karl.wolfgang (Appalachian Son)
Spirit Come
26 June, Spring has been the driest in a decade, with overcast skies obfuscated by the smog of a big city. Since last night strong wind have blown, chasing away the urban muck. The evening light speaks of life's rebirth. The promise of Summer monsoons only a few days away.
Two perspectives arise for this photo with dark, light and lotus: Buddhist and Christian.
I took this in one of my favorite places, beside the Celedon Pagoda at the National Museum of Korea. www.museum.go.kr/main/index/index002.jsp Thus, I start with the Asian meaning of the lotus within Buddhism:
Lotuses are symbols of purity and 'spontaneous' generation and hence symbolize divine birth. The lotus is rooted in deep mud and its stem grows through murky water. But the blossom rises above the muck and opens in the sun, beautiful and fragrant. In Buddhism, the lotus represents the true nature of beings, who rise through samsara into the beauty and clarity of enlightenment.
Second, my own preferred Christian perspective.
One wanders aimlessly through life. When one hears the call to step out of darkess, with an amount of grace one heeds the call and enters the light of day.
Jesus spoke to all the people, saying, “I am the Light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will not walk in darkness. He will have the Light of Life.” John 8:12
Nun redete Jesus wieder zu ihnen und sprach: Ich bin das Licht der Welt. Wer mir nachfolgt, wird nicht in der Finsternis wandeln, sondern er wird das Licht des Lebens haben.
Jésus leur parla de nouveau. Il dit: «Je suis la lumière du monde. Celui qui me suit ne marchera pas dans les ténèbres, mais il aura au contraire la lumière de la vie.»
Otra vez Jesús les habló, diciendo: —Yo soy la luz del mundo; el que me sigue no andará en tinieblas, sino que tendrá la luz de la vida.
耶稣又对众人说：“我是世界的光。跟从我的，就不在黑暗里走，必要得着生命的光。”
ثُمَّ وَاصَلَ يَسُوعُ كَلامَهُ لِلنّاسِ فَقالَ: «أنا هُوَ النُّورُ لِلعالَمِ. مَنْ يَتْبَعُنِي لا يَمْشِي أبَداً فِي الظُّلْمَةِ، بَلْ يَكُونُ مَعَهُ النُّورُ الَّذِي يَقُودُ إلَى الحَياةِ.»
Hillsong, "You'll Come" www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RmZFaruXhs
As surely as the sun will rise
You'll come to us
As certain as the dawn appears
You'll come let your glory fall
As you respond to us
Spirit Rain, flood into our thirsty hearts again
You'll come.
DE COLORES
Spirit Come
26 June, Spring has been the driest in a decade, with overcast skies obfuscated by the smog of a big city. Since last night strong wind have blown, chasing away the urban muck. The evening light speaks of life's rebirth. The promise of Summer monsoons only a few days away.
Two perspectives arise for this photo with dark, light and lotus: Buddhist and Christian.
I took this in one of my favorite places, beside the Celedon Pagoda at the National Museum of Korea. www.museum.go.kr/main/index/index002.jsp Thus, I start with the Asian meaning of the lotus within Buddhism:
Lotuses are symbols of purity and 'spontaneous' generation and hence symbolize divine birth. The lotus is rooted in deep mud and its stem grows through murky water. But the blossom rises above the muck and opens in the sun, beautiful and fragrant. In Buddhism, the lotus represents the true nature of beings, who rise through samsara into the beauty and clarity of enlightenment.
Second, my own preferred Christian perspective.
One wanders aimlessly through life. When one hears the call to step out of darkess, with an amount of grace one heeds the call and enters the light of day.
Jesus spoke to all the people, saying, “I am the Light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will not walk in darkness. He will have the Light of Life.” John 8:12
Nun redete Jesus wieder zu ihnen und sprach: Ich bin das Licht der Welt. Wer mir nachfolgt, wird nicht in der Finsternis wandeln, sondern er wird das Licht des Lebens haben.
Jésus leur parla de nouveau. Il dit: «Je suis la lumière du monde. Celui qui me suit ne marchera pas dans les ténèbres, mais il aura au contraire la lumière de la vie.»
Otra vez Jesús les habló, diciendo: —Yo soy la luz del mundo; el que me sigue no andará en tinieblas, sino que tendrá la luz de la vida.
耶稣又对众人说：“我是世界的光。跟从我的，就不在黑暗里走，必要得着生命的光。”
ثُمَّ وَاصَلَ يَسُوعُ كَلامَهُ لِلنّاسِ فَقالَ: «أنا هُوَ النُّورُ لِلعالَمِ. مَنْ يَتْبَعُنِي لا يَمْشِي أبَداً فِي الظُّلْمَةِ، بَلْ يَكُونُ مَعَهُ النُّورُ الَّذِي يَقُودُ إلَى الحَياةِ.»
Hillsong, "You'll Come" www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RmZFaruXhs
As surely as the sun will rise
You'll come to us
As certain as the dawn appears
You'll come let your glory fall
As you respond to us
Spirit Rain, flood into our thirsty hearts again
You'll come.
DE COLORES