Guru Padmasambhava: The Second Buddha

Directed by Aparna Sanyal

Traversing centuries of Tibetan Buddhist lore, this film brings to life the fascinating story of Guru Padmasambhava - one of the greatest Buddhist teachers from the Indian sub-continent. Also referred to as Guru Rinpoche, he is credited with establishing the Buddha Dharma in Tibet in the 8th century, as well as initiating the 'Nyingma Lineage', that continues to be acknowledged as the oldest school of Buddhism to be still followed in the Himalayan regions of present-day Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Nepal and Mongolia. For many of us who know of Tibetan Buddhism through its most prominent contemporary teacher, His Holiness The Dalai Lama, this film offers a comprehensive look at its origins and the elements that make Vajrayana, the 'third' vehicle of Buddhism, so unique.