Japanese would never 'restore' an antique. The signs of age and wear are to them its most beautiful qualities.

Zen is based on the recognition of two incompatible types of thought: rational and intuitive.

Nothing comes into existence nor does anything disappear. Nothing is eternal, nor has anything any end. Nothing is identical or differentiated. Nothing moves hither and thither.

Zen culture invites us to experience reality without the intervening distractions of intellect, categories, analysis.

Unlike rational thought, intuition cannot be 'taught' or even turned on. In fact, it is impossible to find or manipulate this intuitive consciousness using our rational mind—any more than we can grasp our own hand or see our own eye.

Zen takes the opposite tack; it holds that true reality is the fundamental unity of mind and matter, inner spirit and external world. When life is viewed in such terms, there can be no success or failure, happiness or unhappiness; life is a whole, and you are simply part of it. There are no dualities, hence there is nothing to worry about. The result is perfect tranquility.

Japanese would never 'restore' an antique. The signs of age and wear are to them its most beautiful qualities.