Passiveness – Active Conviction – KARMA
While talking with a person I met only second time and discussing about his project
which I may give a help. —–
non
“I just giving you a help since I think there was a Karma behind of this encounter.
No other reason”
( The reason why I needed to say this, is because of a lot of cases people mistook “ There must be a hidden
intention” —– Don’t make me laugh. Dubious relation would bring much more risqué )
It’s mean it is just a passive reaction = If it was in the Karma, it is the absolute = no choice.
Eventhough, giving a help, sometime having quite a complicated heavy task = the work
required serious concentration = so-called Mindfulness —– it needs to have quite heavy
commitment = active involvement )
non
It is obvious, even if it started seemingly by chance = passive, it end-up with quite active involvement.
—– This is the inherent paradox in Zen Buddhism.
You are born to this world without your consent or choice at all. Absolutely non. This is the Karma.
So that you are absolutely passive and no escape.
Yet still, once you are up on the ring = You got to fight with your full force.
This is the FUNDAMENTAL NATURE of the LIFE.
Buddha did simply pointed out this fact.
non
Buddhism is not his invention. It is the TRUTH which is always there though, we simply don’t want to
face straight. That’s all.
When Buddha saw this Truth straight, he noticed that knowingly live with this Truth, the Life
would be much lighter as it doesn’t carry heavy burden of ignorant expectation or delusion.
Four Noble Truth in the Buddhism Teachings which was taught since his earliest teaching is,
all about this Truth.
Then Buddha taught further into the mechanism of how Karma and the Dharma works.
non
Strange myth of the Buddhist is that they are peaceful people hence, passive and soft touch.
It is wrong. If the life is just for passiveness, there couldn’t be any achievement = just random
momentary this and that.
Karma comes not by chance —– it shows direction, that is why it is Karma.
You got to embrace the Karma in its full extent. ( But without the ego which was emanated from inside
of yourself —– Karma comes somewhere else, Ego boreout of yourself )
non
If the universe is only following The Law of Entropy, everything (in fact even a thing couldn’t be existed in
the first place ) was just dispersed and only the space of nothing has expanded.
But there was the Gravity ( don’t ask me where it came from —– even a top scientist doesn’t know) which
configured the energy into the matter, then more and more matters created the particle, and more particles
into as the atom, then even larger heavier atoms —–> and so on.
The direction of creation created the Lifeforms on the end.
This system of the Rules is the Dharma.
To create something, it needs to DO.
non
When you DO, you got to do —– otherwise nothing would happen, nothing would be achieved.
It got to be highly active process.
Be an active Buddhist. Don’t be just sitting there 😀
___/\___
—
Tiny LIFE
( What I casually called Mayfly here was in fact Green lacewing / Chrisopidae )
Some days ago, short floss like thing standing on the edge of the book, caught my eyes ? ? ?
At second glance, I realized, it was an egg of the Mayfly. Then I remembered a
Mayfly was flapping around the table lamp a night or two before. = so, she laid an egg ! ?
While looking around —– I found four more those eggs
here and there. —– And I found a dead Mayfly too.
—– M m m m # ? # ?. What a hell ! What should I do ? ? ?
non
I don’t like it. Absolutely not welcome at all.
Even if those eggs hatched, there is no food for its larvae
—– simply I can’t take care of them.
—– and if I pick and throw them out, the eggs will be
eaten by other small creepy crawlies.
—– In any choice, those small life would be doomed —– isn’t there any alternative ? ? ?
non
So that I decided to take picture of them = at least, Mayfly could contribute something to
the world —– ( really ? —– for what extent ? ) —– Don’t ask me, it’s a sheer excuse.
But, to take picture of such minute subject is not easy. As my macro photo system has been
disappeared somewhere I decided to make it using cheap Chinese Micro-scope Lens.
