The Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, was a spiritual teacher from India whose teachings founded the fourth largest religion of Buddhism. The Supreme Buddha is the "awakened one" or "the enlightened one" and his teachings are thought to have been first passed down down by oral tradition. The written texts appeared about 400 years later.

"The Buddha" is a  documentary by David Grubin and narrated by Richard Gere, that tells the story of the Buddha's life and attempts to answer the questions. Who is the Buddha? What is the Buddha and what is Buddhism?

Included in this documentary are the insights into Buddhism by contemporary Buddhists, including W.S. Merwin and The Dalai Lama.

This documentary also features some of the work of  great artists who have have depicted the Buddha's life in their art. 

Richard Gere narrates this two-part documentary by award-winning film-maker David Grubin, telling the story of a man whose teachings formed the basis of one of the world's oldest religions. Siddhartha Gautama Buddha never claimed to be God or his emissary on earth. He was merely a sage from northern India who believed that he had achieved the blissful state of enlightenment.

Siddhartha was born a prince but gave up his privileged life when he was confronted with the hardships of others. Profoundly troubled, he abandoned the palace and its pleasures, leaving behind his wife and child, and set out to comprehend the nature of suffering. After an arduous six-year struggle, he found what he believed to be the ultimate wisdom, and spent the rest of his life teaching others what he had learned.

He never expected his ideas to outlive him, but he continues to provide hope and inspiration for millions. This enlightening film tells Buddha's story through paintings and sculptures by some of the world's greatest artists and the words of prominent Buddhists, including the Dalai Lama and Pulitzer prize-winning poet WS Merwin. In a world still riven by religious conflict, Buddha's simple message of serenity and spiritual enlightenment remains as relevant as ever.

Trailer/Preview of the PBS film

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Watch The Documentary: "The Buddha" by David Grubin

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