Samsara (2001) User Reviews (49)

Profound and almost perfect

[abisio · 9/10 · 6 October 2002]

Samsara runs over two and a half hours, and arguably, it needs every minute. The story is minimal, what comes out of it is what make it worth.

A young Lama (Tashi), after a three years, three months and three days meditation secluded in a cave, is returned to this monastery and ordered as a higher level monk. However, he begins to feel some sexual awareness precipitated for a brief contact with a young woman and hesitates about the life he had chosen. Considering that Buddha began his spiritual journey at 29 (Tashi is in his early twenties), he leaves the monastery and starts a normal agriculture life in the rural Himalayas. He of course will discover all the temptations, deceptions and frustrations of the world he never knew. And he will be corrupted too.

This is not a commercial occidental movie, so even if the story seems predictable, nothing terribly dramatic or convulsed happens. The world we are seeing is a simple one. People could cheat on each others, but the value of life is high, as also is the value of love and the traditions. Tashi will try to change things but he will be the one changing. If changes are for good of evil, is for the viewer to decide.

This is not a self discovery trip either (at least for Tashi). We are the one who discover that not world is absolutely better than the other, but the human being is capable of destroying everything with his own selfishness, particularly the ones who loves.

There is not a moralizing tale here, easy answers and judgments are avoided but one. Tashi's wife final monologue, questioning the women's part in history and in the religion is as valid to Buddhism as to any other religion I know). That was an unexpected and essential surprise, creating the perfect end for an almost perfect movie.

India is not Tibet

[lora_traykova · 8/10 · 28 July 2003]

I have read all the comments on this film here and I was surprised one more time to see how differently people react to one and the same film. What struck me also was that some of the viewers clearly mistake Tibet for India, because apparently they don't know that there are Buddhists in India as well.

Buddhism has its origins in Hinduism itself as it is believed that Buddha is a reincarnation of lord Vishnu The Preserver, one of the three main Hindu gods. But through the centuries Buddhism slowly developed as an independent religion. The film was shot in Ladakh which is in the Indian Himalayas, not in Tibet and two of the characters go to the town of Leh which is the capital of Ladakh and hence it is also in India. I thought that it is important to clarify these details as I don't think that one should mistake Tibet for India. India is not just Bollywood and as a country living under the phrase "unity in diversity" it surely has lots of different religious communities and lots of different cultures.

As for the film itself - I loved it, not only because it has been so beautifully shot (by the Bulgarian D.P. Rali Ralchev) and not only because it meets us with a part of the world we barely know, but mostly because I could identify with the characters and their desires, anguish, pain, joy, dreams. "Samsara" (the Hindu concept of reincarnation) asks some philosophic questions in a very earthly manner, I think. The ideas of Buddhism, the detachment from earthly life in order to reach enlightenment, the conquering of ourselves, our ego, our earthly desires (to love, to have family, to enjoy the simple but earthly life of a farmer, to possess objects and to command love from the others) are ideas or rather dilemmas that many of us face from time to time. Buddha has said that the middle way is the right way to follow, but how can this way be found? Is it through experiencing the earthly life, then renouncing it and then devoting oneself to the life a monk, choosing the spiritual life in search of the almighty truth and the great soul? This was the way Buddha has chosen - being a prince himself, having a family, and then renouncing it and devoting himself to the life of a recluse, but of a recluse who has reached the enlightenment and a recluse willing to share the truth with the others.

Everyone chooses one's own way. Tashi is a person who asks himself questions and he's a person who searches for his own right path. To say that he is only an egoist who leaves his wife when he gets fed up the life of a family man and a farmer is quite simplistic, I think. I believe he has been very honest from the beginning to the end and that is why he left the monastery at first and came back to it in the end. The important idea that I have discovered was that no matter what kind of path one will choose there will always be an anguish along the way. Maybe it is because of the eternal question unanswered - what to choose - to satisfy all desires or to conquer the one and only? No matter what we choose we will always doubt from time to time that maybe we should have chosen the opposite.

