RichardH
11-30-2017, 05:04 PM
Titans. The Buddhist name for them is Asura. They are the jealous gods who lost heaven, because heaven, like all states of being, is impermanent.
Traditionally the Titans are depicted as four faced giants, inhabiting the foot of Mount Sumeru. They are always fighting amongst each other for territory, obsessed with a status they feel they deserve but are denied. They are motivated by perpetual grievance, in pain, and vicious when crossed. Heaven was a state of blissful “oneness”, where they were one-with, and as, all things. There was no ‘other”, no sharp boundaries... and therefore no territory. Having no territory they were sovereign, meeting no one who displeased or questioned them. Their palaces were populated with sycophants, telling them what they wanted to hear, and justifying as noble and good, everything they did.
According to legend they enjoyed all the pleasures of a world vibrating at a very fine and refined frequency of beauty. Every sense was pleased. Then, inexorably, it began to slip. Their great powers of perception detected a subtle disturbance, and became tinged with paranoia. As the new and bewildering need to protect dawned, all their senses became enlisted to that end. Suddenly there was competition, territory, and the god was no longer the Soveriegn, but a soveriegn among sovereigns, all becoming aware of territory, all becoming desperate. The heaven became heavy, contracting into an iron world, no longer refined, but hard. Stones were gathered for walls. Threats were in every direction, and for each direction a face was born to keep watch. Eventually the titans forgot heaven, while keeping a formless grievance. Forgetfulness seems to be a part of this kind of mythology. As the beings circle in samsara they become absorbed completely in each new birth, each new state of being.
I invite you to research this subject yourself. There are as many interpretations as there are Buddhists. The interperatation I am giving here is what has shaken out in this mind, after absorbing the subject and exploring it creatively. I’m a painting teacher, not a Dharma teacher, so please seek an “official” understanding from a Dharma teacher if you are interested. Post a link on this thread if you like.
There is a very rich tradition depicting the denizens of the six realms. Some of the most imaginative and skillful are Japanese depictions of Hungry Ghosts, but there are two other realms to talk about first before we get to them. I am not taking a position on the issue of people taking myth literally or not. This is the art forum, and these myths have the value of human imagination and cultural DNA. We are free to look into them for ourselves.
Like last time I’m writing this while in a coffee shop after grocery shopping, but will post traditional pictures of asuras later in the day. please post anything you like... before or after the retreat.
Thanks for reading... be creative .
Gassho
Daizan
sat today/LAH
Traditionally the Titans are depicted as four faced giants, inhabiting the foot of Mount Sumeru. They are always fighting amongst each other for territory, obsessed with a status they feel they deserve but are denied. They are motivated by perpetual grievance, in pain, and vicious when crossed. Heaven was a state of blissful “oneness”, where they were one-with, and as, all things. There was no ‘other”, no sharp boundaries... and therefore no territory. Having no territory they were sovereign, meeting no one who displeased or questioned them. Their palaces were populated with sycophants, telling them what they wanted to hear, and justifying as noble and good, everything they did.
According to legend they enjoyed all the pleasures of a world vibrating at a very fine and refined frequency of beauty. Every sense was pleased. Then, inexorably, it began to slip. Their great powers of perception detected a subtle disturbance, and became tinged with paranoia. As the new and bewildering need to protect dawned, all their senses became enlisted to that end. Suddenly there was competition, territory, and the god was no longer the Soveriegn, but a soveriegn among sovereigns, all becoming aware of territory, all becoming desperate. The heaven became heavy, contracting into an iron world, no longer refined, but hard. Stones were gathered for walls. Threats were in every direction, and for each direction a face was born to keep watch. Eventually the titans forgot heaven, while keeping a formless grievance. Forgetfulness seems to be a part of this kind of mythology. As the beings circle in samsara they become absorbed completely in each new birth, each new state of being.
I invite you to research this subject yourself. There are as many interpretations as there are Buddhists. The interperatation I am giving here is what has shaken out in this mind, after absorbing the subject and exploring it creatively. I’m a painting teacher, not a Dharma teacher, so please seek an “official” understanding from a Dharma teacher if you are interested. Post a link on this thread if you like.
There is a very rich tradition depicting the denizens of the six realms. Some of the most imaginative and skillful are Japanese depictions of Hungry Ghosts, but there are two other realms to talk about first before we get to them. I am not taking a position on the issue of people taking myth literally or not. This is the art forum, and these myths have the value of human imagination and cultural DNA. We are free to look into them for ourselves.
Like last time I’m writing this while in a coffee shop after grocery shopping, but will post traditional pictures of asuras later in the day. please post anything you like... before or after the retreat.
Thanks for reading... be creative .
Gassho
Daizan
sat today/LAH