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Samsara.
Bound to and broken on the wheel.
The cock, the pig and the snake
consigned to eternal kriegsspiel.
Bound to and broken on the wheel.
The cock, the pig and the snake
consigned to eternal kriegsspiel.
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I did a little research on the Indian philosophy of Samsara. What I’m understanding of your poem is that ‘in the state of flowing or learning from our past mistakes’ we are still driven to make the same errors and are currently involved in war games - i.e. Russia and Ukraine. Did I understand your poem correctly? You challenge us to research and to learn - thank you. -
If someone thought about it, then it was successful. Thank you.
You are on the right track.
It was intended to function, somewhat, as a Zen Koan. Given that, explaining it would destroy it.
I will, however, explain some of the allusions and reasons for them.
"Bound to and broken on the wheel" is a reference to the Wheel of Life and "Broken on the Wheel" refers to an 18th century French method of torture/execution.
The Cock, the Pig and The Snake are the Three Poisons of Buddhism.
Note: my background is more Zen/Martial arts than Indian philosophy. That is, I was interested in a "practical" use.
The Pig: ignorance
The Cock: avarice, self-glorification.
The Snake: anger, hatred
Kreigsspiel: German term for wargame.
Go Rin No Sho / The Book of Five Rings was written by Miyamoto Musashi as a practical text on war at all levels.
The Unfettered Mind was written by Zen Master Takuan Soho and is a philosophical text for people interested in swords and conflicts.
I've also read Sun Tsu, Machivelli, Clausewitz etc.
I spent many years kneeling on hard floors with bokken/shinai/iaito/shinken and in other forms of combat, hence my interest in Zen... or maybe I'm a masochist...
No-one "wins" a war whether political, geopolitical or financial. Musashi stopped dueling and spent the remainder of his live in a cave.
When you hear jingoistic rhetoric from "leaders," it's like the magician distracting with spinny, shiny things.
There are two questions one must ask: "Why?" and "Then what?"
Putin is easy to understand and has repeatedly restated his request, which the US/NATO agreed to in the Treaties of Minsk: Ukraine must not be admitted to NATO. He's worried about having US nukes (or biohazards) on his boarder, just like the US didn't want Russian nukes in Cuba.
The question remains: what is NATO trying to do? Why poke the bear?
Unfortunately, this might all be moot: Ukraine, regardless of what the media is saying, has already lost. And so has the USA: we've destroyed the Petrodollar, created by Nixon, which exported inflation due to the war in Vietnam etc. That means massive decreases in the "value" of the dollar; that is, everything will require more dollars to purchase. Look to the cost of diesel, gas, food, medicine for evidence.
Again, no-one wins a war.Comment
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I, too, very much appreciate your discourse and it aids, not destroys, my enjoyment.
My poetry is simple, to the point, and I try to make it pleasing to the ear. Perhaps one day I will strive to connect more dots. For today, I'll enjoy this posting.Comment
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Thank you, but connecting dots rarely makes one happy. If you have a choice, always take happy unless the dots are too painful to avoid.
Zarathustra's Roundelay (Nietzsche)
O man, take care!
What does the deep midnight declare?
"I was asleep—
From a deep dream I woke and swear:
The world is deep,
Deeper than day had been aware.
Deep is its woe;
Joy—deeper yet than agony:
Woe implores: Go!
But all joy wants eternity—
Wants deep, wants deep eternity."
Nietzsche stared too long at the light and died insane... but "insane" is relative to your culture
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