Meet the Buddha

Meet the Buddha depicts the life and legacy of the 16th Karmapa of Rangjiung Rigpe Dorje — head of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. This film captures the extraordinary charisma of “The Living Buddha” as he follows him from Tibet to India, where he protected the transmission line in exile, and shows his vision of spreading Buddhism in the modern world.

In this context, we get to know Ole Nydahl, an unbridled hippie from Denmark who, as a small child, expressed his wish to become a “Danish champion in the mind”. His life is completely changed by an unexpected meeting with Karmapa in 1969.

Together with his wife, Hannahbecome key figures in the transfer of Buddhism to the West. They set up hundreds of meditation centers — from Mexico City to Vladivostok — and develop their teacher's vision with unwavering devotion.

Faced with political catastrophe in Tibet and cultural shifts in the West, Meet the Buddha shows a historically embedded yet deeply personal tale of how timeless wisdom found its way into modern life. Composed of interviews, animation and never-before-seen footage, this documentary is a tribute to the deep bond between teacher and student that sustains the living message of the Karma Kagyu lineage.