The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

After the Immigration Act of 1965, the number of Buddhists in America has grow considerably, both in terms of immigrant populations as well as Americans who are converting to the tradition. These changes have in turn led to an increasing presence of Buddhism in American popular culture. Bookstores are full of works about "Eastern Spirituality," which includes everything from works by the Dalai Lama to self-help manuals on how to improve one's career. Buddhism has also made its way to the big screen through movies and television shows.

Buddhism on the Big Screen

Movies like Kundun and Point Break show different aspects of Buddhism to American audiences. But how accurate are these portrayals of the tradition? Some movies provide accurate pictures, often helping people to dismantle the misconceptions or stereotypes they may have of the tradition. Other movies actually perpetuate the stereotypes of Buddhism as an "other-worldly," new-age tradition that only counter-cultural Americans would be interested in engaging.

The following is a list of several American movies that either deal with Buddhism explicitly or have Buddhist main characters. The descriptions look at how Buddhism is portrayed in the movie and whether or not the move perpetuates stereotypes. It should be noted that there are many foreign films that deal with Buddhism or Buddhist topics (the Tibetan film The Cup and the Korean film Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring are two examples), this guide only looks at those films produced and released in the United States, and thus those films that are most accessible to the American public. These films are rated based on how they present Buddhism, with four "dharma wheels" representing a fair and accurate portrayal and one "dharma wheel" representing a very stereotypical portrayal of the tradition.

Kundun (1997).

This movie portrays the story of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, from his childhood to his escape to India in 1959. The movie begins with the Dalai Lama's young life, depicting him at ages 2, 5, 12, and as an adult. Through these depictions the viewer sees that the life of the young spiritual leader was not all solemnity and ceremony. There are moments where he sneaks around with his brother to eavesdrop, or when he cannot sit still and meditate, so instead he watches the mice drink water from the offering cups. Even the selection of the young Dalai Lama is depicted with a somewhat critical eye, for at times it seems the monks were almost encouraging the young boy to pick from a group of items that which had belonged to the previous Dalai Lama. Later in the film, the Dalai Lama himself questions whether the right boy was chosen. While the movie has a very political agenda in its portrayal of the Chinese occupation of Tibet, its depiction of Tibetan Buddhism is perhaps the most honest among English films. Many of the actors are Tibetans, some of whom have been close to the real Dalai Lama. This movie provides an accurate and in-depth portrayal of Buddhism in Tibet.
Directed by Martin Scorsese Rated PG-13 134 Minutes
Screenplay by Melissa Mathison
Starring Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong, Tencho Gyalpo, and Tsewang Migyur Khangsar

Little Buddha (1993).

Little Buddha portrays an interpretation of the Buddha's life story through the experience of three young children who are thought to be reincarnations of a particular monk. The story begins in the United States, when some Tibetan monks arrive at the home of the Conrad family to tell Dean and Lisa that their son Jesse could be a reincarnation of this monk. Lama Norbu, the monk who has been searching for his reincarnated teacher, gives young Jesse a book about Prince Siddhartha. As Jesse reads this book, we learn of the Buddha's life story. Two other children later join Jesse in Bhutan as possible reincarnations of the lama. While the story about the Buddha takes some liberties, it does convey the general trajectory of many stories of the Buddha's life. The depictions of the monastery are also rather realistic, showing the young monks playing the afternoon the children arrive. The most stereotypical part of the movie involves Jesse's father, Dean, whose best friend dies toward the beginning of the movie and whom we as see a lost man searching for answers. Through his journey to Bhutan and his experiences with Lama Norbu, Dean finds some peace in his life, if he does not totally accept the Buddhist path. This idea of a lost and searching western man finding peace in Buddhism is a theme echoed in several movies involving Buddhism, particularly The Last Samurai and Seven Years in Tibet.
Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci Rated PG 123 Minutes
Screenplay by Rudy Wurlitzer and Mark Piploe. Story by Bernardo Bertolucci
Starring Keanu Reeves, Ruocheng Ying, and Chris Isaak

Seven Years in Tibet (1997).

