I am not a buddhist.
But one of my top books is .
To a foolish mind like mine, Buddha's teaching is too beautiful to ignore.
Hi, This is Hyaml.
Today's pick for K-Movie Delivery is <Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring> by Director
Kim Ki Duk.
This one is definitely my top choice among Director Kim Ki Duk's films.
However, you must be aware that this film has almost no semblance to typical Kim Ki
Duk films.
On top of that, you must also be aware that the touch of buddhism in this movie is banal
and flimsy.
To say that it's a cheap cosmetic is not an exaggeration.
Compared to this movie, even a comedy film like
has better understanding about buddhism.
I know this movie is hugely popular with foregin audience, especially so in the Western culture.
Buddhism is depicted in a very mysterious way.
Like this scene.
The man encarves on the deck of the floating temple.
When you know nothing about it, it looks so mysterious, hence, so beautiful.
But wait.
On a second thought, I guess the popularity of this movie comes from the fact that this
movie looks very similar to the very popular Christian parable, that is, <the Return of
the Prodigal Son>.
Spring.
The child is a mischievous little devil, but still, your own.
Summer.
The child has grown.
He wants to run away from your protection.
And he does.
Fall.
He's back.
He's been betrayed by love and by the world.
The engraving of is nothing other than the prodigal son's repentance.
And Winter.
The man finally gains wisdom.
All the petty details of the man's training ring a bell to the popular concept, 'mindfulness'.
All in all, this movie is like <A Complete Idiot's Guide> to or
something.
But it actually works.
It catches people's minds, including me.
I read books on Buddhism much more than ordinary Western people, but I still like the feeling
the movie brings.
When I checked out IMDB last time, I saw many people talk about the old monk's death.
But believe me, this does not have a thing to do with Buddhism.
Of course Buddhism has many different flavors.
And some secret sects of Buddhism deal with this kind of mysterious knowledge, such as
foreseeing your own death.
But this is a BS, I must say.
Like the Christianism contains many stuffs that Jesus never mentioned, Buddhism has its
own contaminations.
That is why I like Jesus and Buddha, but not their successors' enterprises.
Hugely successful enterprises.
Perhaps, this movie is also a part of that enterprise.