F-a-c-u-l-t-i-e-s Intact

I am a Kosmonaut

This is rather good in a constructivist sort of way.



(From http://www.kosmonaut.se/gagarin/)

I was going to dedicate this entry to Space missions but I don't really feel like it now. Too much cold hard metal rather than diversionary spirit I think. Boiler plate and Bathos. I have always wanted to know what Bathos is and now I know. It obviously has a lot to to with Zen. The story in Seymour about the old monk dying and trying to overhear a conversation about washing, over the pious hubbub of the surrounding crowd is bathetic in the true sense. Come to think of it, is not every Zen koan you have ever heard bathetic? Here is a good one from http://www.utah.edu/stc/tai-chi/stories.html :-

Tea Master

A master of the tea ceremony in old Japan once accidentally slighted a soldier. He quickly apologized, but the rather impetuous soldier demanded that the matter be settled in a sword duel. The tea master, who had no experience with swords, asked the advice of a fellow Zen master who did possess such skill. As he was served by his friend, the Zen swordsman could not help but notice how the tea master performed his art with perfect concentration and tranquility. "Tomorrow," the Zen swordsman said, "when you duel the soldier, hold your weapon above your head, as if ready to strike, and face him with the same concentration and tranquility with which you perform the tea ceremony." The next day, at the appointed time and place for the duel, the tea master followed this advice. The soldier, readying himself to strike, stared for a long time into the fully attentive but calm face of the tea master. Finally, the soldier lowered his sword, apologized for his arrogance, and left without a blow being struck

I am trying to find a Koan which ends with the Master breaking his begging bowl over the head of the questioner but this is probably a spoof though it certainly fits with my argument above. It must be difficult to spoof Zen koans bearing mind that there can be many lessons from each one. I will leave you to search for your own koans as I am overwhelmed by the results of the search. Technology is not very Zen is it?

"We are being sentimental when we give to a thing more tenderness than God gives to it." - R. H. Blyth

I have just read this review (where I found the exact quote) and it says that this applies to Salinger and the Glass family. (No! Not Philip, though he could be one of them thinking about it). Drone! Repetition!