Zen Stone No.3

31*40cm

Mixmedia Print

Zen Stone - Echoes of Vimalakirti's Non-Duality

In terms of composition, this artwork features several organically shaped "stones" stacked in a balanced and stable manner. This not only signifies Zen harmony but also deeply embodies the profound meaning of "the Dharma-gate of non-duality" from the Vimalakirti Sutra. All phenomena are interdependent, without inherent self-nature, and are ultimately illusory, yet this does not impede their function. This is precisely the "entering the Dharma-gate of non-duality" attained by Vimalakirti.

The use of color is restrained yet exquisite. The upper greyish-white and silver circles, radiant like the bright moon or polished jade, symbolize the pure and undefiled true nature and awareness that transcends distinctions. They can also be seen as the manifestation of a "Pure Land," utterly clear and spotless. Their rough black background represents profound emptiness or the infinite vastness of the cosmos. This emptiness is not annihilation; rather, it is the "true form is formless" as stated in the Vimalakirti Sutra, where all forms are seen within formlessness.

The central large stone, divided into warm brown and creamy white halves, directly points to the unity of dualistic opposites in the world—Yin and Yang, motion and stillness, existence and non-existence—all are skillful means (upaya) and not objects of true attachment. This reflects Vimalakirti's teaching while ill, which aimed to break sentient beings' attachments to distinctions such as birth, old age, sickness, death, purity, defilement, existence, and non-existence. The stable, earthy brown base below symbolizes the earth supporting all phenomena, and also the foundation for practitioners to settle their body and mind. Embedded within it is a creamy white oval, like a pure light of wisdom emerging from the defiled world of vexations, symbolizing inner spiritual awakening and the manifestation of Bodhicitta.

The artwork's soft and restrained color palette creates an atmosphere of tranquility and contemplation, guiding the viewer into the realm of "skillful means" (upaya) taught by Vimalakirti. It encourages observing true reality in daily life, attaining nirvana without departing from the world. Its abstract forms transcend language, speaking directly to the senses and the mind, helping viewers release worldly distractions, focus on the present, and experience the truth of "when the mind is pure, the land is pure" from the Vimalakirti Sutra.