“The Interbeing of a Zen Bell : breathing, going within, a returning ‘home’; observing with the breath” (“Authentic Belonging of the Heart”, of Master Thich Nhat Hanh, 42nd generation of the Linji (Rinzai) Dhyana School), Oneroa, Waiheke Is., Auckland – photographic collage basis from inside of a bell; interference, pearl and iridescent acrylics, metallic pens (A3, watercolour paper, 300gms) POA
“A Zen Bell of ‘Rainbow Culture’: an hetero-normative male mindset prevails within almost all of our individual and shared psychologies, philosophies, religions and spiritualities world wide, except some indigenous cultures who have not been colonised by the ‘west'” (“Authentic Belonging of the Heart”, of Master Thich Nhat Hanh, 42nd generation of the Linji (Rinzai) Dhyana School), Oneroa, Waiheke Is., Auckland -photographic origin POA
Postscript:
Q. What is the Buddhist view of homosexuality?
A. The spirit of Buddhism is inclusiveness. Looking deeply into the nature of a cloud, we see the cosmos. A flower is a flower, but if we look deeply into it, we see the cosmos. Everything has a place. The base-the foundation of everything-is the same. When you look at the ocean, you see different kinds of waves, many sizes and shapes, but all the waves have water as their foundation and substance. If you are born gay or lesbian, your ground of being in the same as mine. We are different, but we share the same ground of being. The Protestant theologian Paul Tillich said that God is the ground of being. You should be yourself. If God has created me as a rose, then I should accept myself as a rose. If you are a lesbian, then be a lesbian. Looking deeply into your nature, you will see yourself as you truly are. You will be able to touch the ground of your being and find peace.
(Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart: Practical Responses To Life’s Burning Questions (Berkeley: Parallax Press, 2009), 119-122.)
…His Holiness then told his audience he would like to hear their questions and the first, from a young man was a request for him to clarify his stance on homosexuality. He replied:
“This depends a lot on the individual’s situation. In general, if you are religious, you should try to follow the rules of your faith. There are a variety of activities that the Buddha’s teaching refers to as sexual misconduct. It’s better to avoid these, but if you do them, it doesn’t mean you cease to be a Buddhist. Those who hold the vows of a lay practitioner, a novice or a fully-ordained monk or nun are bound by four main pledges: not to kill a human being; not to tell a great lie, deceiving others about your spiritual attainments; stealing and sexual misconduct. If you commit any of these, you lose your vows and, for example, cease to be a monk or nun. In this context, sexual misconduct includes oral and anal sex, whereas masturbation, although considered wrong, does not entail your ceasing to be a monk, “On the other hand, if you follow no religion, you are 100% free to do what you like, provided what you do is safe and doesn’t put you or anyone else at risk.”
(May 21, 2015)
https://www.dalailama.com/news/2015/interacting-with-school-students-and-teaching-from-nagarjunas-fundamental-wisdom
“Black Buddhas, Plum Village, France, and Sculpture from Thich Nhat Hanh Website” (“Authentic Belonging of the Heart”, of Master Thich Nhat Hanh, 42nd generation of the Linji (Rinzai) Dhyana School), Oneroa, Waiheke Is., Auckland -photographic collage basis with secondary insert as below; use of interference and iridescent acrylics, metallic pens and pencils with photographic origins below (A3, watercolour paper, 300gms) POA
Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen Buddhist Teacher, Tu Hieu Pagoda, Hue, Viet Nam (“Authentic Belonging of the Heart”, of Master Thich Nhat Hanh, 42nd generation of the Linji (Rinzai) Dhyana School) Oneroa, Waiheke Is., Auckland fragmented photographic collage basis of upturned bell and marble bust as below; water colours (A3, watercolour paper, 300gms) POA
“A Zen Bell” (“Authentic Belonging of the Heart”, of Master Thich Nhat Hanh, 42nd generation of the Linji (Rinzai) Dhyana School), Oneroa, Waiheke Is., Auckland -photographic origin with reference to astro-physics -See https://www.ted.com/talks/enrico_ramirez_ruiz_your_body_was_forged_in_the_spectacular_death_of_stars; interference, pearl and iridescent acrylics with/without water puddling, metallic pens (A4, watercolour paper, 300gms) POA
“Of a ‘Pure Land’ Portal” (“Authentic Belonging of the Heart”, of Master Thich Nhat Hanh, 42nd generation of the Linji (Rinzai) Dhyana School), Oneroa, Waiheke Is., Auckland -Thai mulberry handmade-like paper basis; interference, pearl and iridescent acrylics, metallic pens POA
“Neural Brain Pathways and a Meditative Zen Bell” series of 4 (“Authentic Belonging of the Heart”, of Master Thich Nhat Hanh, 42nd generation of the Linji (Rinzai) Dhyana School), Oneroa, Waiheke Is., Auckland -derived from photographs of neurons and the brain with inserts within and on top of; pouring and pooling of acrylics, interference, pearl and iridescent acrylics, metallic pens
*Reference Point –Gao Xingilian, China/France, painter, writer
-In the Mood for Love, Shigeru Umebayashi https://www.facebook.com/musikchallenge/videos/351187199538523
*Art, Artistry from Within*, Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand/Aotearoa, South Pacific Ocean. Michael Ocean 