LIFE

A word [LIFE] having two meanings. Actual practice of Living and the abstract notion of it.

Actual practice of Living is existing there even without the one is aware of it. = I don’t think a smallest

life-form Virus has any awareness of that He (She ?) is existing as reproductive continuous life-form.

—– yet still that Life exists = no need to be aware.  (Without the awareness, all the necessary functions

are automatically carried out. )

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It seems, in any language a word representing Life,  seemed to contain always two aspects, hence in Hindu,

the word Zendaki also has two meanings. — Obviously, the meaning of actual Life came first and then

generalized abstracted meaning was invented later.

= It was the product of intelligence, or to say, it was a result of thinking.

To discover this abstract notion of Life, may seemed to be a victory of human intelligence which

opened the way to discover further truth in the human existence.  Abstract notion is the truth.

—– you may think as well.

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(I give you a bomb shell.)

Lord Buddha thought it, completely opposite.

That was why He denied the thinking.

All about the Buddhism teachings are to eliminate the thinking, and actually LIVE, in MUSHIN.

Living the LIFE without useless Thinking and to have the direct contact with the world in naked perception,

= We can have the contact with Dharma, —– not through Thinking.

= If any awareness of “ I’m doing” or “ I’m living” is there, it is not in Mindfulness nor in Mushin.

Even for sitting and meditating = it’s got to be in Mushin. (No-Mind, let alone thinking). So that,

Lord Buddha utterly ignored to answer to metaphysical questions.  Since, metaphysics are the products of

abstract thinking. = It is a delusion. = Buddhism doesn’t give a damn to it.

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Therefore, if anybody is believing that you can discover or able to reach supreme truth by

meditation is utterly wrong. —– You better stand up, and cut a lemon 😀

(You may get an answer for a pab quiz —– but it is nothing to do with Buddhism or Zen 😀 )

While Living in Mushin, as there is no Preconception imposed on the eyes, you can see what the Dharma is

showing to you. = You can see what the Dharma IS. —– This discovery is not a result of thinking but the

result of your clear eyes.  = You only see it while actually Living the LIFE !

What you saw and realized is the effect of [Direct Transmission]. (by-passing a thinking process)

This is the reason why Buddhism is using the actual Practice for its practice.

Because, through Practice, you can establish the channel to contact with Dharma.

The secret is, through Practice, the necessary mind-set was imprinted to the person’s

subconsciousness.  Without thinking, the Life would be controlled by the subconsciousness.

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So, the answer of the Buddhism is JUST LIVE. JUST DO IT = your subconscious knows better.

(When you just live = without useless Thinking, Ego or Greed = strangely you can find the best solution for

the Life, or even a help would suddenly appeared.

—– But, don’t expect it = expectation (greed) negates the virtue of the Dharma 😀 )

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Mindfulness again !

A word most frequently come-up on the Buddhism talking is the [Mindfulness]

= in another word it is a word and its notion is the most confusing and

misunderstood. (hence keep haunting the people 🙂 )

= Misunderstood from the tone of the word which force a person to think,

“I have to Mind to make it full” = trapped into such obsessed idea.

On contrary, Mindfulness is Just Doing the Subject away from any Thinking.

= Whole Mind and the Body was completely absorbed by the Subject.

It’s mean, even an awareness “I have to be in full of Mind” can not be there.

= You can not learn Mindfulness, but you have to learn the subject such as

Tea Making = after 10 years, when you can make a tea without any thinking,

almost automatic = this is THE  MINDFULNESS.  😀

( If a teacher says, “I can teach Mindfulness”, he (she) is a sham )

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Some time before, I’ve described the situation of Buddhism teaching with a metaphor,

“ The teacher who supposed to teach dancing, teach the step, hand movements etc,

without music, without knowing what the dance is”. = Almost like the blinds

touching an elephant and try to explain what the Elephant is. 🙂

Therefore, the unknown part, or the part what Zen teacher couldn’t clarify was left as a myth

of spirituality, and the structural explanation, such as the relation between the notion of

Self, Mindfulness, Mushin, Enlightenment and Nirvana were completely missing.

—– on top of this, sect to sect, they give their own wording, making the situation even worse.

