《不二之境 II》The Realm of Non-Duality II

Using the grid of traditional canonical proportions as a vessel, this work divides the canvas into two distinct halves: the left employs pure line drawing to represent the purity and emptiness of the 'transcendent world', whilst the right uses a collage of consumer waste—such as discarded cardboard boxes and plastic bottle caps—to symbolise the complex desires of the 'mundane world'. A deep blue swirling nimbus envelopes the central image, not only establishing a calm and vast spiritual tone, but also encompassing the sights of both the worldly and the transcendent, revealing how even mundane debris can be translated into a dignified, sacred image through mindful awareness.

Drawing upon the philosophy of the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra—'The mundane and transcendent worlds are conceived as two... yet the worldly is inherently empty, which itself is the transcendent... this is to enter the Dharma door of non-duality'—the work challenges the binary mindset that separates 'pure spirituality' from 'material desire'. As all things lack inherent existence and are inherently empty (śūnyatā), there is no physical boundary between the mundane and the transcendent. By developing a deep awareness of this emptiness, viewers can neither flee from nor cling to the mundane world, realising the realm where the transcendent and the worldly are equal and non-dual amidst the stark contrast. The negative space is transformed into an open field of contemplation, guiding viewers to actively engage in this dialogue beyond duality through their own awareness.