Post
by jd55513 » Sat Jul 23, 2022 4:10 pm
I always find it odd that people still look at Dragon Ball, and it's narrative and character driven plot points from a "Western" point of view instead of the actual core audience, which is a "Eastern" point of view.
Philosophy is the key to really understanding a lot of fiction, shonen, cartoons etc. Many authors have a formal education and tend to use and play with philosophical concepts and elements of human nature using art. (Toriyama using his love of martial arts movies and Journey to the West, which is a big epic on Buddhism and Daoism.)
As you will hopefully see, the Western Tradition (i.e Socrates----Modern Philosophy) is usually concerned with aspects of reality and on what it means to be human or to interact with objects in the world and to some extent, find meaning in activities and pursuits. Especially when it comes to what lies above our reality and on notions of some creator.
The Eastern Tradition is NOT concerned with that necessarily, it is concerned with the flourishing of society and the improvement of the self.
Besides the obvious author statements that he based early Dragon Ball on Journey to the West. Gokus character is also based on Sun Wukong, as many of you may already know.
The character archetype of Goku, is a synthesis of Shintoism, Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism. In this case,
For Buddhism they believe in innate buddhahood for all sentient beings(which includes all evil doers like King Piccolo, Frieza, Cell, Kid Buu, Zamasu, and even Moro). Goku is like a "Bodhisattva" which, are enlightened beings who strive to get others to achieve enlightenment and awakening.
They believe in universal compassion. This is why Goku is written to be pure "kokoro" (heart) and empty minded. forgiving, as well as doing things like giving a senzu bean, or giving mercy to the most malicious beings in the universe.
Goku's character archetype is based on the central character in Journey to the West, Son Wukong. The story is about a tale of retrieving buddhist scrolls from India.
It's also apparent that Eastern Philosophy is there. Because historically, Buddhism spread from India to China and then Japan. As it spread to China. The Shaolin Monks incorporated Buddhism into their martial arts(Kung fu) as it spread to Japan, in influenced the way of the warrior, or Bushido. (Zen Buddhism)
In the East, specifically in terms of Buddhism, the primary struggle facing people is the cultivation of self and freeing themselves from the cycle of samsara. Those who selfishly pursue things will be forced to endlessly reincarnate and thus, continue to experience "dukka"(suffering) and "anatta"(impermance) until they let go of the five aggregates of Buddhism.
In Confucianism, You have a humanist centered philosophy, that espouses, the flourishing of society as being the best good. Anything deviating from this or the virtues of a enlightened individual in society leads to the imbalance and gives the impression of "Evil". that is Specifically to "way of the gentlemen" are benevolence (ren 仁), righteousness (yi 義), ritual propriety (li 禮), wisdom (zhi 智), and trustworthiness (xin 信).
However, in Shintoism, there is a struggle and balancing of kegare ("pollution" or "impurity"), while ensuring harae ("purity"). Which contradicts some Buddhist ideas of the non-self(atman)
I really think people need to understand that the Eastern Philosophy in Asian cultures is vastly different than in Western cultures.
In regards to Metaphysics and Ethics, it is night and day on concepts of Good and Evil.
For example, Evil in the East is not a "substance" in a monist point of view. It does not have matter associated with it.
There is no ultimate good or evil in Eastern philosophy. There is only relative good and evil. "All undertakings are beset with imperfections, as fire with smoke" (Gita 18.48).
In Daoism, you have the Cosmic Yin and Yang. Which is Dialectical monism, also known as dualistic monism. This is not to be confused with just monism(the idea that reality is built on things of a material substance, like atomism). This is a special case of ontology (study of being) where the forces represent themselves, as perceptions in the realm of the minds, not substantive nature. It's also merely an illusion like Buddhism.
In Daoism, they practice "wu wei" and forms of partaking in Dao(or Tao) there is human dao, natural dao and great dao.
In the West, from a theological point of view, St. Augustine viewed evil as a "privation of good" he didn't believe Evil was created since that would deconstruct the presumption that a God was perfect in the sense of omnipotent, all good, and omniscient.
Also in the West, people tend to believe in a concept in Theodicy called the "vale of soul making". This would be the explaination for the problem of evil. That is, the existence of evil as a phenomenological effect, that motivates and breeds self cultivation of behavior and harmonious virtues in mortals.
The reason I added the stuff about evil and Godhood, is that people always struggle with coming to terms of why don't Whis or the Kaioshins or the other Gods, actually intervene. This is a struggle that parallels actual history in theology and is across cultures.
Now back to the current discussion. The reason giving up revenge is a narratively sound and consistent and is a nice bow on the character of Granolah is due to the fact that Monaito warned Granolah of the troubles and conflict that using Dragon Balls would usher. New foes and nothing but suffering and pain would occur because Granolah is trapped by his past and his identity of being some savior or having to carry a burden of bringing justice to the Cerealieans.
Granolah sought the use of Dragon Balls for selfish reasons which is a big no for Buddhist beliefs, as it puts you further in a illusion.
As Monaito explained, the Dragon Balls are to be used for selfless reasons, generally as a reward to brave warriors.
We know that almost everyone who has made selfish wishes receives negative karma as a result of using them.
Granolah recieved his punishment by nearly dieing and going blind in the face of other more powerful enemies, as Monaito foreshadowed, and at the cost of being surpassed by the Saiyan and Gas, with a little lifespan.
Hearing the voice of Bardock in his comatose state, gave him time to reflect on the Saiyans and the choices he made up to that point.
Seeing that Bardock save his life, and that Goku and Vegeta are fighting for his safety probably broke through the anger and hatred he had in himself. He probably pities Gas too, as he represents another "Granolah" who gave up everything to fall short.
Granolah has matured, just like Vegeta when it comes to past mistakes and guilt/hatred.