The Dalai Lama's Gift (2025)

The extraordinary time in 1981 when one determined monk brought His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and Buddhism, to America

• Documentary

In 1981, a Buddhist monk teaching at the University of Madison, Wisconsin, made the bold request of the Dalai Lama to come and perform a rare ritual, never before done outside of India or Tibet: the Kalachakra, among the highest of the Buddhist tantric teachings. In just a few months, with a team of dedicated students, and cameras rolling, they constructed a temple and organized an event for over a thousand spiritual seekers, in a cornfield outside Madison. The incredible footage was tucked away in the Smithsonian vaults, until now. What unfolds is the story of a powerful ritual, its impact on the people that made it happen, and the meaning behind this ancient initiation.

Release date

February 22, 2025

Runtime

1h 16m

Language

English

Director

Ed Bastian

Status

Released