The Human Route

- Ice layer on the water and fog diffusing the light at Tyrifjord, Norway.

As the heavy clouds came drifting silently and sky turned gold over perfectly still water,

I suddenly came to think of this poem by the late korean Zen Master Seung Sahn.

With the poem in mind, I wanted to shoot an image giving a sense of space, impermanence and the feeling of presence in the passing moment.

 

- Coming empty-handed, going empty-handed -- that is human.

When you are born, where do you come from?

When you die, where do you go?

Life is like a floating cloud which appears.

Death is like a floating cloud which disappears.

The floating cloud itself originally does not exist.

Life and death, coming and going, are also like that.

But there is one thing which always remains clear.

It is pure and clear, not depending on life and death.

 

Then what is the one pure and clear thing?

 

- 대선사

Zen Master Seung Sahn, 1927- Nov. 30, 2004.

 

 

 

All comments welcome!

A very Serene, Peaceful and Beautiful Image... Outstanding soft color and lighting, Well Composed and Quite Beautiful!!! Your words match the Beauty of the Photo! Very Well Done!

Hello Seung, what a great photo with soft light and pure, simple. Also, the title and the poem goes very well with your image, the sense you want to communicate. I like very much the poem and to remember it, I added your photo in my favourite.

Regards!