Wednesday, December 2, 2009

"Crazy Wisdom" (trailer)



"Crazy Wisdom: The Life and Times of Chogyam Trungpa" directed by Johanna Demetrakas, produced by Lina Leeman

Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the "bad boy of Buddhism," shattered notions about how an "enlightened" guru should behave when he abandoned his monk's vows and eloped with a 16 year old British girl. He founded Shambhala Int'l, which some call a cult and others a made up lineage, then bequeathed it to his son. Twenty years after his death, Trungpa's name still evokes outrage and admiration. What made him tick? What is crazy wisdom? And just what is enlightenment in Tibetan Buddhism anyway?

Warrior King of Shambhala: My Life with Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche (Jeremy Hayward): A pioneer in introducing Tibetan Buddhism to the West, Chogyam Trungpa is also one of its most controversial figures. Born in Tibet and trained in the traditional manner, he arrived in the U.S. in 1970, a time when there was virtually no knowledge of Tibetan Buddhism in the general culture. He defied notions of how a holy man should act. Dressing in Western clothing and at times exhibiting unconventional behavior, his "crazy wisdom" and his anti- "spiritual materialism" made him a magnet for a generation of counterculture spiritual seekers. This book begins when Hayward meets Trungpa in 1970, then progresses year by year until Trungpa’s death and beyond.

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