Have
you ever felt that you do not belong to this world, that everything
around you is a sham and everyone seems to be unreal? That's also how
the main character Truman feels in the 1998 film The Truman Show. His
life, starting from the very beginning when he is in his mother's womb,
has been made into a TV show and is broadcast live 24 hours a day to
audiences around the world. Truman's parents, wife, and even his best
friend are all players in the show. His hometown of Seahaven, an isolated
island, is actually a huge soundstage, with more than 5,000 hidden cameras.
Although he doesn't know this truth, Truman never stops his inward longing
to explore the outside world.
To
prevent him from traveling beyond the sea, which connects to the real
world, the director of the show traumatizes him through many events,
one of which is inflicting the guilt of his father's death at sea upon
him. Afterwards, Truman never travels on water.
However,
his life is not without revelations of the truth from his sympathizers.
When he is in college, for example, a girl (an actress) tries to tell
him the truth and says, "Everything here is fake, is all for you.
The sky, the sea, everything is a set for a TV show. They are just pretending."
By doing so, she is forced to leave the island. But at that time, Truman
does not understand what the girl is telling him and what is actually
going on. He tries to look for her constantly after her sudden disappearance
from Seahaven, but his efforts always end in despair, until one day,
when he is in the deepest sorrow, he starts to think of his beloved
girl and the words that she told him. He then becomes aware of the illogical
things around him and tries with all his might to discover the truth.
By and by, he finds that the more intense his longing to go beyond becomes,
the greater are his bondage and obstacles.
This
scenario is very similar to our situation here, in that we have been
trapped life after life in this illusionary world. We are greatly bound,
and kept from the Truth. Just as the director of Truman's life story
said, "There was nothing real. You were real. That's what made
you so good to watch." Because Truman is real, he has the right
to free choice although he lives in an illusionary world. He can choose
to pursue the truth and risk his life to escape from this world of illusion,
or to continue his fake but safe life amidst applause from the audience,
living a seemingly rich life manipulated by others.
However,
Truman chooses the way of truth. Despite the countless difficulties
he experiences during his pursuit of the truth, strong opposition from
his friends and relatives, and a near loss of his precious life, Truman's
unwavering quest for freedom eventually touches the hearts of the audience.
The director realizes that he cannot manipulate or control Truman any
longer, so Truman finally finds himself free and reunites himself with
the girl he loves.
Truman's
courageous struggle to break free from his illusionary world is an exemplary
model for people everywhere, especially those of us who practice the
Quan Yin Method. For some, the path of spiritual practice is smooth,
and for others, it is filled with setbacks. But however life treats
us, we clearly understand that this world is not our real Home, so that
we must not submerge ourselves in it. We will be able to overcome all
obstacles and realize the Truth on our journey back to God only if we
have a sincere longing and true love for the Most High.
