Answer-sheet for GEH1055 Midterm, 20 February 2020

YOUR NAME, per LUMINUS: Nurul Deana bte Ahmadzuhri

YOUR STUDENT ID:

E0324380
YR TUTORIAL GROUP: W3

Essay question: answer ONE of the following questions (20pts)

Type your answer to (1.A OR 1.B) in this box…

1.B) Is there a difference between what is religious and what is not? Discuss the relationship between
the so-called sacred and profane in three films, and say how the relationship works in each film.

There is indeed a difference as to how something might be considered religious or not, depending on
how strongly the thing in question is trying to “preach” to the people viewing it. This question can be
answered with a yes, if we look at it on the surface level. To this end, the films Devi and The Cup are
religious because they outwardly portray and discuss Hinduism and Buddhism respectively, as
compared to the film, Groundhog Day which has barely any overt references to religion.

Devi and The Cup both make in-your-face references to religion, with numerous scenes about temples
and prayers and mentions about deities and spiritual attainment. However, even then, religious
portrayal is used differently between these 2 films. Firstly for Devi, the film was met with much
controversy because it was viewed to be a criticism of Hinduism. Religion was used to highlight blind
tradition and modernist reasoning. The main religious idea of the film is the representation of the Kali
which is the symbolic representative of time and death, through the lens of this family. Throughout
the film, there is this constant battle between tradition and modernity seen through the relationship
between the youngest son and father in law. Kalikinkar, the devoted Hindu is seen to force his
convictions onto others such that it eventually brought despair to Doyamoyee and the family,
whereas the youngest son is portayed as the body of rational thought and secularism. Similarly,
religious beliefs can be irrational and cause pain and needless suffering. Overall, Devi uses religion to
criticize and uncover religious belief.

On the other hand for The Cup, it takes on a lighter more comical tone. Similar to Devi, religion is at
odds with modernity, as represented by the life at the monastery versus soccer fanatism. In this film,
they are being compared in a positive light. Despite striving to be a devoted monk, they are also
equally human as any other layperson and have other form of worldly interest. The comical
comparison between the cup, in relation to soccer and buddhism, highlights the idea of Sunyata.
Buddhism emptiness is one of the central themes of the film which was achieved through the imagery
of the cup – emptiness of permanent self allows for transformation. For instance, the coke can was
used as a soccer ball being kicked around but when used to hold a candle by the oracle, it was
transformed into a devotional object. Overall, the film highlights the co-existence of entertainment
and religious discipline. For the audience, it challenges their opinions about monks and religious
discipline in the monastery by making them more relatable to the layman. The movie also forces its
 audience to challenge their ideas about changeability and impermanance through the constant
references to the cup as a metaphor of emptiness.

Lastly, Groundhog Day seems on the surface, to not be religious at all unlike the other 2 films which
has direct references to historical religious figures and practices. However, this does not take away
from the fact that it can be interpreted as a religious film. The whole film is an allegory about
Buddhism, in particular about karma. Phil who is forced to relive the same day over and over is an
allusion to samsara,the beginningless cycle of repeated birth, mundane existence and dying again.
The film shows his character development through the path of attaining the Four Noble Truths until
his karmic accumulation eventually releases him from the cycle. For instance, cravings are depicted
through gluttony (eating a lot at the diner) and his manipulation of girls to gain pleasure. Eventually,
he seeks the Bodhisattva ideal by essentially doing good deeds such as helping the beggar and the
ladies with car tyre. He seeks “right mindfulness” by spending his time learning to play the piano/
sculpt ice
Because this film is not outwardly religious, it is digestable by a greater audience and hence, such
complex Buddhist ideologies can be made more easily accessible and more easier to understand even
by the layperson who would otherwise be turned off by films that preach to the audience instead. The
parallels between Buddhism and simple human occurances is what makes the film such a success as a
film that portrays religion.

Short answer questions: answer ALL the following questions (15pts). Two or three sentences should
be enough. Write in complete sentences.

2.A Sidharta has abandoned the comforts and glory of palace life and is now on his path to
discovering his spiritual self. In this frame, he has undergone a long period of time of sustaining
on a single grain of rice in day in order to devote to meditation. However in this scene, he had
been fed a bowl of food offered by the girl in the scene and as such, has been enlightened by
the Middle Way and understands that in order to better achieve his spiritual goals, he must not
starve himself and neither must he indulge in gluttony. In this scene he is trying to convince his
followers of this realization but they do not accept his teaching.
2.B In this frame, Kalikinkar has just awoken from his dream and has come to the realization that his
daughter-in-law, Doyamoyee, is the chosen avatar of goddess Kali. With strong conviction, he
bows down at her feet to worship her, as worshippers of Hinduism do at the base of religious
statues/altars, as seen by the crossing of his palms on the floor. To this, Doyamoyee reacts
strongly but subtly by curling her toes away. She is uncomfortable that her father in law is being
so forward with her but by societal standards, she must be demure and modest anyway.
2.C Initially, Phil (the younger man) bumps into the old beggar by the street and pays no attention
to him but gradually, he shows more care and concern for him. The old beggar represents Phil’s
moral transformation into a selfless being on the Bodhisattva Path. The cruel reality that Phil is
aware of is that the old beggar is bound to die, but he helps him anyway. There is the notion of
karmic accumulation on Phil’s part as he dedicates his time to service instead of his own selfish
cravings, alluding to the Fourth Noble Truth. On the Bodhisattva Path, he is becoming
increasingly generous and compassionate and cares more about others than self.
2.D The contrast is seen between the soccer pictures and Buddhist paintings on Orgyen’s bedroom
wall. It is an odd thing being placed side by side because religion and worldly indulgence are
being leveled on the same scale of importance to the boy’s life. From this imagery, one can infer
that religion is being compared to sports fanatism and that despite being so different, tradition
and modernization can in fact co-exist. In this frame, the Geku is approaching Orgygen
regarding the watch and it is in this scene that Geku has come to accept and understand the
boy’s antics. There is a reconciliation of religion and modernization that initially seems to
disrupt the former but alas, balance is found.

2.E Typically, a monk is seen only wearing the traditional robe that has been long in fashion since
thousands of years (as comically mentioned in this scene). However, when Orgyen strips to take
a shower, one can see his Ronaldo undershirt. This draws parallels to how monks are seen by
outsiders as being only purely devoted to prayer and religion and that they have zero worldy
attachments, as represented by their clothing- they wear only robes and have bald heads.
But from this frame, it forces us to think otherwise. Monks are depicted to be just as ‘human’
as anybody else, as seen by Orgyen’s Ronaldo undershirt which futher shows his love for soccer.
On the inside, monks are just like any other human too.