Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring - Ending Explained

The film concludes by coming full circle. After the Master's self-immolation in Autumn, the adult monk returns in Winter to find the Master's remains (sarira). He undergoes a grueling penance, dragging a stone and a statue of Maitreya to a mountain peak. A woman then leaves a baby at the temple, and the monk becomes the new Master. The final segment, '...and Spring,' shows the new child tormenting a turtle, exactly as his predecessor did with other animals. This reveals the dark irony of the cycle: despite the enlightenment of the Master, the base instincts of youth are reborn, and the wheel of suffering continues to turn indefinitely.

While primarily viewed as a Buddhist parable, some critics interpret the film through a Christian lens, focusing on the concepts of sin, guilt, and the necessity of suffering for salvation. Another interpretation suggests the Master is not an enlightened being but a manipulative figure who allows tragedy to happen just to teach a lesson. Some viewers also see the film as a psychological study of isolation, where the lake represents the subconscious mind and the characters represent different facets of a single individual's struggle with their own impulses.