Friday, April 13, 2007

yinyang thoughts (2)



Yin is sitting in his usual demeanor, calmly watching the waves of the sea. Yang is pretty excited like a child, “ What is it Yang, you seem pretty pumped up” questions Yin. “Yin I learned a lot today. Everything in the world of computers depend upon a simple logic called the Boolean Logic: True or False or rather a 1 or 0.” Yin ponders for a minute and nodding his head says “ Umm I understand….Its like the real world where everything depends on only two things truth or untruth. Yang goes on… “ There are seven simple gates I learned about, using them we can build any digital component you can imagine
” Like seven gates to heaven …. Sounds interesting… please go on“ says Yin

There are three primary gates, NOT, AND and OR gates. The NOT gate is called the inverter meaning if the input is 1 the output is 0 and vice versa. The AND gate peforms a logical “and “ operation on two inputs meaning if input A is 1 and input B is 1 the output Q is 1. But if input A is 1 and B is 0 or A is 0 and B is one or A is 0 and B is 0 resluts in a output 0. Where as the OR gate is like the logical “or” operation meaning if A is 1 or B is 1 (or both are 1) then the output Q is 1.

These are the three and its easy to know the other two gates called the NOR and the NAND gates. “Wait a minute says Yin “ . “I think I got it, does it mean t negates the output of OR gate and AND gates respectively “. “Exactly says Yang”. “There are two more called the XOR and XNOR gates. The output of XOR is 1 only if A or B is 1 and not both. XNOR gives a 1 only if both A and B are same meaning they should be either both a 0 or both a 1. “

“ Now with these basic gates adders, multipliers can be created and all the mathematical operations can be performed “. “But the most important thing you can do with these gates is make it hold on to its value meaning we can create memory out of these. A circuit which does this is generally referred as a “flip flop”. “Fascinating, Its like how we cling on to our past forgetting the now, may be there are millions of flip flops in our head says Yin ”.

“Yin it’s even more fascinating when you find out that the physical implementation of these gates is on a submicroscopic transistor etched onto silicon chips. And there are millions and millions of them on a single chip.”

"Yang I am reminded of a Zen story when you talked about the flip flop, the circuit which holds on to its value." says Yin and starts narrating the story as Yang listens attentively.

There were two monks, one old and the other young, crossing a river to reach their monastery on the other side of the bank. As they were wading through the neck deep water, the monks hear cries for help. They notice a young girl struggling against the current in the river. The Younger monk comes to her rescue and lifts her in his arms and takes her safely to the bank. The monks then retire in their monastery. Its night and the younger monk notices the older one being perturbed. He asks him the reason. The old monk tells him that he should not have done that. The younger monk asks him what. The old monk tells him being a monk he should not have carried her in his arms, for this the younger monk replies " I left her at the bank and you are still carrying her ". The old monk realizes his folly and apologizes to the younger one.

"Did you get the story Yang " quizzes Yin. "Yeah , that machines can have memory but we as humans should live in the "Now" and not carry our past". "Exactly says Yin".

Yang is in a hurry to leave. "Sorry Yin I can't wait to learn more, tomorrow I would tell you how computers work ". Yin looks at Yang and smiles "you are like the waves of the ocean excited to reach the shore, But remember you like the waves you too would calm down soon." Yang does not trouble his head to comprehend what Yin said and leaves in a hurry as Yin settles down calmly to watch the waves of the sea.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

yinyang thoughts


Yin & Yang are sitting on a beach watching the calm sea. The sun is about to bade goodbye behind the mountains.

Yang quizzes Yin, " look at this beautiful sight, I am bursting with energy, I feel like grabbing the red ball out there, I wonder how u can stay calm all the time ". "All this is illusion.... its called Maya, if you could see through this you will be at peace with yourself ". Yang starts laughing sarcastically,"Maya...Umm looks like a beautiful girl's name...". Yang notices Yin drawing something on the sand. "What's this shape... Looks like a big zero" questions Yang... "yeah you can call this that.Life is a full circle you know.... you would have to come back to its source...replies Yin.
" Listen to this story Yang .....You will understand more....Yin starts reciting the story.

