Tu-Shun

According to Tu-Shun, the net of Indra is the a metaphor used to describe reality. The net of Indra is a vast net with perfectly clear jewel on each crossing point. Each jewel is able to reflect off the other jewels just a mirror would. In some way, each jewel is connected. If you observe a jewel, then you will find the reflections of all the other jewels within that jewel. Tu-Shun claims that the many jewels and their reflections is one jewel. Everything is connected.

While reading this passage, I compared the world I grew up in to Tu-Shun's net of Indra. When he said that the jewels are one, and when you see the other jewels, you are seeing the same jewel. While viewing jewels is something I never seem to do, I began to brainstorm over what would be considered "one" on Earth. The answer is life. We observe many humans, animals, and other living things daily. Although we are different species, have different skin and height, the one thing that connects us all is the fact that we are living beings. It is just like the jewels of Indra. There are many of them in different shapes and sizes, but in the end, they are just jewels. Humans, animals, etc...come in different shapes and sizes as well, but we are just living beings. So, what is so different between the net of Indra and Earth? In my opinion, nothing at all.