Suffering of Ninko

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"The Heart Sutra"

SUFFERING OF NINKO

A long time ago...

...deep in the mountains...

...sat the temple Enmei-ji.

In this temple there was

a Buddhist priest named Ninko.

"The Heart Sutra"

This novice monk set out

to practice asceticism.

In this, he was beyond

his fellow monks.

He was a paragon of monkhood.

However...

He had a problem.

Ninko attracts women

Ninko?

Ninko's coming.

Really? Is he here?

Ninko!

Ninko?

Ninko-san?

There you are?

Ninko-san!

What a man!

Come, my darling Ninko!

Please, look at me!

Ninko was very popular with women.

Ninko-san!

Over here!

Step back!

Ninko-san?

You're so exciting!

Rub harder, Takuyo.

Unfortunately, he attracted...

...not only women.

Ninko!

Ninko...

Sexual indulgence...

...is sinful for a monk.

When his thoughts wavered...

...Ninko turned to zen meditation...

...to clear his mind.

You look depressed, Ninko.

No doubt you'd prefer not to

go out to beg for alms.

No.

I do not think so.

They are like animals.

Just following their desires.

However...

It's not your fault,

it cannot be avoided.

Jomei...

It's not something that

can't be avoided.

It is my fault,

I need to be more virtuous.

I must train harder.

Jomei...

Isn't Ninko too solemn?

Shonen, don't cut everything

into round slices.

Ah...

I'm sorry.

Today...

...I forbid Ninko to ask for alms.

Yes, Master.

But...

- Isn't it

- You should know why.

Yes.

I understand, Master.

How can he be a novice when

he's reluctant to perform his duties?

It's rude for a monk

like him to ask for alms.

I see.

How could Master know his thought?

Because he's Master Myoko.

How strange that a monk

should become so popular.

Ninko thinks that he's at fault

for attracting women.

But I doubt that's true.

He is the most diligent monk here,

aside from Master Myoko.

Ninko was left alone in the temple,

meditating on his suffering.

But his suffering did not end.

Where's Ninko-san?

Why isn't he here?

Don't worry,

he'll be back.

As I've told you,

Ninko isn't coming today!

And so...

...I'm taking his place.

- What?

- Come on.

What the hell are you talking about?

Takuyo!

Where's Ninko?

We want to see him!

Bring Ninko to us!

Calm down!

Is Ninko sick?

What happened to him?

Listen to me!

He has other work

at the temple today.

What kind of work?

Jomei, we're getting nowhere!

We need to retreat! Run!

Where is Ninko-san?

We need him!

Ninko-san...

What's wrong?

Are you all right?

Why are you...

I came here to...

...ask you something.

Ask me?

When I think of you...

I... I'm...

I'm overcome with emotion

and I somehow feel very hot.

Can you please

release this heat?

I'm sorry, I cannot.

For a Buddhist monk,

sexual indulgence is a sin.

Am I...

...unclean in your eyes?

No, it's not like that.

It's I who has made

you feel like that.

It's all my fault.

Go away!

Please!

After this encounter

things got even worse.

Women:
Okita and Ofuji

Bathing lady:
Ochika

Ninko!

Somebody, help!

- Ninko?

- Ninko, what happened?

- Stay calm!

- Get him!

Ninko!

He's too strong...

Hold his feet down!

- Get some rope!

- Hurry up!

Finally Ninko went mad.

It took two days for him

to recover his senses.

Ninko decided to undertake

a journey to refashion himself.

Ninko...

To deny your disturbing emotions and...

...to face and overcome them...

Those are two different things.

You may leave the temple,

but you cannot escape your karma.

Your karma is part of you

at all times.

You must face it...

...accept it...

...and purge it.

If not, the disturbing emotions

will radiate from you...

...and attract women.

Remember this.

Things did not go well.

To escape from women,

he hiked high into the mountains.

"The Heart Sutra"

Ninko-san...

Illusory women haunted his thoughts.

Gradually Ninko grew haggard.

"The Acala Mantra"

You're a monk?

Chant a sutra or something.

This ronin's name was Kanzo.

I didn't kill him.

"The Heart Sutra"

You look familiar.

You're that womanizer monk

from Enmei-ji.

Nothing of the kind!

I have never, ever...

...broken any Buddhist commandment!

Please don't follow me.

I'm going this way too.

Then please go ahead.

Ouch...

My stomach aches.

Don't ignore me, womanizer!

My name is Ninko!

Hey...

Ninko...

C'mon.

Don't be angry.

Be quiet.

They came to a deserted village

named Akatsuki-mura.

Yama-onna?

Yes.

She has appeared

deep in the mountains.

It was six months ago.

I've heard tell...

...she's clad in old rags

and has very pale skin.

She charms men,

or as we call it...

..."sorcery".

She seduces men...

...sucks up their vital essence...

...and leaves them dead.

Already...

...so many of us have been taken.

My neighbour Gosuke...

...has been missing since

he went up the mountain yesterday.

Perhaps he has already...

I will do anything for you

if you can help us.

We need your swordsmanship,

and your dharmic Buddhist power.

Please subdue Yama-onna.

Please...

...avenge my husband.

The spectre...

I am a mere novice.

I'm sorry, I can't help you.

I'll do it.

But I have one condition.

When I've killed Yama-onna,

you give me this house and...

...Mrs Osen too.

How does that sound?

Osen?

But...

Don't worry.

It won't be difficult.

It's just a man-crazy woman.

Maybe...

- ...not so different from you.

- No such thing!

I'm not like that.

Well...

Ninko-san...

I've heard that name before.

Ah...

Aren't you that monk from Enmei-ji?

No.

My name is...

...Ninko-bo.

It sounds similar, but I have

nothing to do with that Ninko.

Yet...

Didn't you just say "Ninko"?

"Abstain from falsehoods"

It's a Buddhist precept.

Village chief,

a monk cannot lie.

You're right,

I'm sorry.

Please forgive me.

A virtuous monk like Ninko-bo-san here...

...could not be that dirty satyr.

Anyway, leave it to me,

village chief.

Osen...

...prepare a meal and

wait for me to return.

You have no objection to this?

Osen...

For the sake of the village,

please accept.

If he can avenge my husband...

...I'll do whatever he wants.

"The Heart Sutra"

Ninko pondered

Yama-onna and himself.

"If Yama-onna is a demon

who captivates men..."

"...what does that make me?"

he thought.

"The way I attract women

seems rather similar."

"What was the masked woman

I met in the forest?"

"Perhaps I'm the same as..."

It's crazy.

This is madness.

Madness, Madness,

Madness, Madness!

It's madness!

Ninko wanted to escape the madness.

The situation was intolerable.

It's impossible!

A newly widowed woman...

...given to a new husband...

...desires a monk she just met!

He has the power to

attract any woman.

I'm no different from...

Ninko thought he was

no different from...

No different from the spectre!

You're an interesting fellow.

Follow me.

We're nearly there.

I can smell that we're alike.

You want women...

...yet you don't want women.

I cannot catch your meaning.

Let me put it another way.

You don't want women...

...yet you cannot stop wanting them.

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