Original subtitles

Art theatre guild of Japan jissoji productions

mujo "this transient life"

"transient and changing fast, time waits for no man."

Produced by kinshiro kuzui, toyoaki awa

screenplay by toshiro ishido

music by toru fuyuki

produced by toyoaki awa & akio jissoji

cinematography by yozo inagaki

Cast:

Ryo tamura

michiko tsukasa

isao sasaki, mitsuko Tanaka

kotobuki hananomoto, haruhiko okamura

Eiji okada

directed by akio jissoji

The weather's really nice today.

Yes, it's springtime already.

Did you see masao?

He's in a rush these days.

Today, too.

Father's coming back today, but...

I et me find him.

Thanks, but there's no need. I'll take a walk. I'll be back in a bit.

We're going to hold a high school reunion in April.

- Think you'll be able to come? - Yes, if I'm free.

How long has it been since you graduated?

Five years.

You really are an excellent head monk, mr ogino.

How's your wife?

I'm not married yet.

And you?

Me neither.

But my parents keep urging me.

I'm looking for masao, so I'll see you later

No trespassing

This one, this one.

What are you doing?

I learned kendo when I was young.

Once I spent 10 days trying to beat someone.

Father's coming back today.

He annoys me so much.

Whenever he comes home, he always talks about my marriage.

If you're going to get married, I'll run away from home someday.

What are you talking about?

You're the only son of the hino family.

I'll get married one day anyway.

Sister...

Can you just run away?

Listen, masao, where do you get all these silly ideas?

Stop it!

Father's face will be dead serious when he comes home.

It's so good just to mess around with those people.

What are you talking about? Are you trying to lecture me?

You're so bad, masao.

Everything has to be done in good order. You should remember that by heart!

You're already 21.

Isn't it too late? That's why you ask those matchmakers

to find her a husband and marry her off as soon as possible?

Are you a fool or just acting stupid?

Masao, what are you talking about?

Why would a smart boy like you stop your sister from getting married?

Aren't you just making trouble to your sister?

It's because I can't find anyone to marry me.

That's why masao thinks this way.

Well, your father mentioned introducing you to a man.

Do you want to meet him?

It's not at all about her!

I said that because I don't want to go into this business.

Trading stuff from here to there just to make money, I'd hate that!

I don't want to hear any more of this! Get out!

You and Yuri, get out!

- Masao... - Masao!

You're so stubborn, but I've got my plans, too.

I'll give you a month.

If you don't change your mind,

I won't recognise you as a member of our family anymore!

I'm going to Tokyo on the 3rd, moriyama's son is getting married.

Oh, moriyama's son...

I was planning for all four of us to go to Tokyo later.

Now I think [I'll just go with you.

I see.

Goodnight.

What are you going to do in a month from now?

Don't know.

How many men have you met through those matchmakers?

Three?

A hundred?

- Take care. - See you soon.

Right. I'll get myself ready.

Why didn't you see them off?

Where are you going?

To Kyoto. I want to visit a bookstore.

I hope you'll be back soon.

Iwashita's on holiday these few days, and I'm all alone at night.

I'll be lonely.

Mr ogino!

Oh, hino...

- Off to Kyoto? - Yes.

I wanted to get some photos of Buddhist statues through an old book store.

It's ironic, isn't it?

Though I grew up in a Buddhist monastery, I don't like monks.

Yet you, a son of a businessman, are very interested in buddhism.

Shall we swap?

That's impossible.

I see that Yuri's about to get married.

That's right.

But why don't you go to university?

You come from a wealthy family, and you're missing opportunities.

My father bugs me about it all the time.

I don't like studying anyway.

That's hard for me to understand.

Where are you going?

The kannon statue we commissioned two years ago is almost ready,

so I'm going to pay for it.

You can come and have a look if you like.

Yasutaka mori Buddhist sculpture artist

Help yourself.

- You've spent two years on it? - Yes.

Perhaps I'm getting old, but it's getting more difficult for me to work.

You're just very diligent, master mori.

May I ask you something about sculpting? Does it require much faith?

Yes, of course.

It couldn't be done if you were only half-hearted about it.

It takes two or three years to complete a kannon statue.

One needs a great deal of Patience.

I apologise for being so blunt.

From the time a statue's finished,

in the following tens or hundreds of years,

how many different people will make different wishes to the deities?

That's what I think about when sculpting.

However, every time I work on a statue,

I feel that my life is being slowly drawn into it.

Those people who do not have any belief and go to war

would only die meaninglessly on the battlefield.

I guess my work isn't very different from that.

