Technical knowledge is not enough. One must transcend techniques so that the art becomes an artless art, growing out of the unconscious.
Interpretation
Technical skills alone are insufficient; true artistry comes from a deep, instinctive understanding that goes beyond techniques.
D.T. Suzuki emphasizes that while technical knowledge is important, it is not the sole requirement for mastery in any art form. The essence of true artistry arises from an intuitive, unconscious connection to the art itself, allowing the creator to express themselves beyond the confines of learned techniques and methods. This transcending of mere technique leads to a more authentic and profound expression of creativity.
In practice
This quote could be used in an art class to motivate students to dig deeper in their creative process.
Zen, in its essence is the art of seeing into the nature of one's own being, and it points the way from bondage to freedom. By making us drink right from the fountain of life it liberates us from all the yokes under which we finite beings are usually suffering in this world.
The basic idea of Zen is to come in touch with the inner workings of our being, and to do this in the most direct way possible, without resorting to anything external or superadded. Therefore, anything that has the semblance of an external authority is rejected by Zen. Absolute faith is placed in a man's own inner being. For whatever authority there is in Zen, all comes from within.
Who would then deny that when I am sipping tea in my tearoom I am swallowing the whole universe with it and that this very moment of my lifting the bowl to my lips is eternity itself transcending time and space?
The rocks are where they are- and this is their will. The rivers flow- and this is their will. The birds fly- this is their will. Human beings talk- this is their will. The seasons change, heaven sends down rain or snow, the earth occasionally shakes, the waves roll, the stars shine- each of them follows its own will. To be is to will and so is to become.
Enlightenment is like everyday consciousness but two inches above the ground.
We teach ourselves; Zen merely points the way.
When we don't have all the details about our characters, we have to make it up to fill in all the details. So, for me, writing and acting go hand in hand.
No matter where I am working, I cannot make a film without 100% creative control and final cut. If there is such a guarantee, I can work anywhere.
I sometimes have a horrible fear of turning up a canvas of mine. I'm always afraid of finding a monster in place of the precious jewels I thought I had put there!
Photographers deal in things which are continuously vanishing.
Art is the most beautiful of all lies.
When I started, I was an artist; I wanted to be an artist. I became an actor almost by accident. I acted for fifteen years and tried to produce. I looked for stories that were the story beneath the story that you thought you knew, like 'The Candidate'.
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