The text on the painting reads: Hui-K’o, the great general, (retired), was troubled in his search for the way. Many times he beseeched the Daruma to teach him and to pacify his mind.

Always, The Daruma refused.

To show his utter sincerity, Hui-K’o cut off his own left hand.

“What do you seek?”, asked The Daruma.

“Peace of mind”, replied Hui-K’o.

“Show me this mind of yours”, said The Daruma, “and I will pacify it”.

“But when I seek my mind, I cannot find it”, was the reply.

“THERE!” , said The Daruma, “I have pacified your mind!”

----- “YES!”, said Hui-K’o, and laughed.

Hui-K’o retired about 525 C.E., I think, and after the very first “satori” or “sudden and complete awakening”, became the second Patriarch of Chan, or Zen, Buddhism. Satori is sort of the central and defining characteristic of the Chan or Zen variety of Buddhism. In the painting, The moon-filling tile patch, (where an agonized Hui-K’o holds his severed hand and the Daruma’s back is turned to him),is a Penrose P-3 tiling. That is to say, it is based not on the darts and kites ,(p-2), but on the fat-and-skinny rhombs,(P-3). A plot for the moon-covering patch is shown on a scrap of paper on the ground in front of the Daruma. I think Prof. Paul Steinhardt called this patch a “seed” in his Physics Review Letters piece de-mystifying how quasicrystals might form without somehow reading the future. Mystical, and replete with B.S. though it is like any religion, I have much more respect for Zen Buddhism than for any other religion. And not merely for its aesthetics. Zen is the only religion I know of that provides for its own transcendence. Thus: Zen says, “If you meet the Buddha on the path to enlightenment, Kill him.” Here one finds no equivocation or uncertainty about what to do if doctrine or dogma or specifically religious values of any sort or sanctity should interfere with your progress toward wisdom and enlightenment. In short: Dispense with the B.S. and get on with the enlightenment!

If anyone knows of anything comparable in any other religion, please let me know. Thanks. ----- Oh. And no B.S., please!