Wash Grapes
Grape is one of the most ancient fruits recorded in the human history
though, as it is the cousin of Ivy, I guess, in the ancient time its
fruits must be as small as Ivy’s berry. (about 1/4″ — 6 mm big ?)
Any how, the matter here is not a big (or small) issue at all = the way to serve.
—– In my bad boy’s habit, there is nothing but a pleasure to steal a fruits.
(Fortunately or unfortunately I didn’t grown up to acquire the pleasure to
steal a woman. 😀 —– before read such menu available
I’ve become a monk (?) —– how shame, what a boring life isn’t it ! )
[]
To pick and eat a fruit in the (Somebody else’s) garden, I wouldn’t be bothered
to wash it while presuming that the dirt has been washed away by the rain, and
no human hand ever touched it anyway.
Though, when I bought it from a shop, I suspect it has been handled rather
dusty condition hence they are not clean. —– So, how to wash it ?
Long before, I was washing the bunch of grapes under a jet of water then later
changed to wash each individual fruits —– I mean one by one, since when
I noticed some time, some of them were covered with quite stubborn film of dirt.
( Remember, we eat grapes with its skin ! —– Japanese grapes can be skinned ! )
And these days, I separate each fruit from a bunch and wash them in a plastic
bawl under the running water while make them well rubbing each other.
[]
Considering the amount of dust we are inhaling and eating, which may consists
sand or dried soil, even dried dog shit etc etc, without knowing, some dirt on
the occasional grapes wouldn’t make any concern. —– So, is this a matter of
principal or most likely the personality ? —– A kind of contemplation such as
“Resisting the dirt would be useless” may have an effect still, the sense of
cleanliness came from one’s up-bringing, and IS the one’s second nature.
[]
So, as a practice, how about the point of so-called “Mindfulness” or “Middle way”
= how can we be “single-minded” and in the same time “be tolerant”.
(Is it a funny question ? )
If you think this is a funny question, your understanding of Buddhism was wrong.
Wrong in the “Thinking” of both “Mindfulness” and the ” Middle way”.
[]
We don’t need to think about how to wash or how to eat grapes. We should just Do.
= Wash or not wash what so ever you Do, IS a reflection of WHO YOU ARE. As you
are born to be under the own Karma, to follow it, is the most natural way to live.
And to be natural, need no thinking = just to be the own.
No thinking or no conscious mean no Self is there. And no Self, no conscious mean
no intentional thinking NOR being not natural, hence no over doing = Middle way.
Without the Self, still able to do what necessary to Do, IS the Mindful way.
In fact, all the teachings of Buddhism are [ To be done without conscious ].
= Live without a conscious of Self IS Selfless. Do without thinking IS Mushin.
When you Do the thing, there are no other things in the mind IS Mindfulness.
And when you Do, no intentional thinking is there, therefore
Do only naturally you need to Do, IS Middle way.
If you are Doing something special to be a Buddhist, IS not Buddhism.
[ Buddhism is Do nothing special, Think nothing as Thinking.
This IS why, Buddhism mean the VOID. —– And this was what
Lord Buddha taught though, it was not fully understood by even
the author of scripture. ]
___/\___
[]
-^-
___/\___
Hi Yoshizen. Some dirt is probably good to our immune system, since children from farms get less allergy than city children. But of course I wash my grapes. With more or less hot water for an instant, because I think this is more effective than cold water to remove residue of chemicals on the fruit, and dirt. What is inside can’t be washed away. Didn’t do much filosophy about this otherwise, and yea, had had my share of the forbidden fruits from other peoples garden in my childhood.
Very good thought Bente.
I think, to distinguish “which fruits tree” lead me to learn
about plant = Fruits of the Wisdom ! 🙂