The Universe is a sheet of paper

[Guest guest]

[if you are a Poet, you will clearly see a cloud float on this sheet of

paper (if you are even more a Poet you will see it on your computer

screen . Without clouds, there is no paper; without rain, the trees do

not grow; without trees, we can not make paper. Clouds are essential to

paper. If the cloud would not exist the sheet of paper would not exist

also. We can thus say that the cloud and the paper «inter-exist»

(entre-existe). The word «exist» is not in the dictionary, but we might

as well create it by combining the words. Since paper those not exist

without clouds lets just say that they «inter exist».

 

If we look at the sheet of paper from closer, we see in it the sun.

Without sun, the trees of the forest do not grow. In fact, without sun,

nothing grows. Even us. So we know that the sun is also in the sheet of

paper. Paper and sun «inter-exist». Lets get closer and we see the one

cutting the tree and transport it to the factory for it to be transform

into paper. We also see wheat, because the man cutting the wood cannot

live without is daily bread; the wheat is also in the sheet of paper.

The mother and the father of that man also. In looking at things in this

way, we can see that, without all those elements, this sheet of paper

can not exist.

 

If we look even deeper, we see that we are also in the sheet of paper

(must be a computer screen in this case). That is relatively easy since

we are looking at a sheet of paper, this sheet of paper is part of our

field of perception. Your spirit ("esprit" in the french meaning, more

or less the "personality" of the mind) is here in this sheet and mine

also. Lets say that all is included in this sheet of paper. It contains

everything: time, space, the earth, rain, rocks, the sun, clouds, water,

heat). Every single thing co-exist with this sheet of paper. It is why I

say that the word "inter- exist" should enter in the dictionary. To

exist is to "inter-exist". You cannot exist alone, on your own. You can

only exist interdependency with all that exist - like this sheet of

paper.

 

Lets imagine that we return each element to its source, in example, the

sun ray to the sun. Do you think that the sheet of paper could exist?

No, without sun, nothing exist. In fact this sheet of paper is made of

element of «no-paper». So if we return all the «no-paper» element to

their source, paper those not exist anymore. All the Universe is

contained in this peace of paper. Those the Sutra of the Great Wisdom

say otherwise when it affirms that all is empty?

>From Thich Nhat Hanh, the Hearth of Understanding (1988)

 

In a bad translation of my french version,

In a different point a view, prepared with some zen - ch'an - Vietnamese

spice.

 

Antoine

[Guest guest]

Dear Antoine:

 

Despite the difficulties of translation, this stands as a very perceptive

view of reality.

 

Inter-Existence is the fundamental key. We would not exist if dinosaurs had

not existed. We would not breathe if volcanos had not erupted or plants

evolved. Plants could not propagate without insects...etc.

 

All is not literally "one" but in a state of mutual inter-existence. It is

important to make the distinction, because people often naively begin to fall

into the solipsistic trap of saying that "everyone is God" and therefore "I

am God." Although this is usually somewhat harmless, it falls far short of

complete understanding and often, sadly, gives individuals a very inflated

sense of their individual attainment. Sure, we are all connected, but if you

cut your toe, I do not bleed. Your pain is not my pain, no matter how much I

may empathize with you...and vice-versa.

 

But since we are all but wave lengths tuned to various frequencies, singing

our own special songs, to a creature who could perceive all of these vast

harmonics, the universe and all in it would appear as if it were some

incredibly vast orchestra of light and vibration...notes harmonizing and

impinging upon one another...creating a majestic symphony of eternal light.

 

In this dance of cosmic vibration, who would dare attempt to strike out a

note, or deem a tone useless or evil? Cosmic enlightenment really means for

us to be able to see this harmony of light and to indulge in the beauty and

love contained in it. This precious gift given to us to have perception and

to imagine this universe, that is the rare and delightful thing that we must

always cherish.

 

Blessings, Love,

 

Zenbob

 

Blissfully glowing in the cosmic ocean, waterlogged as usual.