( Using wide-angle lens with reverse adopter could make large magnification though its big
shoulder prevent to access small corner to take picture of this kind of fixed object )
So, I wound a wire around the screw mount of the microscope lens (and partly soldered / Photo above left )
then glued this ring on top of a splay can which happen to have suitable diameter ( Photo, middle ) and
put LED focus light —– here the Macro Photo Adopter for Canon EOS.
( can was mounted on a Canon body cap —– with a cut-out hole in the middle, of cause 🙂 )
What a hustle you might say. Yes it was a hustle in deed. To holding a wire ring in the dead centre
of a mouth of can while keeping it exactly parallel (well, sort of 🙂 ) and filling the 2.3 mm gap around
of it, using Araldite glue etc. etc, a lots of work.
non
But don’t forget the life of a small Mayfly —– she unfortunately end-up her life in this room though,
at least she did her best, surviving few days without drinking any water (may be — I know not) and
laid the eggs which was her duty in her life.
At least, I have to respond to the encounter with this life —– it is the duty to be a Buddhist.
Squeezing the brain and find the way to solve the technical difficulties and achieve ( at least in the
acceptable standard 🙂 ) the necessary objective —– is the Zen ( in action ).
This is what I’ve been saying “ Do It “ not wasting the time thinking.
—– Um m, the result seems not too bad. ( I think —– for an almost cost nothing hand-made device 😀 )
( Quality of the images is not as good as Zeiss apo-chromat lens I used to use, but think about the price 😀 )
___/\___
PS : The stem or egg supporting rod (?) is nothing but a wonder of the nature. How the secluded liquid
—– can instantly harden and able to hold the egg on top. —– If anybody know the scientific research of
—– this, please let me know. (Incidentally, the rainbow color on top photo was created by the optical
—– diffraction of the transparent membrane of the wing. —– it’s mean, the thickness of this film is as thin
—– as a wave length of the light ! — isn’t this incredible ? Man’s technology is still behind of the nature )
PPS ; After many years of having had their visit here, this year I came to the resolution, how to deal with
—— them. = When ever I saw them flying under the light, catch them and throw them out of window.
—— Watching them fly or take rest on somewhere —– might be amazing or interesting and giving a water
—— or piece of fruits etc. may seems to be an act of friendship or what so ever. IT IS our arrogance
—— and on the end, it would do nothing good to them. They don’t belong to this room and there is no
—— prospect for them to have their fruitful life here. Throw them out where they belong = NATURE.
—— It is the most kind and friendly things we can do to them.
It is often the case, without giving a help and leave a person in their own device could be
the most kind things to do to the person’s life.
—
Chrysanthemum and Sword
While ago I came across two peculiar quotations both from the same book
“ The Chrysanthemum and the Sword” written by an American Anthropologist Ruth Benedict.
One was made by the ousted Japanese PM Kan saying [Culture of Shame] out of the book.
Other was, in reference to my description somewhere [keep one’s place and to do the job which was given]
—- one of my friend asked me “Is that the same, what Ruth Benedict said in her book ?”
non
—– What made me surprise was that this book is not yet dead and still read by the people 🙂
It seems this book is still a distinctive reference when people try to learn the Japanese culture though, shame,
it was hastily written on her misunderstanding of the culture and people’s psychology.
non
As Ruth Benedict’s coined notion of [Japanese Culture of Shame] against [Western Culture of Sin]
are both based on her miss-observations of both cultures —–
* If her observations had even a shred of truth, the fact such as [ 90% of the lost money totalling
£23 millions, found in the disaster zone of Japan, has returned to the rightful owner ] ! ! !
could ever happened. While nobody was watching, why they bothered to take the money to the police ?
And why no police man put the money into his pocket, even in the time of utter chaos ?
* And, there were so many excuse or justification of the Riot and the Looting happened in
this country, expressed even in the comments to my Blog. Why ? ??
non
The notion of the [Shame] in the Japanese culture is not against other’s eyes but to
the Eyes of the Heaven —– therefore, no escape or excuse.