Based on the true story of Heinrich Harrer, this movie relates the tale of two mountain climbers during WWII. The climbers eventually escape from a British internment camp to Tibet, where they are informed that foreigners are banned. They manage to sneak their way into Lhasa using a first aid information sheet as a pass into the city. Once there, the men are allowed to stay. Harrer befriends the Dalai Lama, prompted by Thewlis marrying a local woman. Through their friendship, Harrer seeks to make peace with the fact that he left his wife (who divorced him while in prison) and his son. While the portrayals of Buddhism do not serve to perpetuate stereotypes, this movie presents another example of the lost western seeker trying to find peace in the Buddhist tradition. The young Dalai Lama, however, tells Harrer that he is not his father. The depictions of Tibetan Buddhism in this film present the tradition at the time of the Chinese invasion. Unlike Kundun, however, Seven Years in Tibet is not a story about the Dalai Lama, or even about Buddhism. It is a story about Harrer's experience in Tibet and his love for the Tibetan people.
Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud Rated PG-13 139 Minutes
Screenplay by Becky Johnston based on the book by Heinrich Harrer
Starring Brad Pitt, David Thewlis, Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk

The Last Samurai (2003).

Tom Cruise stars in this film about the repression of the Samurai during the Meiji dynasty in Japan. Sinking into alcoholism after his time of service in the United States army, Cruise accepts a job training the Japanese military to fight against Katsumoto and his band of Samurai. In the first battle, Cruise is captured and taken to Katsumoto's village for the winter, where he learns the ways of the Samurai. The Buddhist element of this film may be found primarily in Katsumoto's meditative practices in his village's temple, which we later see Cruise embracing. However there are also Buddhist elements in the Samurai training, as evidenced at times when Cruise learns about having "no mind" when battling another. The Buddhism of this movie is somewhat in the background, but nevertheless plays an essential role in the lives of Katsumoto and his Samurai. While the representation of Buddhism is not stereotypical, we see a lost westerner finding solace in Asian traditions. This theme of the western "spiritual seeker" is evident in many American movies today, not only those involving Buddhism.
Directed by Edward Zwick Rated R 154 minutes
Screenplay by John Logan, Edward Zwick, and Marshall Herskovitz. Story by John Logan
Starring Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, and Timothy Spall

The Glimmer Man (1996).

In this movie, self-professed Buddhist Steven Seagal portrays Lieutenant Jack Cole, an ex-NYPD cop new to Los Angeles. His partner, played by Keenen Ivory Wayans, is Detective Jim Campbell. This unlikely duo is charged with solving a string of murders by a killer dubbed "The Family Man." The Buddhist element of this movie is embodied in Seagal's character. Jack Cole solves his crimes wearing an Asian-print jacket, a pony-tail, and prayer beads. He is also fluent in Chinese and knowledgeable in both martial arts and Chinese medicines. Throughout the film, Cole explains his Buddhist philosophies to his partner, saying things such as "death is death--we gotta have compassion for the dead, the dying, the could be dead" or "fighting is against my religion." The viewer also sees this character engaged in various Buddhist practices, such as meditation in front of a Buddha image and the use of prayer beads. While all of this does not seem to present much of a problem in portrayals of Buddhism, Lt. Cole has no problem saying "fighting is against my religion" and then proceeding to injure or kill different characters throughout the movie. This movie portrays a man who seems to practice Buddhism on one level, yet does not take to heart the injunctions against killing on another level. It also feeds into the stereotype of Buddhists (specifically western Buddhists) as "counter-cultural," wearing prayer beads and pony tails and knowing martial arts. While this may be true in some cases, it is not an honest portrayal of all western Buddhists.
Directed by John Gray Rated R 92 Minutes
Screenplay by Kevin Brodbin
Starring Steven Seagal, Keenan Ivory Wayans, and Bob Gunton

The Golden Child (1986).

This comedy stars Eddie Murphy as a detective in search of "the golden child," a young boy with supernatural abilities who has been kidnapped. If the child dies, then compassion dies with him. While the child is not associated with Buddhism by name, the movie portrays him meditating with monks in a Tibetan monastery, and later in the movie Murphy and his sidekick (played by Charlotte Lewis) must go to a Tibetan monastery to find a dagger that will help save the child. Many stereotypes of Buddhism are portrayed in this movie. One is the idea of Tibetan Buddhist monks having supernatural powers (often based on practices like their ability to meditate in freezing temperatures wearing nothing but wet robes). This movie takes that stereotype to a new level, giving the golden child the ability to levitate objects and even raise a woman from the dead. One wonders if the golden child, who is to bring compassion to the world, is meant to represent in some way the Dalai Lama, who Tibetan Buddhists believe is a reincarnation of Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. Another somewhat stereotypical element of this movie is the grouping together of many different people from Asia into one common kind of Buddhism. Many of the characters in L.A. who help Murphy are Chinese, while the boy is Tibetan. In actuality, not all Buddhisms are the same, and people from different regions practice different kinds of Buddhism. Those practitioners from Tibet will most likely practice a different kind of Buddhism than those from China. The Chinese Buddhists also know martial arts, a common portrayal in many movies. Furthermore, Murphy refers to the child at one point as a Hare Krishna, reflecting the common mislabeling of Buddhist monks in the United States.
Directed by Michael Ritchie Rated PG-13 94 Minutes
Screenplay by Dennis Feldman
Starring Eddie Murphy, J.L. Reate, and Charlotte Lewis

Point Break (1991).