What I really liked about this film also is the fact that it presented us with the female point of view in the final monologue of Tashi's wife Pema. She was given no choice from him when he decided to go back to the monastery. She had to stay behind and take care of their son. She was shown to us as the keeper of the traditions (not allowing her son to play with the modern toy his father bought him from Leh) but at the same time she had that free spirit to make love to the unknown Lama and afterward to even marry him. I liked the sensitivity of the writer / director who cared not only to show us the pain of Pema when realizing she's losing his husband, but also to make her an intelligent woman who thinks and who turns out be as wise and devoted as her Lama husband.

A monk with desires

[hillsiuwaterworld · 7/10 · 20 February 2005]

A beautiful set, spectacle landscape only revealing a story of a ugly fact. What is the religion really about? When Pema asked Tashi 'see what I have done? Did you do this for me?' and Tashi answered 'I only did it for myself.' It is very true. He is such a selfish man and the other only are his step stone. Pema and the son became a victim. He just want to explore life and Pema helped him to become another level of his next monk life.

Location is always important to such a atmosphere film and this film have utilized it to the most. 6 out of 10 goes to the beautiful piece of land.

My only criticism is the beginning of the film. The bird graphic was a bit too harsh. It looks too fake. The film would have wonderful if we forget this quick done work.

Different way of interpretation of Buddism

[s_warissara · 10/10 · 23 March 2005]

I found this movie, a very interesting and meaningful. There were not more than 100 words went on in this movie but the picture itself, gave the viewer many things to think about. What Tashi really did was reversing the Buddha path. Buddha was the one normal human being before he realize the need to discover what life is all about, what he discovered was suffering in living one life. He tried to find the ways to settle with all the suffering, not by avoiding but realize that there are suffering and and he faced it in the noble way.

Tashi, however, live his life in the monastery, believe in something he was told to believe not something that he discovered himself. Every human has the feeling of sexual awakening at one point of time, what Tashi did was that he quit the monk-hood, partly because the guiltiness of having such feeling but at the same time desire to discovered the reality for himself. HE entered into the life and began to discover with all the truth in the world, full with desire, anger, jealously, deception etc. but at the same time he discover love, caring, warmth, and happiness. The decision he chose, for me, he was running away from suffering by going back to peace and serenity of being monastery. What he did was not totally right or totally wrong but it does suggesting something. HE is avoiding all the desire that always backfire him throughout the movie. Pema came to him and enlighten him with her thought. Enlightenment does not mean that you have to quit all the normal life and being alone in the temple to cut all the desires. Maybe what make you enlightened is the fact that you stay in life and faced the suffering in the acceptable noble ways. Maybe it is satisfy most of the need but at the same time conquer your own self.

Impressed with Samsara

[msleslie · 10/10 · 19 July 2003]

This is an exquisitely sensitive look at part of the life of a young lama(monk), and the choices he makes. A joy for anyone interested in Himalayan culture and religion. The photography of the extraordinary setting is moving, the soundtrack haunting, and the lead actors deeply touching in their portrayals. It took me a while to slow down and appreciate the rhythm of the film, as it is almost a meditation.

First Best thing that happened to me in the year 2006

[satorithemovie-1 · 10/10 · 1 January 2006]

Normally I would be with hundreds celebrating the arrival of the new year. Last night I decided to be alone with SAMSARA. When the film ended at 1h40am, I was in year 2006 -transformed. A masterpiece about choices that we all have to make sooner or later. I've spent hours surfing net on SAMSARA, reading reactions of people from Brazil to Bombay to Bucharest to Bangladesh. How wonderful so many people are united by SAMSARA. The film opens up your heart and soul. I am normally too much an intellectual when it comes to liking a film. But this one just took me like a storm -mesmerizing cinematography, soothing sound track (one of the best sound design ever!), soul-stirring landscapes and above all masterly written and directed by Pan Nalin -whoever he maybe. It is one of the most powerful first feature I have ever seen. I now eagerly await Nalin's next feature VALLEY OF FLOWERS. Meanwhile for anyone who has not yet seen this movie I say to them just go for it with open mind, leave your issues behind and just dive into SAMSARA...

