Video information
Inthisfascinatingdocumentary,historianBettanyHughestravelstothesevenwondersoftheBuddhistworldandoffersauniqueinsightintooneofthemostancientbeliefsystemsstillpractisedtoday.Buddhismbegan2,500yearsagowhenonemanhadanamazinginternalrevelationunderneathapeepultreeinIndia.Todayitispractisedbyover350millionpeopleworldwide,withnumberscontinuingtogrowyearonyear.InanattempttogainabetterunderstandingofthedifferentbeliefsandpracticesthatformthecoreoftheBuddhistphilosophyandinvestigatehowBuddhismstartedandwhereittravelledto,HughesvisitssomeofthemostspectacularmonumentsbuiltbyBuddhistsacrosstheglobe.HerjourneybeginsattheMahabodhiTempleinIndia,whereBuddhismwasborn;hereHughesexaminesthefoundationsofthebeliefsystem-thethreejewels.AtNepal’sBoudhanathStupa,shelooksdeeperintotheconceptofdharma-theteachingofBuddha,andattheTempleoftheToothinSriLanka,Bettanyexploreskarma,theideathatourintentionalactswillbemirroredinthefuture.AtWatPhoTempleinThailand,Hughesexploressamsara,theendlesscycleofbirthanddeaththatBuddhistsseektoendbyachievingenlightenment,beforetravellingtoAngkorWatinCambodiatolearnmoreaboutthepracticeofmeditation.InHongKong,HughesvisitstheGiantBuddhaandlooksmorecloselyatZen,beforearrivingatthefinalwonder,theHsiLaitempleinLosAngeles,todiscovermoreabouttheultimategoalforallBuddhists-nirvana.