This action/crime movie is about a new FBI agent, Johnny Utah (played by Keanu Reeves), going undercover to catch a band of surfers-turned-bank robbers in Los Angeles. As Utah gets to know the surfing crowd, he meets a surfer who others call "Bodhi." Patrick Swayze's character Bodhi, while he does not call himself Buddhist, talks about Buddhist philosophy in his life as a surfer. During a kind of pep-talk to his surfing friends and co-bank robbers, he tells them that their way of life is about "fighting against the system--a system that kills the human spirit. While everyone is driving down the freeway in their metal coffins, we're here to show them that the human spirit is still alive." On top of all of this, Bodhi knows martial arts. Much like Seagal's character in The Glimmer Man, Bodhi does not put into practice much of the Buddhist philosophy he espouses. As the leader of a group of bank robbers known as "The Ex-Presidents," he leads his surfing crowd on several bank robberies, and eventually kills (both directly and indirectly) several people. These are both violations of the Buddhist precepts against stealing and killing. Bodhi's character plays into the stereotype of Buddhism held by many in the west who view it as a kind of counter-cultural "life philosophy" and not as a religion.
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow Rated R 120 Minutes
Screenplay by Rick King and W. Peter Iliff
Starring Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze, and Gary Busey

Stereotypes of Buddhism

All of these films--with the exception of Kundun--seem to fall into one of two categories. Either it is an action movie with a main character who balances his violent ways with Buddhist philosophies, or it is a movie about a westerner finding peace in Buddhism. Some, like The Last Samurai, even exemplify both types. This categorization points to certain trends within American conceptions of Buddhism. Why is it that the cops and FBI agents in The Glimmer Man, Point Break, and The Golden Child must embrace or explore some kind of Buddhist philosophy? Perhaps it is an attempt to show balance in the character, giving them a more contemplative side. While that may be helpful in terms of character development throughout the film, it plays into the idea of Buddhism as an inherently peaceful religion. This, however, completely ignores historical instances of violence in which Buddhism has played a supporting role. One only needs to look at the ongoing civil war in Sri Lanka to see examples of Buddhist monks supporting a war effort. Buddhism, like every other world religion, has been used for both peaceful and violent causes throughout its history. Giving an essentially violent character like Johnny Utah or Bodhi an interest in Buddhism does not necessarily give the character a peaceful or contemplative side.

Similarly, the motif of "lost" westerners finding peace in Buddhism plays into another stereotype held by many in the United States. Especially during the 1960s and 70s, many young Americans traveled to Asia searching for a new spiritual path, one different from that of their parents. They returned to the United States and established Buddhist retreat centers where people could go to meditate or receive teachings from a Buddhist monk or nun. This has been and continues to be an important element of Buddhism in America. However, these portrayals completely ignore the large immigrant Buddhist populations in the United States. There has historically been a rift in Buddhism in America between western converts to the tradition and those who embrace what is known as "ethnic Buddhism." Choosing to show only that type of Buddhism embraced by western converts furthers both the stereotype that there is only one kind of Buddhism in America as well as the rift between the western (and largely Caucasian) converts and the immigrant and Asian-American Buddhist communities.

Buddhism on the Small Screen

Not only has Buddhism made an appearance on the big screen, but on the small screen as well. Buddhism has been the subject of different television show episodes. From The Animaniacs to The Simpsons, Buddhism has left its mark in American television life. Two episodes from popular cartoons, King of the Hill and South Park, provide fitting examples of how Buddhism is portrayed in western television. Although the following programs are adult comedies in which they make fun of the dominant American culture, they provide a lens through which to view common popular conceptions of Buddhism.

King of the Hill: “Won’t You Pimai Neighbor?”

