Kundun

- Tell me. - Again?

- Tell me. - Your father had been very sick.

We thought he would die. Some of our animals had died.

- Cow? - Yes, a cow,

a horse, a yak…

and chickens.

We had four years of bad crops.

- All the farmers did. - Yes.

Then one night, I knew you were coming…

and at dawn, you were born.

- Tell me. - You didn't cry.

- No cry. - No, you didn't cry.

And that day, your father got better.

He named you Lhamo the Protector.

I know.

Go to sleep now, Lhamo. Go to sleep.

- Me. - No.

- Me. - No. This must stop.

- Me, here. - No, I am the father. You are the child. You sit there.

No.

- Me sit here. - No.

Oh, what's the harm? Let him sit where he wants.

- He'll grow up all wrong. - Only you can serve him.

Only you can touch his food. Too clean.

- Everything just so. - So what's the harm?

He thinks he's king.

Tell my story.

- Not again. - Again. Me!

All right, Lhamo. I'll tell you the story.

You were born at dawn. It was so quiet outside.

I helped Mama. She asked for me.

When you were born, you didn't cry at all. You never cried.

And I was surprised. Then we gave you the sweet drink.

And you pooped all over!

Can you stop that?

Rinpoche, I'll ride back with you to the monastery.

Thank you, Father.

There were crows. I just remembered. There were crows.

When?

The morning Lhamo was born. Do you remember?

You were sick, and I brought him to you.

You said, "We'll call him Lhamo," and you went to pray.

I slept and later went outside and saw them.

A pair of crows had come to nest on our roof

as if they had come for Lhamo.

Just as they did for the Dalai Lama.

This must stop now, Lhamo.

Yes?

Yes?

- We are traveling to Lhasa. - Oh, please, come in. It's so cold.

Your servants may use the kitchen.

This is mine.

I will give it to you if you know who I am.

Lama.

Mine!

No, no, no, Lhamo. Give it back.

I'm sorry. He doesn't usually do such things.

Lhasa. He always says he wants to go to Lhasa. Lhamo.

Lhamo.

Thank you for joining us.

You say this is yours?

What else belongs to you?

Yes, those are yours.

Yes, those are yours.

Yes.

This is mine.

Mine, mine, mine, mine.

Yes, Kundun.

This is mine.

Mine. I need this.

This is mine, Mama.

Lhamo, I'll get you a better one.

Come on Lhamo. We have to leave now.

You must be a very high lama; a great Tibetan monk. So this is a good thing.

Don't be scared. You're not the first boy to be discovered like this,

and certainly not the last.

I will never let harm come to you.

You must be a great man.

I know.

Who said you could sit here?

Regent Reting, Your Excellency.

The boy's caravan is near.

He has grown from the baby you sent me to find, Excellency.

He's very strong. Very inquisitive. A little afraid.

He's ready to meet the man who discovered him.

We are going to shave your head now. Don't be afraid.

- Don't be afraid, Rinpoche. - Come here! Come here!

- We are going to cut your hair. - Where are you going? Come here, come here, come here.

Can you recite, "May I be the doctor and the medicine,

and may I be the nurse for all sick beings in the world…

until everyone is healed"?

Can you remember?

"May I be the protector for those without one.

May I be a bridge, a boat, a ship…

for all who wish to cross the water."

Centuries ago, a boy was born in Tibet.

His name was Gendendrub.

The night of his birth robbers came to his home,

and his family had to run to save their lives.

They hid the baby.

When they returned the next day, the baby was alive.

He was guarded by a pair of black crows.

He was the first.

He was Chenrezig.

We call him Kundun.

I saw you in a vision.

I am Reting, your regent.

I found you. It was difficult.

But you left me good signs.

I hope it was not too long a wait, Kundun.

You have chosen to come back to this life once more.

You will stay as long as you can.

And then, you will come again.

You will be born again and again, as long as all life continues.

You are here to love all living things.

Just love them.

Care for them. Have compassion for them.

"As long as any living thing draws breath,

wherever he shall be, there in compassion…

shall the Buddha appear."

The Buddha of Compassion.

The Wish-fulfilling Jewel.

The 14th Dalai Lama.

Your Lord Chamberlain will see you now.

Your Holiness, I am Phala, Your Lord Chamberlain,

to serve you however I can.

Fifth Dalai Lama.

Seventh Dalai Lama.

Thirteenth Dalai Lama.

And when you come of age, you will hold…

the Great Seal.

Oh-ho. Very auspicious, 14th Dalai Lama.

Shall I tear it? Yeah? Just watch me.

- Your turn. Let's play. - Power!

I'm on a big mountain hitting at men.

- I am braver. - I have more men.

I have smarter men. I have all the men.

Today you lose, Kundun. Tomorrow you may win.

Things change, Kundun.

Kundun. Kundun. Kundun.

Reting is asking too much from us.

How much more land and money do we have to give him for finding the boy?

It comes from our pockets.

And then there are the gifts and the estates to offer the Dalai Lama's family.

- Look at Father. - Our purses are empty.

Our army is depleted.

The regent is asking for too high a reward for finding the Dalai Lama.

He would have us pull the hairs from our noses.

Surely you're not suggesting that the cost for finding the boy…

come from Reting's own pocket.

He didn't ask for this position.

He'd rather be at his hermitage in retreat.

With all his women! Yeah.

The Great 13th… Can't we all see him in the face of this beautiful child?

He dared to be reborn right on the Chinese border.

It's as if he took a scarf and threw it as far as he could…

so it landed in Amdo, right smack in the face of China.

And he said, "This is Tibet. I will be born here."

Right to the edge of our country, and he says, "This is my Tibet."

Your new home, your servants… everything is as you wish?

We are very fortunate. Thank you, Regent.

Mama.

Mama.

I don't like it here.

This is an old, dark place.

But you will like the summer palace better.

There are gardens and animals…

like deer and dogs,

little bears and birds… peacocks.

Elephants?

No… but a river and a lake.

- Fish. - Many fish.

Who's that woman here?

She's Penden Lhamo.

It is her special duty to protect you and the government of Tibet.

- Is she real or pretend? - She's real.

She's real.

Small ones first.

Wait. Big ones, don't eat. No, no, no.

Let the small one finish.

Holiness, will you take the head of the table?

That's your place.

Dalai Lama is not supposed to eat pork. It's bad for your brain.

Go study. I get in trouble if you don't study.

The Dalai Lama is not supposed to eat eggs.

I'm sorry.

Oh! We have him at last.

Pompo, eggs! Look! Eggs!

- Eggs? No eggs! - Go away!

- That's not the way you talk to people. - But I'm in charge.

Of whom?

Can I save the sheep outside so they don't die?

- You're rich. Buy them. - Will you buy them for me?

Where will you keep them?

Here. You and me.

Then I'll buy them for you.

You have beautiful horses now.

Yes, I do. Go now.

I don't want to go.

My teeth are in there.