Buddha Through Screen
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Buddha In Window |
I love this Budhha. It is near my younger sister’s house, and I pass it pretty often. Sometimes, a three-legged dog dozes in the window by the Budhha. I have such a romantic idea of Zen. I used to meditate two or three times a day - maybe for a few years in a row. Then I just stopped. My walking jaunts took the place of the meditation. They’re similar. You start at the same place - and always end up somewhere different. No matter where you meant to go - your destination skips around like a jumpy moth. Of course I should have said butterfly to get the idea of metaphorphisis into it - but I don’t see any metamorphisis - just a jumpy moth that eats disintegrating cloth in a forgotten closet.
But no matter - I do love this Budhha and the three-legged dog.
« Arbus
Comments
Comment from Lester
Time: April 7, 2008, 10:15 pm
Oops. Got it wrong. This is Dave as a baby with his first camera.
Comment from dave
Time: April 8, 2008, 12:09 am
The important point here is that it is ‘through a screen,’ which is one of the ideas behind Plato’s Cave (see previous post) and the dream of reality. I have another photo of the three-legged dog and hope to post it as soon as I am able to take the Dog Facing Down pose again. It is true that I went into Yoga way too fast a few years ago and was confined to bed for a few days after the experience. It is part of my personality to launch into things too fast… as anyone who knows me well… or even slightly well can tell you. Curb Your Enthusiasm was my idea.
Comment from Lester
Time: April 7, 2008, 10:05 pm
Dave is teasing us with Eastern iconography. The Buddha holding a conch shell and the three-legged dog are both symbolic poses.
1) A conch shell is one of the oldest icons in Buddhism. It is made by nature, not man, & sounds in all directions, as do the teachings of the Buddha. Consequently, the conch is seen as a vehicle fearlessly proclaiming the truth of dharma in all directions. It is also seen as an emblem of power & authority & is thought to banish evil. A white conch shell was presented to the Buddha by the great sky god Indra.
2) The Sanskrit name for the three-legged downward facing dog pose in Yoga is “Tri Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana”. Step both feet together so your big toes are touching. Shift weight into your hands and your left foot equally. Then raise your right leg up to the ceiling. Try to keep your shoulders parallel with the ground and gaze at your left thigh or up towards your belly to help you stay balanced. To feel the stretch in your left hamstring, try to keep pressing your left heel down towards the ground. Stay here for five or more breaths, then lower your right leg down and switch sides.
Dave knows the three-legged dog position very well. He tried it in Yoga class a while back and was laid up for several weeks.