ding!

“When a bell rings, is it the bell we hear, the air, the sound at our ears, or is it the brain that rings? It is all of these things. As the Taoists say, ‘The between is ringing.’”

I think a natural reaction to this statement might be to throw some science at it, to contain and quantify and define by saying that the physical waves of the sound vibration are translated into sensory information, etc etc. But I think it's important to take into account the context and purpose of the thought; that is, as a paradox (how can one thing be all of those things at once?) it points beyond itself. And so, a purpose of it is to give us an opportunity to go beyond the boundaries of our normal understanding, beyond where we comfortably (complacently) and reflexively (unthinkingly and unfeelingly) act.

Tangentially connected, a quote from the same text, at Trinity

interesting image-
"Preferring death over surrender, every man, woman and child leapt from the castle walls to the raging river below. The torches they carried traced their paths in the sky, resembling a night of falling stars."

I want one in my backyard, so I can say, hey, let's go check out my pingo (ker-wink)