In Conclusion

When I was a little girl, I watched Pocahontas at least every other week. There was just something appealing and uplifting about the stark difference between the portrayal of this particular Disney princess and the other princesses who were portrayed as sensible, emotional, weak, and fragile characters. In addition to gender issues, Disney is frequently criticized for many other problematic portrayals of groups of people, historical facts, and more. You can't simplify all of the world's problems into a 1 and a half hour children's movie and expect them to delve deep into the more complex dimensions of certain prevailing issues. Then no Disney movie would have its "happily ever after" ending.

However, you also can't be totally upset with Disney for raising you on generalized views of the world. Like everything else, Disney has its good and bad. On the merit side of things, I feel that Disney has captured many of the important life lessons that most people would agree are good values to grow up on. Using "Colors of the Wind" as the focus of analysis, we can see that this song portrays several significant concepts such as the consequences of greed and materialism, the oneness of nature, and the importance of creating peace and harmony with those who are different from us. While these are generally universal ideas that most people can appreciate or agree with, taking them one step further into a deeper analysis of how these ideas reflect the truths of the greater reality enables us to view them through a Buddhist lens.

Yes, being greedy and materialistic are not positive traits to have. Taking that one step further, greed and materialism are indicators of an unwholesome view of the world because it involves false notions about possession and ownership of something that is constantly changing and interdependent on everything else. Thus, you can't possibly "own" or "possess" anything. Understanding this will remove desire that is unwholesome. A more wholesome desire to embrace would be one that strives for the greater goals of reality. 

Yes, we all understand the food chain and the circle of life. But what does that really mean? It means we are all interdependent and the success of each and every being depends on each and every other being in a system that is neither hierarchical nor stratified. Like the glittering jewel in which we see the reflections of thousands of  other glittering jewels, we are all connected by a fragile string of web that, if cut, creates an imbalance in the natural order of the universe in which we lose sight of several precious jewels. 

Yes, getting to know those who are different from you will make you a more open-minded person. But that's not the point. The point is that we should not only recognize that we are different from one another as beings, but that we should relate fully to each other as impermanent, interdependent beings and construct mutually wholesome relationships based on actual difference rather than imagined uniformity. 

It's not simply the concepts themselves that make them Buddhist. I think every religion, philosophy, and moral code written for man preaches these teachings. Rather, it's the specificity and complexity of these concepts that we can extract from deep within these basic life lessons that help us realize our roles as interdependent and impermanent beings in the greater reality of the universe that speak to uniquely Buddhist teachings. 

I hope you enjoyed my exploration of Buddhist elements within "Colors of the Wind." :-)

Opposites Attract

A pervasive issue that is portrayed throughout the movie Pocahontas is the issue of "us" versus "them." English settlers versus Native Americans. White versus Brown. Bow and arrow versus gun powder. There are numerous depictions of contrasts and opposition everywhere. Hence, controversy. Some people would probably say "and rightfully so!" How can people who are so different from one another live together without fighting? Even with the issues of race that are still prevalent today in the United States, can we ever truly reach a point in time when we can say racism no longer exists? When people are so different from each other is harmony ever possible?

Pocahontas certainly thinks so. And so did the Buddha.

"You think the only people who are people

are the people who look and think like you.

But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger,

you'll learn things you never knew you never knew."

This is a clear throwback life-lesson from 1st grade. "Don't judge a person until you have walked in his/her shoes." The interesting thing is that we rarely still act in accordance with what we were taught as kids. While the first two lines of the stanza speak to the timeless moral principle,"do not judge a book by its cover," I believe the last two lines speak to a more sophisticated creed. Mahayana Buddhist teachings and scriptures that discuss nirvana and all of the constituents required to be in place in order to attain enlightenment often use the term upaya. Upaya means "skilful means" and is used to identify something that either is a method or contributes to the method of attaining a goal, which would be enlightenment in terms of Buddhist goals (Teece, 2007). In an article that uses the concept of upaya as a model of reference to describe the kind of methodology needed in religious education, Geoff Teece, a professor in Religious Education at the University of Birmingham, explains upaya as a concept used by the Buddha in two ways: firstly, in the way that religious leaders such as the Buddha can use metaphors, parables, etc. to communicate spiritual truths to their followers; and secondly, in the way that a religion itself can be upayic--that is, a religion, understood as a vehicle of human transformation, can operate within the teaching and learning process as "skilful means" by which the students develop a wider and deeper understanding of what it means to be human (2007).