Father, I'll be away for about a week.

Take care.

You'll have to do the housework,

so you'd better get the statue finished sooner.

Bye.

- Are you going home? - Yes.

Are you from the monastery too?

No, I'm his friend.

Really? You just look different.

You are looking for a beautiful young wife, right?

I'm his second wife.

- You must have things to do. - Yes.

Please excuse me.

Wait a moment...

Yasaka hotel

Where are you going?

Home.

Why? Aren't you going to stay for the night?

I'm free to go, aren't 1?

- You don't like it here? - No, I don't.

I paid for you!

You're just a commodity, so shut up asking questions!

Am I just a commodity?

Hey, wait!

You said something rude to our lady, eh?

Not really.

You trying to fool around here?

You fucking bastard!

- I'm back! - Is that masao?

Welcome home.

- The bath's ready. - You can take the bath first.

I'm alone here. It's quite scary.

So take the bath first. I'll wait here.

I'm done.

What happened to you?

You've been acting strange since you came back.

What's the matter?

- Is the water warm? - Yeah, fine.

I'll make it a little warmer.

Kokichi hino

Masao, look what I've got.

They bring back memories.

There used to be one in our father's room.

Yes. Father often wore this mask and performed with mother.

Masao, no!

Masao, no, no!

Masao

I'm scared.

It's frightening.

There's nothing to be afraid of.

This is natural.

It's natural for two people to be like this.

Welcome home.

Father said he was going to Osaka,

so I came back straight from Tokyo on the train.

It's so fast

what's the matter? You look pale.

I got cold in the bath last night.

Really?

I'll ask masao to come over.

Masao!

Mother's back.

You just have to stay calm.

"Life and death are a great matter, transient and changing fast.鈥�

Arhat, between Buddha and man

I want to be with you all day.

I can't take it anymore.

Sister...

I didn't know you had such a gorgeous body.

I'm glad you're not married yet.

I didn't know anything like this was possible.

[T's so good.

Yuri?

What's the matter? You scared me.

Father called and asked me to take his spring suits to Osaka.

Can you iron them for me?

Yes.

The car's here.

I'm sure about it.

We can't hide it any longer.

Mother seems to have noticed something.

Though she would never imagine that the other person is you.

But she hurried off to meet father.

You think so?

Masao, do you want to die?

To die with me?

Why?

You don't have to die.

You're just scared.

Masao, you're...

If iwashita has a crush on you, then everything would work out fine.

Iwashita?

You'd let me sleep with another man?

Let's be above all that. We're bound by blood.

Even if you sleep with iwashita, it won't change anything.

- That's all. - What do you intend to do?

You don't have to worry.

We shall never be apart. There is nothing to be afraid of.

That's for sure.

I love you!

I love you.

Sorry to bother you.

Did you receive the statue of kannon?

No, not yet.

Since we last met master mori, the pace of his work has slowed down.

The statue will take at least one more year to finish.

Why do all Buddhist statues look like women?

Is Yuri well?

She's going to get married.

Married? To whom?

With iwashita, the houseboy.

Ogino...

Are you in love with my sister?

No.

Could you write me a reference letter?

For who?

For master mori, the sculptor.

I want to work with him.

Are you leaving home?

It would be better for iwashita.

Is that okay?

Hino

I know about it.

- So? - "So"?

Don't you care about women's chastity?

Could you just stay at home and care about nothing at all?

You...

After what you did with your sister...

You're worse than animals.

So it would be better for me to leave home.

This has nothing to do with you.

Are you all right about the reference letter?

- Will you write it? - Yes.

You'd better not come back home.

I'll be here again tomorrow.

Thanks.

Welcome home.

Master and madam are coming back today at around 9:00pm.

I see. Is there anything urgent?

- Does my sister know about it? - No.

She said she wasn't feeling good and left.

Iwashita, I want to talk to you.

Can I see you in your room after dinner?

I can come to you instead.

No, I'll come to you.

Sis... mother and father are coming back at 9:00.

There's one chance before they arrive. That's our only chance.

There's nothing to ponder about.

So get up and wash yourself and dress nicely.

You really won't leave me?

I won't leave you.

You shouldn't get so worried.

Is that masao?

Come in.

Can I come in?

Yes.

Very well.

There's only masao at home.

Please close the door.

Masao said he was coming.

Masao's not coming.

He said it would be better if I came here in person.

Father's returning tonight because of my marriage arrangements.

I know all about it.

Where's he from?

Congratulations.

Iwashita, are you saying that from your heart?

- Yes. - Really?