And this feeling has been so deeply sublimated, even Japanese themselves doesn’t know Why = it is almost
a chemical effect, like a feeling of loathe a filth. —– (This is the Ethos originated from the ancient Shinto )
non
In the western culture, the Right or Wrong = Morality is based on the Commandment written and
given by their Judea Christian God —– therefore, how to read it (and how to interpret ) is
depend on the case.
As the God was designed like as a person, he use the same language and may answer you and
the matter may be negotiable with a sacrificed offering.
So that, with an excuse there is no absolute Morality. Wrong may be easily changed to Right.
Worse still, when the influence of the religion evaporated, there is no basis of Morality left.
—– yet still, Ruth Benedict thought that the western Morality is absolute and Japanese one is relative 😀
( In the same shoddy eyes, she couldn’t see the fundamental pattern of the Japanese Ethos is the Zen —– but
she mistook it as the Confucianism)
—
Why TALK, Why Blog ?
It is the most fundamental contradiction in Zen Blog. Which I’m well aware.
Zen is after all, [in practice] how to live. Not a system of thinking or idea. Nor dubious magic at all.
Therefore, if any notion or thinking of even an idea of spirituality or any religious notion is there, it is
not the Zen but mere pretence.
In Zen, because of no preconceived idea or thinking is there (or no longer there) it is described as Mushin
and having the eyes to see the subjects without preconception, it is fully opened clear eyes by which
the one can see the object as it is, hence, there couldn’t be any barrier between
seeing and be seen = it is the Oneness / Ichijo.
Seeing and be seen are no longer there as the separate entity, hence no Self could exist
—– all those are not a logical conclusion or answer, but just a state of the brain.
( Brain is not only for thinking 🙂 )
non
State of the brain ( In fact, the balance of hormone, Dopamine and Serotonin etc) will be
reflected to one’s feeling and the actual action, so does to the results ( hence to the one’s Karma)
not as a revealing words. ( Because, Zen is not a word game but real dairy life )
non
This is the Buddhism of which Buddha taught.
To learn this, the followers literally followed
Buddha and copied what he does, down to the minute details, since
Buddha himself was the teachings itself. And as
Buddha did practice his own dairy life according to the Dharma,
and himself was a part of the Dharma too, his actions or practices were the Dharma.
( So that the recordings of those teachings were also called as Dharma, and those practices has been reflected
into the Zen Buddhism, such as in the Soto Zen, there is no verbal communication but just follow the practice,
and through practice, the learning could be achieved and even sudden realization could be occurred,
which was called Direct Transmission )
non
—– this is the reason why I feel deeply paradoxical to talk about Zen, let alone blogging.
In the so-called Buddha’s biography, there was the story of
Buddha’s hesitation to teach what he found in his Enlightenment, which was needed a persuasion of
the Brahman to start.
(So far I couldn’t find the origin of this story in the Scripture —– the author of the biography must have
really deep understanding of the Buddhism and had the insight )
Buddhism having inherent trouble refusing to be explained by the words.
Understanding or so-called enlightenment may just come while practising.
So that, I can definitely say, Just Do it.
___/\___
—
Detailed attention to the LIFE
I came across a kind of Japanese book review —– about a book talking about a small knack,
which would make your life more fulfilling. What a gospel. 🙂
non
Contents itself is nothing new or anything eye-opening.
Such as the way how you staple the papers = the best way to do it, is in angle, so that it would not tear the
paper when a page was flipped —– in every small knack to do each dairy practices, in total, it would
smoothing your dairy life, hence the end of a day, you can achieve the life in happier satisfaction.
—– m m m ? Sound familiar ! ?
Familiar yes, thousand of religious, lecturing the life’s wisdom books are saying the same kind, but this
author has nothing to do with religion. Purely talking about how to do each dairy chore.
In fact, everybody knows something this kind, and even I may able to put some more this and that too.
