There's nothing while studying language quite like learning a cool new word, and trying to use it as soon as possible, even when I'm not exactly sure what it means. It's like a kid learning new words on the playground like "booger" or something and wanting to use it because all the cool kids are using it. "Shura" is one of those words, apparently derived from Buddhist origins, which happens a lot in Japanese language, they were influenced greatly by the Buddhists even though their main religion is Shinto (it's some sort of demi-god or something). Shura means "the scene of a carnage, where you stumble upon a battlefield where many have died, people are still mending their wounds, and you try to piece together what happened.
I found out about shura while watching a Japanese drama where one married man has 10 different woman he dates, really setting a bad example for husbands everywhere (first of all, who has time for 10 different women? Sounds expensive). But shura apparently can refer to the carnage after a lover's quarrel or big fight, both sides each feeling really resentful towards each other after screaming at each other and having a heated emotional battle. It makes sense, battles are more intense when the opposing sides know each other really and have plenty of ammunition to use against each other, and who better to have ammunition on than the person you spend most of your life with? (husband and wife, spouses). If you bump into random guy on the street and get into a fight, there's physical violence for sure, but it's less emotional than just letting off steam and not liking the other person based on one event, he cheated on your gf, didn't pay you money, etc. But spouses can go DEEP into the opponent's life and attack every facet of one's being, including money issues, issues with the in-laws, sleeping patterns, cleaning patterns, character flaws, etc., etc. Furthermore, the spouses know exactly what kind of things will set the other person off, make them angry, and can use that against them at the worst time to add more fuel to the fire. Luckily, most times the spouses have at least a shred of goodwill left towards each other that they'll eventually understand all they have is each other and come to their senses, but until then it surely looks like a scene of carnage.
I think I secretly enjoy scenes of carnage. Not the fact that people die, etc. When I go to an art museum (MJ and I went to the Broad in LA today! I couldn't appreciate most of the art but I appreciated the experience of it!) I like the scenes of carnage the most. All different kinds of people doing different things, reacting to a tragic event, giving hints as to the battle that ensued and how one reacts to it. It's like of like people on the highway rubbernecking to see the scene of an accident as they go by it, I for one personally have to take a peek just for curiosity's sake. We all want to see a battle happening to other people and the carnage afterwards, which maybe why people in all historical eras like to see warriors battling each other (Gladiator days) to mix martial arts fighting to sumo to boxing. It might also be why I love watching dodgeball videos, I actually do like people getting hit by a ball and ball bouncing off with a "thwack" off someone's body. It's a sick fascination I guess, but I and other human beings are drawn to Shura (修羅) like moth to a flame.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
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