Hieronymus Bosch's Samsara

This Image of the 7 deadly sins tells the story of life from all of its sinful raw angles.

This is art because it is common to all men.

Man can actually recognize himself in these scenes that Hieronymus Bosch painted.

It is scary to look at the human behaviors that people in this painting are suffering from.

But this art shows what happens when people live in ignorance of their actions.

The wheel of samsara in the eastern tradition has its ups and downs.

In the Christian tradition the 7 deadly sins have their counterpart called the 7 divine virtues.

This completes the world view and shows how similar the eastern view is to the western view.

In the center of the wheel of samsara is a hub or balance and in this case the center of these deadly sins is Jesus.

He is the avatar of love and equanimity.

The center point of the wheel is the hub. The ability of a balanced and still center allows for full range of movement for the wheel.

Importantly the center is no longer subject to the ups and downs of suffering.

The more we can align ourselves with balance by practicing skilled virtues and then ultimately practicing a calm and natural awareness, the more we will come out of ignorance.

The 7 deadly sins remind me of a reality show. People are hooking up, cheating, fighting with each other, trying to kick someone off the island, trying to win the prize money, all of it represents the reason why people cherished this art.

It is a voyeurism that society enjoys from the comfort of their homes. Watching other people get tangled up in affairs that they wish they had the courage to do. 50 Shades Of Gray is one of the most popular erotic literatures out there because women fantasize about lust.

This is deeply a part of who we are but it doesn't have to be our whole identity.

This is not about being Christian or Buddhist. This is about being a better human.

The more we enjoy pain instead of learning from it, the harder it will be to see our own faults.

You don't want to be in the middle of a mistake while someone is on the sidelines enjoying the drama with buttery popcorn.

I like this painting because Hieronymus Bosch is one of my favorite painters.

He is a trip and his art, while shocking, seems more real than reality if you notice the stories they tell.

His take on the 7 deadly sins is a chance to create space between your reaction and the sin.

You need that space or else you would get drawn into suffering because these sins evoke actions.

These are unskilled actions and will leave you weaker the more you engage.

The skilled path is not without fun just because the sins have their luster.

The skilled path that is virtuous allows for play at a higher level of consciousness.

That level of consciousness can absorb more details, subtle energies, and deeper memories.

If you can enjoy the moment unhindered by an insatiable hunger for something you don't have then you are free.

The people who continue to need when they already have, will never find enough.

Worse, they could lose their identity if they are crippled in their search to fulfill their desires.

That should lead to an awakening but it is a heavy price to pay if you are not expecting it.

You want to willingly take the path, if you do it unwillingly you might learn the wrong lessons out of frustration.  

If you make the sacrifice to change you will develop a deep spiritual strength.

You want to be able to audit who you are.

If you look at a painting and see yourself, you should be able to determine if that is a reflection worth casting or one you should retire.

Art awakens parts of us that we might have forgotten.

Hieronymus Bosch awakened a realistic view of sin instead of a dry Sunday school version of it.

We can easily see how someone can lose themselves to any one of these scenes in his painting.

This reminder can be taken to heart and used to become a better human.

The world needs better humans.

We are born to become this, but it is our choice to realize it.

I hope you do, and that you enjoy some art along the way.

Thank you for reading.

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