Recently I have been contemplating the illusory nature of the phenomenal world and what is authentic artistic expression? My mind goes blank when I think on these things. I've been wondering how to depict that in my art – with imagery that is authentic to my experience. I can easily be inspired by or borrow ideas from Kandinsky, Duchamp, or O'Keeffe; but how does one find their own original visual voice in the midst of so many creators today? Chogyam Trungpa says in Dharma Art that it requires a lot of meditating.
The idea that meditation is somehow separate from art seems like a mind-emptying, Zen question in itself. Many artists find that art is liberation. Ad Reinhardt is noted in asserting in Smile of the Buddha: Eastern Philosophy and Western Art, that "art was not a practice leading to enlightenment; art is enlightenment." This is indeed an esoteric approach to being a "fine artist," which Reinhardt defines as having "a fine mind, 'free of all passion, ill-will, and delusion.'" (Smile, p. 131)
Reinhardt's description of an artist's mind correlates with the last verse of The Eight Verses of Mind Training. The long version (Rigpa translation) states:
I will learn to keep all these practices
Untainted by thoughts of the eight worldly concerns.
May I recognize all things as like illusions,
And, without attachment, gain freedom from bondage.
HH Dalai Lama divides this verse into two sections (Transforming the Mind, pp 128-132). The first two lines relate to the Eight Worldly Concerns that effect our attitudes. HHDL describes them as "becoming elated when someone praises you, becoming depressed when someone insults or belittles you, feeling happy when you experience success, being depressed when you experience failure, being joyful when you acquire wealth, feeling dispirited when you become poor, being pleased when you have fame, and feeling depressed when you lack recognition." A practitioner (artist) cultivating altruism is warned about these "concerns" muddying our minds. If we agree with Reinhardt's depiction of a "fine artist" then contemplation on the hopes and fears revealed in the Eight Worldly Concerns would certainly assist in refining one's "passion, ill-will, and delusion."
Yet, the teaching that form is emptiness and emptiness is form is also apparent in Verse 8. The last two lines speak specifically of the illusory nature of reality, our phenomenal world. If we take Reinhardt's statement that "art is enlightenment" and situate the nouns thusly art=form and enlightenment=emptiness the teaching on form and emptiness is restated as "art is enlightenment and enlightenment is art." Since Reinhardt was a master at reinterpreting Buddhist teachings into art terms, it is possible that he found a truth in the subtle connection of words to pronounce "art is enlightenment." It would appear that art, then, would be the depicted form of the phenomenal world as it is, which in itself is empty.
The questions I started this note with are still intriguing. I am interested to see how it will influence my paintings. I have a few sketches I'm working on, playing with the flow if ideas that come up.
The illustration that I created a few years ago for Verse 8 is of a peacock. The peacock is a unique bird that can eat poisonous snakes without being harmed. I see Verse 8 as transformation from suffering to liberation; as it is with the peacock that transforms poison into nutrition. This is the altruistic mission of art.
Thank you for journeying through the Eight Verses of Mind Training with me. May these musing be of benefit in creating compassion and wisdom.
Until next week and a new series . . .
Be well,
Susan
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