Thesis (M.A.)--St. John's College, 1975. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 62-64).

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Also available online.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1962. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis--Munich. / Vita. Bibliography : p. 201-212.

The capacity for creative thought is of utmost importance for the survival and furtherance of humanity. Luckily, creative thought is the most essential aspect of humanity; it is what defines us. Unfortunately, we have created a society that tries to make us forget that. I am building a body of work that encourages mindfulness and heightens awareness. Awareness of self and mindfulness in everyday activities are prerequisites to social and spiritual evolution. I want nothing less than to expand human consciousness. 108 Kōans occurred over a period of time that I devoted to maintaining a "beginner's mind." During that time, 108 evidences of this practice were produced. These are my kōans. They are events, observations, sounds, interventions, texts, images, scripts, objects, rearrangements, etc.--experiments in recontextualization that attempt to remind people of the ability they have to recontextualize their everyday. If we can become aware of our everyday habits and assumptions and experiences--the mundane thoughts and actions that make up the bulk of who we are--then we will realize that there are other ways of being that are available to us. This awareness will then extend to examinations of cultural, social, and institutional habits. People cannot imagine another way of existence for society until they can imagine another way of being themselves. We must become literate in the language of creativity. We must celebrate our self as one with the Universe and realize that the nature of the Universe is change.

My thesis is that within Buddhist philosophy the concept of mindfulness is a valuable contribution to environmentalism that similarly extols the virtue of generating a kind of environmental mindfulness. Buddhist traditions have long developed the concept of mindfulness as well as compassion, the transformation of suffering, and the notion of interconnectedness. There is a confluence of ideas between Buddhist philosophy and environmental philosophy and this project explores the mindfulness mechanism that leads to real, meaningful action. In focusing on Japanese Buddhism and Hakuin Ekaku, I demonstrate the skillful means employed by Hakuin in teaching people from all parts of society during the early modern era which was a time of rapid modernization and natural disasters. Focusing on Japanese Buddhism, this project draws parallels between Hakuin’s monastic endeavors and the attempts of contemporary Buddhist monks to help in combating climate change, pollution, and disaster relief in our own times. Hakuin’s writings and artwork reveal a figure able to navigate social, political, religious, and everyday members of society while teaching selfless interconnectedness brought about by mindfulness training intent on being brought into one’s everyday activity.

The authenticity and interpretation of two Sixth Patriarch paintings, traditionally attributed to Liang Kai, have long been debated by critical scholars. Because of the lack of inscriptions on the paintings to indicate the identity of the depicted figure, the association of him with the Sixth Patriarch of Zen Buddhism, Huineng, has shed much enigmatic light onto the decipherment of these two paintings’ motifs. While historical and literal traditions of Huineng in Zen Buddhism provide no conspicuous references, Zen’s art tradition, on the other hand, provides a more fascinating reading of the Sixth Patriarch paintings by formulating and reconstructing a paradigmatic figure of Huineng and Zen romanticism without restricting itself to historical and literal accuracy.

No description available.

The primary objective of this thesis is to create a study lamp based on research into the Zen aesthetic principles and visual perception. Visual perception is impacted by important aspects, especially vertical illumination, it is addressed here in terms of luminaire height. The design makes use of classic materials while adhering to Koko and Kanso's ideas of simplicity and utility. The luminaire's design incorporates soft illumination and flexibility for different desk arrangements in student rooms based on survey data. The design prioritizes glare reduction in form of shielding the light source and offers ambient lighting for screen-contrast, coinciding with research on digital eye strain, considering the widespread vertical illuminance from displays and the related eye strain. User habits relating to time and screen usage provide significant data, defining vertical illuminance concerns and the incorporation of an adjustable sub-body for controlled light distribution. The challenge is to reconcile simplicity with Austere Sublimity while including user demands such as flexibility, glare reduction, and diffused lighting. Natural materials such as wood and paper improve the intrinsic qualities and aging process of the luminaire while also remaining sustainable. The result is a luminaire that successfully combines visual perception, Zen Aesthetic principles, and user requirements.