Once again, here are my thoughts about aspects of the series Full Metal Alchemist (both of them) that have inspired much thought. Since I can't talk about it coherently with any one that I know has watched the show (which is one person and I don't wan't to sound like a total idiot in front of him), I figure this is a good space to fully lay them out. So again, there are spoilers but I encourage any one that can to watch the show and form their own thoughts about the events that come to pass.
So, the another element of the show I've thought about from time to time has to do with 'the Gate'. It is often described as the gateway to 'the Truth'. Those that use alchemy appear to be only ones that possess it and it appears to be accessed only when the impossible attempt at (re)creating a human life is engaged. With the law of equivalent exchange as the basis of alchemy, there is nothing of equivalence that can be exchanged for a human soul. Not even a philosopher's stone can challenge this 'fact'. As such, those that have dared are exposed briefly to 'the Truth'; a maddening experience because of the myriad of 'knowledge' one soaks in (of which I imagine only a fraction is maintained).
In addition to accessing this gate (I'll call it a gate of knowledge), one comes face to face with 'the Truth' which is self-described as the individual facing them (by stating 'I am you')and in so many words, God (let me know if I'm wrong about this). This all-knowing being has a brief conversation with the transgressor--one who attempts human transmutation that results in creation of a human life--before sending her/him away. It has been a while since I've seen any of the scenes in which this occurs but I think this being whom goes by many names, tries to give the transgressor something to think about before sending her/him off.
Although only alchemists are made aware of the existence of their Gate, which happens to be what allows them to use alchemy, I wonder if this Gate could have been something that was a part of everyone in this tale and that certain individuals were more in tune with it than others? I thought it was interesting near the end of the second series that, in realizing he still had friends and family who cared about him regardless, Edward chooses to give up his Gate and thus his ability to use alchemy (and perhaps converse with the God within him? or maybe it was just that he believed in himself so greatly that he no longer needed to have this option available to him) in order to bring back his brother. I wonder about the significance of this.
Indeed there is selflessness involved to a degree. After all, the ability to use alchemy in itself holds a great deal of power for the individual in question. It can be used to bring about as much harm as good. I imagine this would be a hard thing to realize, let alone want to give up. After taking into account equivalent exchange, alchemy is a mode of great power allowing individuals to create as well as destroy at will in the FMA world.
It makes me think of the equivalence of this in society as well. Part of this having simply to do with the Gate and its various meanings and translations in the real world. What might our inner source of knowledge/truth be that allows for us to have a great deal of power in a particular area or as a particular aspect of our lives? (did that make sense?) Is this source of power something that also includes the ability to create and destroy at will, keeping in mind the various 'laws' that are part of this particular realm?
I'm not trying to say that we all are alchemists but maybe that this concept can be applied to multiple realms and aspects of our livelihoods in which we could be alchemists. That we have an inherent power that we can control--once learned--at will and that this power or ability becomes taken for granted to the point that it is hard to imagine life without it. It may cloud our judgement about what is important or that what seems simple to us, because of this ability and the insights that come with it, is in fact a lot of work without it. What it would mean to give that piece of ourselves up for a cause greater than ourselves knowing what we know? Knowing that there are more positives than negatives that will come of it? What might this Gate translate to in our lives?
I can't really think of anything amazing within myself that this might translate to at the moment, but maybe it is a sign of how I take this/these internal attributes for granted. Maybe it takes knowing others on a deep enough level to spark awareness of what this might be. Maybe it is another part of the journey I must go on to figure myself out. Or I could just need a different way of thinking about this. I wonder what the author and creator of this series would have to say on the matter?
In any case, another part of the notion of the Gate makes me think about my limited encounters with Buddhist thought. Specifically Niciren Daishonin's style of Buddhist thought. How chanting puts us in tune with the greater universe that we are a part of and that is within us. That we are engaging in a practice that further opens us to our potential of attaining the Buddha-hood that has always existed within us. I guess I think of this as a practice where we are accessing and trying to open our inner Gates beyond which lies our Truth, the God within us. This changes our relationship with our surrounding reality in that our infinite potentials are gradually realized, though there is just as much potential to instantaneously travel back and forth between any of the ten worlds (hell, hunger, animality, anger, humanity, heaven, learning, realization, Bodhisattva and Buddha-hood) and their accompanying manifestations making the journey an imperfect one (at least that's how I understand it at the moment). If the Gate were to be understood in relation to this, would it be wise to want to give up such an essential part of ourselves? To cast away the God within us knowing that it connects us to the rest of the world, universe and God? Maybe if this aspect of ourselves was well understood the idea of doing this would be thought of differently.
Any insights or thoughts on any of these notions discussed are welcome. I have yet to full wrap my mind on any of this stuff but would enjoy the conversation and act of trying . Otherwise, at least my thoughts have been somewhat organized in some manner of articulation. Maybe reading the manga will help too. Or watching the show fifty more times--like I need an excuse ;}
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