The Buddha Comes to Hollywood

My personal Top 10 Favourite Buddhist movie clips from You Tube 

For people not born Buddhists it can be difficult to understand the teachings and philosophy of Buddhism. In the West we belong and seek attachment ,wealth and the cult of the individual are dominant and this is in opposition to the teachings of the Buddha.That's where the popular medium of the movies and in particular Hollywood can help - they can feature,pain, loss, desire and attachment thus these  common themes relate directly to the viewer about the major themes of Buddhism.

"There is nothing real about film. Nothing. Even the light particles that project the film can't be proven to exist. Nothing is there. "
Richard Gere

Below are a number of clips from movies that we hope will lead to a better understanding of the thinking and philsophy behind this unique religion .

"The fool who knows that he is a fool is for that very reason a wise man;  the fool who thinks that he is wise is called a fool indeed."

The Buddha

1. The Lion King - The Circle of Life 

2. Kundun - Theatrical Trailer 

3. Little Buddha - The Awakening 

4. Life of the Buddha - Music Video 

5. The Life of the Buddha - BBC Documentary

6. Why has the Bhodi-Dharma Left for the East ?

7. Spring Summer Fall Winter and Spring

8. Enlightenment Guaranteed

9 . Hi Dharma

10. Beautiful Inspiring Meditation Music & Buddha Sukhothai

(sneaked my own one in here - not strictly a movie!)

And beyond the top 10 ...  

Birth and Death is a grave event;

How transient is life!

Every minute is to be grasped.

Time waits for nobody.

Inscription on a Zen Gong

11. The Buddha comes to Sussex (Part 1)

12. The Zen Mind - An Introduction

13. The Life of the Buddha - Part 1 Animated Cartoon

14. The Life of the Buddha - Part 2 Animated Cartoon

15. PBS Documentary Life of the Buddha