Then I must've thought wrongly.

I thought you would oppose my marriage.

I really thought you would.

I've always cared about you.

I talked to masao and he said I should do as I please.

That's why I'm here.

Are you serious?

Would a woman...

Come to a man's room alone as a joke?

Is it all right?

Is it all right?

Where's Yuri?

She said she wasn't feeling well and went back to her room.

Masao, did you notice anything?

Like what?

Yuri and ilwashita.

My sister? I didn't notice anything.

Get her an abortion and send lwashita away.

An abortion?

My sister's already 25.

If she does that, she might have to wait until 30 to bear a child again.

There were only the two of you at home. How could you not notice anything?

Even if I did, I wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

Or, perhaps I'm helping them.

What are you saying?

It's a good thing, isn't it? Iwashita's an honest man.

I don't think he'll bring wealth to our family,

but there won't be any inheritance problems with iwashita.

He seduced my daughter! How can I not be angry?

If that's what you really think, get out of my house!

- You really want to disown me? - Masao!

Don't worry about me, I can live with it.

- What are you saying? - Nothing.

Winter - 10 months later

"transient and changing fast, time waits for no man."

I heard your sister had a child.

Yeah, it's a boy.

I've become an uncle.

No matter how children turn out to be, seeing them gives you faith in mankind.

Both you and I were children once.

Children are the dream of adults.

But a dream's only a dream.

If you're not busy, you'd better go and see the baby.

It'd be convenient if it were nearby.

But if it were nearby, you wouldn't be traveling back home.

I've decided not to go back. I shouldn't go back home too often.

Really?

- I'm back. - Welcome home.

- You came by bullet train? - Yeah.

Good day.

I didn't think you'd be here when I came home this time.

- How's your work going? - It's tiring.

This is different from sitting and reading a book.

You think it's easy work, easier than going to college.

That's not true.

I understand what it's like to make a kannon statue over two or three years.

But if you were to become a Buddha yourself, that would be different.

One can't become a Buddha, so one keeps making Buddhist sculptures.

So you didn't enter college and became an artisan,

because you couldn't become a Buddha?

That's right.

People should do whatever pleases them.

It's because people suppress their desires

that the world has become so complicated.

You're leaving this house and I'm staying,

it hasn't been ordered by anyone.

If we just do whatever pleases us, then everything will turn out fine.

- I'm home, mother. - Welcome back.

He's started to call me "mother"

when did he start that? I'm surprised.

I'll prepare another dish now.

Are you off out, masao?

I'm going to see my sister and her baby.

I'll be back in two or three days.

Don't be away for so long.

Think about me sometimes, okay?

I'll be very bored if you're not around.

Sister, come and get me!

If we were at home, I'd be afraid of being seen, even late at night.

I'd hate that.

You don't mind at all?

Not really.

- Are you going? - You're right...

When we were in bed, master mori always peeped at us.

What did you say?

It would help him to regain his strength.

There's nothing to worry about. He's known about it for ages.

Even so, he'd never complain.

He doesn't want to sleep with me anymore.

Well, then, you've done nothing wrong.

That's how it is.

Oh, it's you, masao.

Welcome home.

If you'd called me first, I could've met you at the station.

- How's the baby? - He's fine.

- Is that masao? - You must be tired.

He's quite lively.

Who does he look like?

People say he looks like his mother.

- Welcome, masao. - I just arrived, mother.

Father should feel relieved seeing the little boy.

Well, yes.

That's good. Everything's fine now.

You're such a good boy.

- Where's Yuri? - She went to the monastery with masao.

I see. Masao used to go there a lot.

Don't cry, come on.

You should go too. You're a part of the family.

Right. I'll be going then.

Little baby boy!

Sleep well and grow up big!

Such a good boy.

Ah, mr ogino.

- How's the baby? - Fine, thanks.

That's great. He'll grow up healthy.

Thank you.

Where are you off to?

Masao came back to see the baby and went to the gardens with Yuri.

I'm here to pick her up.

Is that so?

Masao likes the scenery here.

See you later.

That feels so good.

Masao, you're my real husband.

That's right.

The boy must be mine too.

Yes.

That's how it is!

It's late.

You really didn't see him?

No.

That must be your father.

I told him on the phone that masao was back.

Like father, like son!

Just let it be.

It's just a matter of time.

Long time no see.

So you're an uncle now.

Someone jumped on the train tracks and killed himself.

- A suicide? - So what?

Nothing... iwashita hasn't been seen since last evening.

Iwashita?

Why would he commit suicide?

That man was crushed into pieces.

