*Images in Philosophy*

The prof. used a lot of references today to get us to understand what Nishitani was really talking about when he defined religion in his essay. These are not pleasant references (although sometimes amusingish), but I'll put them here for your viewing pleasure (reading pleasure?). Basically, Nishitani says that the starting point for really experiencing what he means by "religion" (which, btw, cannot include ego) is true despair, generally through one's death (or supposed death) or the death of a loved one. That point when the question becomes not "does God exist?" or "what use is God to me?" but a reference to one's own existence without the distinction between "I" and everything else.

He used a Jewish saying in class to explain this (actually, I can't find it online, but he said it was Jewish... maybe a famous rabbi said it?). I shall paraphrase (because I can't find it, aka am Google failure): "The moment of my death, I ask 'Who was I, so busy, so important,' and God laughing 'No.'"

... I guess I didn't get it down very well, but you have the gist. Right? It reminds me of Watchmen:
Rorschach's Journal. October 12th, 1985. Dog carcass in alley this morning, tire tread on burst stomach. This city is afraid of me. I have seen its true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout 'Save us!' And I'll look down, and whisper 'no.' They had a choice, all of them.

Anyway, another example he gave was Roman Polanski's version of Macbeth when Macbeth sees the forest marching toward him, a symbol of his approaching and inevitable death. Acc. the prof, only Polanski or someone who had experienced what he had could so well depict this scene, having known the feeling of losing everything (Macbeth's wife's just killed herself as well- recall) when his pregnant wife was killed by the Manson family.



The last example is from Seventh Seal by Bergman. I could only find it sans subtitles, so I'm putting a translation of the scene first. Basically the fellow who "stabs" himself cuckolded one of the other men (Skat) and fakes his death to get away. He is pretty happy to have survived, but, as this scene shows, there's no cheating death:

JOF
He's dead, totally, enormously dead. In fact,
I've never seen such a dead actor.

LISA
Come on, let's go. This is nothing to mourn
over. He has only himself to blame.

PLOG
And I have to be married to her.

JONS
We must go on.

SKAT lies in the grass and keeps the dagger pressed tightly to his breast.
The travelers depart and soon they have disappeared into the dark forest on
the other side of the meadow. When SKAT is sure that no one can see him, he
sits up and lifts the dagger from his breast. It is a stage dagger with a
blade that pushes into the handle. SKAT laughs to himself.

SKAT
Now that was a good scene. I'm really a good
actor. After all, why shouldn't I be a little
pleased with myself? But where shall I go? I'll
wait until it becomes light and then I'll find
the easiest way out of the forest. I'll climb
up a tree for the time being so that no bears,
wolves or ghosts can get at me.

He soon finds a likely tree and climbs up into its thick foliage. He sits
down as comfortably as possible and reaches for his food pouch.

SKAT
(yawns)
Tomorrow I'll find Jof and Mia and then we'll
go to the saints' feast in Elsinore. We'll make
lots of money there.
(yawns)
Now, I'll sing a little song to myself:
(sings)
I am a little bird
Who sings whate'er he will,
And when I am in danger
I fling out a pissing trill
As in the carnal thrill.
(speaks)
It's boring to be alone in the forest tonight.
(sings)
The terrible night doesn't frighten me ...

He interrupts himself and listens. The sound of industrious sawing is heard
through the silence.

SKAT
Workmen in the forest. Oh, well!
(sings)
The terrible night doesn't frighten me ...
(speaks)
Hey, what the devil ... it's my tree they're
cutting down.

He peers through the foliage. Below him stands a dark figure diligently
sawing away at the base of the tree. SKAT becomes frightened and angry.

SKAT
Hey, you! Do you hear me, you tricky bastard?
What are you doing with my tree?

The sawing continues without a pause. SKAT becomes more frightened.

SKAT
Can't you at least answer me? Politeness costs
so little. Who are you?

DEATH straightens his back and squints up at him. SKAT cries out in terror.

DEATH
I'm sawing down your tree because your time is
up.

SKAT
It won't do. I haven't got time.

DEATH
So you haven't got time.

SKAT
No, I have my performance.

DEATH
Then it's canceled because of death.

SKAT
My contract.

DEATH
Your contract is terminated.

SKAT
My children, my family.

DEATH
Shame on you, Skat!

SKAT
Yes, I'm ashamed.

DEATH begins to saw again. The tree creaks.

SKAT
Isn't there any way to get off? Aren't there
any special rules for actors?

DEATH
No, not in this case.

SKAT
No loopholes, no exceptions?

DEATH saws.

SKAT
Perhaps you'll take a bribe.

DEATH saws.

SKAT
Help!

DEATH saws.

SKAT
Help! Help!

The tree falls. The forest becomes silent again.




At some point, I need to post something more original here, rather than depending on famous directors. Hrm.

<3

Edit: Actually has the translation now- d'oh!