Self-Realization goes beyond gender & occupation !!

[carlosyrigoyen · 10/10 · 15 January 2004]

Very rarely one can find such a well balanced movie with a full commitment from the whole staff: Director (Nalin Pan), all the Actors & the total Crew. Shooting a film like this is not an easy task. The beauty of the locations is just breathless (at several thousands miles of altitude!)... And if the hall has a good air conditioning system, for sure you will really feel the freezing winds that blows at the Himalayas by watching this outstanding film. It is not only the performance of the actors (animals included!... a smart dog called Kala -"Time" in Sanskrit- by instance or some impressive eagle!) but the quality of the script. There are some passages of the film that just tastes like a short documentary. And immediately it is softly engaged with the story. No matter how high could be your achievement, if it is not on balance with the Life Flow, you will face the even... unavoidably? Perhaps... Tashi (Shawn Ku)is a consecrated Lama that has been in the yoghi experience of Samadhi Meditation (Fullest Consciousness) during three years, three months, three weeks, three days... A little bit to much for his Master's criteria but the Disciple wanted to test himself till the very limits of his own potential. Recognized as a Khenpo (a title of tibetan scholastic mastery), some further and higher Initiation will be bestowed on him by the Highest Rimpocheh nearby. However, there is some other experience he has never faced till then: the awakening of his own sexuality and the relationship with the key of human gender, the woman! Therefore this new step will be postponed and replaced by his own decision's sake. As a layman, the Lama he used to be is almost gone. As a husband, he shows the main aspect of any other man of his condition. As a father, he forgets to be the one closest to his own child and... once more: he ran away. Finally, Tashi has to face the reality of Maya & Samsara, the value of the Teachings inside the Dharma from his Master and the higher spiritual level of his wife, the beautiful & convincing Pema (Christy Chung). After listening to her, there are very few subsisting doubts concerning the equal rights for both women & men to obtain the Buddhahood. This is the kind of movie one can see and watch time after time, just to check oneself's evolving... And to enjoy a very nice soundtrack with the exotic melodies of the dialogues in Tibetan Languages. Please, don't loose it!!

Tibetan Aesthetic. Sensual Women. Sex vs Monkhood

[dennisyoon · 6 June 2004]

I was directed to this film after reading a review of "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring Again", directed by Ki Duk Kim which is highly recommended as well.

The love scenes in Samsara are gorgeous to behold and the female love/sex interests are very seductive. Monk Tashi is very well portrayed as so human and fallible as he leaves the monastery to pursue sex or worldly life. He was raised in the monastery so as his sexuality awakened he had to find out for himself. He rationalized that even Buddha was married before he was enlightened and so Tashi felt he should be able to know this too before he devoted himself to monkhood. Little does he know what is in store for this desire he has to experience...

The tale is more of the excursion of a Monk and his experience of marriage, sex and emotions that arise than of his enlightenment. He found out what he had to know and paid the price. The film is lush with Tibetan style dress, architecture and landscapes. The love scenes are a treat for the eyes and the lead actors are very convincing yet more subtle than raw.

Check out "Kundun" and "Razor's Edge"(Bill Murray)and "Master of Zen" as well if you are interested in drama as well as spirituality.

Misrepresents a Buddhist Myth

[gruenig · 7/10 · 7 August 2003]

This was an interesting film, but viewers should know that it does not represent the traditional tale(s) of the relationship between Buddha and his wife, Yasodhara. According to the oldest (?) lineage of Buddhism (Theravada), Yasodhara knew about the predictions about Buddha's spiritual destiny; discussed his leaving with him; and offered her blessing to him when he left.

Other traditions offer versions claim a variety of things, including (a) that he was not married at all; (b) that he was married and stayed with his wife.

