Towards a Buddhist cinema

"Carata Bhikkhave Carikam,

bahujana hitaya, babujana sukhaya"

(Wander forth O Monks, for the good of the many - for the well-being of the many).

The Buddha issued this sacred decree, to his pioneering disciples, almost immediately after he attained Supreme Enlightenment. Communication has always been a core-concept, in the Eternal Dispensation of the Supremely Enlightened Buddha.

After they achieve Moksha (Liberation), most sages, seek solitude to pass their days in Inner Absorption, experiencing the immeasurable joy of Release. On the contrary, the Supremely Enlightened Buddha, led his sacred life, amidst the hum and buzz of existence, guiding men and women out of the maelstrom of the troubling ways of the world - towards Realization.

The Buddha, traversed the Earth for forty-five long years after he attained Enlightenment, spreading his message of compassion and loving - kindness, to free the tormented worldlings from the recurring cycle of births and deaths.

The moment of Enlightenment, that transformed Ascetic Siddhartha into the Supreme Buddha, is ceremonially celebrated every year during the Vesak season. (May)

As the great good fortune of the contemporary world would have it, the 2600th anniversary of the Supreme Enlightenment of the Buddha, occurs next year 2011.

This is a highly esteemed spiritual event. In most other religious systems, a leader's birth and death may receive ceremonial commemoration - but not the moment of his Spiritual Transformation.

Viewed in this light, the 2600th anniversary of the attainment of Enlightenment by Ascetic Siddhartha is an unprecedented human event for Buddhists and for the right-thinking non-Buddhists as well.

This sacred anniversary has quite clearly heightened the interest of the global community in the unique life and the compassionate mission of the Supremely Enlightened Buddha. Most Buddhist countries have already formulated their agendas to celebrate the 2600th anniversary with fitting pomp and pageantry.

Dharmasena Pathiraja

When we take a panoptic view of today's global community, we cannot be too happy about the human condition in our time.

Much of the world is strife-riven. August and tension have cut deep into the social fabric. Millions of innocent children starve, and that in a world of plenty. Resentment, intolerance and short temper are rampant. Frustrations rage in a world of billowing expectations.

Gun culture roams free, making a mockery of all the discourses on social harmony. The over-powering stench of human evil, pollutes the atmosphere of wholesome relations between people.

The determined Presidential initiatives have eradicated the horrendous terrorism in our blessed land. But, the life-denying threat of the terrorist, is even present just below the surface in many human society. Pernicious views are in the air, and are caught by the gullible young, like a pandemic.

In such a gloomy global context, the 2600th anniversary of the Buddha's Enlightenment, is the perfect supreme moment, to send out His compassionate message to the waiting world. We can have unprecedented campaign of rites and rituals, pageantry and spectacle never seem before and massive gatherings of devotees on an unprecedented scale.

But, with all that, this is the most opportune moment to bestow upon the world, the Buddhas timeless message, to transform mankind.

Here, the enlivening news is this: "The International Sambuddhatva Jayanthi Buddhist Film Festival is currently ready to present the Supreme Life and the Eternal Teachings of the Enlightened Buddha, to the global community.

As the vehicle of their message, they have selected the universal language of today's human community - cinema.

It will surprise many to know that, the Supremely Enlightened Buddha himself, once resorted to a communications - Mode, that is quite similar to a sophisticated, ultra - modern film- technique.

The episode could be briefly given: Queen Khema, was a beauty queen as well. However, much the King entreated, she was reluctant to visit the monastery and see the Buddha. The Queen, had heard that the Buddha, discourses on physical beauty in a derogatory view". But, on one occasion, she decided to see the Buddha. In the distance, Queen Khema saw a lady fanning the Buddha. The lady was so exceedingly beautiful, that Khema felt, that in comparison she was down-right ugly. As Khema kept on looking at the beauty fanning the Buddha, suddenly the lady's hair turned grey. Her skin wrinkled. Her body got emaciated and bent. The complexion became dark. She fell down dead. The fan was thrown aside. Khema, from that day as did not want to be vain about her beauty.

The process through which the Buddha made the beauty go through all those stages instantly, is described as "fast forwarding" in modern cinema.

The film as "Siddhartha - The Buddha", that is being produced by the International Sambuddhatva Jayanthi Film Festival Organization, will be located partly in Sri Lanka.

Prince Siddhartha's city, Kapilavastu (Kimbulwatpura in Sinhala) will be re-created at Manelwatta, Kelaniya. The foundation stone for the city, was laid last Monday.

The President has donated land for the re-creation of one of the three palaces of Prince Sidhartha.

The crucial point about these re-creations, is, that after they have been utilized as sets for the Buddha film, they function as permanent centres of Buddhist studies.

The draft-script of this epic film, "Siddhartha Gauthama - The Buddha", has undergone a series of "incarnations", under the keen scrutiny of Kalakerthi Edwin Ariyadasa and Saman Weeraman.

The genius behind all these developments is Navin Gooneratne, President, Light of Asia Foundation.

Through his personal initiative, for one must part, two International Buddhist Film Festivals were held. This was in 2009 and 2010.

While, an International Buddhist Film Festival will take place 2011, the major event for that 2600th Sambuddhatva Jayanthi year is the presentation of the Epic Film on "Siddhartha Gauthama - the Buddha".

This epic Buddha Film, which received the blessings of eminent scholar - monks and of outstanding lay Buddhists, will be directed by well-known cinema expert Dr. Dharmasena Pathiraja.

Nepal Archaeologist Dr. Basanto Bidari, will be fully associated with this epic film. This will mark the transformation of Sri Lanka, into the global hub of Buddhist Cinema.