Mu & Ma In Japanese Art and Visual Perception

Sharon Gershoni The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Bezalel Academy for Art and Design

Bloomfield Science Museum Jerusalem

10.6.2010

Outline Zen “Seeing”

1.  Mu “no thing” and “no image”

2.  Ma “timelessness-spacelessness”

And …….. art

Visual Perception

1.  Mu- blindsight, and conscious vision

2. Ma- saccadic suppression

Mu

No image, no thought

Theoretical, intellectual knowledge is a “language game”: It is distinction-making It creates dualism And is illusory in nature Deepen state of meditation is a practical experiential knowledge: It is non-discriminatory wisdom It is true seeing Is real nature Enlightenment: No distinction between “I” and “Other” or “I” and ”Nature”

Hashidate Sesshu Toyo (15th century)

Landscapes of the four seasons Sesshu Toyo (15th century)

Daruma lying Shunnso Joshu (1751-1839)

Is there such a thing? “there is”-”there is not” or “being”-”not being” are derived from an intellectual oppositional standpoint

“Is there or is there not no-thought and no-image?” - a paradox Solution: Use linguistic space independently from reference Go beyond oppositional thinking

Koan

Mu as Nothing?

Zen Nothing “No”

A monk: “Does the dog have buddha-nature?” Joshu: “No[thing].” The monk: “All sentient beings have buddha-nature. Why doesn’t the dog have it?” Joshu: “He has discrimination due to his karma.”

No to the formulation of the question the monk cannot rely on the 4 logical ways for understanding a thing or an event: 1.  “There is” 2.  “There is not” 3.  Both: “there is” and “there is not” 4.  Neither “there is” and “there is not”

Zen Nothing “No”

The bottomless ground- No bottom

Zen Nothing

“Absolute No” (Nishida Kitaro 1870-1945)

A dialogue between Jinne (684-758) and Chosetsu (807-888) Chosetsu: What is “no thought”? Jinne: nothing like “what is”… Suppose that there is a clear, transparent mirror. If it does not face a thing, no image is reflected in it... If it faces something, it just mirrors its image. Chosetsu: If it does not face any thing, is there or is there not a reflection in the mirror?

“Kensho” Zen Seeing

“When seeing turned into one’s nature”

(Yanagita, 1974, 132-3.)

Jinne: …It always mirrors regardless of whether it is facing or not facing a thing. Chosetsu: If it always mirrors, how does it mirror? Jinne: The mirror always mirrors, because it is clear, transparent and possesses an original nature of always mirroring things. Analogously, people's mind is originally undefiled…

“Kensho” Zen Seeing

“When seeing turned into one’s nature”

(Yanagita, 1974, 132-3.)

Jinne: … it sees no-thing. That is the true seeing. It always sees. Mirror nature is a ceaseless activity, regardless of facing an object. In and of itself, it possesses no specific image to mirror. Hence, no image appearing in it: “no-thought” or “no-image.”

“Kensho” Zen Seeing

“When seeing turned into one’s nature”

(Yanagita, 1974, 132-3.)

Dream Deiryu (1895-1954)

Outline Zen “Seeing”

1.  Mu “no thing” and “no image”

2.  Ma “timelessness-spacelessness”

And …….. art

Visual Perception

1.  Mu- blindsight, and conscious vision

2. Ma- saccadic suppression

Ma

“to show one's original face before one's parents were born.” A non-dualistic experiential dimension- “timeless” and “spaceless” : No before and after No whole and parts One time contains all times and one part contains the whole.

“Timelessness-Spacelessness”

Understanding here and now

Timelessness and spacelessness are the natural and original zone of all things (including human beings). Zen suggests a leap from a causal temporal series.

“Timelessness-Spacelessness”

Understanding here and now

No measuring units No linear progression from past to present to future.

Time and being are inseparable Time-Space is a dynamic living experience: The bird and the sky each becomes themselves through the other

“Timelessness-Spacelessness”

“the bird flies the sky and the sky flies the bird.” “U-ji” - an integrated time and space (Dogen Zenji 1200-1253)

Crows Reigen Eto (1721-1785)

“Ningen”- human beingß (person ma)

Outline Zen “Seeing”

1.  Mu “no thing” and “no image”

2.  Ma “timelessness-spacelessness”

And …….. Zen paintings

Visual Perception

1.  Mu- blindsight, and conscious vision

2. Ma- saccadic suppression

Enso Hakuin Ekaku (1685-1765)

Enso Mokurai (1854-1930)

Hotei Hakuin Ekaku (1685-1765)

Daruma facing the wall Reigen Eto (1721-1785)

Daruma Facing the wall Furukawa Taiko (1871-1968)

Daruma laughing Kogan Gengei (1784-1821)

Daruma facing the wall Rozan Eko (1865-1944)

Mu Rozan Eko (1865-1944)

Outline Zen “Seeing”

1.  Mu “no thing” and “no image”

2.  Ma “timelessness-spacelessness”

And …….. Zen paintings

Visual Perception

1.  blindsight, and conscious vision

2. saccadic suppression

Seeing without Awareness Blindsight

(Weiskrantz, et al., Brain, 1974)

Other amazing things that blindsight people can “guess”

Colors

simple shapes

termination onset Event

rapid transient event rapid movement rapid onset

“feeling” “knowing” (something happened)

stationary displays slow displays

“unaware” (no experience at all)

Blindsight Type 1 Blindsight Type 2

Ebbinghaus & Line-Size Illusions: Our Reference Frames We can fool perception judgment, but not the hand (Melvyn Goodale Lab)"

Outline Zen “Seeing”

1.  Mu “no thing” and “no image”

2.  Ma “timelessness-spacelessness”

And …….. Zen paintings

Visual Perception

1.  blindsight, and conscious vision

2. saccadic suppression

We see a whole scenery at a glance

But how big is the image of one fixation

Visual acuity: Sharp vision is in the fovea- a 0.2mm (in diameter) or 5° 1% of the retina.

Focusing on the eye Focusing on the mouth

The image of one fixation

Saccadic Suppression (Saccadic masking)

Gestalt Perception

We perceive the essence of complete wholes

Gestalt Principles of Visual Perception

Perception is constructive and generative But for that it is using MA.

Kanizsa Figures

Multistability

Ambiguous perceptual experiences pop back and forth between alternative interpretations

Top View

Front View

Simple geometrical shapes are recognized independent of: rotation, scale, lighting conditions, variation in components, etc

“First a seeker of way must know himself”. Jiun (1718-1804)