Such as after cut anything, wash the cooking knife in order not to transfer the smell —– think, if your apple
smell onion you’ve cut a moment ago, or you may not like to use the same knife for salad vegetable which
has been used for cutting a meat. There might be a possible contamination of germ ?
non
—– A man (and a woman) said, “ I don’t care because I’m using different knife”
In fact, I’m not going to talk about each knack here. Here, I noticed the mind-set —– how people react to
those small advise in general. —– Something I found very peculiar among the western people is,
—– regardless, if it is good and useful or not, many people just don’t like to be told.
May be the reason is, it is too simple common-sense = no need to be told by others. And another reason is,
“ I know but may be I don’t do it because I don’t care. So, don’t repeat it to me again”
—– laziness is the fundamental Evil here 😀
Though, those kind of small practice is the foundation of the Buddhism. — you believe or not.
(For instance, the Japanese Tea Making which was originated from Zen Temple as a
way of the Buddhism study, is a continuous process of small practice )
Non
Whether it is good or bad, the way which is making most stark contrast in the children’s up-bringing
in the west and east is, —– in the west, the children are grown up hearing the words “ Superb !
You are marvellous. You are doing very good ! “ (regardless whether the child is doing utter crap
and hopeless, as the parents think, they need to have an encouragement )
In the east, the children are nurtured and taught “ No good, you are idiot. Study more “. 😀
This would make fundamentally different mind-set —– in the west, it would give pretty strong
ego and the arrogance “ I’m a lord of my life “ (—– though, it is not the case in the most of the person, later
they may depressed and couldn’t figure out the direction —– but it’s too late to do it again)
In the east, as the children were forced to learn the curriculum regardless he or she is good in it or not —–
but, at least they learn their place and learn to pay attention to what they are facing,
therefore they become good to do what they have learned but not much creativity, still they know how to
follow others (provided, somebody lead them).
Non
Buddhism is based on the eastern psyche = hence accepting and follow the Dharma and
its Teachings, is the starting point.
Dharma is not a human invention therefore it has no human-like attitude or speak in human language.
—– because of this, to accept and follow mean, we have to observe first and learn from it. Then do,
what we found necessary to do. There is no [ I want to do ] or [ This is what I want ] —–
we are not the dominant Force in the Life.
Do, what was allowed for us to do, in its best. —– down to the minute detail.
non
When you are cutting an onion, you ARE the man cutting an onion = It is your whole life of
the man cutting onion, on the moment. (this is what Buddhism calls [ Mindfulness] and [ Ichijo] )
When you got used to observe the life in your open-eyes (not the eyes to project your idea / Ego)
you start to see what is a better way to do. And keep doing it, it would become your routine, soon
you are able to do it without thinking = in Mushin = You are right path to the Enlightenment.
( It is simple, when you do every thing in better way down to the detail, of cause the result would be
far better = naturally you succeed in your life / fulfilment of the life)
—– So, to start, wash your knife every time after use. 🙂
( If you can’t keep even your knife in the best condition, how you can expect
to achieve anything better in your life)
___/\___
—
Is MUSHIN same as Thoughtless ?
Well, it is not about a Justice / Punishment from the heaven but about the mind-set.
Non
These days our topics were often related to the Riot, and there was an interesting question.
“Wasn’t the mind-set of [senseless] [thoughtless] behaviour, same to the Zen
Buddhist’s [Mushin]. —– What makes the difference between them ? ? ? “
—– in fact, someone who put a comment to the previous post had the same thinking.
And this question has so many implication and the facets.
—– Once, Pablo Picasso said “ Keep drawing like a child is the hardest things in the Art”
—– Then, “what is the difference between [Innocence] or [Ignorance] to the [Mushin] ? “
May be the easiest answer to this question is, just whack the person shouting “Idiot” —– really ?
non
There was an interesting story among the legend of the Sword Masters.