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Contrarily to the popular MISconception, the Buddhism is one of the most

simple religion, or it may not even be a religion at all = just a way to live in a

particular MIND. ( AND, this particular mind is nothing special neither

= Mind of AS YOU ARE. 🙂 )

There are no special name of Divine figure to remember, there is no obligation to chant special

mantra, even no obligation to do something. —– But Just live your LIFE.

Only a confusing or difficult part is, to see this MIND. Or, to see WHO YOU ARE.

Yet, strangely, YOU are nobody else of YOU, hence your Mind is nothing else of YOUR MIND.

—– (That’s why, this is so difficult and so easy ! 😀 😀

And that’s why the scripture says, “ It is there as not there” 😀 😀 )

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To live Your Life as Your Own Life with 100% commitment is the Mindfulness.

In the moment, when me to curve wooden Spoon, I had to concentrate and completely being

“A Man Who curve the wood” = this is the Mindfulness on its MOMENT.

To be in the Mindfulness, there is no another mind to observe such mind.

= Because, JUST DOING IT is what 100% commitment meant.

To curve the wood, hand and the chisel is fused together which follows the grain of the wood

automatically. = this is the [Ichijo] and as there is nothing else but the action of curving

= no another thinking is there. = this is [Mushin]. As the wood is being curved, its shape

is keep changing and no-return. = this is what [LIVE in MOMENT] mean.

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As I wrote before the original word to describe Mindfulness in the Buddhism scripture

(in Pali) is Sati, and Chinese used a letter [念] Nien or Nen in Japanese for this translation.

This letter meant a sort of mind, deepest in the human psyche which form the base of the mind.

And I found in Japanese a word [覚悟] Kakugo seems to be the best suited to represent the

meaning.   This word can be used to describe a determination in the deepest psyche

in the subconscious level.

Hence the meaning is, a kind of mind to BE as {something / somebody} hence, if it

is YOU, a firm commitment to be YOU, or even an absolute commitment to curve a wood.

(No one can have any another mind while using sharp tool, otherwise end-up cutting fingers 😀 )

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So that, when we were absorbed in a subject, it’s a moment of Mindfulness. = so deeply absorbed,

as even an awareness which observing “ I’m doing this” is not there, = is Mindfulness

= Mindfulness has to be in Mushin ! —– In fact, it is so easy JUST DO IT.

—– ( Whether to be absorbed in such subject is fit to be IN YOUR LIFE or not. = This is a matter

related to one’s Karma. = Who you are ?   And I’ll talk about it in the another post. )

___/\___

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Poppy = Impressionist’s photography / W-Pinhole Photo

As it is in the season, I’m seeing number of interesting photos of the Poppy in the Net.

One Photo-blogger Lemony showed her Poppy photo (link here) taken while intentionally

shaking the camera and created blurred image which I dubbed “Impressionist’s Photography”

and I promised her I’ll show my “Impressionist’s Photo” —– hence, here they are.

Isn’t this Impressionist, is this ?    Ha ha ha,    🙂

Those photos were taken by the Pinhole camera (Canon 5D Mk2)  but in this time it was by

two Pinholes of which the panel was fitted on front of the extension ring, therefore the

effective focal length was 84 mm.

With Two Pinholes, it produces off-positioned two images = similar to double exposure image,

or there used be a Double Image filter which used shallow prism = but such image can be made

by Photoshop much easily now. —– Still, I like those images, if the paintings of Impressionists

are still the painting, a photo of pinhole is still the photograph. (Why not ? )   😀

(What so ever, the best of all, two pinholes can make twice as many flowers instant.  😀  )

This photo was taken from the same position, but the Light Balance was set to Tungsten Light,

hence the color balance has shifted to blue. — (then,  contrast was increased and cropped)

= the image became even more like an Impressionist’s or an abstract painting.

This is an ordinary straight shot = as for a reference image. (Lens was Canon 70-200 F2.8 = set to

about 85 mm, and set to F4. —– ( This image looks like a Japanese Yamato-e Paintings.)

With the light balance set to Tungsten Light, it made the pale colored image more like a

Chinese panel painting.

