Spirituality on celluloid
July 2012
The Inner Path, an international New Delhi-based Buddhist festival of films, exhibitions, philosophy, performing arts, discourses, and discussions was the first ever festival of Buddhism in India. It was organised by the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC), in association with Devki Foundation and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
A still from the movie, Renunciation Abinikmana The spiritual themes of renunciation, detachment, walking the spiritual path were captured beautifully through the 20 feature films and documentaries that were selected from around the globe and featured in the festival. The Second Buddha by Benoy K Behl explores the true story of Guru Padmasambhava, who, with his magical and flamboyant masked dance, transformed the people. The Sandstorm directed by Nabendu Ghosh, set in 100 BC deals with the touchy subject of a monk who raised two children, a boy and a girl. In Renunciation Abinikmana, the protagonist, a monk, faces the dilemma of choosing between his spiritual goals and worldly affections. Various artists like Pradeepta Kishore Das, Nityanand Sahu, and Gagan Vij among others exhibited the growing presence of Buddhism in contemporary paintings and sculptures.
Hira Paul, associate professor, department of Buddhist Studies, university of Delhi, spoke on the topic of Bodhisattvas in Indian thought and art. He said, 'A Bodhisattva understands the reality behind duality, which can only be obtained with a compassionate heart. Compassion begins with our own self, and finally extends to everybody.”
Christel Pilz, a journalist from Germany, outlined the way to find a Bodhisattva, “Buddhist teachings help us in understanding the core of the mind. it helps us understand the ego. The essence of Buddhism is to transcend the ego.”
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