo also interviews Reuben Derksen, who was born in Amsterdam in 1986, raised in Nepal and Bhutan, and recognized as a tulku at the age of 11. Derksen is the most cynical of all the young tulkus Mukpo interviews, having had a largely negative experience at the Tibetan Buddhist monastery in India he lived at for three years following high school. Although he no longer considers himself a Buddhist, he still goes back annually to emcee the weeklong Buddhist ceremony in Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
, mainly because his presence makes the people there so happy.
Returning home to Halifax and his family, Mukpo reflects upon his life and upon the experiences of the tulkus and teachers he has interviewed. He admits that there are no easy answers to the complications and contradictions of being a Westerner identified as a Tibetan tulku in a modern, rapidly changing world. One compensation to the culture confict is the meaningful connection formed to beloved teachers, communities, and heritages. Speaking about his fellow Western tulkus, he concludes, "There is no certain path for any of us, other than the path of self-discovery."
Cast
- Gesar Mukpo
- Dylan Henderson
- Ashoka Mukpo
- Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
- Wyatt Arnold
- Ogyen Trinley Dorje
- Reuben Adrian Derksen
- Diana Mukpo
Production
To fund the film, Gesar Mukpo approached the National Film Board of CanadaNational Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
, as part of the Reel Diversity Competition for emerging filmmakers of colour. According to Mukpo:
Tulku took two years to complete, and was shot on location in Nova Scotia, Florida, New York City, India, and Nepal. While Mukpo was filming in Bir
Bir Tibetan
Chowgan, also known as Bir Tibetan Colony is a Tibetan refugee settlement on the outskirts of the Himalayan village of Bir in the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India....
, two local Westerners offered to take him and his cameraman paragliding for free, resulting in beautiful aerial shots of Northern India. The film also features rare archival footage from Tibet, and archival footage and photographs of Tibetan masters such as Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
The sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje was spiritual leader of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism...
, and Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche
Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche
Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche was a teacher of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism. He was known and respected in the West for his teachings, his melodic chanting voice, his artistry as a sculptor and painter, and his skill as a physician...
.
The soundtrack to the film includes two prominently featured songs by Don Brownrigg: "In It", and "Remember Home".
Release, broadcast, and DVD
Tulku premiered on May 25, 2009, at the DOXA Documentary Film FestivalDOXA Documentary Film Festival
The DOXA Documentary Film Festival is a film festival based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is held annually held in May and is presented by the Documentary Media Society, a non-profit organization incorporated in 1998. DOXA is dedicated to delivering innovative and independent...
. It was also an official selection at the Vancouver Film Festival
Vancouver Film Festival
The Canadian city of Vancouver hosts three film festivals:* The Vancouver International Film Festival* The Vancouver Asian Film Festival* The Vancouver Queer Film Festival...
, the International Buddhist Film Festival
International Buddhist Film Festival
The International Buddhist Film Festival is the world’s foremost presenter of Buddhist-themed and Buddhist-inspired cinema. IBFF includes films of all kinds: features, documentaries, animation, experimental work, children’s films and television programs...
, the Buddhist Film Festival Europe, the Atlantic Film Festival
Atlantic Film Festival
The Atlantic Film Festival is an international film festival held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.Held annually, the ten-day celebration of film and video from Atlantic Canada and around the world is committed to screening an inspiring and engaging collection of films and videos from Canada and the...
, and the Calgary International Film Festival
Calgary International Film Festival
The Calgary International Film Festival is a film festival held annually in Calgary, Alberta, Canada for ten days in late September and early October...
.
The film was televised on August 10, 2010 on the CBC News Network's program, The Passionate Eye
The Passionate Eye
The Passionate Eye is a Canadian documentary television series, which airs on CBC News Network.The series presents documentary programming from around the world....
. The film also screened at Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
on August 18, 2010.
The special edition DVD of the film was released in March 2011 by Festival Media. The DVD includes 60 minutes of bonus features, including a 35-minute uncut in-depth interview with Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, and a candid 20-minute post-film interview with Gesar Mukpo reflecting on the film and his life and place in the world.
Critical reception
Tulku has received favorable print reviews. Shambhala SunShambhala Sun
The Shambhala Sun is an independent, bimonthly magazine that offers a nonsectarian view of 'Buddhism, Culture, Meditation, and Life.' Presented are teachings from the Buddhist and other contemplative traditions, with an emphasis on applying the principles of mindfulness and awareness practices to...
called it "intensely personal", and The Coast
The Coast
The Coast is a free weekly newspaper in Halifax Regional Municipality, Canada. The paper distributes 24,000 copies per week throughout the Halifax Regional Municipality. The paper is owned by Coast Publishing Limited....
described the documentary as "both inspiring and, like Mukpo, endearingly down to earth." The Epoch Times
The Epoch Times
The Epoch Times is a multi-language, international media organisation. As a newspaper, the Times has been publishing in Chinese since May 2000. It was founded in 1999 by supporters of the Falun Gong spiritual discipline....
calls the documentary "a first-of-its-kind film", adding that "Gesar Mukpo ... tells a vivid story".
Angela Pressburger, daughter of famed British filmmaker Emeric Pressburger
Emeric Pressburger
Emeric Pressburger was a Hungarian-British screenwriter, film director, and producer. He is best known for his series of film collaborations with Michael Powell, in a multiple-award-winning partnership known as The Archers and produced a series of classic British films, notably 49th Parallel , The...
, deemed Tulku an "intimate and honest exploration". Writing in the Shambhala Times, she also observed, at the film's premiere:
External links
- Tulku – Official site
- Tulku at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Tulku – Trailer
- Tulku – Information Sheet