There are two bowls. One looks flawlessly brand new. The other is a bit deformed with cracks and stains, and yet looks clean, well-used, and maintained. Given these two options, which one we could call beautiful? The wabi-sabi aesthetics tells us the second bowl is "beautiful." There is another anecdote. One old Zen master instructed … Continue reading The Beauty of Wabi-Sabi
The Five Precepts
In Buddhism, there are five precepts that people are supposed to observe. There are a lot more for monks and serious practitioners. But in general, these five precepts could be the basis. There are various ways of sayings from the ancient Pali canons to Sanskrit versions to Chinese ones, and more. In English, we could … Continue reading The Five Precepts
Dionysian Attributes
Reflecting on the Apollonian and Dionysian dichotomy, I always recall one contemporary author, Nassim Nicholas Taleb. While our pursuit of knowledge is basically for the Apollonian order, his works remind us of the Dionysian chaos. Every few years Taleb released his book, and every time it reminded me of the Dionysian attributes. Let me introduce … Continue reading Dionysian Attributes
Apollonian and Dionysian
Is our world in order or chaotic? It depends on how we see the world. If we are Apollonian, it should be in order. If Dionysian, it could be chaotic. It is one of the well-known dichotomies in Greek mythology, and one of the key concepts in understanding works of art, mainly invoked by Friedrich … Continue reading Apollonian and Dionysian
Inclusive, Exclusive Faith
Should our faith be inclusive or exclusive? It is one of the most sensitive questions in human histories, which is derived from the birth of our self-consciousness. Once we are aware of ourselves, we would inevitably ask such questions as "Who are we?" and "Who are others?" Since the birth of our self-consciousness, we have … Continue reading Inclusive, Exclusive Faith
Like Water, Like a Rock
The Noble Eightfold Path can be divided into three divisions. The first division covers the right view and right resolve, which could be how we see the world and ourselves. The second is for the right speech, right action, and right livelihood, which could be our applications for ethical virtues. And the third is for … Continue reading Like Water, Like a Rock
Doubting Thomas, the Apostle
Among miracles in the all Gospels, the resurrection should be the most significant event, especially of both Lazarus and Jesus. As the foundation of Christianity, the implication is transcending death and life beyond spacetime toward non-boundary, called eternal life. It is a glimpse of the eternity, manifested in our dualistic spacetime. It's so paradoxical and … Continue reading Doubting Thomas, the Apostle
