The meaning?

[Snazzyviper]

Hi all, Just read this motto but can't get my head around it's meaning!

"Everything visible is empty"

Any ideas?

These are the character that have been used for it, are they correct?

If so, could they be moved to run vertically from top to bottom and have some colour added like this-

Thanks for any help that you can give.

[skylee]

Yes that's is what the phrase means.

Yes the characters can be arranged vertically.

Yes you can add that colour to the characters (though they don't look particularly nice IMHO and I am not sure how red would look in a tattoo on skin)

Also take a look at this webpage which is a discussion on a tattoo in chinese characters and happens to mention the translation of this phrase being "Form is emptiness" and "Tangible objects are indifferent from nothingness" -> http://www.hanzismatter.com/2005/03/lusty-misfortune.html

[Snazzyviper]

Thanks for your reply, that was very helpfull.

Does each character have it's own meaning as well?

The red will not be as red as that, more of a maroon colour. I just thought all black would look a bit dull!

More like this-

[seesaw]

It may be more reasonable to just color the first character, since 色 also means color:

色

即

是

空

How do you think?

[Snazzyviper]

Sorry I can't see what you write (not got the text pack installed) I just see ????.

But I do know what you mean, but it may look a bit odd with 1 red and 3 black! (to the untrained eye!) I thought 2 black 2 red would even it out!

Am I also correct in saying that the other mean, Colour, Namely, This, Sky?

But when you read them as one it does still mean "Everything visible is empty"

Sorry to be a pain but it's going to be on my arm for life, so i want to mke sure everything is correct

Thanks

[daxia]

I think it should be like this:

色不异空，空不异色，色即是空，空即是色

I think it can be exaplined like this:

色不是不色，不色不是色，色就是不色，不色就是色。

色means "好色"= sexually lustful .

So, in the end, what it says is: People who looks sexually lustful (色狼), are really not, and the people who looks like they arent lustful at all, really are very lustful.

Lustful can be changed to whatever. What it says really is that people who looks to be one way, actually is the opposit.

[andrewfz]

Hi Snazzy, I would translate 色即是空 (se ji shi kong) as..."reality means nothing".

I hope this is helpful.

Andrew

[andrewfz]

sorry..."appearances mean nothing" or "dont judge a book by its cover".

[daxia]

Hi Snazzy, I would translate 色即是空 (se ji shi kong) as..."reality means nothing".

How do you get 色即是空 into "reality means nothing" ???

That is not what it means. 色 here means lustful and 空 here does not mean "empty", it only means "not lustful" or 不色. To understand it you have to read the whole thing.

See my post above for explanation

[HashiriKata]

See my post above for explanation

Where did you get that explanation from ???

(Incidentally, I'm colour blind and I really don't know what to make of this saying )

[daxia]

Where did you get that explanation from ???

I dont know....by understanding it It just is the meaning, but you have to read the whole thing to understand it:

色不异空，空不异色，色即是空，空即是色

[HashiriKata]

I dont know....by understanding it

I'm not quite sure but I've got a strong feeling that this is a Buddhist saying and 色 doesn't mean "sex" (it does in some other uses, but not here.)

[daxia]

I'm not quite sure but I've got a strong feeling that this is a Buddhist saying and 色 doesn't mean "sex" (it does in some other uses, but not here.)

I still believe I am right. I just asked two Chinese friends (I live in China) to take a look, and they interpreted it the same way I did. They also told me that they have heard to phrase before in some shaolin gong fu movies so you saying that it is a budhist saying is probably correct.

[Snazzyviper]

Yes it is Buddhist, this is what I saw- 'Everything visible is empty' This is a very famous Buddhist motto. Pronunciation: ser ji shyr kong

It came from this site- http://www.formosa-translation.com/chinese/e/ezz31.html

Thanks again for all of your help

[studentyoung]

I think it should be like this:

色不异空，空不异色，色即是空，空即是色

I think it can be exaplined like this:

色不是不色，不色不是色，色就是不色，不色就是色。

色means "好色"= sexually lustful .

Sigh~ ~ ! I am speechless!

The explanation of 空 and 色in Buddhism -> http://www.fodian.net/zxcd/default.asp

无形曰空。有形曰色。

The intangible are called 空, while the tangible are called 色.

the explanation of 色即是空 in Buddhism-> http://www.fodian.net/zxcd/default.asp

色是指一切有形的物质，这些物质都是因缘和合而生的，其当体即空，故说“色即是空”。

色 means all the objects with some tangible shape. All these objects come into being because of 缘 (some unpredictable and intangible law in the universe), so the core of 色 is intangible. That’s why we say, “色 is 空.”

Thanks!

[skylee]

I agree with studentyoung.

[Snazzyviper]

I'm soory I can't see what you have written, I don't have the language pack installed on this machine

Are you telling me that the characters that i have posted at the start are completely wrong?

[skylee]

studentyoung just said that the meaning of the phrase has little to do with sex/lust as some members had said. Instead it is a Buddhist teaching about the tangible and the intangible.

The characters you posted are fine.

[Snazzyviper]

Phewww thank god for that, I'm booked in on the 10th Aug for it to be done ;)

Thanks everyone you have all been very helpfull and friendly ;)

[trien27]

It's not a motto. It's a saying from the Chinese version of the "Heart Sutra", xin jing, a Buddhist text. You can also buy something with Guan/Kwan/Kuan Yin on one side, and the whole Heart Sutra[either in tradtional or simplified characters] on the opposite side. I don't know what it's called, "a plaque"?,sometimes with a knot on top and or bottom, but you can get it in Chinese stores.

色means "好色"= sexually lustful .

Huh? No it doesn't. Think of this world as one full of "colors", not just "sex"!