Kundun Page #10

It is a frightening sight.

EXT. GARDEN, NORBULINKA DAWN (1950)

The still waters of the fish pond begin to move. The fish

swim in nervous circles; the water laps over its stone

banks.

EXT. DALAI LAMA'S RESIDENCE DAWN

The whole building shakes. Earthquake.

One monk runs down the stairs, another monk runs up, both

staring at a second floor window - a black-rimmed, glass

window.

A red cloth is pulled back and the window is opened.

The fifteen year-old Tenzin Gyatso looks out.

There is a terrible rumbling: the rumbling that accompanies

an earthquake. Finally, slowly, the sound, and the movement

subsides.

CLOSE on Tenzin Gyatso. He lets the curtain fall.

INT. GREAT HALL, THE POTALA DAY

The General Assembly is in session.

Once again, the Yigstang and the Tsitang - four monks and

four laymen - sit facing one another. But the room is

crowded today - this is a full session. The Lord

chamberlain sits in. Regent Taktra is there.

The senior Layman is on his knees.

LAYMAN:

The Communist have control of

China.

In the back of the room we notice an open door.

INT. HALLWAY DAY

The Dalai Lama is listening. He stands taller than the

first time we caught him eavesdropping. He still is not a

part of this assembly, but he doesn't seem to care if he is

spotted.

INT. GREAT HALL DAY

The Layman continues.

LAYMAN:

Now, as his great army, stands idle

on our borders, Chairman Mao has

presented Tibet with three demands:

One, Tibet must accept that

it is part of China.

A murmuring in the room.

INT. HALLWAY DAY

Shock on the face of His Holiness.

LAYMAN (OC)

Two, Tibet's defenses must

be handled by China.

Three, all political and trade

matters concerning foreign countries

must be conducted through China.

A voice shouts out:

VOICE IN BACK OF ROOM (OC)

Give the Dalai Lama his majority!

INT. GREAT HALL DAY

The senior Monk is on his knees.

MONK:

We can concede that Tibet is a part

of China if we can guarantee that

the Dalai Lama's name and authority

will remain...

LAYMAN:

And do you believe that the Tibetan

government will be allowed to

continue to function as it is?

Do you believe that our religion

will be protected?

VOICES:

Give the Dalai Lama his majority!

MONK:

We have dealt with this Chinese

obsession for hundreds of years.

We can deal with it now.

LAYMAN:

These are not the Chinese we know.

These are Communists.

VOICES:

Make him Dalai Lama now!

We see the Lord Chamberlain look toward the open door.

INT. HALLWAY DAY

Tenzin Gyatso looks at his advisor, and then, he closes the

door as the demand for his enthronement continues.

He walks down the hall, past the door leading to the

treasure room, alone now - an adult. He is wearing those

European, lace-up shoes found in the treasure room so long

ago. They are still too big for him.

EXT. TRIBUTARY OF THE KYICHU RIVER, NORBULINKA DAY

Tenzin Gyatso and Taktra Rinpoche walk side by side along

the waterway.

TENZIN GYATSO:

If we agree that we are part of

China, nothing else will matter.

Not trade, not defense. We will be

lost.

TAKTRA RINPOCHE:

What would you do, Holiness?

The boy looks out over the water.

Shepherds are leading their flock of sheep back toward town

on the far side of the tributary.

The two men stand side by side, one so young, one seeming so

old.

TENZIN GYATSO:

What should I do about my doubt,

Teacher?

TAKTRA RINPOCHE:

It is a difficult situation.

TENZIN GYATSO:

I mean, my doubt. Why me?

Am I Him?

TAKTRA RINPOCHE:

Doubt is an affliction. Reliquish

it. Accept.

Pause.

TENZIN GYATSO:

I believe we must make no concesions

to the Chinese. But, I am one voice.

The Dalai Lama has always trusted in

the forces of Buddha. Let us consult

the protective deities.

Taktra Rinpoche bows and leaves him.

Tenzin Gyatso stands alone by the river. The boy watches

the herders, and before the young shepherds disappear from

sight, the Dalai Lama turns and waves a hand behind him.

Two Bodyguards approach. We can not hear, but as the Dalai

Lama walks away from us, down the river, one Bodyguard runs

up river, shouting:

BODYGUARD (shouting)

We will buy them! We will buy them!

INT. ALTAR ROOM, NORBULINKA DAY

In this black room, under the protective view of the statue

of Mahakala, a divine lottery is performed.

Tenzin Gyatso, the Regent Taktra Rinpoche, The Lord

chamberlain, the Kashag, the Yigstang and the Tsitang are

all present.

Tsampa-dough balls are made, three of them, each containing

a strip of parchment, bearing writing. The dough is shaped

and weighed to see that each ball is equal.

Then, the three balls are placed in a silver bowl and the

bowl is spun. The balls whirl, race, and finally one leaps

from the bowl.

This ball is taken to the Dalai Lama and he makes a mark on

it. The ball is returned to the bowl, the procedure is

repeated, and a ball leaps again, almost immediately. This

ball is presented and the Dalai Lama places his mark - next

to the mark he just made. It is the same ball.

Tenzin Gyatso makes the twelfth mark on the same ball, and

the spinning begins again and then the thirteenth mark, and

then the ball is broken open and the strip of parchment

handed to the Regent.

TAKTRA RINPOCHE:

We should not accept any conditions

from the Chinese.

EXT. GARDENS, NORBULINKA DAY

In a paved area, adjacent to the Yellow Wall which marks the

Dalai Lama's private grounds, the Opera Festival has begun.

This festival involves performances by Tibetan singers,

dancers and actors. It looks to be a joyous occasion;

officials and their wives are dressed in their finest and

sit before beautifully laid picnics. Children run here and

there, amidst the monks and nomads, the swashbuckling

Khambas from eastern Tibet (large people, with heavy braids

wrapped in red cloth on top of their heads). There are

westerners, Nepalese and Sikimese.

Dancers - dressed in wild, colorful outfits - spin and leap

in time to the eerie, Tibetan music.

Atop a low building on the Yellow Wall, stands an elaborate

enclosure - draped in yellow silk.

The Dalai Lama sits inside it.

INT. ENCLOSURE DAY

Tenzin Gyatso is alone in this little room; his arms rest

on a window ledge as he stares down at the festival taking

place below him.

EXT. GARDENS DAY

A bit more of the dancers and the people enjoying themselves

- all from the isolated point of view of the Dalai Lama.

We recognize a few characters: Keustang Rinpoche. His

Holiness's Mother with her younger children, the favorite

sweeper, Norbu Thundrup - dressed in a fine hat.

But a distant figure becomes apparent - he is a MESSENGER -

he is running, through the crowds, toward the Yellow Wall.

We stay on this desperate little figure as he draws closer.

INT. ENCLOSURE DAY

The boy is watching the Messenger.

EXT. GARDENS DAY

Back to that messenger as he works his way, ever closer to

the building which holds the Dalai Lama aloft, and then we

lose sight of him.

INT. ENCLOSURE DAY

Tenzin Gyatso leans back in his seat. The yellow silk

curtain that his elbows have held open now fall closed and

we hear the heavy footsteps of the runner.

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