降世神通第三季

三季都在讲述成长，第一部在确立使命，第二部在提升本领，第三部更多是在锤炼心灵。

第三季是很实在的成长的困惑和追寻自我价值的挣扎。以往不开大简直就是战斗渣渣的神通王，其实只是有颗善良博爱的心，在现实压迫中守住了本性，也扛起了责任。朱克看穿了虚荣，从不断的自我否定中寻得天命。凯塔拉放弃复仇，解放心魔。苏卡在一堆强人中间最终找到了自己的价值和位置。雅苏拉争权夺利，底线失守的同时也丧失了对他人的信任，最终走向极端。

尤其是朱克的形象在一次次反复中逐渐丰满，那种自疑自问自省自责，最终走向精神自立自强的过程，非常打动人心，于一直守住本心的安相呼应，是剧情推进中十分关键和出彩是部分。

很难得的，一部以战斗为主的动画片，并没有拘泥和执着在战斗上，并没有好勇斗狠，而是很好的以一个个平民化的子故事带出节奏和精彩，非常用心，立意和格局上确实比一味追求眼球和爽快的作品高出不少。

之前听“小声喧哗”讲降世神通的节目提到，这部动画有很多泛亚元素。确实仅从人物、城市的命名，火、水、土、气元素的设定以及人物的对话里可以看到很强烈的东亚元素，但是这部动画里的“泛亚”也有很多可能被忽略的南亚元素，或者说印度教文明的影响。

在我第一次看这部剧的时候，我只看到一个印度的元素，就是在第二季里Guru的出现，他有很明显的印度口音，Guru这个词本身就源于印度教文化，是指导师，老师。Gu是黑暗，ru是光明，Guru即是通过知识之光照亮因无明而来的黑暗。

我本来觉得这就是这部动画唯一的印度元素，直到我最近看了《薄伽梵歌》才发现，这部剧里的印度教元素其实很多，当然这部剧的设定中并没有体现完整的印度教元素。

首先，Avatar这个词就源于印度教的经典里，意为神通。在动画里，Avatar——神通，是指掌握了气、水、火、土四种元素，当大陆的秩序被破坏的时候会出来制止邪恶、维护大陆和平和秩序的超然力量。这与《薄伽梵歌》里关于上主的化身原因有些相似，“每当正法衰微、非法盛行之时，我就显现自己。我不时显现自己，是为了保护善良，消灭邪恶，建立世界秩序（正法）”，“每当恶人出世要摧毁世界秩序（正法）时，善良之主毗湿奴，就会化身为先知而把诸事摆平”。

Avatar里的每任神通都肩负维护和平的责任，且每一任神通的“身体”死后，精神/灵魂依旧存在，并进入到下一任神通的身体中。对应到印度教中，《薄伽梵歌》里明确提出了身体和灵魂（也称为自我，Atman）的二分。众生拥有粗身与精身，粗身存在于空间中，由思想、智力、情感和形态等存在于自我（意识空间）中。当粗身消亡，精身会与之分离，又会进入另一个身体。神通的轮回诞生与印度教的这种观念可以说是一脉相承。

关于神通本身，过去的神通只在现任神通需要时，并为有所准备之时，可以通过进入神通状态，与之沟通，接受指引。这种设定也存在这印度教的影子，因为印度教强调当信徒的心意和智力得到净化的时候，至上之主就会把自己投射在虔信者的内心深处，给他遣送一位觉悟的古鲁，给予其充分指导。在Avatar里，Aang数次进入神通状态后都从历届神通的教导中获得了更多的觉悟，渐渐掌握了几种元素，并了知道如何履行神通的职责。他进入神通状态的方式也和印度教提倡的方式有关——业瑜伽（冥想），控制自己的心意达到“梵我合一”。尽管动画里Aang进入神通非常迅速，但是实际上业瑜伽的觉悟对于普通人是需要耗费很长时间的练习。

Aang周游列国学习掌握各种元素的方法的过程可以看作是为了获得“自我知识”的修行过程。学习这些元素涉及对心意和智力的控制，只有与元素间的关系达到一种稳定的状态才算是成功掌握。印度教里也非常强调状态的稳定性，而这种稳定性就与对感官的控制有关。

在最后与火强王的大战时，Aang面临了一个困境：作为气宗是不可以随意杀生的，但如果为了世界的安全和秩序就必须要消灭火强王。他陷入的这种道德冲突让我想到了《薄伽梵歌》里阿周那面对来自亲人俱卢族的战争威胁时的困境。经文中克里希那神给予阿周那的建议是履行作为武士的职责投入战争。为了化解阿周那关于与亲人战斗会使得家族堕入地狱与自己会感受到无法避免的悲伤的困惑，克里希那提出了身体和自我的“真实性”、自我知识的实现、欲望的弃绝、原质三德等命题让阿周那明白因为履行职责的正义之战是不会遭受道德困境的，因为身体死亡不等于自我（阿特曼）死亡。在Avatar里，Aang在短暂逃避后，经过历届神通的指引也承担起了作为神通的职责，只不过为了化解这个道德困境，他没有杀死火强王的肉身而是废除了他使用火元素的能力。

总结一些剧中Uncle Iroh的智慧语。感谢这个人物的存在，他让我希望也有这样一位智者做人生的向导，更希望能成为像他一样的人：吃得好，喝得美，睡得香，看得透，想得开，有品位，能吃苦，能享福，有大爱。

“It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If we take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale.”

“Destiny is a funny thing. You never know how things are going to work out. But if you keep an open mind and an open heart, I promise you will find your own destiny someday.”

“There is nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity. I suggest you think about what it is that you want from your life.”

“Perfection and power are overrated. I think you are very wise to choose happiness and love.”

“Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel. You can’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving, you will come to a better place.”

“Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not.”

“Pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source. True humility is the only antidote to shame.”

“You sound like my nephew, always thinking that you need to do things on your own without anyone’s support.There is nothing wrong with letting people who love you help you.”

“While it is always best to believe in one’s self, a little help from others can be a great blessing.”

“You must never give in to despair. Allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength.”

“It is time for you to lookinward,and start asking yourself the big questions.Who are you? And what do you want?”

“You have light and peace inside of you. If you let it out, you can change the world around you.”

“You are going through a metamorphosis, my nephew. It will not be a pleasant experience but when you come out of it. You will be the beautiful prince you were always meant to be.”

“Many things that seem threatening in the dark become welcoming when we shine light on them.”

“Failure is only the opportunity to begin again. Only this time, more wisely.”

“Good times become good memories, but bad times become good lessons.”

“It is usually best to admit mistakes when they occur, and to seek to restore honor.”

Power in firebending comes from the breath, not the muscle!

“The only thing better than finding something you are looking for is finding something you weren’t looking for at a great bargain!”

“You should know this is not a natural sickness. But that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying tea.”

这一句来自Avatar: the Last Airbender-Smoke and Shadow的漫画里，每次Uncle Iroh出场都是欢乐与智慧：

As parents, we want nothing more than for our children to be safe. Unfortunately, this world is an inherently unsafe place. So many dangers, so much to fear. No matter how hard we try, we can never keep our children completely safe. Better to teach them and ourselves to see the fear with unclouded eyes...the fear will always be with you. Always, even after she returns. You must learn to see it with unclouded eyes.