Buddhabrot

[Thomas Knierim]

A Buddhabrot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhabrot) is a special rendering of the familiar Mandelbrot set which resembles a sitting Buddha image. It is based on a variation of the iterative formula that generates the Mandelbrot set. I came across this beautiful rendering when I was searching WikiQuote today:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/Bbrot225x225x24.PNG

What struck me were the positions of the circular areas along the symmetry axis. They have an uncanny resemblance to the chakra model of the ancient Indian yoga school (see below). If you look carefully, you will find that all seven chakras are present. It is surprising, because the image is the result of an application of a mathematical set, rather than being painted by a human being.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3d/Chakras3.gif

Cheers, Thomas

[Taeguk]

Hi!

Thomas, those images (and the connections with the chakras, etc) are truly fascinating. Thanks! :)

As far as the number 7 goes...

7 days in the week (I think this goes back to Judaism? IamJoseph would know!)

7 Virtues (Christianity) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_virtues)

7 Wonders of the Ancient World (Greco-Roman world)

7 Heavens (Islamic Cosmology)

Any others? :)

[Michael]

7 is a deep number.

7 ages of man.

7 deadly sins.

7th son of a 7th son.

Dante's 7 circles of hell.

Egyptian, Osiris lead his father through the 7 halls of the underworld.

There are 4 phases of the moon in a cycle, and each phase lasts 7 days and the menstrual cycle is firmly linked to that of the moon.

In ancient Greece the letter Gamma was the symbol of life

The 7 candles of the Jewish Menorah symbolise creation.

3 is a symbol of the spiritual, 4 the material. Together they makes 7. 7 represents man.

Man is the 7 leaved plant.

And that is just a very quick overview.

In almost all belief systems 7 is rich in meaning and regarded as sacred. It is also a prime number.

[Michael]

Of course you're right, psych. Got carried away there. It's a long time since I picked up The Inferno. :)

And 9 is also highly interesting. The holographic number - any multiple of 9 gives you nine when reduced to a single number - 3 x 9 = 27, 2+7 = 9.