This week I want to tell you about a great new film with a Buddhist theme. It’s called Perfect Days and is by Wim Wenders. I recommend you watch it if you can.
Hirayama is content with his simple life cleaning toilets in Tokyo. Each day he engages in his work with love and care. In fact, he is an epitome of the three ‘D’s’: dignity, discipline and diligence. Outside of his routine he loves music on cassette tapes, books and taking photos of trees. The story is deeply moving and turns into a poetic reflection on the profound acceptance of one’s lot and on finding beauty in the world around us.
The spirit of the movie is Buddhist, quite ‘Zen’ actually: live in the moment, be disciplined, nothing in life is beneath you, little things can make life beautiful. It shows how different things can be when we take responsibility for our situation and don’t get stuck in blame or bitterness; dropping expectations, just getting on with it and finding meaning in whatever presents.
The movie shows how …
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