The spiel at the end by Tashi's wife did not reflect any of these myths. It seems to be based on a possibly agenda-ed misreading of the tradition and will be seen by many Buddhists as informationally problematic in that it misrepresents the story of the Buddha.

Sex and Spirituality

[johnfos · 10/10 · 27 May 2005]

'Samsara' tells the story of Tashi, a young Tibetan Buddhist monk, who renounces monastic life in favour of a relationship with a beautiful young woman named Pema. Together they have a child and as the story unfolds Tashi's life in the material world becomes increasingly complex and difficult.

The movie successfully captures the difference between the contemplative life of a Buddhist monk, and the worldly life of a husband. This is most clearly shown in the stark contrast between the opening sequence of the movie, where Tashi is in a long meditation retreat, and the sensual sex scenes later on.

The majestic landscapes of Ladakh, one of India's most remote regions, provide a pristine Himalayan backdrop. And the original soundtrack and chanting is haunting at times.

The movie has English sub-titles and moves along quite slowly with limited dialogue and many pregnant pauses. This may be disconcerting for some viewers, but to me this reflective mood seemed appropriate for the subject-matter.

'Samsara' could be said to build on the groundwork provided by popular movies such as 'Seven Years in Tibet' and 'Kundun', to provide a more authentic and detailed portrayal of the vicissitudes of life and culture in central Asia. (If you enjoy 'Samsara' you may also like 'The Cup'.) This award-winning movie can only enhance a growing interest in Tibetan Buddhism in the West.

Everything is Maya

[ranjithknmbr · 7/10 · 29 October 2012]

A movie on the life of a Buddhist monk. Though he was sent to monastery when he was small, after going through three years of meditation and getting the Khenpo degree from Lama he starts thinking of life. Without 'living the life' how can he know the difference. Even 'Budha' had a family life before coming out of palace in the night in search of peace. Thus he comes out for 'LIVING', marries a girl of his choice and leads a life like any common man. He also falls for money, pleasure and finally starts feeling the meaninglessness of life when he gets a message from his teacher. He leaves his family and goes back to his old school. His wife meets him on the way and asks what about her life?? He attained 'realization' at the expense of her life. How can she leave her son and do the same thing what he has done?? What Budha has done for the people to realize the 'spontaneity of life' he could not understand. To understand that he has gone through all sorts of emotions...Then he realizes that his wife is having a better understanding on Samsara than him and living a normal life also one can attain spirituality.

The location of the film, Ladakh is very beautiful. Maybe the government can use the film for Tourism promotion. The photography and music excellent. The starting scene has given a lot more promise than what followed. Even then the movie is good to watch as it shows 'LIFE'.

A delight for the senses

[yramesh · 10/10 · 27 May 2005]

I loved everything about this movie, the story, the acting, the scenery and the love scenes. The raw passion that Tashi's character exudes throughout the movie and the tenderness that is Pema's character moved me.

The ending was one of the best I've seen in any movie. The poignant and piercing questions that Pema asks reminded me of a monologue from a Indian art-house film from the eighties called "Nikaah". The monologue (at the start of the movie) so eloquently spells out the plight of women throughout history.

The scene where the Sujatha lures Tashi, stands out in my mind as being very very sexy.

Drowned by its style

[nihao · 6/10 · 21 June 2012]

