Noh (能) is one of the traditional theater plays in the fourteen century’s Japan. It liberally means talent or skill in this Chinese character. But it implies a lot more in-depth. One of the key figures in this tradition is Zeami (世阿弥: 1363-1443). He was a Noh actor; at the same time, created playwrights and … Continue reading The Eye of Detachment
Tag: #Buddhism
The Beauty of Wabi-Sabi
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
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
True Obedience
Once Meister Eckhart was asked: What should we do and where should we go to seek peace and God? Are there any practices? It seems there are a lot. His answer, however, was "No!" I was once asked: 'Some people like to withdraw from company and prefer always to be alone. That is where they … Continue reading True Obedience
The Ten Oxherding Pictures
Zen Buddhism describes the stages for the Enlightenment through ten images with commentaries, called Ten Oxherding Pictures (十牛図). Inspiring many artists throughout Buddism traditions, there are various versions of the pictures. The key theme is the relationship between an oxherd and his ox or bull (In the titles we use “bull” and in the description, … Continue reading The Ten Oxherding Pictures
A Decoy’s Mind
A decoy is an artificial bird made of wood. It is used for sport hunting to disturb other birds like ducks and hunt them. Just like a lure for fishing, it looks like a real creature to deceive other fish. Traditionally, however, when we say a gamecock made of wood, there is a profound implication. … Continue reading A Decoy’s Mind
