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

What a situation, what BUDDHIST can do ?

Having more than 2,600 years history, Buddhism acquired very wide-spread of diversity and its facets.

From almost purely religious belief to the way to control one’s mind-set, on top of its local variations.

Like, Pure-land sect might be its extreme and the Zen is the other.

And the Tibetan Buddhism is one of the most uniquely evolved type in its land.

Some are adopted and fused with the fashion of popular belief then, such as the Tantrism.

Still all derived from the teachings of Buddha. Which is,

how peacefully live the life of impermanent life.

[ Don’t worry regardless how the situation in THIS life is dire, there is a heaven waiting for you.]

—– is a typical religious approach, such as the Pure-land sect.

[ See only the subject which IS on front of you ( its mean, Don’t be deflected by a matter which is

irrelevant )] —– is the Zen approach.

Non

Most of the Buddhist’s site says [Be grateful to have a joy of the life and have a peaceful life ] —– how sweet !

Yet seeing too many disturbing news, too gloomy aspects of the social, political, economical situations, and

seeing loads of destructive reports ( such as in a website < Extinction. Protocol > —– which is giving

an impression [ the world is end tomorrow ] ) —– how can I keep my peace ?

Non

Facing the devastation of the world such as happened in Japan [could we still stay calm ? ]

As a Zen Buddhist, I might have made an explanation “ As a Buddhist, I gave some donation to Japanese

Disaster Fund etc, which I thought my duty, though further than that, I can’t do much as it is too far away”

—– but, wasn’t it, bought small peace of mind, then buried the head in the sand with convenient excuse ?

And making excuse “ What I can do is, transmit nice stories to make a reader to feel a joy of the life —– and

put photos of flowers and blue sky “ ( though, i’m not necessary doing this  🙂  )

Other Buddhists might have thought “ This is what the Samsara meant, this is what the life is, so, I need

to chant the Mantra more ( to go to heaven) “

—– but in reality, the situations are not such benign, nor Buddhist’s thought is simple.

Non

There could be some thoughts, from quite meta-physical view such as, we human being is facing an

awful repercussion, as we have been odd with the Dharma too long ( so-called Punishment ) to

much talked about break down of ecosystem / global natural balance, devastation of environment

—– driven by the man’s greed (Capitalism) —-> hence we are having so many freak weather, climate

change and its chain reaction etc. etc, the list of implication is endless.

———- then, what can we do, and should do as a Buddhist ?

In fact, when I faced this question on the time of Japanese disaster, I was deeply affected, or simply

depressed. —– what AM I doing here.   just reading the news ?

Just an ordinary man who went there with bare hand and shifted the mud, would have done much more

good to help the situation.  Or, should I keep stay calm, as if nothing happened in the world, while stop

reading the news —– and making nice lemon tea ?

Was that a kind of peace what a Buddhist should enjoy ?

Nothing other than on front of me, exists in the world ? ? ?    Other than that, are all irrelevant to

the one’s life and they are the delusions ?

non

Where is the realm of one’s life — while everything are inter-connected to each other.

The air I have inhaled now could contain an oxygen atom which has been exhaled by a man in the other side

of the world a month ago, or from a plant leaf of Amazon jungle.

What actuary Dharma affecting one’s life ?

—– Or, was that only manifested as a flow of the occurrences ?

The answer seems to be, there is no fixed answer to what is right or wrong as a notion,

such as [go to disaster area and help clearing the mud] or [stay here].  They are just man’s Thinking.

As, there was no way to go there and I happened to stay here and worried about the situation

—–  happened as it was, it was right = the natural flow of the Dharma. ( if it was wrong, I shall

pick up the consequence soon or later = if it’s comes, it comes )  ( In this extent,  Buddhists are passive

= unless we were attacked, we don’t fight, we don’t attack —– ? ? ?  Does it mean, to research defence against

tsunami is wrong ?  No, the danger is already there, and soon or later it will come = preparation is a defence.

non

While after the Atomic Bomb, the ground of Hiroshima and Nagasaki started to have regrowth of

the plants, flora and fauna, and the People started to rebuilt the houses.

