2) Reincarnation
One of the most recognizable beliefs about Buddhism is the idea that a person is reborn after their physical body expires. You don’t need to know anything about the philosophy itself to be able to describe, even vaguely, what it means to be reincarnated. And yes, The Matrix features it. Twice in fact.
The first instance is when Neo first wakes up in the real world to find himself in a pod attached to tubes. While in this instance he hasn’t been reincarnated after death, it is still a rebirth in some form. More astute film buffs and students will argue that death has occurred in a very metaphorical sense, in that Neo’s perceptions of the world he once knew are now dead and new insights have been born.
The much more obvious example is right at the end when Neo is disposed of by Agent Smith. While death is indeed permanent, Neo awakens once more from ultimate demise and is reincarnated into The One, exactly how Morpheus has been referring to him throughout the film.
At this point he now sees how the world really is (green code that a person must decipher). He battles Agent Smith with a calm demeanour and utilizing his Kung Fu skills. In this instance, he has obviously reached a state of enlightenment, which is essentially the ultimate goal of Buddhism.
