Striking Thoughts — Bruce Lee and Philosophy

Lately I am so amazed with the similarly between the text and teachings of great thinkers from Dalai Lama, Rumi, Aldous Huxley, Gita, Herman Hesse, Khalil Gibran, the concepts and learning that they talk about are exactly the same. There is no contradiction what so ever, this at the same time purplexes me and makes me truly happy. I also give myself the benefit of doubt that I haven’t read enough to see the distinctions in their work and i might be, in all naivety, projecting my own understanding in all their texts.

Bruce Lee is no different. What also amazes me is how Jiddu Krishnamurthy, Aldous Huxley, Alan Watts and now Bruce Lee are part of close timeline and have been a great influence on eachother. Imagine being in a room with 4 of them and just absorb.

Before coming to Striking Thoughts I had come to the realisation of art for art sake, Bruce Lee takes it a step further and talks about life for life sake - that is life is iust to be lived by being an active participant and just living through whatever come your way. Only goal being learning art of soul, therefore it doesn’t matter what path or purpose you choose, all that they aid in is your internal growth towards self awaking. Which requires you not to be something, achieve something or follow a system but be free to follow your heart and be the person you are born to be. The movie "Soul" by pixer points out to something similar.

Bruce Lee talks about Wu-shin, the art of letting your mind be and wander in the direction it wants rather than trying to control it. It will help you in creating your set of principles to live by, which are above all of moral or social structures. He stats an individual above the system in all situations.

He also solve my moral delimma on extent of art for art sake. Take example of "Perfume : The story of a Murderer" the movie. The protagonist goes to the extent of killing females for the sake of his art. At the end he is able to create an ultimate scent - this talks about a man realising his purpose, elevation of human spirit, an art just for art sake but then are his means justified for his end?As per Striking Thoughts, there is only means without an end.

The famous quote of Bruce Lee where he says, be like water my friend, just like water you are supposed to carve your path around the obstacles, by making them your guiding path or even getting modled by them. A perfect scent is an illusion and hence achieving will lend you nothing - their is nothing after victory. Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha talks about learning from the river and that just adds to it. All that life is, is the pursuit of living the everyday sensation of being, doing what you really want and not looking for a grand finale.

Striking Thoughts — Bruce Lee and Philosophy by Magicthreadworks

Be water my friend!