analytical approach is useless, but if we are confined by analy-
sis, we cannot be assured of producing pots of indescribable
beauty. Why is it that self-conscious potters cannot make beau-
tiful pots with ease ? Because it is extremely hard for them to
make things in that state of mind described by Buddhists as
“thusness", Once there was a Buddhist devotee named Genza,.
Though an illiterate peasant, he was actually an enlightened man.
He had a friend named Naoji. Attaining together the age of nearly
ninety years, both fell ill and took to bed. Naoji, realizing that
the end was at hand, began to be anxious about his death, for he
wanted to die peacefully, So he sent his niece to his friend
Genza to inquire how one may die with a peaceful mind. Genza
replied simply, “Just die." A week later, it is said, both of them
died peacefully. His answer is magnificent. If anyone can just
die, what problem remains? Death is powerless to trouble a man
if he can just die, But it is difficult for most men to die in peace,
for they do not want to die or they think they should not die yet or
they fear the unknown or pity themselves. Some even commit
suicide, All troubles, anxieties, agonies come from attachment
to life and from ignorance of the meaning of death, If we can
escape the dualistic conception of life and death we can just live
and we can just die at any moment and in any place without
anxiety. This state of mind is called "Buddhahood attained" or
“Enlightenment”. All beautiful crafts are nothing more than the
expression of attained Buddhahood. Enlightenment means libera-
tion from all duality. If we want to make a truly beautiful object,
we must before all else reach this state of mind which is free,

In comparison to this radical condition, degree of skill, depth of
knowledge, even the quality of materials are secondary considera-
tions. This is the utter simple truth implicit in every Santo or
Retablo painted by those Mexican devotees of the humble mind. Of
course it is far better to have good training, knowledge, anid well
chosen materials, but the one absolutely indispensable thing is
the attainment of that state of mind which is free from all dualis-
tic fetters. If this one condition is lacking, all skill, knowledge
and materials will be wasted,