The next Reel screening at the Adventure Centre Wednesday and Sunday (April 1 and 5) looks at the Buddhist transition into death.
Narrated by acclaimed Canadian artist Leonard Cohen, the two-part series Tibetan Book of the Dead explores ancient teachings on death and dying, and boldly visualizes the afterlife according to Tibetan philosophy.
Program 1, The Tibetan Book of the Dead: A Way of Life documents the history of The Tibetan Book of the Dead, tracing the book's acceptance and use in Europe and North America.
Program 2, The Tibetan Book of the Dead: The Great Liberation observes an old Buddhist lama and a 13-year-old novice monk as they guide a deceased person into the afterlife.
This book is the first English language translation of the famous Tibetan death text, The Great Liberation upon Hearing in the Intermediate State. Also known as the Bardo Thodol which means "liberation by hearing on the after death plane" (Bardo: after death plane, Thodol or Thotrol: liberation by hearing), it was originally written in the Tibetan language and is meant to be a guide for those who have died as they transition from their former life to a new destination.
The work has been traditionally attributed to Padma-Sambhava, an Indian mystic who was said to have introduced Buddhism to Tibet in the 8th century. Legend has it that while visiting Tibet, Padma-Sambhava found it necessary to conceal sanskrit works he had arranged to be written. The Tibetans of that time were not ready for the spiritual teachings contained therein, so he hid his texts in strange and remote locations, leaving them to be discovered at a later time when their spiritual message could be received by those with an open mind.
Included in the Progam 1 of the NFB documentary series is remarkable footage of the rites and liturgies surrounding and following the death of a Ladakhi elder as well as the views of the Dalai Lama on life and death. Progam 2 features the passage of the soul visualized with animation blended into actual location shooting.
Reel tickets are $7 or $5 for seniors and NFB members. It's free to become an NFB member, simply visit www.nfb.ca and receive10-flick passes $50. Doors open Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. and Sundays at 12:30 p.m.
