Buddha (釈迦)

ADAIEI COMPANY LTD. PRODUCTION

BUDDHA

Executive Producer: NAGATA Masaichi

Associate Producer: Suzuki Akinari Directed by: Misumi kenji Screenplay by: Yahiro Fuji Photography by: Imai Hiroshi

Technical Advisors: NAKAMURA Gakuro NAKAMURA Takeo Art Direction by: ITO kisaku

Music by: IFUkUBE Akira

Cast

ICHIKAwA Raizo KATSU shintao HONGO kojiro

KAwAGUCHI Hiroshi KAwASAkI keizo KOBAYASHI katsuhiko MlTAMURA Hajime

NAKAMURA Ganjiro ICHIkAwA Jukai

KYO Machiko NAKAMURA Tamao Charito SOLIS KANO Junko YAMAMOTO Fujiko YAMADA Isuzu

Look at that.

It's a miracle!

A good omen.

- what do you think could be happening?

It must be something important.

- Perhaps the crown prince was born today.

At last!

The crown prince.

what's happening?

A prince has been born.

- where? - In the garden.

Look, the trees are blooming.

They're all blooming!

There! There!

How beautiful!

Look! Look!

Over there.

A son, your majesty.

A son?

Holy am I throughout heaven and earth.

- Our long awaited savior has been born and revealed to me.

He is Crown Prince siddhartha born in the palace of kativa.

My prophecy will be heard throughout the land.

He will become Buddha the savior of mankind.

20 YEARs LATER

From the kingdom of korsava, Prince Matnu.

From the kingdom of Matsura, Prince Arama.

From the kingdom of Amtha, Great Prince sama.

- The kingdom of Amtha is many many miles from here.

- You mean that all these princes are seeking the hand of Princess Yasodhara in marriage?

- That's right, she has so many suitors that a contest will be held.

And the victor will win the princess.

I see.

I wonder which one of the princes will turn out to be the strongest and win her.

- That's an easy one. Devadatta, of course.

- what? Devadatta?

He's a very famous warrior.

Look, here he comes now.

From the kingdom of Damivatsu, Prince Devadatta.

Devadatta won.

what a mighty warrior.

= He won against Yakugama.

siddhartha.

The prince.

I'd heard he refused to fight.

Even for the princess.

It was at her request that he's fighting.

Is that so?

Prince siddhartha dislikes fighting in any form.

- Forgive me Devadatta. I am your last opponent.

- Prince siddhartha. I'll show you no mercy.

- Your Royal MajestY Prince Devadatta requests an archery match.

You do not seem well today.

Are you feeling ill?

No, I'm all right.

You may rest a while.

My son, what is the matter?

You have been married 6 years.

why does your marriage result in no children?

Is there something troubling you?

My dear son, do you not love this wife of yours?

I love her very much.

without love, if you were dissatisfied with her...

In your position, you could take a second or third wife easily enough.

Yet you do not.

so you must love her.

Then why is it that you do not make her happy?

Not only your wife. why do you not make yourself happy?

Believe me, we are aware without being told that you are discontented.

It troubles us deeply and we would like to help you.

And it is not only us.

Everyone in the palace is worried about you.

- I believe now that I cannot live here in contentment

surrounded by such luxury.

- You were always given to such thoughts even when you were a child, my boy.

Perhaps you're worried about the poor harvest this year.

Natural disasters are the will of heaven.

I have done my best as always.

Therefore our gods will help us.

It is fitting that we are blessed with all these worldly comforts.

so accept them.

Oh father, I cannot.

I often wonder if we are not too comfortable.

Overly blessed

I have heard that people are starving to death out there in the streets.

- You think about things that do not concern you.

This does not mean that everyone is starving.

It just means... they're only slaves and untouchables.

But are they not human beings?

As you are aware,

there have always been four castes of people in our country.

Brahmins, soldiers, citizens, and slaves.

It has always been so and will be so for centuries.

You can't deny it. You can't dare to change it.

It's the caste system!

The untouchables of course are all born outside the system.

so why should it matter whether untouchables or slaves live or die?

we just don't have the right.

we can't decide their fate. They're human regardless of caste...

what?

A while ago I saw a peasant beating.

That same peasant may be in turn killed by a man.

And then kill each other.

A proud new nation may be born in the morning.

But sunset may see its destruction.

Must these things happen in order that we may live?

The sorrow and hate?

This endless destruction?

what is that?

They are just cremating the dead, your highness.

- Channa, is there nothing that can be done to save them from this horrible death?

Not in this life of ours, your highness.

why is that?

- To live or die. To be happY or unhappy rests with the gods.

The gods?

Yes, it is the will of the gods.

But why don't the gods save these poor people?

- They're angry that people did not worship the gods or offer any gifts to them.

It is their punishment.

Punishment?

Let us go to the temple.

- They're coming, they're coming! They're coming!

= Here they come.

A human sacrifice...

- You must try to understand our lives are governed by the gods.

It makes no difference in good times or in bad times.

Only great gifts bring blessings.

Stop it..!

No your highness, you can't.

Not even kings have a right to stop a holy service like this.

I'm glad you're home.

It will soon be dark and time to have dinner.

I'm not hungry.

Oh, dearest...

Your visit to the sanctuary seems to have depressed you terribly.

Dearest.

Yes?

I have been thinking about our lives.

I cannot believe our fate is in the hands of the gods.

I've been wondering if...

If we ourselves can't find a way to achieve happiness.

- I know you are deeply troubled and I want to help, but I don't know how.

Yasodhara...

You are young and beautiful.

But you will grow old and ugly.

The time will come for you to die.

And no matter how much I love you, I'm powerless to prevent it.

why must you speak of such sad things?

Because it will happen to me too.

Not even a prince can escape this fate.

People grow old, become ill, and die.

It happens to all.

Rich and poor alike, whether they pray or not.

I know, it is a dreadful thing.

- How happy people would be, if they could be free.

Free from anxiety and pain.

As it is now, we're torn from the people we love.

we seek, but are discouraged.

I want to know what causes suffering in this life.

I'll try to learn, even if I must become a monk.

A monk?

But my lord,

monks leave their families.

They meditate in seclusion in order to answer all the questions of life.

In order to find enlightenment and attain peace of mind.

But you, my lord...

No.

I don't seek enlightenment for myself alone.

If it can bring happiness to other people,

I wish to share it with them.

- But please, my darling. Can't you find it in the palace?

I love you. I can't live without you.

I beg you not to become a monk.

I beg you. Please don't leave me here alone!

I understand.

now please leave me.

But...

Leave me, I wish to be alone.

Yes.

Dear, I must be alone.

I wish to think about this.

I know I must leave.

I will become a monk to seek the truth.

Yes.

But will it be possible to forget my parents?

Or my love for Yasodhara?

when I think of the sorrow I will cause my wife and my parents,

I weep.

And my heart becomes heavy with grief.