Krug

It’s obvious now that the Matrix isn’t the system, it’s just one program running on the system. We pretty much knew this from the first movie, but this one hangs a lot of stuff on it. The film leaves the real possibility open that the Real World is just another simulation. If this is the case, the Brothers Wachowski have their work cut out for them, because that’s a pretty tired idea.

Potentially, though, they could do some interesting things with the whole Buddhist “circles of enlightenment” angle. The path of the enlightened one is to peel away the layers of illusory reality until he reaches Nirvana. It is interesting that Neo was offered a choice: return to the Source or stay in the Matrix and try to save Trinity. Neo chose to stay in the Matrix. When he achieved enlightenment, the Buddha was also given a choice: enter Nirvana or stay in the world guiding others along the path of enlightenment. The Buddha chose to stay. Previous Neos apparently chose the Source. So is it really Nirvana? Probably not, as that choice is apparently what resulted in yet another reboot and a new karmic cycle of rebirth. Getting out of this cycle is supposed to be the end result of enlightenment.

Well we'll know in the next movie...

Royaljester

Interesting, but I'm not sure if previous Neo's necessarily chose the Source. The movie seemed to imply it at points, but at the end it was clear the Architect knew Neo's choice all along was going to be to save Trinity. So did the Oracle it seems (the Oracle said Neo would have to make a choice about Trinity, but that he's already made it).