Snazzyviper Posted July 27, 2006 at 10:29 AM Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 at 10:29 AM 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted July 27, 2006 at 11:51 AM Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 at 11:51 AM 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snazzyviper Posted July 27, 2006 at 02:54 PM Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 at 02:54 PM 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- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seesaw Posted July 27, 2006 at 03:47 PM Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 at 03:47 PM It may be more reasonable to just color the first character, since 色 also means color: 色 即 是 空 How do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snazzyviper Posted July 27, 2006 at 04:40 PM Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 at 04:40 PM 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daxia Posted July 28, 2006 at 05:56 AM Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 at 05:56 AM 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewfz Posted July 28, 2006 at 05:59 AM Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 at 05:59 AM Hi Snazzy, I would translate 色即是空 (se ji shi kong) as..."reality means nothing". I hope this is helpful. Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewfz Posted July 28, 2006 at 06:14 AM Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 at 06:14 AM sorry..."appearances mean nothing" or "dont judge a book by its cover". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daxia Posted July 28, 2006 at 06:25 AM Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 at 06:25 AM 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HashiriKata Posted July 28, 2006 at 06:42 AM Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 at 06:42 AM See my post above for explanationWhere did you get that explanation from ???(Incidentally, I'm colour blind and I really don't know what to make of this saying ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daxia Posted July 28, 2006 at 07:07 AM Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 at 07:07 AM 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HashiriKata Posted July 28, 2006 at 07:23 AM Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 at 07:23 AM 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.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daxia Posted July 28, 2006 at 07:38 AM Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 at 07:38 AM 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snazzyviper Posted July 28, 2006 at 08:29 AM Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 at 08:29 AM 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studentyoung Posted July 28, 2006 at 09:06 AM Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 at 09:06 AM 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted July 28, 2006 at 09:45 AM Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 at 09:45 AM I agree with studentyoung. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snazzyviper Posted July 28, 2006 at 12:04 PM Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 at 12:04 PM 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted July 28, 2006 at 12:33 PM Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 at 12:33 PM 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snazzyviper Posted July 28, 2006 at 12:58 PM Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 at 12:58 PM 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 ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trien27 Posted July 21, 2007 at 04:55 PM Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 at 04:55 PM 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"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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