Applying the latter idea to this concept of diversity, we could say that it is through the diversity itself that we can learn from one another and use that knowledge and understanding to "enlighten" ourselves about the process of human life and its connection to the greater reality of the universe. This notion of using each other to better ourselves for the greater good was one that I was first introduced to when I attended Dr. Peter Hershock's lecture at Berea College about the value of diversity in term of global interdependence. He spoke on the Buddhist perspective of diversity and how we are not different from each other, but rather for each other (Hershock, 2014). This idea really resonated with me because I have never thought about diversity in such terms. If there is interdependence, then there cannot be a sense of self. Thus, each and every object and being must be different for each other to collectively balance out this interdependence and strive for the greater goals of reality.

This idea of differences existing to balance out one another reminds me of the popular yin-yang symbol with the black and white halves of the circle consisting of a smaller circle with the color of the opposite half, portraying the need for both to exist to have a complete interdependent whole. Although this image is a Taoist symbol, Buddhism also conveys these same messages through different symbols and forms of art. A poem by Ryokan in "Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf" simply lists opposing word pairs such as "hot-cold," "good-bad," "black-white," etc. and explicitly states that it is the proper blend of these opposing pairs in which happiness lies (1993). It seems almost too simple. And therein lies the beauty.

It is.

Pocahontas is not only trying to convey interdependence to John Smith but also the beauty in the diverse nature of the interdependent beings.

"For whether we are white or copper-skinned,

we need to sing with all the voices of the mountains"

"Sing[ing] with all the voices of the mountains" was another abstract phrase just like "paint[ing] with all the colors of the wind" to deconstruct. I think it alludes to the harmony of silence when one takes the time to be mindful of one's surroundings. There are so many sounds in the world around us. Everything from birds chirping to water flowing to humans yelling at each other in anger. But mountains are silent. They don't speak or sing. Sometimes the most beautiful and in-tune moments are spent in strong silence. And that silence is powerful.

Buddhist meditation teaches much of the same concepts regarding silence. Perhaps one of the most well-known forms of Buddhist mental cultivation is anapana sati, the attentiveness on the in-going and out-going breath with the purpose of gaining an intellectual understanding of the truth of anicca, dukha, and anatta, liberating one from the delusion and putting and end to both ignorance and craving (Story, 1995). However, considering how accepting Buddhism is of individuals at all levels of awareness and readiness to experience the truth, I would argue that practicing mindfulness at the most basic introspective level with the intention to simply understand oneself and others would suffice. And a good place to start would be cultivating a practice of silence--not to necessarily say that we should never speak per se, but rather to think before we speak in order to prevent words that foster conflict or anger between people. To practice speech that is patient, compassionate, optimistic, and open. I think the Venerable Dambara Amila Thero said it best in his interview on "3D," a television series in Sinhala, in which he was supporting religious and ethnic co-existence, when he said "conflict should not be between people--it should be between truth and not truth," (Baabaa Blacksheep, 2012).

Reflections of You, Reflections of Me

I would now like to return to the Buddhist concept of interdependence, an element that is ubiquitously interwoven within "Colors of the Wind." The multitude of elements that reinforce this idea of interdependence especially refer to animals and wildlife and their connection to human beings. Pocahontas sings:

"I know every rock and tree and creature

has a life, has a spirit, has a name."

Buddhism teaches that there is no such thing as a changeless soul (Trainor, 2004). Thus, although Buddhists would disagree with the notion of everything having a spirit, as the five components that make up beings (skandhas) consist of the physical body made of the four elements (rupa), feelings that arise from the five senses (vedana), perceptions which attach good/evil/ neutral to sensory inputs (samjna), habitual mental dispositions (samskaras), and consciousness when the mind and body connect with the external world (vijnana) (Trainor, 2004), I think they would agree with the rest of the statement in a metaphorical sense. Recognizing that every animate and even inanimate object has a "life" and a "name" gives it a purpose. Whatever the purpose is, regardless of how big or small, it contributes to a greater purpose of maintaining the balance of the world. 

"The rainstorm and the river are my brothers

the heron and the otter are my friends.

And we are all connected to each other

in a circle, in a hoop that never ends." 

