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Monks Crossing River
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Here are two monks carrying a great manuscript of the Mahaprajnaparamita, sometimes called the “Great Crossing-Over Wisdom”, across a stream. But they have the Mahaprajnaparamita on their backs and not in their hearts. So their crossing may turn out to be unsuccessful! Down they will whirl to the center of the (Penrose tiling) universe, where they will become BATMAN!

To understand this myth, see Martin Gardner’s Scientific American column of January, 1977, pp 110-121, “Extraordinary Nonperiodic Tiling that Enriches the Theory of Tiles.”

©2000 John A.L. Osborn