Open As The Sky
Zen – Journey into Consiousness Texts by Ching-yuan, Dogen, Ryôkan and contemporary Zen masters
»We meet each other, only to part, / We come and go like the white clouds.« / Ryôkan
The main requirement for the spiritual state of Buddhist Zen philosophy, where awareness, consideration, harmony and relaxation are key, is a readiness to meditate and pause. It demands a life of complete dedication to the truth and is proving fascinating in our current complex, over-stimulated world. Individual quests for enlightenment and inner peace are the true nature of the awakened spirit which is present in every one of us.
Zen, a type of Mahayana Buddhism, began in China in the 6th century and reached Japan around 1400. During its lengthy history many texts, poems and prose texts have been written which describe essential Zen wisdom and knowledge. These include: constant reflection, the simultaneous presence of being and non-being, of rest and movement, life and death. The never-ending sky as an image for the unhindered breadth of the awakened spirit and the moon as an image of the true enlightened being are central themes which constantly recur. An evening which will span a very wide arc from the early texts of Ching-yuan, Dogen and Ryôkan to contemporary Zen masters. The evening tells of the essence of Zen and establishes direct and inspirational contact to this imaginative world.
The Turbine Hall has no heating. We recommend appropriate clothing for this industrial heritage site.