Pan Nalin's debut takes us on an ambitious ride through many facets of man's life. I do not like to be spoon fed. The films visuals, its art direction, its costumes, its set decoration are really TOO MUCH. TOO PERFECT. They go beyond National Geografic, and end up near an ethnic VOGUE fashion shoot. The 'starring couple' are gorgeously repellent. The female lead is a local (?) answer to 'flavor of the decade' Angelina Jolie. The secondary characters are so expertly cast that you feel manipulated. This is a movie made for Americans. It is a Californian's daydream of exotic proportions. We are transported to something Disney would have loved to concoct, had he allowed sex to creep into his book-of-rules. what the film DOES succeed in, is in giving us a worthy 'finale'. A message which, after such a rally of clichés, comes as a welcome surprise. We hear a WOMAN's view-point! We learn a lesson. "You can and will find your spiritual path amidst people, in nature...just by LIVING." it is not necessary (or healthy) to retire to a temple, as a yogi, or a monk, in order to fulfill your spiritual aspirations. So, it comes as a pity that such a good message should be served up with cynical, glossy manipulation by the director. Bertolucci gave us a typically Italian visual overkill with 'Little Buddha', but Pan Nalin just couldn't resist giving the Indian Tourist Board a brisk business boost. All I felt is..."Oh God! More hordes of tourists will be squirming at home, desiring a slice of all that exotic, stylish Nepalese decor. More authentic plates, mirrors, instruments etc. will be sold off to N.Y. lawyers' wives for good $$$.... and , goodbye to what little is left of this wonderful corner of the planet.!" And Pan Nalin is , no doubt wondering how to pay his Mulholland Drive rent. His next film may give us the answer.

Unbelievably silly

[nishant_r · 2/10 · 1 April 2006]

What appears to be a complex exploration of spirituality is to put it mildly - a lame, half-baked con-job. Mind you, the film has very strong production values, it is a well-crafted film - those alone account for my 2 stars. But the questions it tries to raise are childish and the film falls completely flat in the last hour - the filmmaker's intellectual laziness shows through as it descends to melodrama. Not that there is anything wrong with melodrama - but the film sets out on a completely different tone in the beginning. The characters are decidedly stereotypical and the stories and events are particularly predictable and boring. Frankly, the intellectual/spiritual legitimacy that such films get is unnerving.

Absolutely Exceptional!

[poo-sharma · 10/10 · 2 April 2006]

I am not a festival buff, to kill the scorching heat I walked into Imax Multiplexes in Mumbai, discovered that there is a festival going on. I read about all the films programmed -one appealed to me the most was SAMSARA. Great luck, show was on in an hour. When I came out of the hall, my heart and mind were blown. I know nothing about this film and where it came from but wow what a discovery! I surfed net to find out more. Second shock came soon after when I discovered that it is made by an Indian Filmmaker based in Paris (and in India). Pan Nalin, never ever heard about him? My mind started wondering we talk about our Blacks and Devadas and Parineeta's and Pahelis -but what about this masterpiece? Isn't it pity that such films were distributed worldwide, millions saw it but no release in India? Is Mr. Ghai, Mr. Chopra are you listening? Indian medias wake up, Samsara is a sign! Here is a film and a director which India should be proud of!

The film is truly an eye opener what India can do to play a vital role in international cinema. So many loud talks about crossovers and here is a whisper called Samsara and that is truly a crossover. I will eagerly wait for Pan Nalin's other films: Ayurveda:Art of Being, Valley of Flowers...

Good!

[Gordon-11 · 3 February 2003]

This film is about a Buddhist monk who decided to give up his monastery life and marry a woman to satisfy his sexual desires. The film was shot in northern India. The scenery, buildings, culture and the people were so similar to Tibet, that many viewers wondered if the film was really shot in India.

I watched this film in the Hong Kong International Film Festival. The film director Mr Pan Nalin and the leading actress, Miss Christy Chung were present to let the spectators to ask questions or to raise some comments about this film. I thought it was a very good idea, and during the Q&A session there were so many people asking sensible and thought provoking questions that made the whole film watching experience almost a spiritual experience.

The way that the story unfolded was very well planned too. In the beginning the film posed a question: "How to prevent a drop of water from ever drying up?". In the end, the monk faced a dilemma of whether to go back to his monastery or to go back to his wife. Either way he would have to betray the other party. Therefore he seeked an answer from this riddle. The answer was "Throw the drop of water into the ocean". For me, I think that this means that the monk needs to go back to the religion, and leave his wife and children behind. This is because, to prevent himself from being lost and confused, he should go back to where he belong. Obviously, this is my interpretation of the film, and it may not necessarily be right.

