THINK LIKE A KOAN! A Daily Meditation on Decoding The Big Lebowski.

[Nolan Hofstadter]

The Ben-Hur Auto Repair sign (The Big Lebowski; 40 min) is in plain view across the parking lot of the bowling alley. To what is it referring?



REFERENCE: Ben-Hur (1959 film)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben-Hur_(1959_film)

LEBOWSKI CODE: One of many allusions to the Ancient Palestine.

A small pearl, I would say.

[DigitalBuddha]

Drinking beer is very therapeutic? Am I close?

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, beeeeeeerr...



Or is it...

Ben-Hur was adapted from Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. The screenplay is credited to Karl Tunberg but includes contributions from Maxwell Anderson, S. N. Behrman, Gore Vidal, and Christopher Fry??

[Caesar dude]

Is the answer go fuck yourself dude...I'm busy relaxing.

[Nolan Hofstadter]

"We Venerate Thy Cross"¹ (The Big Lebowski; 61 min [and end credits 116 min]) is playing in the backgound in Maude's loft. At one point the Dude states, "Hey, man, why don't you listen occasionally. You might learn something." Maybe we can! Also, etymologies for Maude include "woman from Magdala"/"mighty in battle." She echoes Mary of Magdala of the Gospels.




REFERENCE: ¹"We Venerate Thy Cross," Rustavi Choir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_906sV8HIxA

LEBOWSKI CODE: This scene loaded with allusions to the Crucifiction.

Pearls by Coens. Two pearls most certainly do not make a strand.

[meekon5]

so I googled "TBL-DVD 1:01:36"

and got:

http://www.ebuyer.com/545903-quantum-turbo-blade-battery-pack-with-charger-100-240v-ac-uk-tbl-tbl?gclid=COD2mMf9wb0CFXGWtAodQxoAKQ

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-356TZsE7Y

You're right pearls of wisdom!

How can I not have seen before?

[Nolan Hofstadter]

Dude! I was referring to film time. Above now converted.

[Nolan Hofstadter]

THE ANTI-STRIKE

In Chapter 8 "Jesus" (The Big Lebowski 25 min) there is a 4 second scene in reverse image. An indicator of code? The viewer's attention is on the licked purple ball, oblivious to reversed lane numbers ascending to the left. The scene is righted after the strike. However, upon closer inspection it becomes apparent that things have changed again. Jesus is now on lane '21.' What the fuck!?

After an air-kiss to Donny (as if between two tangent universes), Jesus points to the heavens and immediately the camera does a close-up flyby of Score Projector '23.' 
   
REFERENCE: Gospel of John 21:23 This word therefore went out among the brethren, That disciple [[THE Dude]] does not die. And Jesus did not say to him, He does not die; but, If I will that he abide until I come, what [is that] to thee?¹

LEBOWSKI CODE: Another fine example of a Coen Brothers' foreshadowing . . .

20140404: You're right Doug. So let me reveal a signal code. A signal of significance in the Lebowski Code is thrice repeating (e.g., "your roll, your roll, your roll"). It's like in Donny Darko (Director's Cut, 28 min) when the narrator says, "Pay close attention, you could miss something."  In the "Jesus" chapter of The Big Lebowski, there are actually thee discontinuities: 1) image reversal, 2) Jesus now on lane 21, and 3) Jesus's teammates on lane 19. BROTHER'S SHAMUS, PAY CLOSE ATTENTION.       

THRICE!

Joel & Ethan's Pearl Co.  Our motto is, "We Protect Our Beds."

Now three pearls on a strand? Nothing to write home about to be sure, but durned interestin'.

¹All Bible verses from the Darby Translation

[meekon5]

[Nolan Hofstadter]

The Shamus Prism

Flood 'Newness of Light' into a dispersive prism

and the spectral order reveals itself

in whole families of familiarity.

Taoist Family (Yin-Yang)

Half & Half

(with possible Gestalt-like Yin-Yang Image)

Check address 609, Check amt. $ 0.69, Apartment 609.

                                                                                   CODED SIGNALS OF SIGNIFICANCE: 'Thrice' stylized yin-yangs.

                                                                                   LEBOWSKI CODE: This ahere story is gonna involve the East!

                                                                                   Perls by Coenz.  Looks like its time to start another strand (to represent the East).

[Caesar dude]

69.....phhhhnaaaar phnaaaaaar!

[DigitalBuddha]

The Shamus Prism

Flood 'Newness of Light' into a dispersive prism

Acid flashback? Separate incidences? I mean, you know this guy?

[Nolan Hofstadter]

Way out Mid-West there is this fella . . . fella you asked about.
Fella by the name of Douglas R. Hofstadter. Least that's the handle his lovin' parents gave him.

[milnie]

69.....phhhhnaaaar phnaaaaaar! :)

I'm happy to confirm I spent most of last night with my special lady friend looking into this;>

[Nolan Hofstadter]

A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK & HONEY

The Big Lebowski (3 min): The Dude is shoved head first into his indoor honey-bucket,¹ milk splashing every which way. Woo then let's go a flow on the Dude's rug.

CODED SIGNALS OF SIGNIFICANCE: Thrice stylized Yin-Yangs: 609, 069, 609. Pay close attention!   

LEBOWSKI CODE: An allusion to the time and place of the man echoed by the Dude. 'A land flowing with milk and honey' is Ancient Palestine, Judaism.²  Woo's 'water way' is the East, Taoism.³  Woo states, "Ever thus to deadbeats, Lebowski." In Taoism, 'Wu Wei' literally means "non-action" or "non-doing."³  Strands both East and West mingle to offer "philosophical-religious traditions that predate and (I think) inform Dudeism" and The Dude!   Remember, "The chinaman is not the issue here." He is an associate of Jackie Treehorn.     

CODE MATCHES: The sign (The Ben-Hur Auto Repair); the song ("We Venerate Thy Cross"). 

Now to which strand, East or West, do I add this pearl?  Of course, a pearl to each!

P.S. Congrats to the afore attested Pearl Diver!
________________________________________________________________________________
¹REFERENCE: Honey Bucket
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_bucket   

²REFERENCE: Exodus 3:8
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+3:8&version=DARBY

³REFERENCE: Wu Wei
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_wei

[DigitalBuddha]

Well, like, that's just, that's the stress talking, Dude.  So far we have what looks to me like a series of victimless crimes...