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Crazy Wisdom – the film

Crazy Wisdom: The Life & Times of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, is a film being prepared by Johanna Demetrekas. IMDb [1] describes it:

Crazy Wisdom is the long-awaited feature documentary to explore the life, teachings, and “crazy wisdom” of Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, a pivotal figure in bringing Tibetan Buddhism to the West. Called a genius, rascal, and social visionary; ‘one of the greatest spiritual teachers of the 20th century,’ and ‘the bad boy of Buddhism,’ Trungpa defied categorization. Raised and trained in the rigorous Tibetan monastic tradition, Trungpa came to the West and shattered our preconceived notions about how an enlightened teacher should behave – he openly smoked, drank, and had intimate relations with students – yet his teachings are recognized as authentic, vast, and influential. Twenty years after his death, with unprecedented access and exclusive archival material, Crazy Wisdom looks at the man and the myths about him, and attempts to set the record straight. 

Here’s a preview of the film.

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#1 Comment By Tsondru Namkha On October 14, 2008 @ 7:52 am

A beautiful tribute. Take your hankies everyone….

#2 Comment By Rita Ashworth On October 31, 2008 @ 1:32 pm

Dunno if Johanna checks this site – but maybe Peter Brook who CTR met could be put in this film. Brook is still working with actors in Paris at 83 years old – someone should interview him re his brief connection with Trungpa – interesting stuff on drama /theatre could come out of it.

#3 Comment By Mark Szpakowski On October 31, 2008 @ 2:44 pm

Rita, I would suggest getting directly in touch with Johanna.

Peter Brook did a film production of the Ramayana which includes one of the most devastating lines in all literature: “if one prefers one’s own children to those of another, then war is not far away.”

#4 Comment By Ngakma Zer-me Dri’med On October 31, 2008 @ 4:31 pm

“If one prefers one’s own children to those of another, then war is not far away.”

We are hard-wired to prefer our own children. Is this saying that war among humans is inevitable? I have been wondering about this since 2001. It seems to me that people just plain like to fight, and that they will do so regardless of spiritual or moral considerations or even what is in their own best interest.

What does that quote say to you?

#5 Comment By Mark Szpakowski On October 31, 2008 @ 4:58 pm

Well, I have children, so the first reaction to the quote is “how could I not prefer my own children to those of another?” At the same time I recognize the truth of what it is saying. So this is very, very tough.

But, someone pointed out when we were discussing this a few years ago that exactly this point is addressed in one of the Mahayana exercises, I think having to do with tonglen. Got to look up exactly where…

I think both Mahayana and Shambhala attack the “oh, it just human nature” thing. No, it’s not just human nature – it’s fucked-up layers over tathagatagharba / basic goodness, which is our essential nature.

However, blood does tend to be thicker than dharma.

#6 Comment By rita ashworth On November 1, 2008 @ 7:09 am

yes – I did have Johanna’s email but now it has disappeared into the ether – so could someone forward the message on – there is also a good interview with Brook in The Independent (British newspaper online)which people might want to read – forwarded this article to shambhala sun -hope they do an interview with Brook……….certainly an icon of our times but also very down to earth
He helped me to change my mind about the Regent when he commented that he would always accept and love his son if he had done a heinous crime against someone-
………….Lindsay Anderson also good british director …………in same sixties foment in british film like Brook…………..heard brook met Trungpa from interview on Chronicle project with van Italie – is good interview-apparently brook flew into the interview at Italie’s farm in a helicopter………very staged!HO-HUM……….