The film was entirely in Tibetan. I think this is such an achievement to make a film in Tibetan! This made the film so authentic, as if it is a documentary about a monk. In addition, the scenery was so beautiful in the film. I have always loved the mountain landscape, and this film provided many mountains for me to admire. Another point I like about this film is that, it didn't have a lot of conversation, but the story and the emotion can be clearly communicated to the spectators.

This film is powerful and beautiful. It is also spiritual, unlike a commercial film which aims to make money. It provokes people to think, and to reflect upon their own life. However, if you do not like Tibet or understand about Buddhism, then this film may be boring.

Simply beautiful

[zukerfrei · 10/10 · 2 August 2002]

This was an excellent movie with beautiful cinematography. Full credit is due to everyone involved. A true to life person, even if he is a monk -- a follower of god, has hidden desires. He seeks the love, the true experience of 'samsara' and so, he follows his heart...

Added to my All Time Favorite List

[ramblr78 · 10/10 · 4 July 2012]

Wonderful original story, clear metaphors everything made sense. The films metaphors speak clearly, you can tell the director and crew put real love into the film. I really can't say enough about this film to do it justice so at least i'd like to say, great job cast crew and director of this film, I really loved it. I've been to Ladakh 3 times now and have been in the back-country where there are no roads and only little hamlets and small towns, and stayed with the people just like this, it is one of my favorite places on earth. Another bonus is Christy Chung and Neelesha Bovara are both gorgeous and the love making scenes were original and extremely sensual. I put this on my all time favorite list in between The Godfather and Star Wars. Although films rankings on my list may change, the favorites never go away. Anyway Thank you for creating such a wonderful masterpiece.

will change your life! a masterpiece!

[sophie_hll · 10/10 · 28 January 2005]

Till I saw Samsara I never believed that movies can move mountains or change your life. Pan Nalin's Samsara did change my life, gave me confidence to make choices in life and in love. It is one of those rare movies which continues to grow better and better with time. It has an immortal story telling at its heart.

I waited for two whole years hoping that Miramax will release this masterly crafted film in the US (film has opened in 45 countries with huge success), which we Americans need so badly, but their website keeps on announcing new dates every month... Finally I got to see Samsara in Canada. Woooooo!

Open your heart and mind and let Samsara flood you in with positive energy. It is film-making at its best. I am a big cinefil, for me there is absolutely no great filmmaker to come out of India after Satyajit Ray, Ghatak and Guru Dutt. That was some 45 years ago. Would Pan Nalin be this international figure ? Time will tell. Many might not agree but Nalin's film falls in the categories of master directors: Scorsese, Coppola, Mann, Scott, Bertolucci, Bergman or even Tarkovsky.

Hollywood needs directors like Nalin, Anyone is listening in LA?

Fighting Temptation with Sin

[haondoor · 6/10 · 4 December 2016]

Samsara, written and directed by Pan Nalin, and released 2001, starts off with a young boy watching a herd of sheep when an eagle comes by and drops a rock on one of the cattle, killing it. With such a weird beginning, it is assumed that the main story line will follow the same suit, where in reality the whole movie is easy to follow and is actually quite pleasurable to watch as a whole. Of course, the little boy at the beginning, we discover to be the main character of the film whose name is Tashi. Tashi, starting at the age of five spends his entire early years in the presence of other Buddhist monks and learning their way of life. Eventually living the life of monks, although filled with exciting adventures like helping a man who has been meditating for a little over three years, takes a toll that is too big on Tashi and he is sent out into the world to experience the life that he dreams about having. Although the dreams that fill Tashi head are overexerted and idealistic he is convinced that they are real and to the viewer's amazement Tashi finds himself a perfect girl, perfect career, and all the money he could ever ask for. However, what goes around comes around, eventually, and Tashi's life begins to fall apart starting with the burning of half of his crop the next year. Soon after he falls for another woman, this time choosing a poor Indian girl, Tashi eventually discovers that the correct place to be the entire time is away from love, lust, and riches and decides to head back to the ministry he originated from to find the true life he has been missing the entire time. Overall, the best part of Samsara is the idea that to discover true enlightenment and direction a person must delve into the culture that is all around him and through that he/she will be made new, and open their eyes to the true meaning and way of life. Though even if one's personal opinion differs from that ideology, Samsara is a great movie to watch simply to increase one's knowledge of Buddhist culture and delve into new ideas of how to be a better and smarter human being.

how can you make a drop of water never evaporate...