People couldn’t wait 25 years like Chernobyl.  (Incredible though, it’s just a historical fact )

People lived there might have shorter life and some baby might have died prematurely —– still, we haven’t

found any mutant man, or super cockroach from Hiroshima or Nagasaki —– simply defective GENE has been

died and disappeared —– and survived are just lived on as normal existence.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki are the same bustling Cities like all another Cities in Japan now, other

than their horrendous memories. —– Life continues and the cities and towns in Japan will be recovered with

wiser adaptations in their building design.

Living far away from Japan, I’ve shed a tear or two with the emotions of  powerlessness.

—– that was my deed,  this is what happened. That’s it.  Not my word or thinking but only the fact count.

( Regardless, what ever the theory, planning, talking, we don’t know what actually happen —— and when

it happened, we have to follow and find the measure —– only the reality, the fact and the deed count. )

There wouldn’t be any escape and in the same time, no use to dream any hypothetical

possibility or have an illusion to be a Superman.   ( Unless you were born to be a Superman  😀  )

Yes, this is what the Dharma is.  We have no way else but accept and follow.

___/\___

( PS :  By the way,  I like Bob Geldof —– He was a young man with passion as a young man is,  but

don’t like Bono —– he is just a bully, who found a mechanism to satisfy his ego)

—

Chinese DESIGN

As a humble man who is wearing £6.99 shoes from Lidl shop ( in this instance, forget about a bit expensive

camera lens etc 😀 ) my only shopping pleasure is (as I don’t buy other than regular essential staff) to

find something funny products (always from China) in a pound-shop.

As a matter of fact, most of the case I don’t use them as it was expected to do —— I disassemble and use the

material or components for another purpose.

In the same time I can see the way how they designed and manufactured the product —– in

extremely cheap way !   I use a word [ Amazing ] for such products —– Amazing in certain extent, for

their pretty innovative, creative, lateral-thinking !

( Remember,  Chinese was the people who invented Gun-powder,  Paper,  Magnetic Compass, etc. and

able to establish the viable system of  Herbal-medicine,  not mention the Acupuncture. )

non

In the development of human civilization, there has been numerous [ Amazing ] invention, some of them

might have come through by accident though, some are beyond the imagination, such as the way how

acupuncture was invented ! —– once after the phenomenon was noticed, there was no limit to

experiment for this point and that, and thousands of years of accumulated observation = here the each point

were established, —–  For a Royal Doctor, hundreds of prisoners or poor patients must be his disposable, no

shortage of guinea-pig.  Hence, thousands of systematic experiments, research could have done in ease,

untill the exact point or portion of herb and the mixed combinations were defined and established.

( I guess, millions must have died in agony when the experiment went wrong —– and this tradition is

seemingly continuing in China even today, the prisoners in death low are executed to meet the schedule of

organ transplant for the hospital and corrupt officials to make money )

But what about the very first moment to notice  “ there is a certain connection between the

symptom and accidentally pieced needle “ —– ! ! !    [Amazing observation ! ]

( It might be evolved from the [Shiatsu massage] / Press the point strongly as a part of martial art —– then

“stronger the better” so that, burn a Moxa on the same point,  and came to the idea  “How about piercing” )

non

In comparison, I don’t think there was not much length needed to invent Gun powder as

a Taoist Doctor was an Alchemist too.  ( Herbalists use all sorts of material such as even Mercury or

Arsenic etc ( the fancier the ingredient the more profitable, — such as Tiger-bone, Rhino-horn — which

carry the price of £60,000 /Kg   and Sea-horse, etc) ) —– there could be a mixture of Carbon and Nitrate

made soon or later.   Then put them in a bamboo pipe,  it would easily make a Rocket  🙂

And as Chinese is making dried sea-weed using bamboo mat ( like Nori on Sushi ) there couldn’t be

much distance to discover the technic of Paper making.

Non

So, there seems to be a key ingredient in Chinese mind-set, —– acute keen eyes to observe,

and the millions of  try and error, some are pretty inventive approach —– on the end

it would be succeeded.   (But, a question is, why they couldn’t find [ Periodic Table] kind ? )

Ten years ago, Chinese products were just cheaply made crap though, these days some are nicely made

( even shiny iPhone, iPad are all made in there, anyhow there is no difficulty as most of the components

come from Japan ) they are getting the skill to make a copy and make it looks nicer — after all, the screen

of  iPhone,  iPad were all made by Sharp Japan, what else they need ?  😀

non

An interesting small item I found in a pound shop was an engraver to scrape a name on what ever the

surface material.   ( When I saw it, I wondered how the drill tip and the small motor-shaft was connected

—– it can be useful somewhere —– purposely made shaft coupler is much more expensive )

When I opened, I discovered the most minimalistic, ultimately simplified structure !

