Milarepa: Magician, Murderer, Saint

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andy h If your a hardcore Buddhist, you'll either love this or hate it, and as a recent convert in somewhere in between without care. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Wonderful scenery provides the backdrop for an important spiritual story. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member A biopic of a greatest Tibetan yogi, Milarepa, who was earlier known as Thopaga, that set in the first century of the second millennium. This story was classified into two parts. This one was the first which covers the story from his childhood to becoming an adult who then later turn into a great magician in the history of Tibet for the sake of his mother. He was like the Japanese Zen Buddhist teacher, Dogen Zenji, to the Tibetans who comes in the later century of the history. In the Milarepa's story he learns tricks to avenge people who were not fair to his family after his richest father's death. Then later he changes his course from vengeance to serve the people after realising that it goes on and on and never ends. ''One man's pleasure is another man's pain'' The movie was very inspiring from its negative side of the thoughts. I mean it gives a good lesson about our path towards the mistakes. We won't choose it, but forced to take it. Some of the scenes really got deep into me, especially one of them where Milarepa uses his magic power against his enemies and an old woman in his nearby wipes tears falling from her eyes and leaves the place without saying anything. It was so quiet, but was filled with meaningful. That is where the movie really got me. So sad the movie about a great personality was incomplete. I mean in the end of the first installment they said the follow-up is in due to release very soon, but they did not make it. I believe it might be a financial issue. I am very desperate to know the rest of his life story and now I had to prefer the book about him instead waiting for a sequel. Hope you guys won't miss this movie or books about this wonderful man. 8.5/10 Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member When we saw this, I had not heard of Milarepa or read any of his teachings, so it's hard to say if I'm missing the point here, or if the film isn't delivering something. It's a fun movie. It came across like a Tibetan version of Harry Potter - boy with really mean Uncle goes to secret magic school and becomes a sorcerer. Although I suppose Harry Potter didn't wipe out a whole village in an act of revenge (at least I'm assuming he didn't - I've only seen two of those movies and one was on a plane so it was hard to focus on it.). At this point the Milarepa movie takes a somber tone and we learn that revenge is empty and hollow, a lesson I've been told before, but frankly I'm too Western, psychotic, and angry at the patriarchy to get much mileage out of any sort of "letting go/love your enemy" type philosophy. Didn't buy Christian forgiveness, don't buy this. But that's me.The movie ends there, and I guess there's going to be (or maybe there already is) a sequel where we learn how he becomes an enlightened monk. I guess I'd watch the sequel if it were on, but I think I should probably read his actual writings than rely on sword-and-sorcery type movies to learn more about this subject. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/15/23 Full Review Audience Member I saw it today. I like the blood and flesh portrait of Milarepa - not a fairy tell type, but as real as the life itself. I wish the second part is available, as I'm very interested in the further part of the story. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member My guess is most people won't "get" this film. Its only the first part of three important phases of the life of Milarepa and does little to let viewers know this... soo it leaves viewers in an odd break... Like ending the Titanic as the boat leaves port on its maiden voyage. His discovery of the teachings of the Buddha and his merciless repentance at the hands of Marpa the Translator, and his legendary secluded mountaintop isolation... all led Milarepa from the darkest of places to enlightenment within the span of one lifetime... These are parts yet to be filmed that truly breathe life to an inspirational epic. For his story is as important to the foundations of Buddhism as the books of the apostles are to Christianity. Buddhists have long celebrated his 100,000 songs for in each, a lesson and insight is found. If anyone wants to really appreciate the story of Milarepa, they'd be well advised to find even a brief summary prior to seeing the movie. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Milarepa: Magician, Murderer, Saint

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