Then, the same Poppies’ were taken by W-Pinhole. (not only the effect of the Pinhole, but

the wind shaken the flowers and made the image even more impressionistic  😀  )

(Under the wind, no flower stand still for 10 seconds, especially delicate Poppies )

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It seemed like the same situation, when people was bored by the too clean digital sound, they

started to go back Veiner or even Valve sound = when too clear sharp photo became too

ubiquitous, and easy to achieve, some went back to  B/W  Film Photography, some are even

trying to make their own print paper applying photo sensitive emulsion onto own material to

create textured fuzzy image (strangely, often fuzzy image seemed to have more connotations)

= there could be hundreds of the way to do photography.   (—– not only Pinhole   😀  )

This is the 84 mm W-Pinhole “lens” (?  😀 ) I’ve used.   Panel was a thin aluminum of a beer can

mounted on front of an extension ring.    Photo right is, with its “lens”  hood ! —– without lens,

it’s still need to have a Hood = you believe or not.  (Normally, a lens hood is to prevent a direct

sun hitting the lens = eliminates a ghost and halo.   Yet,  Pinhole without lens still needs to reduce

the light from the sky etc, which creates halo by scattering inside with diffraction. = Most of 

Pinhole Photographer doesn’t know this, as they think,  even the unnecessary halo is still the

character of the Pinhole photo  🙂  )  = Here,  seeing is believing.

Photo left is without Hood and the right, with hood = the difference is clear.    🙂

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Film Premier Show in Secret

A big film was shown as its Premier.   And it was performed in its iconic set-up.

So that, it is hard to say is this a film event or an art event ?  —- what so ever  it’s

an event to have very interesting, fun-full evening.  😀

————————————– (photo = simulation of the space craft landing)

As I’ve been asked to give technical advices and to assist with my electronical expertise,

and to show my art piece — strangely,  I was restricted by their Confidentiality Clause, hence

I can’t disclose the name of the film. (They says, Don’t tell to others until the event finished ! )

—– still you can get the ticket  from their web-site which I can’t  give its name neither  😀

Secrecy seems to be their secret of the success,  hence thousands of the guests are keep coming.

(Contradictorily,  they hand-out a printed program with excerpt from the Guardian News paper)

Now, month long show was ended, we are free to disclose the details and I can put more photos.

The Film was [Prometheuse] and the show was organised by [Secret Cinema] (link here).

The event was held in a secret location, still it is a conspicuous most event full event

= suddenly somebody got mad and the securities had to strain him ( according to the story

of the film = lots of happening etc. etc = to make a fun and unexpected experiences)  🙂

Go into a certain area, participants were given protective garment and taken to

the dark under world.  (This photo is for a lady who wanted to have it to copy and save  🙂 )

Then, discover such as an impressive installation of projected water vortex (video image was

created by  Doug Foster ), reflected on the water in a dark space, accompanied by the good sound

effects.  = Atmosphere is mesmerizing !   It was designed by my friend Francesco Pastori.  

(I’ve worked with Francesco in many projects together).

In the dark, luminous lines glow,  and with a head-light of a guide, you may find the confusing

multiple reflections. (Created by  Das Patterson)

Luminous tape in the dark was photographed, while camera was hand-held 5 second !

Or, go through spooky passages to discover yet more strange installations, inspired by the

concept of the film.  (Some are gone a bit too far from the story though, it’s not a problem  😉 )

Sound interactive LED lighting.

Or, Hydroponic agriculture system supposed provide the vegetables on the long voyage   😉

( Around here, Science lab’, Museum etc was produced and directed by Luke Harcourt )

And this is my Life Bottle, —– the Tissue culture to grow the life.  😀

(It is in the Science Lab —– don’t miss it, if you visit there  😀 )

When you are tired, the bay for an Hyper-Sleep was provided though, I haven’t tested whether

the sleep was automatically induced or not.  (or you can play Basket Ball instead )  🙂

To have a drink or two, many Bar or Restaurants are there.

A restaurant with live Piano (sound nice), or hundreds of real Lily flowers with its real smell  😉

Some Restaurants looks rather posh —– the guests may need to buy VIP tickets — ?

