The Monk in His Madness


This is a film script I wrote some while ago, called The Monk in His Madness. Here are the first few scenes.

INT. MONASTERY, A MONK’S CELL – NIGHT
In a dark cell in a monastery there is much commotion. Initially a confused impression of intense activity: hands and legs moving at rapid speed across the screen, but no sense to what is happening.
Gradually we make out that SEVERAL MONKS are in the process of trying to restrain A YOUNG MONK (TASHI) who seems to be in the middle of having AN EPILEPTIC FIT. His body is convulsing in a tremendous way and the monks around him are having a hard time trying to keep him in control. They try to stuff his mouth, which is by now foaming at the sides, with cloth so that he doesn’t swallow his own tongue, but without success. Some of them are trying to shove a big iron key into his hand and make him grasp it, but that endeavour is not succeeding either. Some are trying to rub his feet with their hands but he is convulsing too much for them to really do anything. The young monk’s eyeballs are rolling and he almost looks like he will die.



INT. MONASTERY, CORRIDOR – NIGHT


A flurry of activity in the corridor as well, lit by flaming torches at the corners. MONKS are moving up and down the corridor, as if something of great import were afoot.


INT. MONASTERY, ANOTHER CELL – NIGHT


SOME MONKS are hunched together and whispering to each other among the general hubbub that can be heard and felt around them. They look semi-frightened and semi-conspiratorially at each other, as they feel the full significance of what is going on.


INT. MONASTERY, THE YOUNG MONK’S CELL – NIGHT


The young monk having a fit erupts in another violent seizure and almost single-handedly throws off the monks trying to restrain him.


INT. MONASTERY, CORRIDOR – NIGHT


A monk is seen hurrying, carrying a thick rope in his hand. Another is seen with a heavy metal object in his hands. It is unclear what this object is but it looks dangerous, like it could be used to subdue, or even kill.


INT. MONASTERY, THE MASTER’S CELL – NIGHT


AN OLD MONK with a wizened face is seen deep in meditation. His eyes are closed in complete and utter serenity, seemingly oblivious to the commotion that is making itself vaguely felt in the background.


EXTREME CLOSE-UP of the old monk’s face. It is as if he were having an especially deep experience tonight.


His face is deeply-lined but in a way that is deeply indicative of authority – spiritual authority. He is simply referred to as THE MASTER in the monastery, and his face shows it.


INT. MONASTERY, DOOR OF THE MASTER’S CELL – NIGHT


Several monks are hunched outside the Master’s door, terribly impatient to apprise him of the happenings but not daring to disturb him. They crouch, look at each other and wait.


INT. MONASTERY – NIGHT


HOLD: A CANDLE is burning slowly. We stay uneasily, yet unflinchingly, on the candle for a while. The wax is low and the candle is about to die in a while.


INT. MONASTERY, THE YOUNG MONK’S CELL – NIGHT


A terrible cry emanates from the mouth of the young monk having the epileptic attack.


INT. MONASTERY, THE MASTER’S CELL – NIGHT


Simultaneous to the young monk’s terrible scream, the Master opens his eyes. They are burning, intense, yet clear.


INT. MONASTERY, THE YOUNG MONK’S CELL – NIGHT


The young monk’s convulsions are already subsiding as the Master enters his cell. As he comes in and looks at the young epileptic, his convulsions die out completely and he collapses unconscious into the arms of those surrounding him. The Master considers him silently for a moment more and walks back out of the cell.


INT. MONASTERY – NIGHT


The candle is at the end of its tether. In another second, it extinguishes and there is darkness.


FADE IN:


EXT. THE MONASTERY HILL – EARLY MORNING


PRESENTATION CREDITS ROLL as we obtain a view of the monastery from the outside. It is perched on top of a hill, among a range of high-altitude mountains, in the fashion of a typical Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Ladakh or Spiti.


Its extremely peaceful setting must be obvious, to contrast with all the violence and disturbance that have gone before. It is morning and we witness several peaceful, ordinary, daily events and activities that typically populate any morning:


BIRDS have woken up and begin to fly out from their nests.


