Unscripted Awakening
Coming Soon….
“I thought that [the documentary] will be like kind of a recollection of the different traditions trying to find a common element to say, ‘Okay, this is the essence of Buddhism or the teachings of the Buddha.’” says Diego Prieto, a filmmaker from Chile in describing his long journey to create a documentary about the Buddha's legacy. “And now I think the documentary is more like a motivation tool to say, ‘Okay, maybe I should make that journey myself and see, what is Buddhism for me?!’”
This is Diego’s second visit to the podcast. During his initial interview, he shared his experiences from his time in Myanmar, and reflected on how interactions with local monks and lay practitioners transformed his understanding of Buddhist practice, revealing its adaptability and essence through living examples. This deepened his appreciation of the spiritual path and emphasized the value of integrating practice into a broader, interconnected, cultural framework.
His documentary, Tathagata: A Journey Into The Buddha's Teachings, is the subject of this discussion. Diego tells how, together with his co-producer, he traveled across Asia to visit key centers of Buddhist history and culture. They interviewed notable scholars, monks, and meditation teachers to trace the footsteps of the historical Buddha and understand how his teachings are still alive today.
Diego grew up in Santiago, Chile, in what he describes as an open-minded, Christian home. This freedom led him to explore the nearby mountains, where he developed a love of nature, and as he grew older, to look to for spiritual growth beyond his family’s Christian belief system. He also developed a keen interest in learning about the wider world, which was fed by an avid viewing of documentaries. He was driven, in particular, by a desire to make sense of why humans continue to repeat the same mistakes despite generations of accumulated knowledge —like war, conflict, and environmental degradation—and to learn about different cultural and spiritual responses to suffering.
Beginning his journey in Chile, Diego set off to find answers to his questions, documenting his experiences as he went. Unfortunately, not long before he was due to cross the border into Argentina, he lost his camera; however, in a serendipitous encounter later that same day, someone happened to mention Australia’s “Working Holiday Visa” program. Intrigued, Diego checked his bank account, only to find that he had exactly the amount of money needed to apply for the visa! Abandoning his original plans, he applied for the visa and was accepted. In Australia, he was able to work and save some money, which he used to buy new filming equipment.
Diego continued his travels, to Southeast Asia and Europe, ultimately visiting over 20 countries. He explored a number of spiritual practices, such as chakra healing, Kabbalah and Reiki. Yet none of these provided the answers he sought; in fact, he returned home with even more questions!
Back in Chile, Diego attended his first 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat, in the Goenka tradition. This experience provided him with a newfound sense of clarity and structure. The shift from an external exploration of cultures through travel, to an internal journey through meditation, represented a pivotal change in his approach. It felt to him as though pieces of a puzzle that had been floating in his mind were finally coming together. Diego became deeply committed to his practice, dedicating two hours a day to sitting meditation for several years, and regularly attending intensive retreats. He was even able to maintain his meditation routine after late-night parties, revealing a level of discipline that was new to him.
Around this time, Diego started looking for a film or documentary that focused on the core teachings of the Buddha, such as the Four Noble Truths or the Eightfold Path. All he could find were either overly historical, mainly just focused on the Buddha’s biography, or did not adequately source their information. The idea to make his own film kept surfacing during his meditation until he could no longer ignore it; he had to systematically think it through and decide one way or the other. Though he initially felt unqualified to embark on such a project, he eventually decided to take it on, even if only to create a PowerPoint for his family and friends. He contacted Camila Arias, a fellow meditator with a background in filmmaking, about joining with him in this project. After some initial surprise, Camila, who happened to be in India at the time, agreed; Diego met up with her there, and they began their journey.
In India, they met with Daniel Stuart, a scholar and practitioner whose expertise in early Buddhist texts provided crucial guidance. His insights offered a comprehensive overview of the various Buddhist traditions, setting a foundation that helped Diego and Camila navigate their broader exploration of the Buddha's teachings. First, they visited sacred sites associated with the Buddha's life in India and Nepal, like Bodh Gaya, where the Buddha attained enlightenment, and Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha. Then they traveled to Sri Lanka, where they explored the origins of the Buddha’s teachings as they were first written down. After Sri Lanka, they went to Thailand and Myanmar before heading to the United States, and back to Chile.
It was not always smooth going! During their 10,000 kilometer journey, they faced many adventures, such as navigating chaotic Indian traffic (with Diego behind the wheel), crossing a border without proper paperwork, and filming with a drone in areas where it was illegal. But they considered these challenges an integral part of their journey.