Rather than killing these animals and destroying the balance of nature for self-gain as Smith and the settlers intend to do, Pocahontas offers an alternative perspective on the wildlife that entails a vision of it as being a part of oneself. By equating such elements and beings of nature to personal relationships that are usually associated with human beings, especially those who are related or close to us, Pocahontas is putting a great deal of importance on these other beings and objects to demonstrate just how equally fragile and essential these other relationships are to maintain.

"Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon

or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?"

I'm sure most of us have not. Why would we? They are simply instinctual animals that are of lesser intelligence and have no great impact on our lives, right? Why does it matter why a wolf howls or why a bobcat grins? I didn't even know they grinned. That's kind of creepy. Perhaps answering these specific questions will not augment our understanding of our world by much. But Pocahontas encourages Smith to see the lives and actions of these other beings as significant and purposeful.

Every religion advises us to love our fellow humans. Some even teach us to love them more if they belong to the same religion. But Buddhism is unique in that it teaches us to show equal care and compassion for each and every creature in the universe. The Buddha was very clear in his teachings against any form of cruelty to any living being. Buddhism prescribes the practice of metta, "loving-kindness" towards all creatures of all quarters without restrictions. The Karaniyametta Sutta enjoins the cultivation of loving-kindness towards all creatures "timid and steady, long and short, big and small, minute and great, visible and invisible, near and far, born and awaiting birth," (de Silva, 2005). Just as one's own life is precious to oneself, so is the life of the other precious to himself. Therefore, a reverential attitude must be cultivated towards all forms of life. In fact, in terms of Buddhist teachings of morality, inflicting harm onto animals is considered a demerit, or papa, a regression from attaining ultimate insight and a fall into the trap of ignorance (Trainor, 2004). I think that man's cruelty towards animals is another expression of his uncontrolled greed which can be attributed to the false notion of a dichotomy of "self" versus "others," an unwholesome view of the universe according to Buddhist teachings (Lopez, 2004). Today we destroy animals and their habitats and deprive them of their natural rights so that we can expand our environment for our convenience. As a result, we are already beginning to pay the price for this selfish and cruel act. Our environment is threatened and if we do not take stern measures for the survival of other creatures, our own existence on this earth may not be guaranteed.

 A metaphor that perfectly depicts this delicate nature of interdependence can be found in the Avatamsuka Sutra within the story of Indra's Net:

"Far away in the heavenly abode of the great god Indra, there is a wonderful net which has been hung by some cunning artificer in such a manner that it stretches out infinitely in all directions. In accordance with the extravagant tastes of deities, the artificer has hung a single glittering jewel in each eye of the net, and since the net itself is infinite in dimension, the jewels are infinite in number. There hang the jewels, glittering like stars in the first magnitude, a wonderful sight to behold. If we now look closely at any one of the jewels for inspection, we will discover that in its polished surface are reflected all the other jewels in the net, infinite in number. Not only that, but each of the jewels reflected in this one jewel is reflecting all the other jewels, so that there is an infinite reflection process occurring."

(Quotations, 2009).

This beautiful metaphor of a bejeweled net speaks for itself in terms of how its jewels are symbols for all of the beings in the world and how within each one is a reflection of every other being and interactions between them all. If even one jewel is removed from this great web of interactions, we will no longer be able to view a large quantity of other jewels and their interactions because of the precise position of that single jewel. Similarly, Pocahontas teaches Smith about such interactions throughout the song as she leads him on a walk through the forest. Taking this metaphor one step further, I love that the symbols for each being is a jewel because although jewels such as diamonds are clear and technically "colorless," the refraction of light that is reflected from one jewel to another creates a multicolored ray of light which further adds to the prior discussion of the title itself: "Colors of the Wind." It is through this understanding of the multitude of interactions in the net represented by the colors that would be refracted and reflected from jewel to jewel or through the ability to "paint with all the colors of the wind" that we can have a view of the universe that is kusala. 

Mind On My Money

In this scene of the movie, we see that in contrast to John Smith, Pocahontas has a very different attitude towards other life in the forest. While Smith is arrogant and can only see the life around him on a selfish, materialistic level, Pocahontas is very humble and does not put herself above the other life she shares the forest with.

Their conversation directly prior to this song is one in which John Smith is "teaching" Pocahontas about gold and how to use the land properly in order to get the most out of it ($$$). Pocahontas realizes that John Smith thinks very low of her and her people because of their lack of buildings, roads, and goods that are considered of monetary value from the explorer's standpoint. "Oh you poor ignorant little brown people! You don't even know how to use your own resources to get rich and powerful!" (That's my contemporary John Smith impersonation for the day).