( As a poor Zennist, I have no idea how much the cost of VIP tickets are.  😀  )

Suddenly all the participants were assembled in a big room and the instruction was given.

The characters from the film were waking around etc. etc —– .  🙂

Then the clouds were lead to the another space to see the film in 3D !

( Though, as I said above, I can’t give the details of the  film = it was an impressive film   😀 )

( Now you know the Film though, it too late to go) 😉

It is amazing to see the good grown-ups having such unusual funs and enjoy the good time !

( To join them, you have to find more Info’ by yourself —- Guardian may have wrote about )

The event continues month long  = it’s mean I have to go-up there, time to time to change

the water in my bottle  😀 —– (By the way, I’m not payed ) = It was just for a FUN !

To have my own fun, I didn’t need to pay for them neither ! = it’s a secret to have a  smooth

uncomplicated life = Just respond to the situation without too much thinking or greed = this

is the way of the Zen Life, in its full of action.  🙂

When you live, there is no need to have an excuse or any justification = Just live as you have

happened to be in this world.   You didn’t chose. Still, you need to follow ! — What happened

was the situation given = You only got to do what you can do in your best = Hence no regret.  🙂

Cheers.

PS :  To the artists who’s work has been photographed here, can copy and use it free, if the one wish to do so.

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MEMS Microphne

I guess, the most of the readers may not understand what

this title means.  —– yet most of the people are using it

only without knowing = it is a microphone inside of

Mob-phone or Smart-phone.

= If you ever disassemble or happened to see inside of a broken

phone might have noticed a component which got a hole, right

behind of a hole on the phone’s outer shell. ——————————————- (Photo  Knowle’s MEMS Microphone )

—– In the past 10 years, the microphone has changed their round shape into square and the

principle how it works has completely changed.

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When I was in my junior school, I was a member of the Radio Club and we were in charge with the preparation

for a morning assembly or any event which use the PA system, and the control of the PA system as well.

(and often to repair them as long as we, together with the supervising teacher can manage )

Among the old disused equipment, I have seen Carbon Microphone and many

Crystal Microphones.  But the main Microphone on that time was the Dynamic Microphone.  

Then the teacher showed us latest procurement of Ribbon Microphone which can produce

much better sound quality.

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The granules of Carbon changes its conductivity under the pressure = hence put them

under a vibrating membrane can work as a microphone which needs no amplification hence

it is a cheapest kind in an audio system. ( Connect a carbon mic directory to a battery and a

magnetic head-phone in series and make a loop = it makes an audio communication system !

—– though, sound quality is not good at all, yet there wasn’t

anything else but Carbon-Mic even in a recording industry then.

—– The carbon granules absorb moisture, and a singer blows her breath to the mic, a recorded sound

deteriorates with its use !   So that, the top singer wanted to have a morning session, not in the afternoon 😀

(It’s from “History of Recording” kind of a book I read long time ago )

Carbon-Mic has been used in the Telephone system well into 60^th and I bought some of them in a second-hand

market (to see the inside and experiment with them 😀 )

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If you are a musician or dealing with sound systems must be familiar with Dynamic Microphone.

They are technically the same as an ordinary Speaker. = a coil was attached to a vibrating membrane or

speaker corn. —– the coil is placed between the magnet, so that, if it moves, with Electro-magnetic effect

= the changing electric signal will be created = this is a microphone.

But when electric signal was applied to the coil, it will be either attracted or repelled from the magnet hence

moves the corn according to the signal = this is a speaker.

—– So that, in my secondary school, once I connected the cables which goes to a speaker of a room of which

the teachers meeting was held, to a Microphone input and able to over-heard all the conversation.

( I didn’t disclose what I’ve heard and this is the first time me to revile the story 😀 )

(There is the matters in Impedance matching etc, but it worked and most of the case it works 😀 )

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In the old days, there was a Condenser Microphone in a Mob-phone. —– in any small devices, the Mic was

almost all ways a Condenser-Mic (commonly called Electoret Mic)  = Condenser Microphone was made of

a metal coated thin plastic film and the insulated metal base.   Two conductive plates facing each other having

an electric charge between them hence it was called Condenser. —– This electric charge changes if the

membrane vibrates with a sound, and this changing charge was amplified and used as a sound signal.

