Payback time?

Valley of Flowers (2006)
Director: Pan Nalin

In my books, the way to put someone on the right track when he has gone wayward is to make him realise his errors so that he can rectify them. A person aware of his mistakes will realise the implications of his actions and will not be a repeat offender. 

In theory, this is how it works, I think. One will not touch fire after touching, and burning will be having his fingers burnt before. The brain will be re-wired to be reminded (re-mind) of the pains, the blister, the scorching and the inconveniences of the healing process afterwards. 

Somehow I have issues extrapolating this analogy to karma. If the purpose of birth and re-birth is to create a 2.0 version of the species to improve oneself to reach the level of Eternal Bliss, not everyone is blessed with this realisation, however. 

Whenever we are caught in a dilemma and feel frustrated, we are told, akin to pacifying a crying child, that we are just reaping what we sow. We are paying back due payments to Universe - to bear the pain to realise the pains inflicted in previous lives. But the explanation does not hold water!

If everyone were born with a blank slate, not knowing of our past follies, how can we make amends in our current life? Sadly, we are clueless about what we did and how many demerit points we have.

If the Maker sincerely wants to make an Ubermensch out of us via newer improved prototypes, it must surely be an extremely non-cost-effective way to improve species. It is a non-tangible system, and all intellectual discourses and debates hit a brick wall here. All arguments stop here. It is like the battleship paradox. If the war is pre-destined, the Admiral not sending battleships will start a fight even if it is destined. When the Admiral sends the battleships, is it not pre-determined by God but decided by Man?

This film is supposedly set in the 19th century along the Silk Road. It tells the tale of a band of horseback robbers who make a living by travelling convoys of traders and wedding processions. Jalan, during one of these endeavours, meets Ushna. They fall deeply in love. The union breaks up Jalan's camaraderie with his mates. A showdown ensues. Jalan and Ushna part ways from the rest of the gang. Yeti, a spiritual master, is employed by the gang's victims.

Long story short, Ushna, a mystic person, dies, losing her powers, whilst Jalan consumes an elixir of immortality. Five generations later, in present-day Japan, Jalan is now Dr Jalan Otsal, a doctor who performs euthanasia. Ushna had undergone five rebirths and got connected with Jalan. Yeti is also on their trail. He hunts them down. He is akin to Yama or Grimm Reaper, who just does his job. His parting line is, 'true love lies in sacrifice'!

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