DEW gathered through the night is falling from the leaves of trees.


THE SUN is bursting all red and orange upon the land.


PRAYER FLAGS on a bridge across the river just below the monastery flutter peacefully in the morning wind.


CLOSE-UPS of the MASKS OF PROTECTIVE DEITIES that dot the roof of the monastery. We stay on each for a few beats each.


INT. MONASTERY, PRAYER HALL – EARLY MORNING


Finally, as the presentation credit roll closes, we enter the prayer hall of the monastery for the MORNING PRAYERS that are in progress.


The prayers go on for a while as we pause and linger on some of the faces that we saw during the commotion of last night. Notably absent though is the young monk’s face. Finally we arrive at the Master’s face. He is sitting in the middle of TWO OTHER OLD MONKS, who however pale beside him in the matter of evident spiritual power and authority. However, the Master is not the absolute head of the monastery. That is the monk sitting to the right of him, THE ABBOT. The other old monk is also a senior in the hierarchy. He is called GESHE NAMGYAL. Both these senior monks refer to the Master as Geshe, while everyone else calls him Master.


A young monk comes and whispers something into the ear of the Abbot even as the prayers are going on. The Abbot nods and looks at the Master.


INT. MONASTERY, THE ABBOT’S OFFICE – DAY


The Abbot is in conference in his office with the Master and Geshe Namgyal.


THE ABBOT

They say that Tashi is better. But he is still asleep.


Silence, as the morning light filters into the room through a window.


GESHE NAMGYAL

(murmuring)

This is the first time. … And with such violence, too!


ABBOT

(softly)

Not the first time, Geshe. Not the first time.


The Master remains silent, of steady gaze, reacting neither to the news nor the comment. The other two are evidently expecting some reaction or word from him.


ABBOT (CONTD.)

Well, I don’t know what to do now. I thought all this was over with him. In any case, this can’t be good for the monastery. … What shall we do?


GESHE

The spirits have taken possession of him.


ABBOT

I’ve always had a suspicion of Tashi. I never was quite sure about him.


THE MASTER

Why? Because he’s the only one around who’s ever shown some tendency to true spirit?


This is the first time that the Master has spoken and it has a shocking, startling effect. His words carry all the more weight for that. He speaks in a measured, forceful tone.


ABBOT

(slightly taken aback)

Why do you say that?


MASTER

Tashi is the brightest of our lot, so it’s no wonder you’ve had your suspicions of him. The wise are always suspicious, aren’t they? … It is no wonder that this has happened to him.


GESHE

You mean you were expecting an attack? It was not fair of you not to warn us.


MASTER

I mean simply, Venerable Geshe, that the brain works at an extraordinary speed during an epileptic attack. Were you aware of that fact? Do you not find it of any significance?


GESHE

You mean…


The Geshe is not sure what to say what he thinks the Master might mean.


ABBOT

He means that…


MASTER

I mean that this was not an ordinary attack. It was not even the spirits. It was something much more significant. That young man is going to break down completely, and possibly die, or he may yet rise out of this trouble. … It all depends on his soul.


GESHE

How can you say that, Venerable Geshe? You know ‘soul’ is not a concept for us Buddhists.


Even the Abbot is moved to a murmur of dissent.


ABBOT

Geshe Namgyal is right, Venerable Geshe…


MASTER

Well, terms are not really important. Reality is. So I’ll let you call it whatever you like. However, how do you intend to do about Tashi? I would like some time with him alone as soon as he wakes up.


ABBOT

Of course. That was what I was going to suggest myself.


GESHE

Yes, that is best. You are the one closest to him. He will confide in you. … He must have a history of this which he has hidden from us till now, when it has got too severe to hide any more.


The Master looks at Geshe Namgyal and does not say anything in Tashi’s defence, though it looks like he could. He moves to the open window and contemplates the vista.


INT. MONASTERY, A CELL – DAY


The young monk who was having the seizure is TASHI, now lying peacefully asleep on a hard, bare bed.


EXTREME CLOSE-UP of Tashi’s peaceful features in repose.