A leg fell into the river, and only half the body remained.

Do you need some rest?

Yes.

Even with the warm spring in Kyoto,

people always complain that the weather's too cold.

But I like it.

I like it when spring comes and I can feel winter gradually melting.

Is that so?

Masao, from tonight I'll sleep separately from my wife.

I know everything that's happened

between you and reiko these past two months.

I wondered how long it would last, so I kept silent and watched until now.

It feels good, the pleasure of young bodies writhing in bed.

Did you enjoy it?

Well, I'm aware of your good intentions.

You allow me to peep on you as you spread reiko's body wide open.

But enough of that.

If you two are going to be like husband and wife, just sleep in my room.

Very well.

Master, if you would allow it...

How about the three of us sleep together?

- The three of us? - Yes.

I want to help you, master.

I think reiko and I would like you to join us.

Really?

- But... - Women are nothing.

Women are curious animals, they want immediate pleasure.

If the three of us don't sleep together, she won't be satisfied.

I think reiko's a good match for you, master.

I see.

Arrange it then.

That night, when his sister's husband jumped under the train,

they must've done something bestial in this monastery.

He killed himself after seeing that monstrous scene.

Really?

Is he up to something like that in Kyoto, too?

It's unforgivable!

But since my father's involved... I can't say anything.

The kannon statue is created by the hands of a perverted person.

Yet no one cares.

Let's go and see him.

How could he do something like that?

Masao, you have a visitor.

It's that monk.

What do you want me to do?

You want me to leave here and go back home?

Going home means just going back to the kind of bestiality you spoke of.

Go travelling.

Sever all connections with all immorality,

all people and all places.

Even if I go travelling, Japan is such a small country.

Who killed iwashita?

Iwashita made the decision in his own heart.

I gave my sister to that man.

Dying never entered into it.

It was all his decision.

Anyway, you must leave home.

Your presence will bring misfortune to each and every one.

I am not Christ, bringing any salvation.

You're creating hell everywhere you go.

That's the kind of person you are!

But I think I've also made this world a more colourful place.

What?

Bringing misfortune to people, creating hell everywhere...

I don't believe that a man can do something like that alone.

A man changing another man... I can't imagine such a thing.

When a person becomes involved with someone else,

he has to dig out what's buried deep inside the other person's heart.

There's no other way.

It's only you who worries about these things, ogino.

Is this arrogance?

I didn't change my sister, iwashita nor master mori.

They only faced their own destiny when their lives crossed with mine.

That's just your opinion that I created hell.

But to be aware of one's destiny,

it doesn't necessarily mean that it should affect one's well-being.

If seeing one's destiny means that one will be banished to hell.

In order not to realise that destiny,

the hand of the Buddha will appear in front of his eyes and block his sight.

The hand of the Buddha.

No one has the power to see his own destiny.

And what if someone really tries?

It is the duty of a monk to help that person overcome such a desire.

Of course, I may not be strong enough.

No, in fact I am too weak.

But I've chosen to be a monk because my heart believes in it.

If we're talking about that, I think I'll tell you something too.

After listening to my words, ogino,

you'll have the responsibility to refute me.

Once, when I was a child,

someone left in the storeroom two old volumes of paintings of hell.

I discovered them when I was cleaning the house.

I still remember how deeply I was shocked by them.

That night, I thought about what it meant if such terrible things exist.

If there really is such a place,

wouldn't it be better if humans never existed at all?

I kept asking myself countless times.

I had nightmares almost every night at that time.

Mother didn't know why I was like that, she just worried a lot.

Of course, the thoughts that obsessed me receded over time.

But, at that time, I thought, because there is hell, there must be heaven, too.

I always believed this.

That was around the time I entered high school.

I was enthusiastic about buddhism,

again, I was deeply shocked.

There are different forms of Buddhist hell.

While the suffering in hell is described in details,

heaven, on the contrary, is very simple.

There is only Buddha and some lotus leaves.

That's all.

What I see is that heaven, as it's described, has no appeal at all.

No, not only without appeal, all I can see there is just a pile of skeletons.

Learning about the punishments in hell, you can vividly feel the pain.

Yet seeing a painting of the rising sun and heaven, you feel no happiness.

But

please let me finish.

As I kept thinking about it, I came upon an idea.

One thing for certain,

the happiness in the paintings of heaven does not exist.

It is because happiness comes when one's desire is fulfilled.

But fulfilling one's desire is necessarily evil.

So there is no happiness in heaven.

This is your convenient way

of simply bending Buddha's teachings to suit the world!