  

The story of Buddha's ultimate life as Siddhartha depicts his life as a wealthy prince who later renounces his riches, his family, and all sensual pleasures to go forth into homelessness in order to be awakened (Trainor, 26). It is because of this renunciation of a distracting materialistic lifestyle that helped him concentrate better on his meditation and ultimately, gain enlightenment. Even after attaining nirvana, he remains put in his humble new lifestyle and goes around teaching others the truths that he has learned, the Dharma. Even to this day, we can see how Buddhist monks live a particularly simplistic but purposeful lifestyle, free from possessions, pleasures, and comforts of modern life; begging for alms from the laity each day before noon which is the only offering they can accept for the remainder of the day (Footprint of the Buddha, 2001). I can only imagine how much easier meditation would be if I did not have things like my cellphone, social media, and the comforts of my dorm room to distract me!

Like the Buddha, Pocahontas is definitely the one with more wisdom than Smith about the greater reality of nature because of her lack of need for material goods. She has sufficed all her life with the simplicity of her world and her deep connection with the other life in the forest. Throughout the scene, we see her taking him through the forest and mediating interactions between him and the very things that are seen as of material value to the settlers. The bear that he was about to shoot before Pocahontas stops him, the playful otters that they swim with in the river, the sycamore tree that the eagles are perched on, the deer that they run with through the forest, the dirt that John Smith holds in his hands, and more are all powerful images of the very things that the early settlers destroyed, pillaged, poached, depleted, and exploited for their own needs and convenience.

Historically speaking, as the English settlers spread in Virginia during the 1600s, the Powhatans were actually forced to move inland away from the fertile river valleys that had long been their home (Egloff, 2014). As their territory dwindled, so did the Indian population, falling victim to English diseases, food shortages and warfare. However, although the Disney version is not entirely historically accurate, it does provide accurate depictions of the attitudes of the early settlers in terms of their desire for gold and riches.

Disgusted with this notion of exploitation of the land, she thrusts his rifle, the very symbol of his own savagery, back into his hands as she sings, "But still I cannot see if the savage one is me."

Moreover, what I love the most about her teachings throughout the song is that her views of nature and preventative action toward him to stop harming other life does not seem to stem from a belief that it's bad to harm or kill other beings because of what will happen to the person doing the harming; rather, it is clear that she advocates such views and actions simply just for the greater good and to protect that greatness. I think that Buddhadasa Bikkhu's critical approach to materialism and the ritual of alms-giving as well as his encouragement of the "giving of oneself" in terms of dana can be applied to this type of right action as well. In the translation of Buddhadasa Bikkhu's "Giving Dana that Doesn't Cost Any Money and Leads to Nirvana," he discusses his critical views on Theravada Buddhism and how the expectation of karmic merit is what prevents one from attaining nirvana because of the presence of motivation that is unwholesome, or akushala (Swearer, 1995). The trick is to take out the receiver and the giver which then just leaves the gift itself. Similarly, I think this can be applied to the teachings of right view and right action according to Pocahontas. Her teachings are driven by her determination to maintain the natural balance of the world because of the value she places on its interconnected nature rather than being driven by a fear of karmic demerit. You go Pocahontas! Way to have wholesome motivation!

Continuing on with the notion of materialism, I think the most significant phrase in the song in relation to materialism is the very last when Pocahontas says:

You can own the earth and still

All you'll own is earth

Until you can paint with all the colors of the wind

Buddhism teaches us that the failure to understand the the first mark of existence, impermanence, or anicca, is what keeps one from preoccupied with foolish desires (Butler, 2014). If one understands the impermanence of everything, including the things we want and the way we think about them, there is no need to form an attachment to such material things because sooner or later it will change; whether the "it" is the value of the material, the significance, the need, or just the way in which it is perceived by the individual. From a Buddhist perspective, John Smith's desire for gold and the use of the land's creatures and resources for material gain is not the kind of wholesome motivation that exerts oneself in pursuit of a goal that reinforces true views of oneself and the universe which is known as chanda, or "interest"; this is the kind of selfish and unwholesome motivation that reinforces false views of the self and the universe which is known as tanha, meaning "thirst" (Richey, 2014). John Smith sees these things in the forest not for their beauty in how they fit together with the interdependent and impermanent natural order of the universe, but as animals that can be killed for food, pelts and trophies, dirt that can be dug up for roads, trees that can cut down for structures, etc. Thus, she is saying he can own all of earth itself but he will still be impoverished in the sense of lacking the wealth of enlightenment about the existence of the world itself. Instead of glorifying these living things for their material riches, she encourages him to view the richness of the way in which these creatures and beings contribute to the maintenance of the balance of nature:

Come roll in all the riches all around you

and for once never wonder what they're worth

Pocahontas, who clearly understands this difference between chanda and tanha acknowledges his false views and tries to convey his horribly wrong misconception to him.

 "How can there be so much that you don't know?

You don't know..."

Indeed. He did not.

Colors of the Wind

I first started my exploration of the Buddhist elements in this song by contemplating the title itself: "Colors of the Wind." This was actually particularly difficult because the title suggests a paradox. How can wind have a color let alone multiple colors? One cannot see the wind, one can only feel it. Right?

Pocahontas repeatedly asks John Smith throughout the song, "Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?" So what is she really asking? I think the simple answer is that she is alluding to the interdependence and oneness of life, the second mark of existence, or samsara, in Buddhism. However, I think there is a much more complex idea being conveyed here about this interdependence that she is speaking of. She is saying that there is an inherent beauty in the world and she's asking if he can see it. Air is everywhere and we need it for life just like we need all of nature. I believe she is asking if he can see the world around him beyond what meets the eye; through a deeper understanding of all of the interactions taking place. It is through this kind of deep understanding by which we can appreciate and respect that inherent beauty and use it to better our lives as well as use our lives to better it in a way that connects us all. These are some of the most basic concepts that the Buddha taught which were based on his own observation of the way things are (Butler, 2014).

Even though the wind does not literally have colors, the paradox of the phrase forces one to think critically about what it could mean if if wind did have colors. And if it did, instead of painting with only one shade, "can [we] paint with all the colors"? In essence, I think she is revealing the common mistake of people to only have a single world-view--their own. This idea of separating the self from the rest of the world by viewing it through only one lens, that is, the egotistical lens, causes suffering (Richey, 2014).

By painting with all the colors of the wind, we look at the world through a Buddhist lens and with a greater understanding of the reality of the universe which encompasses the plethora of perspectives and relationships that are in sync in this beauty of interdependence. Moreover, the use of an uncommon description of one of earth's natural elements that we think we understand presents an example of how we "paint" with only one shade: in our experience, wind has never had color. So why wind? Why couldn't the phrase have been more realistic such as "can you paint with all the colors of the rainbow"? That makes so much more sense! However, although rainbows are great, it just would not have made the cut as an effective literary device that invokes deep thought. Our "reality" of wind not having colors is just our understanding of it through a single self-centered lens. Ultimately, Pocahontas is saying, "can't you see that your self-centered attitude is preventing you from awakening to and appreciating this greater reality?"

This complex idea of interdependence is woven so intricately throughout the song. Thus, I would like to further explore this concept in more depth in a future post. Stay tuned!

Buddhist Teachings Start Young

What could Buddhism and Disney possibly have in common? Perhaps nothing at first glance. However, upon more careful consideration, Buddhist themes and teachings are actually quite prevalent in particular Disney songs. That is not to say that Walt Disney was a devout Buddhist who secretly embedded his spiritual beliefs in popular children's songs in order to influence young audiences to renounce life as they know it and embark upon their own journey down the path of ultimate enlightenment to escape their mortal suffering. It is to say, however, that certain themes that are associated with Buddhism are paralleled with the teachings and life lessons that Disney feels are important for young audiences to embrace. 

Personally, I see this phenomenon resulting in a positive way that is twofold: first, young people are taught widely accepted moral principles via a creative art form that will be stuck in their heads forever (and will occasionally seep out in the privacy of their solo shower shows as young adults); and second, they will gain insight into some of the basic foundations of the ancient teachings of Buddhism at a young age that they can build upon in later years when they can further analyze the concepts with a deeper understanding and appreciation. 

I now turn to one of my personal favorite Disney songs from Pocahontas entitled "Colors of the Wind" for a deeper exploration of Buddhist concepts. I invite you to watch the video clip of the song and explore the insights that it has to offer as you follow my upcoming analyses. Enjoy! :)