I think, the photo can show you everything.   Just one twisted wire is functioning as a spring to pressurize

and holding the batteries while connecting it to the motor.

Still it works ! —– no frill but enough for ordinary use ! —– That’s why it was £1.

To see such drastic simplification made my jaw drop.     This is almost a revolution.

While maintaining its function, still able to cut the cost to such bare minimum, this way of thinking is

noting but amazing.

—– M m m, ? ? ? But in the same time, it made my spine chill.   This kind of mind-set, very very

innovative cunning thinking, disregards any convention but “as long as (apparently) it works = it’s OK”

might be behind even their rapid construction of Hi-speed Train or the Cooking Oil recovered from the

sewerage —– that’s was the way how it made somebody horrendously rich.

And now their Hi-speed Train was plagued by the accident, killing many people.   ( but, because of their internal

rule, the number of fatality of any accident is always 35 max, otherwise the local official will be sucked

—– therefore if the number of dead exceeds = the bodies disappear and classified as missing —– ? ? ?

but,  where those 3~400 missing bodies has gone ?,  it’s  middle of nowhere ).

Non

To liberates the way of thinking, but in the same time, strain the mind to stay within the

morality, stay away from greed,  is on the very thin blue line.

Where their thousand years proud tradition of  Taoism,  Confucianism,  Buddhism  has gone ?

—– Wasn’t that, their sublimated Ethos ? ? ? ——- or Mammon-ism is much stronger ?

The trouble seems to be —– they got only two choice, either connected to the Communist Party’s power

and get rich,  otherwise stay poor and killed ( or even worse,  suppressed and disappear).

And root of this trouble is, they have been in the [Artificial] society too long. —— Ideology

is artificial, and a policy of such as  [one baby] policy was utterly artificial ( because of this,

they are facing the crisis of having twice as many old retired population than young working generation).

When facing the deadly choice of  life or death = Mammon-ism is only the mean to survive. Is it ?

———– I really wonder, how long a society totally against the Dharma able to go on ? 

—

PS:  If anybody is wondering about the situation in China,  especially around their Hi-Speed Train,

—– Please search and find the articles about ［劉志軍]  and [丁書苗]  in  [経済観察報］or 香港 [明報] .

—

Shit JOKE

While talking about jokes, my friend suggested me to see the site,

[ If shit happens ] —– Aha !   Its here.   ( You may Google them 🙂 )

I’ve heard some of them before, but didn’t know such comprehensive collection ( a lot of it )

has been circulating among the people. 😀

Basically the say is more or less the same between here and there though, one of the listings are

having pretty comprehensive collection, therefore the one which may noteworthy was :

 [ Close-to-complete Ideology and Religion Shit List ] —–  thejaywalker.co

To quote some from there ; —

• Taoism: Shit happens.
• Confucianism: Confucius say, “Shit happens.”
• Buddhism: If shit happens, it isn’t really shit.
• Zen Buddhism: Shit is, and is not.
• Zen Buddhism #2: What is the sound of shit happening?
• Hinduism: This shit has happened before.
• Islam: If shit happens, it is the will of Allah.
• Islam #2: If shit happens, kill the person responsible.
• Islam #3: If shit happens, blame Israel.
• Catholicism: If shit happens, you deserve it.
• Protestantism: Let shit happen to someone else.
• Presbyterian: This shit was bound to happen.
• Seventh Day Adventism: No shit shall happen on Saturday.
• Creationism: God made all shit.
• Secular Humanism: Shit evolves.
• Quakers: Let us not fight over this shit.
• Utopianism: This shit does not stink.
• Darwinism: This shit was once food.
• Capitalism: That’s MY shit.
• Communism: It’s everybody’s shit.
• Feminism: Men are shit.
• Commercialism: Let’s package this shit.
• Impressionism: From a distance, shit looks like a garden.
• Idolism: Let’s bronze this shit.
• Existentialism: Shit doesn’t happen; shit IS.
• Existentialism #2: What is shit, anyway?
• Stoicism: This shit is good for me.
• Hedonism: There is nothing like a good shit happening!
• Atheism: What shit?
• Atheism #2: I can’t believe this shit!

