Life is filled with ups and downs, positivity and negativity, joy and happiness. Life feels like a cycle of continuous jubilations followed by pains and sorrows. The Buddha however, found a way out of this seemingly endless trap, a way to cease Dukkah or suffering, known as the Middle Path. The Middle Path is generally referred to as the Noble Eightfold Path composed of eight virtuous characteristics/subdivisions. It’s a path leading to the realization of Ultimate Reality and perfection, in other words, Nirvana. According to Walpola Rahula in his book What the Buddha Taught, the eight subdivisions can be grouped under three overarching headings- Ethical Conduct, Mental Discipline, and Wisdom. During the film “Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and
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Both characters seem to be going through this Noble Eight Fold Path yet they aren’t at the same pace at the same time. While the old master exhibits strength in Ethical Conduct, he displays a sort of weakness in the Wisdom part of the path. The young master on the other hand, begins his youth with a weak mental discipline yet is grows into one of his greatest strengths. Their weaknesses cause them to deviate from the Middle Path, but it’s their strengths that drive them even further, assisting them in reaching ultimate perfection- Nirvana.
Throughout this film, the old master shows strength in Ethical Conduct. Ethical Conduct contains Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood. According to Rahula, Right Speech means no lying, no backstabbing and no talk of hatred, disharmony, and disunity. One should abstain …show more content…
Right Action means leading a moral and honorable life for oneself and helping others on their journey too. One should not deal dishonestly or have illegitimate sexual intercourse (Rahula 47). In the movie, the old master not only leads a virtuous life himself, he devoted his life to the well upbringing of the young master too. The old master brought this young boy into his home, raised him in the ways of the Buddha, and never let a thing go unnoticed. When the young boy tied a string with a rock to the fish, turtle, and snake, the old master imitates those actions onto the boy himself. He doesn’t ignore the pain the young boy afflicts onto the animals despite the young boys age, the old master teaches him through experience and replication (Spring). Additionally, when his young one becomes an adolescent, the old master took note of his love affair with the woman and acted upon it by kicking her out (Summer). Even with the young master’s return as an adult, the old master grabs the murder circumstance as an opportunity to improve this adult’s life through a connection to Buddha (Fall). The old master dedicated all his energy for this man from a young age so that he would grow into the moral and honorable man he
Both characters seem to be going through this Noble Eight Fold Path yet they aren’t at the same pace at the same time. While the old master exhibits strength in Ethical Conduct, he displays a sort of weakness in the Wisdom part of the path. The young master on the other hand, begins his youth with a weak mental discipline yet is grows into one of his greatest strengths. Their weaknesses cause them to deviate from the Middle Path, but it’s their strengths that drive them even further, assisting them in reaching ultimate perfection- Nirvana.
Throughout this film, the old master shows strength in Ethical Conduct. Ethical Conduct contains Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood. According to Rahula, Right Speech means no lying, no backstabbing and no talk of hatred, disharmony, and disunity. One should abstain …show more content…
Right Action means leading a moral and honorable life for oneself and helping others on their journey too. One should not deal dishonestly or have illegitimate sexual intercourse (Rahula 47). In the movie, the old master not only leads a virtuous life himself, he devoted his life to the well upbringing of the young master too. The old master brought this young boy into his home, raised him in the ways of the Buddha, and never let a thing go unnoticed. When the young boy tied a string with a rock to the fish, turtle, and snake, the old master imitates those actions onto the boy himself. He doesn’t ignore the pain the young boy afflicts onto the animals despite the young boys age, the old master teaches him through experience and replication (Spring). Additionally, when his young one becomes an adolescent, the old master took note of his love affair with the woman and acted upon it by kicking her out (Summer). Even with the young master’s return as an adult, the old master grabs the murder circumstance as an opportunity to improve this adult’s life through a connection to Buddha (Fall). The old master dedicated all his energy for this man from a young age so that he would grow into the moral and honorable man he