Film Watching Club - Now Playing: Zen (2009)

[Saijun]

Re: Life in a Day (Film Watching Club)

Hello friends,

Just had a chance to order Zen. I should have it mid next week. I'm excited to watch it and discuss it with you all.

Metta,

Saijun

[Kaishin]

Re: Life in a Day (Film Watching Club)

Finally got the DVD and watched it this past weekend. Pretty good! I have a lot of questions though... Looking forward to the discussion.

-Matt

[Hoyu]

Re: Life in a Day (Film Watching Club)

Matt wrote:
So, should we shoot for May 27th to start the discussion of the film "Zen"?

Today is the day! I agree with Jundo Sensei and give this movie a 5 Buddha rating. By far one of the best films I've seen lately. One of the parts(and there were many) which really moved me was when Orin came to Dogen with her sick child. Which was a variation on the story Jundo Sensei told here:

When her son died just a few years into his life, Kisa Gotami went mad with grief. A wise person saw her condition and told her to find the Buddha, who had the medicine she needed. Kisa Gotami went to the Buddha, and asked him to give her the medicine that would restore her dead child to life. The Buddha told her to go out and find a mustard seed from a house where nobody had died. Kisa Gotami was heartened, and began her search, going door to door. Everyone was willing to give her a mustard seed, but every household she encountered had seen at least one death. She understood why the Buddha had sent her on this quest. She returned to the Buddha, who confirmed what she had realized: "There is no house where death does not come."

The thing about the movie version was you could really feel that pain of loss brought to life! The actors did a wonderful job of transmitting that raw emotion. Truly heart wrenching on many occasions. This must have been a pretty big budget production as the actors were pretty famous(at least that's what Kyoko tells me) and the filming was done in many locations. Was any filming really done in Eiheiji? I don't have anything negative to really say about it. Looking forward to getting into a more in depth discussion once everyone has seen it.

Gassho,
John

[Saijun]

Re: Life in a Day (Film Watching Club)

Hello friends,

I very much enjoyed watching this, especially the shot toward the end of the priests streaming through the temple gate, chanting the Heart Sutra (it was the Heart Sutra, right? My Japanese is a little...non-existent. That's the word.) It was very heartening, very powerful to me.

I was pleasantly surprised by the respectful tone of the movie, and plan on watching it again and fleshing this out a bit.

I will say, though, that my wife (who practices, but doesn't want to admit it) liked this movie very much; the writers did a very good job.

Metta,

Saijun

[Hoyu]

Re: Life in a Day (Film Watching Club)

Hi Saijun,

Yes it was the heart sutra. Great Japanese listening skills! I like that scene too. Now, do you think they were actors or actual priests from the temple? I kind of thought they were the actual priests. At least that's the feeling I got.

Gassho,
John

[bcaruthers]

Re: Life in a Day (Film Watching Club)

Just got my DVD ordered. I'm looking forward to getting it so I can join in on the discussion.

[Kaishin]

Re: Life in a Day (Film Watching Club)

Great film! I must admit I'd never heard of the Orin figure before. Is the backstory of Dogen supposedly saving her life as a child based on real events?

Also interesting to see the very violent and raucous Buddhist sect, who seemed to relish breaking every precept! Does this come out of the life of the warrior class?

I thought Dogen would be more compassionate toward the monk who made advances on Orin. Seems like his weakness would have been more reason go solidify his monastic practice, not return to lay life.

[Hoyu]

Re: Life in a Day (Film Watching Club)

I thought Dogen would be more compassionate toward the monk who made advances on Orin. Seems like his weakness would have been more reason go solidify his monastic practice, not return to lay life.

Hi Matt,
I agree that such an event could be used more constructively to solidify ones practice. But I don't feel Dogen was being hard on him. He made sure a few times whether the monk really felt that was making the decision he wanted to make. Also going as far as to follow him out and give him an open invitation to return. I believe it was the monk who should have been more compassionate to himself. Down seven up eight right?

Gassho,
John

[Saijun]

Re: Life in a Day (Film Watching Club)

Hi Saijun,

Yes it was the heart sutra. Great Japanese listening skills! I like that scene too. Now, do you think they were actors or actual priests from the temple? I kind of thought they were the actual priests. At least that's the feeling I got.

Gassho,
John

Hello John,

I would tend to agree with you; there would have had to have been a WHOLE lot of extras for that scene.

Metta,

Saijun

[Hoyu]

Re: Life in a Day (Film Watching Club)

Hi Saijun,

The thing I like about that scene is the feeling of that growth and continuation in tradition of what Dogen started sooo long ago. Just seeing all those priests shows how many lives have been influenced by Dogen's teachings. It was a simple yet profound scene! Many of them were. And how can you not just adore that little girl who was sheltering the Buddha from the rain!

Gassho,
John

[Kaishin]

Re: Life in a Day (Film Watching Club)

Hi Saijun,

The thing I like about that scene is the feeling of that growth and continuation in tradition of what Dogen started sooo long ago. Just seeing all those priests shows how many lives have been influenced by Dogen's teachings. It was a simple yet profound scene! Many of them were. And how can you not just adore that little girl who was sheltering the Buddha from the rain!

Gassho,
John

Makes me reflect on how and why figures like Dogen appear in history. What is it about them that leads them to such great prominence? And where would we be without them?

I think the most touching scene for me was when Jakuen (sp? Dogen's Chinese friend) ordered the continuation of zazen despite the intense sadness after Dogen's passing. Truly an honored commitment to Dogen's way.

[Hoyu]

Re: Life in a Day (Film Watching Club)

Matt wrote:
I think the most touching scene for me was when Jakuen (sp? Dogen's Chinese friend) ordered the continuation of zazen despite the intense sadness after Dogen's passing. Truly an honored commitment to Dogen's way.

Hi Matt,
This action, I feel, truly epitomizes the practice of Shikantaza. Sitting with all that is. Even through the loss of those who are close to us. I think Dogen would be pleased by their decision to continue on.

Gassho,
John

[Hoyu]

Re: Life in a Day (Film Watching Club)

Hi All,

I noticed that we never officially named the film club. As a reminder here is Jundo's suggestion

Jundo wrote:
I guess it is now a "Book and Film Club"! Shall we borrow a bit of Dogen, and call it the "Dream within a Dream" Film Club

I was thinking since we will also be posting for movies in the "BEYOND WORDS & LETTERS" BOOK CLUB we could name it "BEYOND SHAPES & IMAGES" FILM CLUB. Anyone else have any suggestions?

Gassho,
John

[bcaruthers]

Re: Life in a Day (Film Watching Club)

My copy of Zen just arrived today. I am excited to watch it so I can join in on the discussion.

Gassho,
Bryan

[Shohei]

Re: Life in a Day (Film Watching Club)

Hiyas
I picked up this a year or so ago and it is really good! The scene where Master Dogen is receiving the light was quite actually gave me the chills you know, very moving. i dug all the lessons through out and giggled in appropriately at the poor tortured samurai guy- not him but the video representation of his haunted mind... really over the top but however I am sure in real life over the top would not describe it. Still that scenes lesson was a priceless one, no?

My useless 2 cents here and Im glad we are doing this

Gassho
Shohei

As John Mentioned a name is good idea

I would like to humbly offer out

"BEYOND LIGHT AND SCREEN" Movie club

For now I edited it to be a bit more ontopic but a final name would be great!