EARTH WATER WIND FIRE TASTE OF PHILOSOPHY FRAGRANCE FOR LIFE

EARTH:

Waves lap against the shore. Crashing to a cliff, rolling waves rise and fall. Aging with passed centuries and having witnessed many chaotic changes, the peak of the cliff bravely stands in poise, yet solitary with the sun and the moon. Moss and fungi cover the peak of the cliff and imprint within the rock sign and color of time. Sustaining through many fierce storms and devastating winds, the peak of the cliff, rough from the formation, has been transformed into a smooth and beautiful shape. Confronting the adversities and hardships of life, do you think you can act like the peak of the cliff?

WATER:

Forests and mountains project their ghostly images onto a glistening surface of a lake. Space and time stand still in a tranquility of the lake in the fall. The ground, sky and water seem to have no border, returning to the emptiness of all creatures. All of a sudden, a rock thrown from nowhere rips apart the wonderful picture, displayed on the surface and painted by the gifted artist – Nature –, and stir up the water, making waves rippling to the shore. Vexed thoughts are compared to the hidden waves disturbing the tranquility of the mind. Do you think you can stop the erupting waves? Or … Let time calms the moving water until its energy drains — like karma has been exhausted through a display of a peaceful, understandable mind. Would you stop the waves or prevent the rock thrower?

WIND:

A house owner stands still, contemplating his room. Everything in the room is arranged neatly as the way he wants. On a desk, a pile of paper is stacking on top of each other, all lined up. Spreading from the desk’s corner, fragrance of the potpourri vaporizes into the air. The owner relaxes his mind, listening to every beat and breath of the surrounding. The ticking of the wall clocks strikes a solid and solitary sound. The owner soon feels the calm and peacefulness flowing inside his mind.

Outside the window’s frame, sunlight from the early dawn appears. A group of the songbirds chirps incessantly as if to softly invite: Open the window to celebrate the new day. Could not refrain from the simple-yet-compelling seduction, the owner opens up the gliding glass window. Suddenly, a gust of wind from nowhere blows in.

Wind blows. Winds whirl up the dust and blow away the withering yellow leaves, clinging to the worn-out tree. The wind blows in gusts through the opened window. The wind shuffles the pile of paper. The wind knocks down the potpourri vase. In a moment, everything in the room is in disarray. The owner smiles, nodding his head in deep thought. Ah! He just realized that he has let his guard in watching his six faculty senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind) down.

FIRE:

Fire blazes. Fire flickers. Clean or dirty, the fire burns everything that is thrown in. In any circumstance, fire never feels ashamed, sad or disappointed but, instead, it diligently tries to accomplish its task — bringing light, warmth, and energy to all beings. Fire pushes the dreary darkness away. Fire shoos the cold and brings growth to all beings. From a burning flame, fire transmits its characteristic to a torch. Even doing so, fire does not feel like losing anything. The fire from the burning flame still flickers and has all characteristics of its original fire. The persistence and patience of a fire is like that. Do you have that same feeling when you light up incense?

Duc Q.Nguyen
Summer 2000