Watch Dharma Rising

Possible description: Dharma Rising is a documentary film about the intersection of Buddhism and social activism, featuring two prominent teachers and leaders in those fields: Alan Wallace and Bernie Glassman. Directed by David Cherniack, the film blends interviews, archive footage, and animations to illustrate the ideas and practices of the two protagonists, as well as their collaborations and challenges in applying Buddhist principles to contemporary issues.

Alan Wallace is a Tibetan Buddhist scholar and meditation master who has studied with Dalai Lama and other teachers for over four decades. He is known for his contributions to the fields of consciousness studies, cognitive science, and philosophy of mind, as well as for his efforts to promote dialogue between science and spirituality. He argues that Buddhism provides a systematic and empirical approach to understanding the nature of reality and the mind, and that such insights can inform ethics, ecology, and governance.

Bernie Glassman was a Jewish-American Zen master who developed the Zen Peacemaker Order, a network of socially engaged meditation centers around the world. He worked with homeless people, prisoners, refugees, and other marginalized communities, and founded the Greyston Bakery, a pioneering social enterprise that employs and trains people regardless of their background or experience. He believed that Buddhism can inspire compassion, creativity, and collaboration to address systemic problems of poverty, racism, and violence.

The film begins with the two teachers meeting in India in the 1980s, when Glassman was seeking guidance on how to integrate social action into his Zen practice. Wallace advised him to study the Buddhist teachings on emptiness, interdependence, and compassion, and to apply them not only to personal liberation but also to social transformation. Glassman embraced this idea and started to work with local communities in New York City, where he realized the need for economic empowerment as well as spiritual support.

The film shows how Glassman and Wallace's paths diverged and converged over the years, as they pursued their own projects and also collaborated on several occasions. They share their insights and challenges through interviews, recorded talks, and informal conversations, reflecting on topics such as non-duality, non-violence, non-attachment, and non-judgment. They also recount how they learned from their mistakes, conflicts, and setbacks, and how they evolved their views and practices in response to changing circumstances.

The film also features other voices who have been influenced by Glassman and Wallace, such as Joan Halifax, Richard Davidson, Norman Fischer, and Matthieu Ricard. They provide context, perspective, and appreciation for the contribution of the two teachers to the fields of Buddhism and social activism, as well as to their personal growth and friendship.

The film ends with a call to action, urging viewers to apply the Buddhist insights and practices to their own lives and communities, and to join the effort to create a more just and compassionate world. It suggests that Buddhism can offer not only comfort and wisdom to individuals but also a vision and a path to address the urgent issues of our time, such as climate change, inequality, and hostility.

Overall, Dharma Rising is a thought-provoking and inspiring exploration of how Buddhism can inform and inspire social activism, and how social activism can deepen and enrich Buddhism. It presents two remarkable teachers and their legacy in a way that is engaging, respectful, and informative, and invites the viewer to reflect on the meaning and purpose of their own life and work.

Dharma Rising is a 2011 non-fiction movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 24 minutes.