Two Monks
Two-Dimensional Wall Art > Paintings (Acrylic)
40 x 30 x 1.5
Year
2015
Prompt Response
The title for this acrylic, gold and silver leaf on birch panel comes from a collection of Zen koans from the 13th century in China, The Gateless Barrier. It takes one directly into the suffering of the comparing mind and offers a way into freedom.
It reads: The great Fa-yen of Ch'ing-liang took the high seat before the midday meal to preach to his assembly. Raising his hand he pointed to the bamboo blinds. Two monks went and rolled the blinds in the same manner. Fa-yen said, “One gains; one loses.”
Tell me, which one gained? Which one lost? But I must warn you strictly against arguing gain and loss.
