Essay - About the movie \"Running on Karma\" PDF

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About the movie "Running on Karma"...

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Chan Yeung 3035517620 CCHU 9062 Buddhist in World Cinema Number of words: Film: Running on Karma Number of words: 1724

Concept of Karma Interpreted by Film ‘Running on Karma’ Karma (Palí: Kamma) is one of the important theories and concepts in Buddhist teachings. Karma is a neutral and haphazard process that is caused by our thoughts, emotions, and behavior (Nichtern, 2016, p89). Every act including our mind, speech and body with intention will ‘plant’ a karmic seed. With wholesome intention, good karma will be generated. With unwholesome intention, bad karma will be generated as well (Harvey, 2013, p.39 – 40). The karma we generated will then cause consequences. We reap our karmic fruits in the correct time that the law of karma agrees. The results and consequences may not come immediately. However, it must come, and we must have to face it (Harvey, 2013, p.42). If the consequences have not yet happened in the present, it must occur in subsequent lives. This is told to the audience in the film, Running on Karma (01:03:58). Film ‘Running on Karma is a Hong Kong movie published in 2003. It actually interprets the law of karma to the audience. The protagonist of the film, Big, was a muscular ex-Buddhist monk. He got the ability to know the past lives and karma of others. For example, he could see the past life of the dog died from a stray bullet was actually a kid killed a stray dog (00:07:25). It was a story that Big tried to help LeeFung Yee, a police officer in the present life and her past life was a Japanese soldier who killed a lot of people, escape from her fruits of karma. Actually, it was also a story that Big escaped his own karma and lead to the end of karma (Access to Insight, 2013). The law of karma is presented in the film, but it is not accurately interpreted. The concepts of karma shown on the screen are slightly distorted in order to have a more dramatic plot and scene. This essay is going to discuss the correct and false interpretation of karma in this film. Firstly, some concepts of the film are correctly interpreted. Everyone generates their own karma and reaps their own karmic fruit. No one can intervene in the karma of others (Thera, 1975, p.3). All living beings need to take their responsibility for the

intentional acts they have done in their past lives and present life. This cannot be affected by external factors. They reap what they sow. This law is interpreted in the film when Big talked to his master (00:57:10). At that time, Lee-Fung Yee was actually saved by Big twice already when they were chasing criminals. Lee-Fung Yee almost died for the bad result of her bad karma. Big’s master told Big that there was nothing Big could do to save her. The Big asked his master who was the true savior of Lee-Fung Yee. Was it Big or Lee-Fung Yee herself? The master thus knew that Big really understood the law of karma. One’s karma is not able to be affected by any external parties. No matter what has been done. One must reap his karmic fruit. Only the master as well as the ‘heir’ of the karma and actions has the right and power to generate his own karma to get a better or worse result (Harvey, 2013, p.39). Big was confused and asked his master for an answer. The master smiled because Big had awakened. Although Big could ‘see’ karma, he had not yet fully understood the law of karma. The master asked him why he saved Lee-Fung Yee. Big replied that he saw her goodness. Therefore, Lee-Fung Yee was saving herself by her kindness. For example, she saved innocent Big from other violent police bravely (00:09:56). She did wholesome things with wholesome intention. She did not lie or do harm on others which actions should be abandoned (Rinpoche, 1998, p.10). Instead, she defended the innocence of Big to the police officers who were angry and had much more power than her. She generated good karma that actually saved her own life but not Big saved her. Extended from the point above, karma can be accumulated. Both wholesome and unwholesome karma will accumulate. However, they accumulated separately (Thera, 1975, p.24-25). People always mistake that good karma and bad karma are accumulated together. Therefore, the good karma can cancel out the bad karma. If we do things that are unwholesome, we can do wholesome things that are good to ourselves and others. There will be no fruits of bad karma. However, it is a wrong concept in the law of karma. Wholesome and unwholesome karma accumulated separately. They will have no effect on each other. It is not a mathematical equation. Fruits of good karma and bad karma can be borne at the same time. This concept is intentionally misinterpreted in the film until the ending. For instance, when Big saved Lee-Fung Yee falling from the roof of a building, Big saw that the image of the past life of Lee-Fung Yee was vanishing (00:48:58). The audience may be misled that bad karma can be canceled out by good karma. Although the correct concept of the law of karma was pointed out at the end of the film, some audience may still acquire wrong knowledge about karma (01:23:04). Even Lee-Fung Yee had done wholesome things that sow wholesome karmic seed. The fruits of good karma in present life save her

