Hailed for its accurate portrayal of a society whose ancient ways survived intact into the 20th century, this documentary, released in 1979, takes viewers to the heart of an ancient Buddhist culture with an in-depth exploration of Tibetan spirituality and daily life. Segment one, The Dalai Lama, the Monasteries, and the People, begins by observing Tibetan monks engaged in spirited metaphysical debate, revealing the everyday life of the Dalai Lama before he was widely known in the West in his dual role as political leader and spiritual teacher. Segment two, Radiating the Fruit of Truth, moves deeper into the inner world of monastic life, powerfully revealing the essence of tantric Buddhism as it follows the monks of Phulwary Sakya Monastery through their contemplative retreats, the building of an intricate cosmogram, and the performance of an ancient protective ritual known as A Beautiful Ornament. And segment three, The Fields of the Senses, is a meditation on impermanence, ending with an unflinching depiction of the monastery's moving ritual response to a death in the community. As in The Tibetan Book of the Dead, the departed is guided through the dream-like intermediate state between death and birth. Tibet: A Buddhist Trilogy toured with the Dalai Lama on his first visit to America and in 2006 was digitally restored and recut by the director.