King of the Hill takes places in Arlington, Texas among the Hill family. In this particular episode, Hank Hill's Cambodian neighbor invites Hank and his family to a Pimai party to celebrate the Cambodian new year. Kahn (the neighbor) finds out that monks will be attending the celebration, for they are looking for a reincarnated lama. When the monks arrive, they find that Bobby Hill (Hank's son) is the lama, and start the process to give him more tests. This greatly disturbs Hank, especially when he finds his son meditating in his room. Bobby's girlfriend Connie (Kahn's daughter) proceeds to tell Bobby that she can't date him anymore, for he is a lama. There are several stereotypes present in this particular episode. One is the perception that all Buddhist monks are Tibetan Buddhists. (The monks who attend the Pimai party are Tibetan). However, Tibetan Buddhism is not practiced in Cambodia (a form of Theravada Buddhism is practiced there) and it would seem unlikely that Cambodian Buddhists would know Tibetan monks. Another reflection of common American perceptions of Buddhism is when the monks are thought by other neighbors to be Hare Krishnas (this was also referenced in The Golden Child). There is also a scene in which Bobby and Connie attend a meeting of the local college's Buddhist club, where the members cut each other's hair and meditate, reflecting a kind of "hippie" mentality that many Americans associate with Buddhism. When Bobby's mother Peggy sees a bumper sticker about a man's child being on the honor roll, Peggy yells at him "Well, my son is god to millions of Asians!" This is the misconception that lamas are gods, and while some may be reincarnated bodhisattvas (such as the Dalai Lama), a lama is often a teacher. This episode provides perhaps the most comprehensive set of examples of stereotypes about Buddhism in the United States.
Season 4 Episode 18, 03/19/00
Directed by Boohwan Lim and Kyounghee Lim
Written by John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky

South Park: “The Super Best Friends”

In this episode of the popular Comedy Central series, magician David Blaine has started the cult of "Blaintology." The four boys from South Park--Kenny, Stan, Kyle, and Cartman--get drawn into the cult along with several of their friends. When Stan realizes that this is not a group of which he wants to be a part, he leaves and tries to convince Kyle to come with him. Kyle refuses, and Stan goes to Jesus' house to seek the help of the "Super Best Friends." This group of religious super heroes consists of Jesus, the Buddha with his powers of invisibility, Muhammad with his powers of fire, Seaman with his powers of water, Lao Tzu with his powers of the Tao, Krishna with his powers of morphism, and Joseph Smith with his powers of ice. Moses serves as a kind of computer mainframe at the headquarters. The narrator announces that all of these leaders "believe in the power of good over evil--except for Buddha who doesn't believe in evil." Meanwhile, the Blaintologists are planning to commit mass suicide in Washington D.C. to protest the government's refusal to grant them tax-exempt status. The Super Best Friends arrive to save the misled Blaintologists from their fate, and the boys learn their lesson about following cults. This episode presents stereotypes about many different religious traditions. The stereotype of the Buddha is best expressed in the statement that the Buddha "doesn't believe in evil." This is a reflection of the perception that Buddhists don't have any kind of firm moral values. The ideas of good and bad karma and the consequences of such karma are not taken into account at all in this perception. To say that the Buddha did not believe in evil ignores that fact that he taught against actions such as stealing, killing, or lying.
Season 5 Episode 3, 07/04/01
Directed by Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Eric Stough

Cartoons and American Religious Life

The genre of both of these television shows is important when trying to analyze their presentations of Buddhism. On the one hand, they are both cartoons meant for a primarily adult audience. These shows specialize in satirizing American life and culture. On the other hand, there is the issue of whether these shows are simply poking fun at religious traditions or if they are hostile to religion of any kind. Given different episodes of King of the Hill, it is safe to assume that this show is simply using the stereotypes about Buddhism to make fun of American life and expose the different underlying assumptions Americans have about religion, in this case Buddhism (1). South Park, however, is a television show that presents itself as hostile to all religious traditions. This may be part of a larger trend among liberal viewers to reject religion in favor of a kind of secular humanism. If that is the case, then South Park serves to reinforce those negative interpretations of religion rather than to call into question our assumptions about different traditions.

That's a Wrap!

Buddhism has become an increasing presence in the American religious fabric in the past fifty years. With this growth has also come a rise in the misconceptions about Buddhists and Buddhism. Many of these are reflected in American popular culture, especially in the movies and in television shows. Hopefully this guide will help viewers be aware of the different ways that Buddhism is presented by the media, and understand when those views are helpful and when they simply serve to perpetuate stereotypes.

Endnotes

1. For a good example of how King of the Hill is tolerant of, and perhaps even sympathetic to, religion, see the episode "Reborn to be Wild," season 8, episode 2.