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Experimentalist Veteran user 356 Posts |
Magic has long been awash with images of the Buddha. Recent examples are the Buddha Box and the Buddha Chop Cup. I guess this is because some westerners find the Buddha to be "mysterious". As a Buddhist, I find this mildly annoying.
Has anyone ever used these props in a way that actually promotes Buddhist ideas? It seems like an area filled with potential for story magic. Has the idea been explored to anyone's knowledge? |
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fishwasher Inner circle B'ham uk 1231 Posts |
Not to my knowledge but my knowledge is small compared to otheres.
Most of the boxes I've seenb with the Buddha painted on look pretty corny so I wouldn't use them to promote or talk or tell storys of Buddhist ideas. Aidan |
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Experimentalist Veteran user 356 Posts |
In particular, I see potential with the recently released Buddha chop cup.
This could demonstrate that to satify a craving for material things (the ball),... leads to more craving for more things(the ball reappearing under the cup repeatedly). The endless cycle of craving can be released by practicing the teaching of the Buddha (The Buddha finally appears under the cup instead of the ball). |
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fishwasher Inner circle B'ham uk 1231 Posts |
I like that idea.
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docsteve Inner circle 1831 Posts |
Hi
Have you read the Punx routine "Indian Legend"? It's a truly wonderful piece that stands IMHO as a true work of art, and a very spiritual parable. PM me for more details - but you'll find it in "Once Upon A Time", http://www.isawthat.com, Toronto. Best wishes Steve
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Experimentalist Veteran user 356 Posts |
I PM'ed you Docc.
And thank you Fishwater. |
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Balaram Special user 904 Posts |
It often seem that there is little joy left in our world these days. It seems that pain, and suffering are everywhere, stifling any brief moments of happiness we may touch. (An outline of the hand is traced on paper) The hand of fate often seems cruel, and unjust... (A match is struck, an insense stick is lighted)and the fire of pain is everywhere...burning our few chances for happiness to ash. (The insence stick is lowered to scorch a finger tip of the outine. the mage flinches, and displays a blister on his identical finger) Others claim the pain of one is shared by all.
But what is pain? Does the ore feel pain as it is heated, refined? Does the stone feel pain as it is chipped into sculpture? Could we, ourselves, hold any expectation of any benefit from our pains? For tho pain is inevitable in this life (Another match is struck. The mage suddenly shoves it into his fist), perhaps suffering is not (the fist is slowly opened, unharmed.The match is gone) All Peace, Bill Z. |
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Experimentalist Veteran user 356 Posts |
Beautiful stuff, Balaran. Warms the heart.
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Balaram Special user 904 Posts |
Thank you for the kind words. Here is another:
(The mage places a small bellhop/hotel counter bell on the table) This is a Spirit bell. It is tuned to respond, not to impatient demands for service, but rather to the spirit of joy. To be honest, I have not heard its music for a while. (Three empty cups are produced) Joy, Happiness seem illusive in our modern world. And probably in the ancient world also. Seeking happiness, once a man dedicated his life's energy to amassing riches (the first cup is tipped. Gold coins, jewels spill out) With his fortune, he bought everything and any thing he thought would bring him happiness and contentment. But a certain dissatisfaction crept in as the initial excitement of each new aquisition wore off. 'I must be missing something' he thought, 'I had better get some advice'. He approached a wise man, sitting quietly in the forest (second cup is tipped. Under it is a crystal buddah figure) 'Sir', he said,'I have many possessions,anything I want, but I am not yet happy. I obviously have not yet found the right thing to ensure this once and for all. So please tell me--what do I need for lasting happiness?' 'Ah, Happiness!' the wise man answered, 'Well, all you need for happiness is right here-' (The third cup is tipped. Nothing is there) * * * (Real Ghost rings the bell!) |
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docsteve Inner circle 1831 Posts |
Thanks for sharing - like them a lot. Steve
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fishwasher Inner circle B'ham uk 1231 Posts |
Beautiful Balaram.....thank you sharing
Aidan |
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Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
In Final Curtain there is a presentation called "The Window to the Now" which utilizes a prop that is a Buddha on a small pedestal. The story is fascinating, and the prop is within the reach of almost anyone who has any skill at all with a saw and a paper cutter.
I should add that Final Curtain will soon go the way of Sheherazade.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
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kaytracy Inner circle Central California 1793 Posts |
There is a tale about an old woman and an injured sparrow. I am told it is Buddhist.
I find it to go nicely with the rice bowls and lotta effect, though I have created gourds to use instead of the plastic versions of the props. This is in keeping with the descriptions used in the story. k
Kay and Tory
www.Bizarremagick.com |
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Balaram Special user 904 Posts |
Kay can you tell us more? I don't know this story-
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christiancagigal Special user SF Bay Area 625 Posts |
Balaram!
That last one is beautiful! What if one could place some of the gold into the third cup, maybe even the figure too. And then, they vanish at the end to represent "nothing". Or, what if you... Pull out a bag. From the bag you take out the cup. From the cup take out the bell. Ring the bell and place to the side as you turn the cup down on the table(this would aid our technique) Turn the cup over, gold item is revealed and passed to participants. Ring Bell. Turn the cup over again, figure is revealed and shared with participants. Ring Bell. Turn the cup over yet again, nothing is there. Bell rings on it's own. Alternative ending would be to... Place gold item, and figure into cup. Reveal they a have disappeared... Bell rings on it's own. ...something like that... Christian
"Besides the known and the unknown, what else is there?"-Harold Pinter
www.christiancagigal.com |
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Balaram Special user 904 Posts |
Christian, very cool--I am attached to the zen-like single bell ring--but then again, attachment is not a good thing in Buddhism. So: One cup-coins-manually ring the spirit bell--Buddah arrives--manually ring the bell--vanish them both--nothing--bell rings on its own--yes that is good--maby let the Buddah stay, just vanish the coins ( Representing Worldly wealth, attachments, maby taking the vows of a Sanyassi,a renunciant monk-?) Good fun, thank you my friend!
B. |
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christiancagigal Special user SF Bay Area 625 Posts |
'Tis an honor. =)
C
"Besides the known and the unknown, what else is there?"-Harold Pinter
www.christiancagigal.com |
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J.Buddy New user 53 Posts |
Thank you so much for sharing these thoughts..
J
Rediscovering the magician inside.
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Dr_J_Ayala Inner circle In search of Vlad Dracul and his 2169 Posts |
Quite late for this party, but nonetheless I have been using a Buddhism-based story for an effect called Harmony Coins. Anyone truly interested in Asian culture will know about a thing called Color Theory, especially in Buddhism. Each color is representative of an element, a spiritual being, physical beings, etc. Using a story of what each color means as they change from one to the other, I talk about the very nature of harmony as one of the main focuses of Buddhism, and how they all work together as one.
I had the pleasure of performing this for a group of Tibetan monks, who were quite taken with the story, as well as the effect. I got lots of smiles and many thanks for sharing real views and meanings/teachings of Buddhism within the story. That was my goal to begin with when I wrote the story - use something real, and not make it up. Just for reference in case the name does not make it obvious, I am not Asian, nor am I Buddhist. The culture, the stories, the folklore and the history of both have long fascinated me deeply, and at one time greatly influenced the very base for one of my stages shows when I was younger. |
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KungFuMagic Regular user 167 Posts |
This goal is actually part of our mission with KungFu Magic. We intend to weave values, messages and teachings of the various eastern traditions: buddhism, Taoism and Hinduism to pick a few of the larger ones. Share outr respect and wonder at their mysticism and sense of being in the world.
Nick Sasso
part-time Samurai conjurer |
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