Die konsepsie van eenheid en die voornaamwoord as bindingsmiddel in Lotus van Breytenbach

Abstract

LOTUS by Breyten Breytenbach is the epitome of opposites which is depicted by applying the pronouns ek and jy metaphorically. Ek stands both for the male pole and for the writer/artist while jy depicts the female pole and stands for the structure poetry is made of. There is an amazing correspondance between the pronoun in combination to certain verbs and nouns. Ek is primarily linked to verbs depicting conjunction and seldom with verbs depicting definite action. jy on the other hand is linked to verbs depicting creational action. The two poles ek and jy strive towards each other all the time to create the moment of perfect bliss in unity. Sexual unity is another of the themes in LOTUS which is explicitly dealt with. The Tantric Buddhists regard sexual unity as one of the most important ways through which to arrive at nirvana or total bliss. The Tantric Buddhists work towards a prolonged orgasm and the ideal is to arrive at that stage without experiencing the actual sexual union, called the moment of enlightenment. In order to achieve this the Tantric are cultivating a ritual in lovemaking which prolongs the moment of sexual bliss beyond the point of orgasm. They are devising methods by which the actual act of lovemaking becomes a symbol for total bliss of nirvana. The Tantric claim that total bliss cannot be reached unless the mind is completely emptied of all consciousness. They claim that at the point of orgasm the mind is a void. Unfortunately this void, of "petite morte" as the French calls it, is limited to minutes if not seconds. By means of zazen the Tantric tries to stretch the void period. Zazen is practised by mentally emptying the mind, concentrating on 'n bindu or a mantra (see glossary for explanations) which is repeated until it fills the mind with nothing. Only after Zazen has been reached can a person intentionally start reading and contemplating matters of importance. Only then does the universe fall into perspective where a stone is a stone and a human being a human being, not more nor less. LOTUS is a collection of poems in which the ek is in transit all the time, journeying towards nirvana which eludes him because the jy he is striving to reach in unity is mainly spiritual consisting of asem, and hiding beneath her vel, rok and huid. Where the ek also stands for the artist who tries to achieve success in depicting an object of art and the jy for the material/structure art is made of asem, vel, rok and huid stands for the imperfection of art as recreating a new reality. Because the ek is mainly Iyf he has no way of reaching the spiritual jy.