Tukdam – Between Worlds
Most of us think of death as something clear-cut, and that medical science has it neatly figured out. This feature documentary explodes such assumptions through its exploration of a phenomenon that blurs life and death to an unprecedented degree. In what Tibetan Buddhists call tukdam, advanced meditators die in a consciously controlled manner. Though dead according to our biomedical standards, they often stay sitting upright in meditation; remarkably, their bodies remain fresh and lifelike, without signs of decay for days, sometimes weeks after clinical death. Following ground-breaking scientific research into tukdam and taking us into intimate death stories of Tibetan meditators, the film juxtaposes scientific and Tibetan perspectives as it tries to unravel the mystery of tukdam.
Directed by Donagh Coleman · Written by Donagh Coleman
Where to Watch
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Cast
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Tenzin Gyatso Self
Make it a double feature
3h 21m together
Tukdam – Between Worlds
The Salt of the Earth
A close match in mood and era.