They are simple and small hence cheap therefore they were used everywhere despite of the sound quality is

not necessary good.

But since 2002 it was replaced by the MEMS Microphone made by Knowls (Google please)

( I saw a news, that their sale of Microphone reached to the 300 millions, since 2002. = Oh, Gosh ! )

= microscopic whisker suspended above base conductor, vibrates with sound wave, and this vibration was

converted into the electronic signal.  The cavity inside of Microphone should be designed to resonates with

the sound hence it works as a microphone.  If its whisker was made sensitive to magnetism, MEMS act as

a Compass, or when it detects the gravity it tells whether the device is upright or horizontal, like iPad does.

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Once the basic technology was established, MEMS devices infiltrated everywhere in the past 10 years or so.

Microscopic moving part was made by electro-etching (chemically dissolve and removes the material and

make a metal parts in a wanted shape ) or even carved by a Laser beam.

And the minute movement of this part (whisker) hence its change of the capacitive charge was detected and

converted into an electronic signal.

—– Can you imagine, in a so-called Motion Sensor such as in a Wii controller, microscopic whisker moves

with the movements and its movement was converted into an electronic signal to control the game.

Microns long whisker which was made of,  may be few thousands of atoms lined up, would be bent with its

flexibility, hence the electronic charge may change accordingly, and this change would be amplified,

—– but amplified to how many million times without noise. —– as they are commonly used everywhere

now, it mast be just reliable or even better than old technology though, still it is incredible to me.

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So, having an old rusted brain, I rather indulge an old memory, when I saw a small light bulb

connected straight to a Telephone’s Carbon-Microphone and battery, changed its brightness

when I pressed the center of the Microphone.  = It was a delightful amazing moment for a child !

How sweet and peaceful, in our old days were 😀 😀

___/\___

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Eating Bracken — Really ?

Eating raw fish such as in Sushi or Sashimi is now widely accepted

in the west. (And pretty well appreciated)

But they are only a tip of the iceberg in the “wired” Japanese menu.

A notorious fermented soya-bean = Nattou (納豆) might already been known to many

Japanese food connoisseur though, it is still not appreciated or in fact utterly rejected

by most of the westerners who feel it just rotten. 😀

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Fermentation in the food making process is a tricky business, hence its subtle technique is

unique to each culture and the products may only be consumed by the people in its culture.

One of the Japanese delicacy [Shio-kara / 塩辛] was made out of Squid or Fish-guts with

salt, kept in a jar long time, and made them decomposed and melt.  For some Japanese,

it is a mouth watering delicacy. (But may not be for your mouth 🙂 ) —– so, I thought,

this kind of cooking is unique only to Japanese though, I learned from Italian chef, they

make very special delicacy = keep the chopped rabbit meat in a sealed jar long time to

make them ferment and melt = it is the same idea.

And in Iceland, people makes very unique delicacy out of Shark meat, by keeping it long

time and made it half rotten. (then eat its ammonium smelled meat,

sound very yummy isn’t it :-D)

So, Japanese to accept [Rotten Milk products] such as Cheese, took long time

as its funny smell is nothing but a prohibitingly dirty smell to us.

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When bacteria decomposed the protein, generally we call its effect“Rotten”

though, if people find it is still useful, it was called “Fermentation” 😀

Strangely, our Taste-bud feel, somewhat decomposed protein (a kind of Amino-acid) tasty.

So that, a Soy-source was made out of decomposed (fermented) soy-bean protein.

And a Vietnamese Yokumani-source was a decomposed fish protein.

Even a beef has to be kept, about one month in a storage for its meat start to decompose

and become tender by the bacteria and its own enzyme.

And to make a good Palma-ham needs to have very delicate fermentation process = if it’s

gone too far, the meat is “rotten” and start to give a bad smell.

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But here I’m not showing fermented food, but just boiled Bracken. Yes, ubiquitous Bracken.

In the west, Bracken was classified to be a poisonous plant, but in Japan

everybody eat Bracken (Warabi / 蕨 ).