**********

I don’t know how many people contributed to each Joke and when its became a crèche.

Obviously they were said by the westerner as the list has more of the Christian sect, in comparison

to such as Buddhism, Moslem or even Judaism. ( Buddhism might have more than 50 sects and

Sunni and Shiite Moslem seemed to be quite different, and from moderate to ultra-orthodox, the

Judaism sects might not having the same view —– When it came to the Matter of Shit 😀

non

They are the caricature based on the stereotype —– though, don’t be serious its a joke.

Yet still, to make a caricature funny, it need to have certain resemblance —– That’s why its Joke

makes people realize “ M, m, m, its true 😀 “ —– so, I would say, “ Well said !”

non

Something related to this blog is, there are two entry of the Buddhism.

Buddhism general and the Zen Buddhism. —– m, m, m, interesting.

But, the one quoted  What is the sound of shit happening?  seemed to be a caricature of KOAN,

it’s mean Rinzai Zen sect. ( Soto-Zen doesn’t use the words )

—– If I were there to answer this Koan, I would say

“ It deafening the nose “ 😀

—

Sheer JOKE

Some years ago, I was asked by a friend, stage designer Francesco to produce some stage set and props.

In fact, I also took a part acting as a Mad Doctor ? !  (If I were asked, I just join —– because its

occurrence was in the Karma.   Hence I don’t think too much or no use to think.  It’s a reaction in Mushin )

It was titled [O-project] which the story was based on the Hoffman’s Tale, but in the ultra modern settings 😀

—– instead to create a doll to whom a guy fallen in love, a Mad Doctor created a life in a vitro and so on.

( So, I created Oparlin’s Life Bottle of which lightning spark to the primeval sea water said to have

created first element of the life on the earth.

And the Laser Harp, on top of the Virtual Woman / rotating Wire torso )

non

While working it,  on a desk of a Sent Martin’s art student, I found a photo of Dalai Lama. —– I made

a joke  “Hey, don’t you know, He is my first cousin” and Francesco took picture of me

holding Dalai Lama’s photo.

When Francesco compiled the O-project DVD,  he put the photo-images to show the episode in the production

process —— ? ? ? What ! —– In the DVD, a photo-image of me holding

Dalai Lama’s photo has been  Photoshoped to  [Me holding Star-war’s Yodo]

So, the story has changed to  “ Hey, I’m a cousin of Yodo” —– ! —– Very very funny  😀

( Francesco expected me to get angry —– later he said though, for me it was more of an amazement

than a kind of matter to get angry.   What a fun ! ! !    I like this kind of  fearless,  blatant  idea.)

When it came to a joke, a western wit is far more naked (often quite bad tasted) which makes a big

difference to the Japanese.   Some said, it because of the carnivorous nature of the European against

the vegetarian Buddhist though, it seems it’s a too simplified view.   ( Simplly Itariano is noughty  😀  )

Non

I always fascinated by the artistic creativity of the Latin psyche. Yet, unlike other Italian or Spanish artists,

this designer’s thinking remains always within the feasibility —– never impossible fantasy —- and amazingly

able to find the best suitable material or structure which is good to convert for the purpose etc, in another

words quite technically minded —– that why he is a designer not a pure fine artist —– still

his novel ideas are always there and fascinated me.

non

After all, any creative perception, unless it was materialised, it couldn’t be displayed, unless it

was displayed, it couldn’t be noticed by others —– this is what the communication meant.

Otherwise, its perception remained inside of an autistic mind.

Stage design must be one of the hardest task which is facing this dilemma —–it  has to be materialised.

(while complying all the safety regulation etc, and reliably working in one-piece   😀 )

non

Artistic creativity live in the same terrain where the good joke came from.

non

Order in Disorder (2)

Before the Buddhism evolved into Mahayana, the followers try to understand the existences in each

definition, in order, such as described in the Abidharma Kosa, and tried to fix the rules,  so that,

in effect,  made the person into the orderly ideal TYPE.

Then, the Buddhists realized that there is no such things like an orderly type nor

orderly existences —– no order is the order.