[vlado_iankov · 10/10 · 13 August 2003]

Samsara is one of those films that helps find answers to eternal questions one has been asking unconsciously for a long time. What makes our earthly existence worthwhile? How do we achieve self-perfection and purification? Are we capable of self-direction and self-fulfillment? The camera ushers us into the unknown to the Westerner world of Buddhist monks in the astonishingly contrastive and majestic landscape of Himalayas. A procession of lamas reaches for the mountain to bring back from long meditation Tashi - a young monk who is to become a lama. Tashi is brought back to the monestery but instead of continuing his quest for Nirvana, he falls victim to his sexual awakening and realizes that there are other ways to achieve enlightment. He abandons the monestery and his spiritual teacher Apo to marry the beautiful Pema whom he met during a harvest blessing. Thus, Tashi enters Samsara - the world of sensual desires and never-ending cycle of life and death, joy and sorrow. He is now faced with a much more complex environment he seems unprepared to cope with. His wife Pema becomes his new spiritual leader into this new world of countless desires. The film is a real cinematographic masterpiece. The setting of the Buddhist temple, the change of seasons and colour in the Himalayas, the costumes and customs of local people create a picturesque delight to the eye. The sensual love scences and Tantric paintings add to the wholeness of the picture. If you seek refuge from the mainstream Holywood production, Samsara is a must to see.

Thank you

[Rejisior · 10/10 · 14 October 2008]

I just wanted to express my gratitude to Pan Nalin and the entire cast and crew of "Samsara" for creating this brilliant film. I have watched it many times by now and it's one of my favorites.

Being Bulgarian, I am also proud that there's a significant contribution of Bulgarian artists to the production.

But "Samsara" wasn't just a *good film experience* for me, and that's the reason I write this. It changed me.

Everyone has a path in life and we all discover different signs along the path.

"Samsara" was a sign for me.

The story, the music, the visuals... something happened in my mind that is beyond my ability to explain.

Truth is beyond words and that is the purpose of making art - to try and capture a *feeling of truth* and transmit it in an earthly, impermanent form - a poem, a song, a kiss, a film.

"Samsara" touched me and helped me.

Thank you for this.

I'm looking forward to your new creations.

beautiful images but storyline is quite slim

[tienon2000 · 3/10 · 6 May 2002]

this movie is certainly beautiful in words of images and great landscape but I guess this is just a peace of exotism for occidental people... The storyline line is in the end not much more original than any american romantic comedy. All the characters are caricatural (the bad one, the bitch...). Seems we have seen it many times. Sorry

Beginner's mind

[chaos-rampant · 20 February 2014]

In Buddhism there is something called 'expedient means'. You won't speak to a fisherman about emptiness in the same way as to a mathematician, the terms and metaphors change according to circumstances. This speaks of the general practicality and suppleness within Buddhism, there is no attachment to scripture, the point is to help ourselves across using whatever is at hand.

Here we have a Buddhist parable on faith, a young man who's spent all his life in a monastery is nagged inside that he has been trying to cleanse himself before any dust had time to settle. In the opening scenes we see a procession of monks open up a cave where he has been meditating for three years, his hair and nails have grown, dust has settled on the frail, ascetic body. As they clean him up on the way to the monastery we see a young man's face. This is all counterpointed with the Buddha's lifestory, a prince who didn't set out on the journey until late in his 20s.

'Expedient means' in this case means narrative depth is sacrificed so we can get with more clarity the moment of suffering.