It may contain something = may be same extent of Spinach containing Oxalic Acid which

cause ulcer in the corner of the mouth if you eat a lot. ( Popeye must had one 😀 )

Unlike Spinach, eat 10 stems of Bracken once or twice a year wouldn’t cause any trouble.

As a matter of fact, non of the plant in the Fern family include Bracken has been used for

Herbal Medicine as they don’t have any potent chemical = despite of them on the Earth

hundreds of millions of years, they haven’t evolved to have even a flower, let alone a poison.

In the mountain shelter where I was a voluntary keeper, we collected 5 bin (80 cm tall) full

of Bracken to pickle in salt water, and served it to the guests all through the summer.

Naturally I eat as much amount everyday.  And a pickled Bracken was commonly sold at

shops as a local delicacy. —– In a kind of wisdom, traditionally it was boiled in ash water

though, I found it doesn’t need to be bothered.   (And I’m still here, live and kicking  😀 )

(A bitter tasted chemical seemed to be dissolved into brine or boiling water, and disappear)

Of cause, it has to be soft young shoot = the timing to get it would be crucial.

(This year, it came 2 weeks late though, colder region or mountain side may be even later)

Strangely, when I went to a park  (I wouldn’t say where, because in the strict term it might

be illegal = I never heard any English Nettle-Picker was ever prosecuted though,

I saw a news, Japanese was fined for picking Bracken = Racial matter ? )  where

I collect them every year,   I found somebody had already there. —– M m m ? ? ?

Did any Japanese come here ?   Or any English people started to eat them ?

To eat boiled  (5~7 Min’) Bracken, it has to be only with small amount of

Soy-source and Bonito fish shavings (Katsuo-bushi) to appreciate its

unique taste. (I think, they can be eaten just with Soy-source or even

with Mayonnaise but its taste might be too strong to settle with Bracken ) 

If you are interested in, you can try.

And enjoy natural taste of early summer. 🙂

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Green — Photos from Park

In japan this plant was called  Naruko-Yuri.  Naruko is a line of small wooden pieces hanged

from a long rope, similar to the Bamboo Bells, brown by the wind and hitting each other to

make noises.   The rope could be stretched across the rice-field to frighten off the birds.

Over a pond in the park, huge Willow tree has new leaves which is making messy reflection.

To look into the reflection —– in fact, often we are looking deep into our own mind.

The photo left was said to be a cousin of Asparagus hence their young shoot is edible, are they ?

And the center is a Goliath’s Stick (I’ve picked up this name long time ago though, it may be wrong.

Proper name is  Aralia Elata and in Japan we call them  Tara no Ki).  Their young shoots are

highly praised spring delicacy in Japan = (Ki no Me / Tara no Me).  In my theory, the Plants which

got a lots of thorns are normally edible.  In the same Aralia family, Udo is also edible but got thorn 

as well —- (otherwise plants need to have a poison for their own protection).  

The photo right is meant to be an answer to Ms Bente Haarstad (Link here) who showed

the Norwegian Nettle in her photo blog.  This is the English Nettle, hence they got the same

square stem and the stings, but it looks quite different from theirs. (not know the taste 🙂 )

———- So, the park can accommodate all walk of the life. 

———- Don’t think too much. Just enjoy the sun on this moment. 

(Since we didn’t have enough of it, on wet April  🙂 )

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Pink — Photos from Park

The Rhododendron’s Stamens showed holes to spread pollens. 

In a distance, I thought they are the Orchid, though they seems like a kind of Caw Slip.

I have no idea of their name.  

But, her Stamen and Pistile looks very different from other Primulaceae.  You may know better.  😉

I know the Japanese name  Nobotan  but not English name.  In fact I don’t care.  😀

A garden variety of  Pink (or pale violet ?)  Forget-me-Not.  (I rather like to forget  😀 )

I’m familiar with this flower over 35 years, but never bothered to find the English name.

Japanese name is  [Gen-no Shyoko] = it’s mean “The proof of a Devin Power” since

this plant has powerful medicinal property to cure a stomach pain.