twice, but the fruits of bad karma sowed in last life got her killed, beheaded and suffering. Karma is a neutral process (Nichtern, 2016, p89). It is like planting. When a seed is sowed, fruits must grow and be reaped. A good attitude can be adapted facing the fruit of bad karma. Good karma can also be generated to recover the balance (Thera, 1975, p.5). However, the fruits of bad karma must be borne no matter what. The film tries to create a more exciting and dramatic plot, so the concepts of accumulated karma are distorted in part of the film. Some audience will learn the wrong concepts of the law of karma. The film is presenting part of the law of karma correctly. It can surely help the audience understand more about karma and the mind of Buddhism. Conversely, some concept was completely distorted in the film. Apart from the accumulation of karma, the time of kusala and akusala vipāka phala is not accurately presented to the audience. Kusala and akusala vipāka phala mean the wholesome and unwholesome ripening fruits. When karma is generated, it will not only accumulate for the next life. The law of karma is flexible and a neutral process. It is not regulated by any rule or fixed to have ripening fruits in a certain period of time. We in the present life, next life and lives afterward may need to bear the fruits of karma generated in past lives and present life (Harvey, 2013, p.42). In the film, Lee-Fung Yee asked Big that was it true that she died because of her past live (00:54:20). Although Big did not clarify whether the Japanese soldier was past life of Lee or not, the film presented that the actions of our present life only generate karma for our next life. The same false concept was also presented in the case of the murderer and the victim (00:20:00). However, the vipāka phala is not fixed only to be borne in next life. The fruits can ripen in the present life and many lives after. However, for a more dramatic story, the film chose the fruits ripened just in next life. Moreover, the fruits of karma are wrongly presented as punishment and revenge of justice. In the law of karma, there are no things that are good or bad but wholesome and unwholesome. Good and bad are moral judgment. Buddhism sees things that are wholesome and unwholesome only. It means whether it benefits themselves and others or not (Thera, 1975, p.34). The law of karma is neutral. You do something. The result of the actions will occur (Nichtern, 2016, p89). It is a simple but complicated law. There are not punishment and revenge. Therefore, the bad result of bad karma may or may not be the same way as your actions. Other kind and form of pain may be suffered because of the unwholesome deed. However, in the film, the fruits always occur in the way similar to the unwholesome actions. For example, the dog died of a

stray bullet. It was similar to how the boy beat the dog (00:07:25). Lee-Fung Yee died and beheaded. It was similar to how the Japanese soldiers killed and beheaded other people (00:08:41) (01:09:08). Fruits of karma occur like retribution, but it is not what the law of karma is. We can see that the fruits are the responses of the intentional actions. The law of karma is not justice or judger. It is only about causes and consequences. Therefore, the consequences may not be the same as the causes. The film has presented a wrong concept to the audience Undoubtedly, ‘Running on Karma’ is an excellent Hong Kong Movie. The plot is mysterious, attractive and educational. It introduces the basic concept of karma. Although some true theories of the law of karma are sacrificed in order to enhance the attractiveness of the film. It indeed lets the audience think about what they are encountering and doing in the present life. Buddhism is not only a religion. It also teaches us about a way of thinking, mind and mindset. It gives us a new idea and point of view to see and think of the world and ourselves. The audience may not believe in Buddhism after watching this film, but they will be aware of karma. Karma is a system that is easy to be understood. When we do good things, we feel peaceful which is a fruit of good karma already. When we do bad things, we are frightened and afraid of some things going to happen to us. Thus, they will reconsider their life as a human in the present life and what they want to be in the future and even next lives. This can encourage them to do wholesome things with good intentions and purposes. If this film succeeds in doing so, this film has already done its responsibility perfectly.

Reference: Access to Insight. (2013). Intentional action: kamma (Skt: karma). Access to Insight. Harvey, P. (2013). An introduction to Buddhism: Teachings History and Practices. UK: Cambridge University Press Nichtern, D. (2016). Awakening from the Daydream: Reimagining the Buddha's Wheel of Life. Simon and Schuster. USA: Wisdom Publication. Rinpoche, P. (1998). The Words of my Perfect Teacher. Boston: Shambhala. Thera, N. (1975). Kamma and its Fruit. Selected Essays. The Wheel Pblication, (413)....