A reflective essay inspired by words recalled at the garden of Heian Shrine, asserting that the depth and breadth of the human heart are shaped by how much beauty one has seen, read, and heard—far removed from schemes or malice.

June 5, 2016

The following is an essay I wrote and submitted several years ago.
In this garden of Heian Shrine, I recalled the words of Zen master Jiun Enkaku.
Those who possess a beautiful heart would never think of scheming or contriving plots to ensnare or degrade others.
Look upon more beautiful things…look not at the self, but at nature, at the world.
Akutagawa believed that the breadth and depth of the human heart depend on how much beauty one has seen, how much one has read, and how much one has listened to.
Those who lack these things merely wander through the realms of malice and hungry spirits.