A young man seeking truth finds an old man beneath a tree. The young man knew that he had to leave on a pilgrimage—but to where? Seeing the old man, he thought, “He must know the road.” So he asked. The old man instructed, “Follow this road till you come to a tree”—he described the tree in detail, leaves, fruit, everything—“and you will find an old man like me but 30 year solder. He will be your guide.”

The traveller was happy. He thanked the man and rushed on. For 30 years, he wandered but the tree and old man never came. He was tried, and older himself. Finally, he decided, “It is better to go home. God knows when the guide meets me, what guidance it will be!” He turned back. He passed the same old tree and was shocked! It was the same man, only 30 years older. The young man said, “My god! Why did you waste may 30 years?”

The older man said, “Did I waste your 30 years, or did you waste mine? Then you were not ripe enough to be guided. You didn’t look at the tree, though I described it in detail. I described your guide. You were in a hurry; too you. But I actually waited knowing one day you will come.”

Did you get the point Yang quizzes Yin. "Somewhat..... But do you mean to say that "don' go after this beautiful world or what?... I can't control myself..... says Yang. " No says Yin, I am just emphasizing that you would come back to me where ever you go... "Lets see that Yin... I am going to a beautiful new world of computers do you want to come along". Yin and Yang start walking along the beach. "I know all about it says Yin... "Did you see the zero I drew on the sands... That's the basis on which computers where born ...." yeah Yin I have heard that one's and zeros are foundations of digital science...adds Yang. " Yes the two opposites like You and Me "says Yin. Both smile at each other and say in synergy " Like Yin and Yang.... "

Monday, March 12, 2007

Are we all Yin Yangis ?


Are we all YinYangi’s

Before the Point
The concepts of yin and yang originate in ancient Chinese philosophy which describe two primal opposing but complementary principles said to be found in all objects and processes in the universe.
Yin (Chinese: yīn; literally "shady place, north slope (hill), south bank (river); cloudy, overcast") is the darker element; it is passive, dark, feminine, downward-seeking, and corresponds to the night.
Yang ( yáng; "sunny place, south slope (hill), north bank (river); sunshine") is the brighter element; it is active, light, masculine, upward-seeking and corresponds to the day.
Yin (receptive, feminine, dark, passive force) and yang (creative, masculine, bright, active force) are descriptions of complementary opposites rather than absolutes.
In western culture, the dichotomy of good and evil is often taken as a paradigm for other dichotomies.

The Point
So coming to the point, we, all have the inner side searching for something (yin), the outer side trying to extract the maximum from the world (yangs). So we can call a truly creative person an Yin‘gi’, an real outward person, say some one like Richard Branson (virgin atlantic) as an Yangi. An Alexander would be categorized as a perfect Yangi and an Buddha an perfect Yingi. Sometimes we listen to our Yin's voice more and some times to our Yang's .
I remember an interesting story by OSHO about Alexander.
Alexander had heard about the cynical strange philosopher Diogenes who lived in a bathtub, with just a lantern as his possession on the city of Athens so he went to meet him. The story goes like this: Diogenes was sitting half naked on the bank of a river, never paying heed to Alexander who had come to see him. Alexander is angered, he tells him “Do you know who I am, I am Alexander the prince of Macedonia. “ Diogenes gives him a look with a sarcastic smile suggesting “So what ?”….. Alexander becomes even more angry and tells him with a sense of pride “ you will not laugh if you know what my ambition is ?, I want to conquer the world “. Now Diogenes bursts out laughing, He starts laughing like a mad man . Alexander asks Diogenes why he is laughing, But Diogenes keeps laughing even louder. Alexander has never been insulted by anyone like this before, Now Alexander feels he has had enough of this man, He begs him to tell him why he was laughing. Diogenes replies “ All my life I have been sitting with a lantern on the river front trying to conquer myself And I have failed all the time “ and here you are telling me that You would want to conquer the whole world. “ Alexander did not get the point and went ahead on his ambition only to end up being a loser.


Quote of the Day: When one sees Eternity in things that pass away and infinity in finite things then one has pure knowledge: The Bhagwad Gita