What is Bardo and what do we do in so-called Bardo - an intermediate state? Buddhism notes six intermediate states: the Bardo of this life; the Bardo of Meditation; the Bardo of Dream; the Bardo of Dying; the Bardo of Dharmata; and the Bardo of Existence. We received so many instructions and initiations from high Lamas regarding the Bardo and its related teachings in our life. Nonetheless, we cannot really imagine how it appears in reality or feels about it? So for that visualization to occur, we might need some object like that of a movie - the combination of sight and sound. It can trigger our thoughts and imaginations on the teachings we had already received.
To this rescue, Mr. Yeashy Dorji, a businessman to fluent Dzongkha Speaker to Poet, who is into film-making now has extended his kindness by telling stories through the making of movies on Bardo. In his every successful movie there are a lot of takeaways - dialogues, scenes enacted, songs, and messages through his movies are so meaningful in my own opinion. We must read between the lines of his dialogues in a movie as every line gives a feeling of enlightening thoughts. I personally feel his movies teach us or remind us of a good way to reflect on our own path to a good life if not enlightenment, although, the latter seems a long way to go.
His most hit films I believe, Nyeelam Bardo and Sipa Bardo are two movies that contain informative, entertaining, and enlightening content as we delve deeper down into our thoughts about what he is trying to convey. Apart from verbal teachings we get from spiritual masters in our life every day, this simply serves as the practical solution to what actually a Bardo means as he portrayed in Nyeelam Bardo and Sipa Bardo. However, due to our differing views, we tend to make judgments quickly rather than digesting what is being offered as the best solution to reflect on our self. I think films cannot be all about adventure, love, music, and stunts. But it should be informative and at least tell a story which is present in all the films without which movies cannot be made. There won’t be a movie without a story to tell. However, the feeling is sometimes different from one another which is basically related to the choice of character, actor, and sometimes inclined towards our own expectation.
I really appreciate what Mr Yeashy Dorji is after, as his films is all about
portraying different forms of Bardo and educating viewers based on the Buddhist principles of ‘Lay Judray’ (karma/cause and effect), which is a timely reminder that we all need to reflect on what we do and how we do things in our everyday life.
My message here at last is a request to watch movies objectively, not subjectively, and read between the lines. Choice of character and actors may please you for some time, but it's not guaranteed always, so try to practice unbiased thinking on such feelings.
Kadrinche for reading la ( LA is a Bhutansese word of respect attached at the end of conversation)
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