[Guest guest]

Remembering...

 

Thich Nhat Hanh speaking and encouraging us to chew each

bite 50 times before swallowing it at our meals ... and to reflect

where is the pea grown, who picked it, how was it cooked...

 

.... and eating and seeing the world in a bowl of soup ...

or cocoa, as it were, the steam in the air warming the winter

cold winds ... the same air having been where ... and in

whose lungs, in which century, in which galaxy,

vibrated by which strings of piano, or violin, or vocal

chords, or colored light ... :-)

 

L*L*L

moi

[Guest guest]

« All is not literally "one" but in a state of mutual inter existence.

It is important to make the distinction, because people often naively

begin to fall into the solipsistic trap of saying that "everyone is God"

and therefore "I am God." Although this is usually somewhat harmless,

it falls far short of complete understanding and often, sadly, gives

individuals a very inflated sense of their individual attainment. Sure,

we are all connected, but if you cut your toe, I do not bleed. Your

pain is not my pain, no matter how much I

may empathize with you...and vice versa. »

 

« But since we are all but wave lengths tuned to various frequencies,

singing our own special songs, to a creature who could perceive all of

these vast harmonics, the universe and all in it would appear as if it

were some incredibly vast orchestra of light and vibration...notes

harmonizing and impinging upon one another...creating a majestic

symphony of eternal light. »

 

« In this dance of cosmic vibration, who would dare attempt to strike

out a note, or deem a tone useless or evil? Cosmic enlightenment really

means for us to be able to see this harmony of light and to indulge in

the beauty and love contained in it. This precious gift given to us to

have perception and to imagine this universe, that is the rare and

delightful thing that we must always cherish.

 

Blessings, Love,

 

Zenbob »

 

Dear Zenbob,

 

Enjoying here the pleasure of the table, one seems to be able to observe

two major path of action from this standpoint. One of putting the food

in the freezer and turn this world into an object, a no food or no

inter-existence world, (minimum entropy). The other in learning how to

cook this world, like the cook in the chinese temple, would approach

food, or as the best example, here rainbow, would say : "... and eating

and seeing the world in a bowl of soup ... or cocoa, as it were, the

steam in the air warming the winter cold winds ... the same air having

been where ... and in whose lungs, in which century, in which galaxy,

vibrated by which strings of piano, or violin, or vocal chords, or

coloured light ... :-) " Maximum entropy.

 

It's the void, minimum entropy, and, the sun, maximum entropy. Which

path is for one to follow? pure void, Nirvana, total cold? or total sun,

compassion, finding the being that would feel all the toes being cut and

all the little laughter at the same time in the world, total heat...?

 

But from my experience, as little as it may mean, the void those turn

out to be the most tender of flesh when one applies a little compassion

and freedom of imagination to it. It is the Christ reborn to use words

from a culture. On the other side of the coin, choosing to see the

"void", in looking at what is left outside of one, crystallize the one

like ice from water in the cold, until the fragility of the "I" may only

break, to the smallest sound, into the void created. There is no

compassion for the other, there is no other.

 

Which is the best, or has some value? I do not know. Some times the

compassion I have for the Other, burns me in becoming One with them,

working the genetics of the specificity of this body so it may come to

vibrate to those of All of the world at the same time. Other times, the

emptiness felt in this world, takes me to the bliss of my aloneness

where nothing to describe it is left.

 

Guess that those are the two major path that come out each time that I

remember that there is an I. The rest of the time I do not know.

 

I find's it funny to believe that I (it) can know something, maybe it is

the origin of the eternal smile on the faces of the Buddha or Jesus.

When I (it) think(s) for one moment that I know something, specific or

not, a smile always comes back when I find out that it was inter-related

with others or others things. One could say that I, or Ego, Inter-Exist.

The nature of the I of Ego changing greatly, in the way it looks at

itself. And this way of looking at itself, may only bring a smile to my

lips, like a new born child.

 

Antoine