Spoiler Alert: Read Only If You Have Watched the Movie
What Lessons Can Be Learned from This Film?
The narrative revolves around a monk who lives in seclusion from the noise of the city, in a floating temple situated on a pond in the heart of nature. Alongside him is a young boy under his tutelage. People suffering from physical and spiritual afflictions come to him for healing. The temple appears to symbolize a lotus flower that blossoms on the surface of water, a sacred motif in both Buddhist and Hindu traditions, representing spiritual awakening and mental illumination. The Buddha is often portrayed seated on a lotus, signifying awareness and enlightenment.
If silence and nature are appreciated, every moment of this film can be perceived as deeply captivating. The film depicts the four natural seasons in a remote region of the Korean Peninsula with remarkable beauty and precision. The soundtrack, harmonized with the mood of the scenes, leaves a profound impact on the viewer.
Lesson One: Innocent Purity or Hidden Darkness? A Reflection on Upbringing and Imposed Beliefs
At the beginning of the film, a child is seen who, out of loneliness, plays with the animals around him: a fish, a frog, and a snake. The child, typically perceived as a symbol of innocence, is shown taking pleasure in harming the animals, thereby challenging this assumption.
In this moment, the viewer realizes that the human being, even in the seemingly innocent stage of childhood, possesses the potential to express inner darkness. Ignorance and a tendency toward cruelty are inherent in human nature, underlining the importance of education and moral guidance.
However, a deeper insight emerges at the end of the film:
When the young monk returns to the temple to assume his role as the successor, he ties a stone to himself and carries a statue of the Buddha up a mountain to devote himself to worship in solitude. The viewer understands that this act is part of monastic traditions. It becomes evident that the child, who had once tied stones to animals and delighted in their futile attempts to move, had either previously witnessed or experienced this same practice. From his own perspective, the child may have believed the animals were performing a sacred and spiritual act.
The old monk had warned him that if any of the animals had died, he would carry a stone in his heart for the rest of his life.
At this point, a fundamental question arises: Are all religious teachings inherently virtuous? In many spiritual traditions, suffering is considered a path to inner growth. However, individual reason must be able to discern between meaningful suffering and suffering that is imposed.
Is tying a stone to oneself and ascending a mountain truly a sign of faith? In monotheistic religions, the inherent dignity of human beings is emphasized, stating that God has granted humans nobility and greatness. This dignity includes blessings such as intellect, will, freedom, and the means for living, all of which are to be used for development, growth, and a healthy life. Hence, self-development should be defined within the framework of this dignity and the utilization of human faculties, rather than through the imposition of senseless suffering.
Lesson Two: Love or Lust? The Search for Meaning in the Conflict Between Faith and Desire
As the boy grows older, he falls in love with a girl who had come to the temple for healing. Under the influence of this love, he disregards the temple’s customs and traditions; he allows the girl to sit upon a sacred statue and chooses not to use the main gate, which seems to hold ceremonial significance, to reach her more quickly.
Something greater than even his beliefs had emerged within him: love.
It appears that this senseless love had dimmed his spiritual awareness and obscured his path to enlightenment. Gradually, love replaced faith.
Unable to bear separation from the girl after her departure, he left the temple in search of her. In his escape, he took only two things with him: the statue of the Buddha and a rooster.
He fled in fear, alone… Perhaps the statue of the Buddha was the only companion and source of comfort for the journey ahead.
He seemed to know that to find the girl, he would have to return to his first love—his faith.
At that moment, a poem by a French poet, whose name is long forgotten, came to mind:
“Though the faith that once assured me of God has died, I now mourn the joy that faith once brought…”
He carried the Buddha statue in the hope that his faith would guide him toward his desire. But what about the rooster? In Buddhist philosophy, the rooster is a symbol of rāga—lust or craving.
This craving manifests as sexual desire, attachment to objects, worldly pleasures, and clinging to material life. It is this insatiable yearning for gratification and ego-satisfaction that binds human beings to the cycle of birth and death, obstructing spiritual liberation.
Ultimately, the young man returns to the temple in turmoil. The girl had betrayed him, and in response, he had killed her. The old monk told him:
“Sometimes we must let go of the things we love… What you love, others will love as well.”
The lesson of this part of the film is a caution against love that emerges without understanding or purpose. Such love, if entangled with lust, may lead to destruction. The monk warns that lust awakens a sense of possession, and this sense may culminate in violence.
Conclusion:
The film is constructed upon Buddhist teachings, and to fully grasp its message, familiarity with concepts such as reincarnation, the cycle of life, and constant transformation is essential. The seasons are presented as symbolic representations of this cycle:
- Spring: Birth and beginnings
- Summer: Passion and desire
- Fall: Maturity and deeper understanding
- Winter: Death, stillness, and peace
“Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring” introduces viewers to the inner meaning of life, the reflection of actions, the release from hatred and resentment, and the value of silence and contemplation. Attaining inner peace requires confronting one’s desires, learning from mistakes, and recognizing the path back to the self.