This film is far more than what one would expect if they could ask the Dalai Lama 10 questions. It not only lets us hear from the Dalai Lama, but it provides history on where the Dalai Lama came from as well as the conflict between China and Tibet. It also provides a sobering look regarding the source of the next Dalai Lama. The 10 questions are addressed in a conversational manner by director Rick Ray that illuminates a host of issues.  

“Dalai” in the Mongolian language means ocean. “Lama” is the word for a monk of high rank. The selection process of the Dalai Lama is aimed at a person with the wisdom as broad as an ocean. 

The fundamental assumption is that each Dalai Lama is a reincarnation of the former Dalai Lama. As director Rick Ray says, “it’s like having Jesus Christ in the White House”.  

The current Dalai Lama, the 14^th, is Tenzin Gyatso. He is selected without regard for class. The 14^th Dalai Lama was selected when he was only 2 years in old in part because during the search for the new Dalai Lama by the monks, he was able to answer questions that conveyed wisdom beyond his years. He’s like one of the those people we meet from time to time that we say have “old souls”.  

Prior to Rick Ray meeting with the Dalai Lama to ask his questions, we travel deep within India and are shown some fascinating documentary footage. He has footage of the 14^th Dalai Lama as a young child and progresses to the invasion by China of Tibet and the eventual government in exile of Tibet that is now located in India.  

It’s hard to not be critical of the US with its lack of action for defending freedom in Tibet. It seems that we only quickly step into a situation where economics rather than morality is the primary issue. We talk morality but we only act for money or our own safety. As the Dalai Lama says, “we don’t have any oil”.  

During the attack on Tibet by China, a genocide occurred that killed more than 1,200,000 people. The Chinese government needed land; not the people. The potential of a powerful communist bully may make the US look like it was doing the right thing in the various genocides of the 20^th century. 

A current struggle for the Tibetan people is to maintain their culture. That seems to be a losing proposition as more and more Chinese move into the country and make it a small town Shanghai. An observation is made that in the name of religion, more death is caused than healing. 

The Dalai Lama shares his thought that “war” is a concept that is out of date. That said, even he seems to agree that a non violent person may have to use violence to defend themselves. 

The overriding question is what will happen to Tibet in the future. There doesn’t appear to be any reasons to believe that unless our world leaders have a major change of heart, that Tibet will slowly slide into history books that vanish or at most are a footnote. We already know that history is written by the victors.  

It’s more than a remote possibility that when the current 71 year old Dalai Lama makes his transition, the new Dalai Lama will reflect a major new unwanted direction. The one that was selected in Tibet by the monks has been missing for years. The Chinese government has selected their own Dalai Lama.

That Dalai Lama will likely be analogous to comparing Thurgood Marshall to Clarence Thomas. Since the Dalai Lama represents the head of a government as opposed to being an important cog in the machinery (a Supreme Court Judge) it is a far more onerous situation. 

Even though the future looks bleak, if enough people support the independence of Tibet, it can be a reality. Tibet’s high altitude may be symbolic. It’s a long way to get there, but it can be done.