Switzerland got it right on their 100 Francs banknote as the Platonic Lambda ( Soul) is perfect. Dante purifies his soul in his heavenly ascent and sees "100 little suns" ( Paradiso 22.22-24): "As pleased my guide, I turned my eyes and saw /a hundred little suns as these together / cast light, each made the other lovelier." Dante's Commedia is composed of 100 cantos, and in his Canto 100, Line 100, Dante is embraced by Light in the 10th Heaven (Empyrean): "Whoever sees that Light is soon made such / that it would be impossible for him /to set that Light aside for other sight" ( Paradiso 33.100-102). The Pythagoreans considered 100 as divine because it is the square (10 x 10) of the divine decad (10). The Swiss got it right on their banknote,Īs the Platonic Lambda or Soul is perfect.ġ00 or 100% symbolizes wholeness, purity, and perfection. Photo Sources: Swiss 100 Francs ( ) Walking Man ( China Daily) "Platonic Lambda Sonnet" concludes that the Soul "is placed as the nose in the center of our face." Steve recalled my Lambda poems and sent this Swiss 100 Francs banknote. Likewise, if God created man by breathing into his nostrils a living soul ( Genesis 2.7), the nose is the prime conduit of air in keeping us alive. When I noticed the man's legs walking by Giacometti's Walking Man at Sotheby's Auction, it suddenly struck me that the soul's shape (upside "V" or Greek letter Λ) is right before our eyes manifesting itself whenever we are walking or alive! This inspired my "Lambda" poem "Giacometti's Walking Man". The Platonic Lambda Λ described as "soul of the universe" seemed quite abstract.
BUDDHA SERENITY COSMIC SMALL DRAGON LANDSCAPE SERIES
Sum of the double & triple interval series (Timaeus) = Sum of the triple interval series (powers of 3) =ģ 0 + 3 1 + 3 2 + 3 3 = 1 + 3 + 9 + 27 = 40 Sum of the double interval series (powers of 2) =Ģ 0 + 2 1 + 2 2 + 2 3 = 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 = 15 Is the sum of the two series ( Timaeus 35b): The Platonic Lambda, Soul of the Universe, The notes below were compiled to learn more on the serendipity encountered in the writing process.
Three monks dreamed that he was the Fifth Zen Patriarch in a previous life (Search: Tung-Po Su in Rebirth, Su Dongpo in Opening the Mind's Eye). Su Tung-po was born in Szechwan and studied Taoism and Buddhism. Wang Wei's love of mountains are shown in his poems and paintings. I imagined the mountain to be Omei Shan in Szechwan where I was born, and dreamed of trekking up the sacred mountain with poets Wang Wei & Su Tung-po. The reverse side with the Chinese landscape pulled me inward inspiring me to write the poem "Mountain of Bliss" a few hours later. Steve's Apemail with Giacometti's Walking Man in the Swiss 100 francs banknote led me to where I found a 1914 China $1 banknote. My poems "Giacometti's Walking Man", "Every Step You Make", "Spring Geese Are Flying North", "Platonic Lambda Sonnet", and "Vanishing Point" all revolved around the Platonic Lambda, Λ (Plato's Timaeus, 35b) Soul of the Universe. I've shared with him lectures attended at Stanford, hike photos, and my poetry. Some images he sent from the New York Public Library sidewalk plaques inspired my poem "The Universe Is Made of Stories". He sends many interesting emails on his lesson plans and experiences of his travels and museum visits. Steve works for the Environmental Protection Agency in New York City, and volunteers teaching in schools inspiring kids on science and chemistry.
Some years back (circa 2004), I received an email from him "Are you the Peter Chou I had the pleasure rooming with at Porter Square in Cambridge, Mass.?" I replied "Yes" and renewed our friendship. We did our postdoctoral research at Brandeis University where we shared an apartment (1970-1971). Preface: Steve Gould and I went to Cornell University for our doctorates (he in organic and I in physical chemistry). Notes to Poem: Mountain of Bliss Notes to Poem:
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