The Universe of Kanji. 'Hon' 15-12 Where Does the Essence Appear?

The word 'essence' is a bit of a heavy term.

Seeing through to the essence.
Questioning the essence.
Approaching the essence.
An essential problem.

When we say things like that, it feels somewhat abstract and
difficult.

However, in our daily lives,
we are actually
touching upon the 'essence' quite often, aren't we?

Touching upon the essence

For example, in a casual remark,
a person's true character can sometimes emerge.

It is not in a grand situation.
It is not in a formal greeting.
It is not in a well-prepared explanation.

Rather, it is in
a sudden reply.
the look in someone's eyes when another is in trouble.
the words that slip out when busy.
the attitude shown when things do not go as planned.
the behavior when no one is watching.

In those moments,
something of that person can appear.

That person's true nature

It is something that is
not written in a profile or a job title.

It is something that seeps out from a deeper place
than the words the person uses to describe themselves.

'So, this is the kind of person they are.'

There are moments when we feel that.

The manifestation of essence

Essence is like
a core hidden somewhere deep inside.

However, it is
not just locked away in the depths.

Rather, essence is something that
gradually reveals itself
in our daily behavior.

In the tone of one's voice. In the movement of one's hands.
In the way one pauses. In the words one chooses.
In what one rushes, and what one can wait for.
In what one fears, and what one cannot let go of.

"Essence" is often thought of as something that exists beyond phenomena.

However, essence may not exist in a place separate from phenomena,
but rather appears right in the midst of phenomena,
changing its form time and time again.

Essence

Essence, in English, is "essence."

Essence is something that has been simmered and condensed over a long period of time.

Just like a soup bouillon,
everything from the ingredients is dissolved within it.

Onions, carrots, bones, and herbs,
their individual forms are no longer visible.

Yet, within that single drop, the flavor of the whole resides.

Is essence not something like that?

The whole residing in the part

It is not a part separated from the whole.

Rather,
it is a state where the whole resides within the part.

In the details, a person's way of life is condensed.

In a single word, a long period of time is packed.

In a single gesture,
what that person has valued is revealed.

Knowing the essence

Therefore, seeing the essence is not just about listening to grand explanations.

It is about listening closely to small manifestations.
It is about sensing the whole that resides in the details.

It is to read what has not yet become words,
within a single expression,
a single silence,
a single moment of hesitation.

Thinking in the Age of AI

I feel that this sensibility
will become even more important
for us living in the AI era.

AI
finds trends from vast amounts of data.

How likely one word
is to be connected to another.

After a certain action,
what kind of result is likely to occur.

It reads correlations and makes judgments based on probability.
That is a very powerful way of thinking.

However,
reading correlations
and sensing the essence are not the same thing.

The taste of bouillon
cannot be understood from a list of ingredients alone.

Even if you examine how many grams of vegetables,
how many hours of heating,
and how much of each component is included,
the depth of that single sip is still not fully understood.

Essence
does not simply appear
based on the amount of data.

Rather, it lies in small parts, in details,
where the whole is condensed and revealed.

Thinking about "Hon" (Book/Origin) again

The kanji for "Hon"
contains a mark indicating the root of a tree.

The place closest to the root,
which supports the visible branches and leaves.

Things, in fact, rise up from there.

Essence, too,
while being deep inside, appears on the surface.

While hidden,
it seeps into casual behavior.

It is something that is the whole, yet dwells in the details.

Therefore, to ask about essence is not
to head toward something abstract
that lies far away.

It is to touch deeply upon the small manifestations right before your eyes.

It is to perceive
how much time and how many worlds
have dissolved into that single drop.

Essence is not something that exists somewhere far away.

It dwells in the details that are here and now,
calling out to you with a small voice.