The new documentary Wisdom of Happiness, which opened around Israel on Thursday, is a feature-length conversation with the 14th Dalai Lama, now 90, and is aimed at explaining the tenets of the branch of Tibetan Buddhism he practices and has popularized to Western audiences.
The documentary, which was directed by Barbara Miller and Philip Delaquis, and which lists Richard Gere and Israeli-American director Oren Moverman among its producers, presents a portrait of a spiritual leader who speaks not only to his own community but to all of humanity, and offers insights that may be helpful to people around the world.
While popularizing Buddhist thought can lead to dumbing it down to the point where it sounds like bumper stickers, the Dalai Lama and the filmmakers have tried to avoid that here by allowing the spiritual leader to go into as much detail as possible. For much of the film, the Dalai Lama sits alone and speaks, which brings to mind the Louis Malle film My Dinner with Andre, in which two friends discuss philosophical ideas over dinner. This is mixed with shots of natural phenomena and pictures of ethnically diverse, fresh-faced, attractive people who look like they could be in a commercial for some sustainable brand, as well as archival footage of the Dalai Lama’s life starting from childhood.
For many, the most interesting part will be the archival footage and his comments on it. He was chosen to succeed the previous Dalai Lama when he was just four, and came from a simple family that worked in agriculture. The wide-eyed child seen in photos and film clips may remind viewers of the Chinese emperor in Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor. But the Dalai Lama couldn’t have had a more different path from that leader. The movie shows how, after China invaded Tibet in 1950, the Dalai Lama and Tibetan patriots tried to find a way to co-exist with the Chinese, but the Dalai Lama went into exile with some followers to save his life in 1959, moving to India.
The Dalai Lama’s lack of bitterness is remarkable – he has lived in exile for more than 60 years – especially in the face of widespread disregard for human-rights abuses in Tibet by China, which is systematically working to destroy Tibetan culture. Gere is one of the few celebrities to continue to take an interest in the plight of Tibet.
The Dalai Lama describes the fact of his exile matter-of-factly, noting, “We are all equipped with the seed of compassion.” He has definitely not forgotten, but his compassion has allowed him to move forward and to continue to serve his people.
He comes across as far more open and original than many religious leaders, discussing how he is interested in science.
Dalai Lama urges scientists to look beyond the brain to the mind
HE CHIDES scientists for paying attention only to the physical brain, saying, “All emotions, constructive emotions, destructive emotions, are all part of the mind. But what is mind? Human mind is shapeless, not solid but very strong. Tibetan Buddhism is very much a logical approach to training of mind. Therefore, scientific research and our Tibetan tradition should be combined.”
Many scientists accept that besides the brain, there is “mind,” which can control our brain and emotions, he says. “Our peace of mind is something like [an] inner temple. The most important thing is: Your mind must be calm. So now we need some sort of education about... map of mind, map of emotions. Analyze, thinking, thinking, analyze: What kind of emotion is useful? What kind of emotion is harmful? Anger is destructive. Compassion is constructive... We should pay attention to how to strengthen positive emotions, and that automatically reduces negative emotions, nothing to do with religion, use our common sense.”
To minimize destructive emotions, he says, people need “tremendous determination or willpower, for that you need self-confidence... Everything depends on our compassionate motivation.”
Using scientific theory as his guide, he says that when people encounter difficulties, they can still sustain inner peace and kindness: “Whenever you get some doubt, utilize your human brain... and combine smart brain with warmheartedness. With these two things together, you can fly.”
He says he has accepted himself as “just a human being,” entitled to happiness, which has nurtured compassion for others in him. Acknowledging that human beings are selfish, he says it should be “wise selfishness, not foolish selfishness.”
Despite this selfishness, fostering what he calls a “compassionate mind” can bring peace and satisfaction, he claims, which can lead us to care for ourselves, our families, and our communities and can even bring peace on a national or international level.
He acknowledges that materialism is important and admits that even he is not immune to the lure of consumer culture and that he likes to visit stores. But naturally, he has criticism of the culture of immediate gratification, saying it leads to loneliness and emptiness.
He turns out to be a feminist, talking about how many important Tibetan spiritual leaders have been female. Other issues he weighs in on include global warming, which he sees as a challenge for people to work together to protect the world.
While there is clearly a cult of personality around him, he says he discourages hero worship: “So my friends, you are the master of yourself.”
Some will dismiss what he has to offer – and be turned off by some of the kitschy visuals – but those who listen may find food for thought.