In the 10th part of the series on Buddhism in India, art historian and producer-director Benoy K Behl tells us more about the monastic masked dance of the lamas, Cham
The film is about continuing Buddhist practice in India. It covers Odisha, Ladakh, Spiti, Kinnaur and Sikkim (Rumtek monastery and others). Much of the film is devoted to the monastic masked dance of the Lamas called the Cham.
Buddhism is a science of the mind. It addresses the deepest causes of sorrow and pain in the world. All sorrow comes from within us and is based upon negative emotions of greed and attachments. This faith helps us to understand ourselves, to rise in enlightenment to the Buddha Nature within us. To be free from the emotions which constantly disturb us and liberate the inner joy in each of us.
The Cham dance of the lamas signifies the victory of knowledge over ignorance. In Buddhist thought, the greatest evil is the ego. It is that sense of the self which is the greatest illusion that we must lose, in order to gain true knowledge.
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