The consequence from a cinematic standpoint is that it's evocative enough; windswept Himalayan landscapes, textures, passage of time. But the journey is schematic, from purity in the monastery to defilement in the village, from contentment to the onset of desire. A fabled reality means that what's missing here is a fuller trajectory of a person being changed, we simply jump ahead to the crucial points of the parable.

Something else from the Buddhist point of view though.

Buddhism has developed a robust model about life and practical tools that actually work. Its mission is not really to converse with scientists about the beginning of the cosmos or become bogged down in epistemology about its findings. Its mission from the beginning has been to put an end to suffering; along the way a body of knowledge emerges because in Buddhism ending suffering is not an abstract ideal left to a god's grace, it is a daily practice of observing mind and self, all sorts of insights appear.

There's no question that the problem of conveying an insight is mirrored across Buddhism and film. You say too much and you risk obviating the matter, too little and maybe it's not enough. Here as a deep inspection and mindful exercise the film falls short, the fabled reality puts us at a distance. But the narrative moments when desire and dissatisfaction manifest should be familiar to all and carry a simple power that is the essential Buddhist matter, seeing suffering right now.

Beginner's Buddhism is some of the most powerful of all.

To cease one or to please thousands?

[dannatyo · 8/10 · 4 March 2018]

The film "Samsara" was made as a result of the collaboration of many countries: India, France, Italy, Germany, and thus, of many cultures. Nevertheless, the outcome turned out to be quite authentic in relation to Asian culture and Buddhist traditions specifically. If you are already familiar with Asian films, this movie would not surprise you with its pretty slow pace, absence of dynamics and vivid actions, but clear philosophical message. The idea of the film is in its name, i.e. "Samsara". The main character goes all the way through ascetic way of life to the obtaining a family with the only one purpose - reach the enlightenment and get out of these infinite cycle of births, deaths and human sins. What is important here is that this monk, whose name is Tashi, have chosen to reach the Dharma in unusual way. He decides for himself that in order to cease all the cravings, it is important to firstly experience and feel them. And in my opinion, that is likely to be a right way to go in terms of accepting one religion or the other. At some point of studying Buddhism and how the Sangha is functioning, I, personally, asked myself: "Is it right that some newborns are given to the monastery so that they have no other choice rather than accepting Buddhism as their way of life? What if it is not what they would like to do in future, and everything they would do will not come from their hearts, but just would be the result of habit?" That turned out to be the case of Tashi. Even after meditating for 3 years, he could not achieve the enlightenment because his heart was still in searching for some pleasures. But when he finally reached it, he understood that now he wants more and more. And there, the main question of the whole movie comes: "What is more important: to please thousands of cravings or to get rid of one?" The answer to this is left to the viewers, as usually. What I liked in this film and what have not been mentioned in any Buddhist films that I have watched, is the importance of women, of wives in the society, and the egoistic nature of this so highly valued "detachment from everything". The wife of Tashi was there for him all the way through those difficulties in their life, but at the end of the day, he, like Buddha Sakyamuni, just left her with their son when he thought he was ready to achieve enlightenment. But nobody thinks that probably his wife was the first one to achieve it and was guiding him, but she was so full of compassion and that she cannot left everything she has. Can we call this enlightenment? Can we still undermine the role of women in Buddhism? So this was an important and unique idea that this movie has demonstrated. Overall, the film has several unique messages to think about, and for those who love philosophical movies, it is definitely a must-watch. I did not like the camera work, because it was not an aesthetically pleasant film to watch. I also expected that there might have been beautiful nature views, which were not depicted here, but are present in most of the Asian films. But probably, it was made intentionally to show the real life, but not just a pretty picture. Also even for me, a person who does not love action films, it was too slow. Some episodes could have been a little shorter in order not to lose the viewer's attention. But in general, I would recommend this film not to general audience, but to people who are probably struggling with finding themselves in life, or who are interested in Buddhism and Asian culture.