AllMovie

The deeply philosophical and spiritual documentary 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama finds the questing filmmaker and intellectual Rick Ray visiting with Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama -- widely regarded as one of the wisest men in the world -- and asking His Holiness such questions as: "Why are the poor traditionally so much happier than the wealthy?"; "Is it necessary for a society to abandon its centuries-old traditions to move into the future?"; and "How does one committed to nonviolence respond when faced with inevitable violence?" In approaching these issues with the Lama, Ray brings to light innumerable observations gleaned from his pilgrimages throughout such countries as Israel, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon. The program also incorporates historical footage of various cultures, including extensive footage shot covertly in Tibet under the threat of external dangers.