But aren't Buddha's teachings meant for the world?

If there's no happiness in heaven, what else is there?

Ogino, what is there in heaven?

There is nothing, ogino.

Nothingness is in heaven.

It is the happiness in nothingness.

But nothingness is nothing, so there is no heaven.

This is the conclusion I came to.

Buddhism is nothing besides that nothingness.

It's nirvana, not nothingness.

It has no time, nor space. It's a suspension in eternity.

So there is nothing besides happiness there.

Does one have consciousness when one is dead?

Does consciousness exist in nirvana?

If consciousness is related to time and space, then it does not exist there!

And, of course, there cannot be any consciousness of happiness!

Hino, is this the principle behind everything you do?

It is! If there is no heaven, there is no hell!

What exists is this reality alone.

And in this reality I'm caught in, there's no such thing as law.

Law is something between crime and punishment.

But, in my kind of reality, there is neither crime nor punishment!

But that means in your reality, there is nothing but disorder.

How can a human live on like that?

Humans don't necessarily have to live on.

We're too obsessed with the irrational belief in reproduction and continuation.

Once this irrational belief is established, all kinds of laws spring up.

I don't approve of those laws.

To oppose the nothingness in buddhism, this is the only option.

You're mad.

In ancient India, the highest spiritual level was believed to be nothingness.

Believers would just live and die on their own,

their dead bodies would pile up like a mountain.

I am obsessed with Buddhist statues,

because they all look at you with the same mysterious smile.

That is exactly the countenance of nothingness.

Gradually, you end up seeing only the smile of Buddha.

It's a smile of self-mockery, conscious that his teachings contain contradictions.

The Buddha's smile is in fact a delicate balance.

It cannot be slightly colder, nor slightly happier.

You helped in the creation of the kannon statue with such thoughts...

And now you want to bring that same statue into my monastery?

The kannon looks at you with a smile,

because both my master's life and mine has drained into it.

I shouldn't have introduced you to him.

Ogino, this is the Karma between you and me.

You and I are very much alike.

Let's live in peace.

You envy me, don't you, ogino?

Envy? What do you mean?

It's fine.

You once fell in love with my sister.

Can my sister stay with you?

You can take lwashita's place.

And then, spring

Master, it's beautifully done.

I'm so tired.

I'm sure this statue will silently accept anybody and any prayers.

You have to go back, right?

Yes.

I'm going back with the kannon statue.

I've been with you a long time.

I thought you were staying here for life.

Oh, come in.

Your lover's leaving, but you're not seeing him off?

You know about it?

Listen to what you're saying!

Who put father's health at risk?

It's you and that guy... that bastard!

Your father's the happiest one.

Liar! Father was dragged into all this.

You may say so, but what's wrong with it?

There's nothing better!

How do you like my smooth skin?

What... what are you doing?

What's wrong?

There's no one at home right now.

It's been some time since we were together like this.

Masao, you still want to sculpt Buddhist statues?

Yes, I do.

Father said, in order to support the child,

you should continue to be his uncle.

Is that alright?

Alright. It's just a title, after all.

Really?

Iwashita died without a reason.

It would be best if you could go and work in Osaka now.

How's the baby?

He's sleeping soundly with his mother.

With his mother? That's good.

Yes. I knew you'd come back home someday.

Your father's making strange noises. I'm afraid he's dying!

He'd been acting strange earlier tonight.

I told him to stop, but he just wouldn't let go of me.

Then, suddenly...

I hoped you'd never visit this monastery again.

I understand.

I just wanted to see the kannon statue brought here.

I'll never come again.

Ah, it's arrived.

My father's died.

Is that so?

Last night, when he was making love.

Hino... it's you! It was you who killed my father!

That's for certain.

You killed him!

When the kannon statue was completed,

the master's strength was all used up.

He didn't have enough strength left to make another statue.

You shortened my father's life.

People die when they have no more energy to live.

I didn't do anything to shorten his life.

You're a murderer.

How's reiko?

You have to take care of her now.

Perhaps this would've been the master's greatest wish.

Is that master mori's?

This chisel was to be donated to the monastery with the statue.

However..

Die... die!

Why... me?

Masao!

Masao, come here!

Grandma! It's grandma

I buried a carp here.

If you're hungry, you can eat it.

It's real! A carp, a carp!

This carp can feed a lot of people.

It's a big one!

Grandma!

This is grandfather.

This is your mother.

This is your father.

Here's iwashita.

And reiko.

And master mori, too.

Where are you going, grandma?

It could eat more people. I'd better take it far away.

I'll help you.