In the Samurai era, top sword-man was roving around the country seeking the contest-match
against each other, in order to achieve the record / reputation. ( And the winner was invited to
give a lesson to the local Lord receiving good reward)
Then, someone got an idea of plank, dressed up an ignorant peasant as a respectable
samurai, claiming that this is the supreme sword-master, and challenging top local
sword-master.
On the match, the peasant was just standing facing real master just having his sword down.
As the peasant had a slightest idea of what the sword-mastery is, he was just standing still.
The challenged was the master who knows everything —– but as the opponent seemed to
standing utterly defenceless —– almost like an idiot (in fact he was an idiot) it made the master
utterly confused. —– no such things could happen here. Otherwise it must be a ploy to make
the master wrong-foot = this man must be a real sword-master and able to kill him instant.
—– it was what the master felt. (To his eyes, the peasant’s utter ignorant appearance, not even
recognize him was seen as the ultimate Mushin only possessed by a supream sword-master 😀 )
Then, the master throw his sword away, and kneel down for begging his life.
—————
The pair prankster succeeded all the contest-match in the same way.
But, after a while, the peasant started to wonder why those famous masters just give up and
kneel down to him. And interested in to use the sword, as he mistook that he is in deed a
strong sword-master and able to kill the opponent.
So that, on the next match, peasant break a stillness and showed a slight sign of intention.
Then, the challenged sword-master instantly reacted to this sign, sway the body to other
direction and cut the peasant into two pieces. (The End 😀 )
non
It is true, even a Zen Master has used a metaphor of the mind of small child
to describe the Mushin and a state of mind of Jizai.
And in the Buddhist’s arguments about the universality / inclusiveness of the Mahayana stance,
this matter —– What is the distinction between [Innocence, Ignorance, Senseless,
Thoughtless] to the [Mushin] is some time mixed-up.
As a matter of fact, when it is convenient, this kind of metaphor has been often used though,
[The Mushin] is a very specific, peculiar state of the mind, nothing similar to any of
those mind. Not just the matter of inclusiveness of the Mahayana, but also the confusion of the
[ What is the Buddhist’s mind] ( before this, What is the Buddhist ? —– there are all sorts of the
Buddhist exists —– Such as to enjoy the life having the eyes to appreciate peaceful nature which
gave a feeling of the liberated mind = could be perfectly the life and the mind of a Buddhist)
—– it has been left out of strict argument.
Non
But in strict term, the Mushin is the state of the mind, which only occurs when our
brain ceased to operate to categorising and reconfiguring the notion. —– yet
able to react to incoming stimulant.
—– In practice, this state of mind can be reached only through the long long repeated
practice which wear out those active, intentional activities of the brain
= thinking process.
And very similar to the treatment of an allergy, those practice also wear out the basic
desire and the emotional reaction = So that, the state of the Mind [ Mind of No-Mind]
= [Mushin] is only strict to [Purely the state of No-Thinking and No-Emotion]
= Dispassionate.
(but not akin to senseless or thoughtless —– because in those cases, senseless / thoughtless
mind is, in fact occupied by another sorts of mind = such as an anger, greed or
overwhelming fanaticism = ideology or madness)
non
=== this definition must have cleared the confusion.
=== the mind of childish, senseless, thoughtless Rioters were definitely, utterly
no way near to the Buddhist’s Mushin.
[ If it was done in Mushin, it got to bring the GOOD outcome. This is what the
Karma mean. And if it brought bad outcome — because, it has done not in Mushin]
—– You may say this is out of rational logic and say ” Why”, but this is what I found and true.
And this must be the reason why the Buddhism is existing. 🙂
___/\___
non
MORAL DECAY ! ?
Being faced with the Riot situation, PM David Cameron hastily came back from his holiday —–
and today shouted “Moral decay of the Nation”.
