The Great Transmission: A Living Legacy of Wisdom Across Generations

During our recent journey into the heart of monastic education, I revisited a film that feels especially relevant: The Great Transmission, directed by Pema Gellek. It's more than a documentary—it's a heartfelt offering that captures the urgency and profound devotion behind the preservation of sacred transmissions, tracing back to the time of the Buddha himself.

The film brings to light the lifelong efforts of Tibetan Buddhist master Tarthang Tulku Rinpoche to preserve, print, and return to his people the sacred texts of their precious heritage.

At a critical juncture, as ancient wisdom faces the threat of vanishing at an unprecedented rate, the film highlights the Tibetan Buddhist tradition's heartfelt commitment and relentless struggle to preserve and carry its living legacy forward against the tide of sweeping change. Through beautifully shot footage and insightful interviews with masters and scholars, we witness what it truly means to "transmit" the Dharma—is not merely about passing on knowledge, but also about sustaining a living, dynamic path that is embodied, expressed, and lived.

"The texts have to be read by the master, understood by the master, and it has to be transmitted to the students through his teaching, through his transmission. Then only it remains alive."

— Khenpo Sonam Tsewang, The Great Transmission

Transmission in the 21st Century

In many ways, this resonates deeply with the current challenge faced by Buddhist educators: How do we continue this great transmission in the 21st century? How do we carry forward the essence of these teachings while also speaking to the minds and hearts of a generation raised in a fast-paced, digital world?

The Great Transmission reminds us that every generation has had to adapt, respond, and recommit. It honors those who risked everything to preserve even a single word of the Dharma, and gently asks us what we will do in our time to ensure it continues.

A Call to Action

For monastic educators, this film is not just a story—it's a call to action. Under the initiative of SINI's Three Cups program, as we develop new monastic teacher training programs, innovative teaching methodologies, and outreach tools, it's essential to remember that we are part of this long, sacred chain. Innovation doesn't mean detaching from the past—it means carrying its wisdom forward, weaving it into the present with integrity, reverence, and vision.

One question continues to guide our work:

"How can we best equip Buddhist monastics to transmit the Dharma to both their own communities and those further afield? What pedagogical tools, both traditional and contemporary, can we cultivate to facilitate this transmission?"

— Tsering Gellek, Director of SINI