Buddhaa

blue

admin — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:37:44 +0000

“Ell Hogali Shivane” translates to where do I go Shiva. This is the crux of the story of Bengaloored. Writer Babruvahana feels lost in his own city once he returns after 10 years. He’s on the verge of completing his book about a man who loses everything. But unknown to him, he’s being affected by the city & her dwellers in a very subtle way. He tries to make a life worth living in the city but life itself has other plans & orchestrates such havoc that he himself never imagined.

Ananda & Buddha

admin — Fri, 08 May 2009 07:28:45 +0000

“Ananda lay a mat between the Sala Trees, the time has come for me to leave this body.” These words arose out of the silence within me. I myself was neither disturbed nor excited to hear these words. For what ‘I AM’ I cannot cease to be. Death cannot touch me. Blemishless I am. Eternity I am. The drama unfolded before these eyes. Ananda’s heart I see weeps uncontrollably. I am the witness of those tears from his eyes.

The love he has for this body is immense. Often Ive lived my days in abandon & Ananda has been there to wash this body, to feed it, to take care of his Buddha. Never I say will be the Buddha be spoken of without mentioning the name of Ananda. Buddha brings Ananda to the world & Ananda brings Buddha to the world.

April update

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 10:58:29 +0000

Buddha so far.

The script is complete.been talking to a few prospective producers. Gave a narration of the script. what arose was interesting.

I feel now the film needs to focus a bit more on the Buddha post enlightenment.

I am more & more inspired by Zen Buddhism.

Met a Buddhist monk who studied Buddhism in Sri Lanka, was interesting getting to know Buddha through him.

What’s coming up is a visit to Mumbai, planning a visit to the recession hit US. Not sure when or how it’s going to work out.

Inspiration is trickling down in the form of poetry. soon..soon..things will blossom.

Karuna, metta

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:25:16 +0000

The mumbo jumbo is one thing. The historicity and insight into what his life would have been like is one thing. But bringing out the essence of the Buddha is whole new thing. What is needed is not just great amounts of research & writing to etch out the life but expression in a sense like poetry.

Eyes of a poet much needed to express his love, his compassion, karuna, metta towards all beings. In a storyline where do these fit in, I know not. But as the essence of Buddha they ought to be at the heart of his story.

So as I begin my re-writes, my newer drafts, polishing up my story, I am bar-gaining and letting go of my need for stark realism for a little bit of a song, a little bit of a dance- Not literally ofcourse but trying to express not just the man’s mind but also his heart.

wish me luck.

The script is ready

admin — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 11:28:00 +0000

The script is read as of March 4 2009 at 1:18 pm. Im very excited, though it’s just the first draft. It happened a little sooner than I myself expected, which is always good. But it is also just the first draft. The blue print on which I am going to do some re-writes. Plot wise, some dialogue changes for sure and add subtract a couple scenes here and there and basically make it a tight screenplay.

My goal with the story is to make it humane, sincere and realistic without losing the magic of the time and the esoteric content. It seems hard. But right now I need a small break to take. just chill, relax, look back and ponder. Today I just finished re-reading the entire script. I can see already it needs more life- especially the story of Siddhartha and Yashodhara. Also I need more scenes exploring Siddhartha urge for compassion and love and a little more detail and meat in his Tapasya days and with Alara Kalama and Udraka Ramputra.

So let’s see..the path is long. The path is wild. I am untamed. I just love it.

I am Buddha

admin — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 07:23:02 +0000

There are basically two streams of thought. One that believes that it takes millions of years & lifetimes of sacrifice and self-evolution to attain Buddha-hood, to become a Buddha. That not all can aspire to become a Buddha in this very life time. That slowly but surely all can attain but only after perfecting themselves in all regards, becoming compassionate and equanimous, and merciful and fearless etc etc. The belief also goes that Gautama Buddha from his very birth was a perfected being -Siddhartha, the one who has already attained. So in all respects he was already ready to accept his buddhahood and teach the world.

The other Stream of thought is all that can attain Buddhahood, and in this very life time itself if aspired. It does not need thousands of lifetimes and sacrifice and evolution. Enlightenement is the natural state and Buddhahood is nothing but waking up to this state, awakening. Gautama Buddha was said to be like all else, drowned in pleasures ad suffering from the pains of living. He was both virtous and vile. Both strong and fearful. Both loving and hateful, But he did not succumb to this tug of war with the mind and through intense practise and insight attained the Buddhahood.

The second stream of thought gives us hope, that we too can attain, that we too can find peace and that we too can stop the suffering and the war within. So here Gautama is not just a historical figure but stands for the individual self who strives inspite of all the shortcomings for happiness for peace, strives to come back home.

Who is Buddha?

admin — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:26:19 +0000

Buddha means “The awakened one” and this word is used mostly with regard to Gautama Buddha, The founder of Buddhism.

He was an Indian Prince Siddhartha Gautama, he supposedly renounced material life after contemplating on death, disease & took up sanyas to seek an end to suffering and get enlightened.

He is supposed to have been born around 2500 years back in Kapilavastu in Modern day Nepal, he lived and taught in India for over 45 years and died at the age of 80.

His main teachings were that there is suffering, and that there can be an end to suffering. He spoke extensively about the impermanence of all phenomena & he also taught about no-self, a philosophy very different from other world religions that believe in self, soul or atma.

Journey of Buddha

admin — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:17:34 +0000

I want the film to be a journey of Buddha, a journey we can travel with him, to see the world through his eyes, to see the world as he saw it.

I want the film to be a realistic portrayal of the life & times of Gautama Siddhartha than it being an epic, I am interested in insights into his life than a larger than life canvas, I want the film to be pan out more like a character study.

What defined him, what did he like to do? What really pushed him to renounce, what kind of a mind did he carry? did he ever get angry? was he perfect or flawed just like the rest of us? To separate the myths from the persona. To separate the legends from the pure humanity of the man .