Tashi is a young man of about 25, extremely youthful and innocent in his expression. With eyes closed he looks like an angel asleep.


PULL OUT: To reveal FOUR OTHER YOUNG MONKS sitting around him. They, in contrast, look frightened and still overcome from the events of last night.


Faint light is streaming in from a ventilator somewhere at the top. But there is also a candle burning in a corner of the cell. This gives the lighting of the cell an eerie feeling.


PUSH: In to Tashi’s sleeping features again.


CUT TO: The door of the cell opening abruptly. The Master enters.


CUT TO: Tashi opening his eyes from sleep at precisely the very instant as the Master enters. Tashi blinks, and blinks again, getting used to ordinary reality once more.


PULL OUT: To reveal the four young monks who have stood up abruptly at the Master’s entrance. Wordlessly, they leave the cell, leaving the Master and Tashi alone.


INSERT: Shots of the fierce, fearful-looking protective deities that we saw during the presentation credits roll.


CUT BACK: To the Master in the cell who has sat down beside Tashi by now.


Tashi looks askance at the Master from his lying position for a few seconds. Abruptly he tries to sit up, but is restrained gently by the Master. He gratefully collapses back to his reclining position.


Silence as they consider each other for a few beats.


The Master, when he speaks, is extremely abrupt and direct. Tashi is a little hesitant to begin with, as if still finding his bearings in ordinary conversation.


MASTER

I wish you to tell me: What did you see?


TASHI

(after an initial hesitation)

I cannot say, Master.


MASTER

Hmm. … Why did it come now, the attack?


TASHI

I think… I saw… someone… approaching.


MASTER

Someone is approaching us?


TASHI

Someone is coming. In white. He is dressed in white.


MASTER

The attack came upon you when you saw this person?


TASHI

I was dozing. … It was just after the evening meal. … I was not yet asleep. I was –


MASTER

Yes, dozing. Then?


TASHI

I began to dream, a little feverishly. I was cold and trembling.


As Tashi hesitates still.


MASTER

Be free, Tashi. Tell me what happened. It is important.


TASHI

I had visions. Perhaps you would call them hallucinations.


MASTER

I would not call them anything. I want to know what you saw.


Tashi speaks with a little more assurance now, his words coming in a flow for the first time.


TASHI

I saw many things which moved too fast and which I did not understand. But in the end I saw a man, tall, lean, dressed all in white. He was tall and had yellow hair. However, his face was covered in black. I mean, covered by a black cloth as by a mask. I felt – I felt as if I knew him, but I did not really know who he was. I mean, I could not exactly place him. But that I knew him – that feeling persisted in me for a long time – a long time.


He dreams again a little, as if he were seeing the man all over again in his reverie. The Master stares impassively at him, patiently waiting.


TASHI (CONTD.)

Then, just as I had almost figured out who he was – I could almost say I knew who he was, - lightning began to flash in my mind, bright white light began to come down in waves, and suddenly I had no control over what was happening to me any more.


MASTER

Where were you while this happened?


TASHI

(a little startled at this question)

What do you mean, Master?


MASTER

When you had the attack – where exactly were you?


TASHI

(hesitating again, understanding the full significance of the question)

I was in my body, Master. … I was not out of it, in the air, above it, like the other times…


MASTER

When was the last time that happened to you?


TASHI

Some nights ago. No, maybe a month ago, maybe more. As usual, when I was asleep in the night.


MASTER

And the last attack?


TASHI

The last attack? I don’t even remember! It was so long ago, in childhood. When I was a little child. They stopped after that. Never again since then, Master! This is the first time! … I don’t know what to make of it.


The Master takes a deep breath and considers the situation.


MASTER

This is going to be a testing time for you, Tashi. Things are going to get difficult before they perhaps get easier. Do you understand me?


TASHI

(a little apprehensively)

Yes, I think, Master.


MASTER

(sighing)

Maybe someone really is coming. If this person in white really arrives, your attacks might go completely out of hand.

(murmurs to himself)

I wouldn’t know what to do then.

(recovering himself)

Come to me in my cell this evening at prayer-time if you’re feeling a bit stronger. I want to take you on a journey.