As part of their documentary, Diego and Camila conducted a range of interviews with scholars and practitioners from different traditions, looking to find common ground. They focused on four main elements—morality, concentration, wisdom, and loving-kindness (mettā)—universally held by all Buddhist communities. Diego found it fascinating to see how scholars from Tibetan, Theravada, and other traditions approached these core ideas from different perspectives. For example, while Theravada emphasizes direct insight meditation, Tibetan Buddhism incorporates visualization practices. These varied perspectives highlighted how Buddhism has adapted to different cultural contexts, enhancing Diego's appreciation for the richness and complexity of the teachings.
In addition to scholars, Diego and Camila sought out living masters, including renowned monks in Myanmar and Thailand. One such teacher was Ajahn Suchart, a respected teacher in the Thai Forest Tradition, who advised Diego to prioritize mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati) over vipassana in his own practice. Given his conditioning in the Goenka tradition, however, Diego could not accept this guidance, and he kept to an original plan to return to India to take a 20-day Vipassana retreat. However, he pushed himself too hard; this led to a series of intense panic attacks and some very disturbing visions. In the aftermath of these harrowing experiences, he realized in retrospect how appropriate Ajahn Suchart’s advice had been.
It took nearly two years for Diego to recover. He did not meditate during that time, instead devoting himself to more grounding activities like gardening and sports. That whole experience had a significant impact on his understanding of spirituality. It showed him that true progress involves self-kindness, adaptability and balance as opposed to rigid adherence to a technique. He has since learned to be more compassionate towards himself, to adapt his meditation practice to his current mental state, and to use the different tools for different challenges. He no longer believes that there is a single formula for spiritual progress; instead, he realizes that the Buddha himself tailored teachings to individuals based on their unique circumstances. This understanding has helped Diego embrace a more open and flexible approach to both his personal practice and the documentary.
And the making of the documentary did not stop. It developed into an exploration of Diego’s own personal and spiritual journey, as well as the diverse ways that others connect with the Buddha’s teachings. This evolution in focus reflected the change in Diego's own journey from seeking definitive teachings to understanding the deeply personal nature of spiritual growth. For Diego, the film became a motivational tool to encourage viewers to undertake their own journeys to discover what the teachings mean to them individually, as opposed to explicating a set of revealed truths. As the documentary nears completion, he hopes it will inspire viewers to begin their own exploration of Buddhism, perhaps by visiting a local meditation center or reading foundational texts like the Dhammapada, a collection of the Buddha's sayings that offers practical guidance on ethical living and mindfulness. And he hopes that by sharing his own experiences in the film, others might feel encouraged to explore Buddhism in their own way. “I want people to see that there is no one-size-fits-all path," Diego said, "and that their journey can be uniquely theirs.”
Diego concludes with a powerful realization: “Actually, I realized after all these years, and meeting all these people, that I couldn't find a formula. Remember I was saying that I want to find these core teachings of the Buddha, and yet we couldn't find any of it! We found out that the Buddha taught different practices for different people. And there's like 40,000 different discourses of the Buddha, to different people or groups of people.”
If you enjoyed this interview, consider listening to past podcast episodes on similar topics:
· Brian Perkins describes making an independent film about young Buddhist novices in a remote monastery in Shan State, an idea that emerged from a deeply personal encounter during his travels in Myanmar. The film reflects on the resilience of individuals within isolated and challenging environments, particularly in how they confront external conflicts, and underscores themes of spiritual survival and the enduring impact of tradition.
· Kim Shelton talks about the time she spent in Myanmar’s nunneries, emphasizing the undervalued role of Buddhist nuns, despite their many contributions to both worldly and spiritual life. Her insights, which culminated in a documentary about the nun’s life in Myanmar, highlight the cultural and societal dichotomies between monks and nuns.
· Sebastien Le Normand describes his repeated pilgrimages to Myanmar to sites in the tradition of S.N. Goenka, to deepen his meditation practice and immerse himself in a traditional Buddhist environment.
· Melissa Coats shares her path from trauma recovery to extensive Buddhist practice, which led her to Myanmar in search of authentic teachings. There she eventually encountered Pa Auk, who became her teacher. Her experiences illustrate the profound effect of spiritual immersion on healing and transformation, echoing themes of seeking refuge in traditional Buddhist practices as a means of personal renewal.
· Whit Hornsberger discusses his transition from competitive sports to mindfulness and meditation, shaped by his time at the Mahasi monastery in Yangon. His account of integrating physical activity with spiritual practice parallels broader themes of using mindfulness to navigate identity and foster resilience amid life’s adversities.