With some cynicism, it may not too far to say, the fundamental mind-set of the Tory is “ This is my country
and we are in charge with it” —– and the Labour’s is “We are the victim of THEIR suppression. Hence we are
entitled to rob THEM” 😀
Therefore, when Tory saw the disorder, they feel their treasured possessions and the peaceful life were
threatened = Crisis of the Nation ! ( Labour says ” It’s their expression. Blame only yourself. Not us ” 😀 )
( In fact, with their mind-set, Labour devoided the Britannia and its collective Ethos with a pretext of
Political correctness such as Multi-culturism, superficial ethnic equality, human right etc —- only resulted
with fragmentation of the society, and made this country easiest place for a [non-person] to live.)
Non
There has been thousands of talking analysing the situation —– poverty, under-class, unemployment,
frustration of young people, lack of role-model = lack of father figure etc etc —– !
I noticed yet everybody is missing the point. —– may be as they are living in THIS society,
they don’t have eyes to see it from the distance / objectively. (and a consideration and a precaution not to
go against the voters psyche, they can’t speak out the truth. And, all the words of politicians are
preloaded, to make life of opposition party hard —– not necessary good or bad to the Nations = politics)
( That’s why politician often says completely opposite when they are in the power or not)
}}}
So, what was the POINT I found ?
The root of evil is the virtualization of the society.
—– I’m not just talking about the Computer Game — it is only an iconic symbol of phenomena.
You may say I’m too anachronistic though, think, the situation is only around single century or so.
Only less than hundred years ago many people were the farmers and did know, the food is not coming
from Tesco. Not only the industrial system, whole socio-economic system is now beyond the anybody’s
imagination. No body understand how the financial system is working.
And to the many rioters who is receiving the benefit —– the money is just coming. There is no
reality such as “HARD EARNED MONEY” —– they don’t know who is working hard paying tax.
And almost all of us don’t know how a shiny gadget was made or who is making it.
Thanks to the Information revolution, you may find a company website and a photo of the factory
producing iPad in China though, how anyone can have real feeling, toil of work there, from an
image of Computer screen. —- We can see zillions of information but no reality.
—– without any reality, nobody care, how the Shiny Gadget was happened to be there —– rioter would
easily think “WHY NOT in my hand”—– anyhow shop will claim the insurance = no damage.
As the socio-economic system became beyond the comprehension, in the same time law and order
the judicial system is in hay-wire. Somebody can get huge pay-out from the compensation claim which claim
is not in line with social sentiment or common-sense, especially when it is related to a racial issue,
human right issue —– the feeling of ” somebody else is cunningly exploiting the system = Why not me ?
I can dodge the system as well. Even MPs are defrauding public money, and the Banks, Multinationals got
enough money for exuberant payout = pinching small amount wouldn’t harm them = any how their money is in
the tax-heaven. They are not in our world. And I AM not with them ” ====> How they can feel
that they belong to the same society, same community and shar the same pain, and Moral ?
}}}
The ETHOS and MORALITY is not came from a preaching or written knowledge.
But its comes from practice. A process of Doing. Doing through own practice and seeing others’ doing.
That’s why thousands words of nice talking of politician evaporated when their fraud was exposed.
( Why more Labour Politician was caught ? Because of their fundamental psyche to see themselves fighting
the establishment —” it was an enemy’s money = why not appropriate for myself in this good opportunity” )
If those supposed to be a role model is corrupt, how they can expect other’s morality.
—
In old days, the life had to learn and the money had to earn —– with actual hard doing of work.
In the process, everybody learn the relation and effect of working with others and the outer community
= lesson of the cause and the effect. And what would boomerang. What is good or Bad.
Everything were directly connected —– there was no virtual world other than the dream.
—-
And this is the reason why Buddhism employ the practice in their teachings.
Because, the practice and its nerve signals is connected to the one’s subconsciousness, hence it will
be burnt into the bottom of the mind. It is invisible but bound the man’s life = Ethos.
But the abstract notion and the words in the higher legion of brain does fade away before long.
—
RIOT ! RIOT !