TASHI

I don’t think I can travel yet, Master.


MASTER

There are many kinds of travel, Tashi. Each morning, and each evening, you travel a bit further in your meditations, don’t you? And each night you travel back to the godhead in your sleep. We travel all the time, Tashi, only we don’t realise it. … We’ll see this evening if I can take you somewhere I want you to go. Come. This evening.


TASHI

Yes, Master.


He involuntarily closes his eyes and falls back asleep.


CLOSE-UP of the Master’s face looking into Tashi’s sleeping face.


INT. MONASTERY, PRAYER HALL/ MASTER’S CELL – EVENING


The evening prayers are in full swing. We move across the monks seated in meditation or prayer until we come to where the Abbot and Geshe Namgyal are sitting. The Master is conspicuous by his absence.

We now INTER-CUT the prayers with what is going on in the Master’s cell, as the Master has a session with Tashi. As the chants proceed and build up in intensity, so does the action in the Master’s cell.


Fast inter-cutting of the dialogue that follows with the prayers in the hall scene. Tashi is reclining on a hard bed as a candle burns in a corner. His eyes are fast shut and his face has a serene look on it. He is under hypnosis. The Master is sitting by his side, but as if looming over him watchingly, speaking in a calm and deep voice.


MASTER

You are now completely relaxed, Tashi, aren’t you?


Tashi speaks also in a noticeably deep voice.

TASHI

Yes. I am relaxed.


INTER-CUT: Prayers proceed apace.


MASTER

You are now travelling, Tashi. Aren’t you?


TASHI

I am travelling.


MASTER

Where are you going, Tashi?


TASHI

I am going…


INTER-CUT: Prayers proceed apace.


MASTER

Where are you, Tashi?


INTER-CUT: Prayers proceed apace.


MASTER

Where have you reached, Tashi?


INTER-CUT: Prayers proceed apace.


It is a startling effect now as we suddenly cut to Tashi who has started speaking in an unnaturally deep drawl.


TASHI

I’m nowhere. I’m no one, nowhere. I’m not anywhere.


The Master has a slightly concerned look on his face, but plunges ahead bravely.


MASTER

Come back to where you can see yourself, Tashi! … Tashi, come back to where you can see yourself!


Tashi still speaks in a deep voice, but the startling drawl is now gone.


TASHI

I can see myself!


INTER-CUT: Prayers proceed apace.


MASTER

(urgently)

Where are you? What do you see?


INTER-CUT: Prayers proceed apace.


TASHI

I am suckling my newborn.


MASTER

You are a woman!


TASHI

I’m a woman suckling a newborn. But I’m not happy.


MASTER

Why are you not happy?


TASHI

I can’t be happy. It is my fate.


INTER-CUT: Prayers proceed apace.


MASTER

Why is it your fate? Why can’t you be happy?


TASHI

I can’t be happy. It is my fate.


INTER-CUT: Prayers proceed apace.


MASTER

Come a little forward, Tashi. Can you look back and see why you were unhappy?

TASHI

(after a pause)

I can’t come forward. I’m stuck here forever. I can’t be happy. It is my love for another.


MASTER

You love another?


TASHI

There is another. This is his child. He’s not my husband. He’s dead. I can’t be happy. I can’t move forward.


The Master takes a deep breath as he takes in all this.


MASTER

Tashi, tell me this –


INTER-CUT: Prayers proceed apace.


MASTER (CONTD.)

Tashi, tell me: Why did you come here?


INTER-CUT: Prayers proceed apace.


MASTER (CONTD.)

Why have you come here, to this monastery? Why did you take birth close to this place?


TASHI

I’m stuck here. I can’t move forward. …


INTER-CUT: Prayers proceed apace.


TASHI (CONTD.)

But he will come here. We will meet again.


Tashi smiles even in his hypnotised state.


TASHI (CONTD.)

We are meeting again!


The Master looks very concerned.


INTER-CUT: Prayers, proceeding apace, abruptly come to an end.


CUT TO: CLOSE-UP of Tashi abruptly opening his eyes!