japanese maple, magnificent, resplendent in autumnal red

well chilled, serene, in pristine snow

some well-timed, timeless moment one summer as I sat

 

To clarify:

According to my limited understanding, the word “Buddha" is not so much the name of an historical person as a description applied to him.

The word derives from Pali, literally "awakened, enlightened," past participle of budh "to awake, know, perceive," which is related to Sanskrit bodhati "is awake, observes, understands," from Proto-Indo-European root bheudh - "be aware, make aware."

Historically, the epithet was applied as a title to Siddhartha Gautama, who lived in Northern India in 5 B.C.E.

He wasn’t & isn’t & won’t be the only one, because we can all awaken into realisation/ recognition of our true nature, which is non-dual awareness, nameless, formless, spacious, timeless, “empty” of inherent existence.

So don’t get me wrong, I’m not worshipping anyone by liking these statues of a figure sitting cross-legged, just reminding* myself that I too can awaken into being aware of boundless, infinite awareness, as can we all.

However, I admire & respect all who were, are & will be “enlightened”, another word seriously in need of unpacking (not to be confused with the so-called European Enlightenment!)

***

(to be continued maybe ...)

Appearance, Emanation, Radiance, Rainbow, Illusion, Emptiness

impermanence

(Plum Blossom Spring 2022)

Buddha by Odilon Redon circa 1904