In south London, just next area of affluent Dulwich Village, there is [notorious] Peckham.
—– anyhow, I’m going there to find some kind of cheap fancy products, as there are 4 of the pounds
shops competing. With short hop down there, suddenly my journey was halted by a Police cordon.
What ? A, Ha ~~~~ so this is the aftermath of the Riot !
Non
I don’t have a taste of excitement to be an onlooker of violence or fire what so ever.
( In fact, in the 70th, I’ve seen the battle between Up-rise student and the Riot police or the battle between
the student sects, and took picture of it, so, I know how bloody and agly it is)
So, here, I settle with a rather [peaceful] afternoon landscape.
A shop right on the photo was said to have ransacked and a lingerie shop in the centre of photo was burnt down.
—– ? Why lingerie shop ? (May be a connection of gang group or lack of it ? Who knows )
non
In this country, the culprits and his (her) right has been perfectly protected, if not by the law, by the
so-called civil right organization who can invent any pretext to justify the acts —– in other words,
completely shielded from the consequences. Which effectively make the culprit untouchable
and the authority and the police became transparent or make them mere chaser in a Game.
Even if it was convicted, few weeks community works ?
Anyhow, rioter wouldn’t know the full brunt of the victim’s pain. If the person, culprit
wouldn’t feel the consequence, how the person knows the meaning of Karma.
Situation has been made even worse by the false environment of the Computer Game kind.
Not because of its violent contents, but
by the Player’s subconscious has been conditioned to live in the Virtual world.
Or, they got used to live in an imaginary = Virtual world.
Once the person lost the firm connection to the community or real society, this real world became
no different to the space in the Game. Find the target, avoid the enemies. [ACTION REQUIRED]
RIOT GAME in the real set-up must be much more exciting than in a small screen.
—– Trouble is, once they tasted the excitement, this Game may become even more popular.
Urban Warfare in the London town may become most played young kid’s game soon.
One of the SMS in the Black Berry Massage said to be ” Pure havoc. Free staff ” — how exiting ! (for them)
Unless the person was connected and feel the same pain, to see somebody else’s havoc must be exciting.
This is a trouble of a disintegrated / fragmented society which no longer hold the same Ethos.
non
Very funny irony is, as the Riot spread, even Rioter and their close friends became to the victims,
then working together to clean up the aftermath, sharing the pain —– even Rioters are discovering the
sense of the community which is similar to the situation, under the German Bomb, it’s created
close tie of the people. ( This tie is not virtual)
My only hope is, the Police doesn’t become THE ENEMY of the People, nor different ethnic groups armed
themselves as the Vigilante Force. ( —– England is in a tricky situation)
___/\___
non
Wet Mind and Dry Judgement
This year’s freak weather is not kind to the nature. Nor to the farmers who grow corn,
but in the same weather said have brought a bumper harvest to the strawberry growers.
The situation seems to be the same all over the world. Hence, it said to have brought big profit to the
commodity speculators who [rightly] speculated to have corn shortage and its price up.
Whether it is right or wrong, it is always the case, somebody’s misery is some other’s god opportunity.
This is the hard fact, as the weather is.
Then bring an argument to those situation is either emotional or in moral issue
—– both based on the Wet Mind.
Because of the dry weather, the plants on this patch of the land here couldn’t succeed.
In fact this year they failed twice. —– once the weeds grown to a feet high, then the dry spell on April
wiped them out. And after a short but pretty heavy wet weather, some plants shot up again —– then
they are all dead now. === is rather prosaic description of what happened here.
From this desiccated scene, may be I should create quite emotional, wet stories such as how I feel sad
while imagining a pleasure to see wild green, mentioning the glory of the sun and the joy which the nature
has been brought me over the years, and so on.
