Tears of the Buddha: Spirituality and Emotions

04/18/2026 72m

Tears of the Buddha: Spirituality and Emotions (2026)

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Overview

Tears of the Buddha: Spirituality and Emotions explores the spiritual path through the lens of emotion. Director Joel Lesko interviews modern Buddhistic teachers to find out how their teachings apply in daily life - are emotions an impediment to spiritual growth? What about so-called unspiritual emotions like anger and hate? Do emotions trap a seeker in the personal self? Tears is a serious look at an area of life that is often confusing and problematic for people in spiritual practices. Rather than another documentary about a teacher's enlightenment or awakening, Tears of the Buddha questions age-old teachings about emotions and leads to an important conversation about individual selfhood - is it real, or is it an illusion? Lesko shares his own experiences and interviews leading teachers including Gangaji, Eli-Jaxon-Bear, Jeff Foster, and others.

Joel Lesko

Director