—– When a romantic German Novels was translated into Japanese, the translator

realized that the tone of this name would destroy a sweet mood of ” young boy gave

a small flower to his sweet heart”,  translator intentionally changed it to

Rhododendron = and completely destroyed the meaning.  😀

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Yellow — Photos from Park

Probably the most common spring flower, Butter Cup.  ( Poisonus, Ranunculas Family)

I’m not sure whether they got honey — anyhow, the insect (here winged Aphis) would come

= So, a green Spider is hiding and awaits them to come.

I thought, this Wasp came to Honey though, I found,  it was not Honey but after a Spider !

Inside of a pretty flower, there quite a bloody battle was going on. 

M m m ?   No comment needed.

End of the day, way back home — He would be a star player and she might become a top model ?  

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Estranged Buddhism = Pretense of Zen

Some days ago I encountered a man claim to be a Zenist who happened to

have read my blog, [Spoon] post and he asked me what the Spoon is to do

anything with the Zen Buddhism ?

I explained my thought behind of [Spoon] and asked him what is he doing

in Zen Buddhism. 

He said, “ I’m DOING Zen, as I am sitting and meditating everyday”. 

Though, anything beyond this he evaded the question pretending he knows everything

better than me, but it is unexplainable since, the ultimate truth can not be expressed

in the words.

So I asked again, what is his meditation for, is it to see the Dharma and

its Panya Paramita ?  He said “ I’m seeing the emptiness”

And said “ Zenist doesn’t debate” then he became silent.

—– M m m, sound familiar, = not in Zen but in Taoism.

Word to word, it is from the Taoist book, Tao te Ching (道徳経).

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Like the idea of Soto Zen such as [Not express in the words] (不立文字) hence

[Direct transmission of mind to mind] (以心伝心) are all came from Chinese Taoism.

(Hence, to justify this story, famous [Flower summon] = [ Pick a Flower and Smile

Mantra] (捻華微笑経) was written in China.)

Even without the verbal explanation, while living in a Temple, a novice

can learn the Buddhism Teachings in the practice of the dairy life by way

of  [Doing the same everyday] (hence able to learn Mushin).

Though, the trouble was, how to introduce Zen Buddhism to the west.

It is impossible to teach it in one or two demonstrations. = Still it had to be explained,

or written down in an instruction book, which was not in their tradition, not mention

the monk was not necessary good for how to explain it in English.

So that, the explanation of Zen was conveniently borrowed from the

existing translation of the Tao te Ching book.

= Hence, the Zen in the west adopted a Myth in the Taoism.

And pretending to be a Sage, dwelling in the Mythical Truth, became a

stereotype of a Zen Buddhist.  Enigma became their sales point  😀

(But, while believing that the sitting is DOING the ZEN. —– hasn’t they ever

wondered,  why Tea Making or Sword Mastery is Zen too ? —– No wonder,

Spoon carving is too remote for them 😀 )

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Lord Buddha didn’t give a damn to such Myth (Metaphysics) at all.

When asked about those Metaphysical question, he didn’t even bothered

to answer.  = All about the matters to the life is, to live a real life, not to dwell in a

pretense in fancy idea.  Yes, the truth could be empty = so what ?

= Does it mean “Can we live in a vacuum ?” —– Joking, we are still in the same

Samsara and still need to live mundane dairy life = nothing noble or fancy

= any fixed fancy idea or pretense is just a delusion.

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Wu (or Mu in Japanese =無 ), Wu-i (or Mu-i =無為 ) in Taoism is literally Nothing

and Do nothing intentionally.  But Void or Emptiness in Buddhism is the matters in

our perception = uncertainty of our Mind and the Self.  And even though Dharma

is the physical reality, it is constantly changing

= Nothing is certain in both way (See and be seen), hence it can only be

clearly seen by the Eyes of No-eyes, Mind of No-mind. (Mind without

any Preconception or Thinking) = VOID in Buddhism is the metaphor

of this EMPTY MIND.   Hence, live in Mushin is the answer.

Before Zen, Buddhism has to be understood first.  And never mixed up with Taoism.

(Zen is a mere Practice to get MUSHIN = instead to get Mushin, but end up in a

Metaphysics of Taoism is nothing but a waste of time and the LIFE.

= Carving a Spoon is much more fun, than pretending noble EMPTY face

 and do nothing.  😀 )

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