—– wet stories appeal to the readers, who is seeking sweet story
and a moment of consolation in the cyberspace.
non
Despite we are living in the environment of 90% Hard, Dry Facts, our mind seemed to have
90% of Wet Thinking / Wet Mind —– because we don’t see the Dry Fact in Dry —– We are seasoning it
with wet, slimy source, mostly to sweeten it. —– On top of it, before cooking and seasoning them, we are
conveniently selecting them to meet our taste. (Hence, sweet blog is more popular 🙂 )
Then, end of the day, we have to face Dry Fact and forced to give Dry Judgement — if the judgement
was not Dry enough, it will fail and Boomerang.
I know, Dry Food is hard to swallow, Dry Fact is hard to see though, anyhow it IS Dry —– to
see the world as it is, the first step to avoid to hit by a Boomerang = have a long-term peaceful life, in stead of
temporary comfort —– which need to have some practice. ( to begin with,
to know how sweet your taste, and the favourite source is 😀 )
___/\___
non
Clockwork DHARMA ?
I just found a good metaphor to explain [What is Dharma] !
It’s a huge gigantic machine ! (No, this is no a joke 😀 )
Gigantic, as its mechanism extend as far as to the end of universe.
And as it is working and ticking, it’s keep moving, hence, no same moment ever exists.
But this machine is invisible, except some end-device connected to its mechanism.
Its mean, all the visible existences are the part of this machine.
This machine exists since the start of the universe, long before human kind appeared on the earth.
Therefore, no written specification, operational manual in any language exists, yet still, some part of its
mechanism and the function has been observed and deciphered as a science and chemistry.
As it is a viable working machine, there is certain tendency and the rules of the way how it works,
though, as it is so gigantic and too complicated, it is beyond the capability of the human to know whole function.
—– except Buddha.
Non
While observing the phenomena and its occurrences, Buddha noticed that, this world is a kind of system
which is affecting and reacting to each other. ( This intertwined connection is the Karma )
He found it as the system of infinite size which contains ourselves as a part.
And as it is constantly adjusting and reacting, there can not be a single moment of stillness
—– nothing stays the same.
And as it is a system automatically working like a machine, it doesn’t have human like Ego or its own SELF
—– and the human is its part of mechanism, human has SELF neither.
And this system exists before human and not designed to serve for human, its operation is not necessary
for the benefit of human, therefore to live as a part of this system, occurrences are not centred for human
nor kind to human. —– Hence life is harsh.
—– with those contemplation, Buddha found the wisdom to deal with this system or to live as a
part of the system with minimum aggravation, hence in peace and the harmony.
And the teaching is —– to know how the mechanism of the system and the mechanism of ourself works.
Only the way to find the function and its internal rules of the unknown mechanism is —– to observe
and find it by oneself.—– (Finding it, is the Enlightenment)
As the system is working automatic, disregarding the human ego or emotion, to impose or try to understand it,
with human-like mind is pointless —– because the system itself has no such mind.
( You can’t deal with machine with your emotion — you have to do it like handling a machine 😀 )
As the system (include ourself) is operating without the mind, try to think or explaining it with words is
useless. It needs to observe its function and the results = deeds. Hence, talking, thinking has no place.
—– This is what the Dharma is.
non
You may not like this description 😀
Especially the western people got used to think the God as a personified figure, as it was imagined as a
super-human, though, no such things in the Universe.
Nor so-called great soul, like Brahman or Atman. ( Romanticized idea appeals to the emotion, but
romantic idea is far from the Truth )
The Dharma is the system much more like a huge machine.
That’s why it is operating dispassionately / in Mushin ( Mind of no-mind).
( Financial panic may caused by the fear of speculators which some Buddhist may say “It’s only in the mind”
though, resulting rise of interest will affect all others like a mechanical precision and the force)
In fact, human mind is always causing a destruction and a mayhem to the system.
—– that’s why the Buddhism says Mushin, Taoism says Woii —– do nothing intentionally = let the natural
mechanism to take its own course.
( I found this metaphor is the clearest explanation —– in words 😀 —— Convinced ? )
___/\___
non







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