Like the nature, even a Hurricane or a Tsunami are also a part of the Dharma, not mention a Death.

Try to impose an ideal TYPE or the imagined ORDER and branding anything else are evil,  is

the human invention, and such thinking is nothing but the delusion.

In contrast to [see the Dharma as it is ], — [try to impose the idea over the Dharma ] is

the fundamental difference between Mahayana and Hinayana.

Accept the Dharma as it is, accept the human as human not an ideal TYPE,  was

the starting point of the Mahayana Buddhism.

non

From his earliest period, Buddha’s teachings consists of the Four Noble Truth, in which

Buddha defined that the Life is suffering, getting ill and getting old then to die —– far from any

ideal TYPE of the life. —– but this was what Buddha did find.

And it took 500 years for the followers to realize what it’s really meant.

Still, if the situation of the life is confined only to this,

Buddha wouldn’t have taught his enlightened wisdom of —– how to deal with

this apparently hopeless situation.

The Buddha’s answer was,  against this disorderly situation (Samsara),  to live the life

in Mushin (which can be acquired through the practice)  would open the way to live without

fear or negative thought,  and away from any negative effect of ego and the delusion.

—– therefore lead to the peaceful Nirvana.

non

Only the rules what Buddha found was the Rule of the Karma though, as he also explained the

constantly changing nature of the Dharma (which include ourself),  this Rule still having unknowable

hence,  no-order again.

Yet still,  strangely you might think,  this uncertainty still retains the overall direction of the Karma.

(Which is the direction of the Dharma) —– situation constantly changes,  occurrences seemed random,

still we pick up what the one should pick up = on the end the one goes to certain direction.

Only the matter is, to pick up right one. —– To do this, its need to have clear eyes

and absolutely calmed, exposed sensory. —– here, the Buddhist’s practice comes in.

non

To the absolutely opened eyes and the mind of no-mind = Mushin,  even a minute sign of

something happening will be seen.    And as the mind is open, usually an out of scope kind

of irrelevant matter (which can be crucial to one’s  life)  may also be seen.

Stereotype,  self-imposed casting always limiting one’s perception and cause wrong thinking.

But, creative, progressive idea and the direction is over this barrier —– why you find this ?  why you ?

is the indication of [ because you were assigned to do this] —– this is what the direction mean.

To the outsider,  the nature / the Dharma looks No-Order though,  to the open mind = Mushin,  it looks no

problem —– since he could see the direction and be in contended as in the right direction.  He stays calm.

Non

– – – “ Oh, C’mon, can’t you see, the World is disintegrating”

“Yes I can see, its true.  But because of that, somebody has been assigned to work hard and dealing with it.

So, if he asks your help.   Help him.   If not, don’t interfere him, or worrying about it yourself.

If the Dharma in deed had the intention for the World to sink,

the Dharma didn’t assign him to solve the problem”

Put faith on the Dharma.  🙂

___/\___

—

PS :  It may look nicer to shout against the Nuclear Power or multi-national Capitalists etc. while pretending

to be a conscience of Planet Earth though,  I don’t think it is not necessary a typical Buddhist’s attitude,

unless the one was born to be a campaigner.    Because, the Buddhism is not stand on the mouth but practice.

Before open the mouth,  better stop wasting energy, electricity etc,  stop buying bottled water,  fizzy drink,

give up the car etc etc.   Those practices may be in your hand but, —– ? ? ?  how many people in the world

can stop the Nuke ?  —– the drive to change the policy of some country to give up Nuke was not by the

campaign,  but by an accident in Japan which costed hundreds of billions of money.  Money speaks louder.

In emotion, everybody feel ” What a hell, Japanese government is doing (or not doing !)”  though, it need to

think what an emotional shout can affect the actual policy there  —– yet, on the Election, they vote to the

well-known TV characters or comedian —– ? ? ?    (What’s  going on there)

—

Anyhow,  no-one’s conscience or emotion would give a halt to earthquake or tsunami  😀

(To the Planet Earth, it was a small wobble to release a tension (so, it was a rational adjustment.  Not a

disorderly passion ) though, for us, minute human being, it was a devastating quake) we are utterly powerless.)

—– but this is what the nature / Dharma is.

non

Order in Disorder (1)

Reflecting back my own life, I myself often amazed, or even bemused,

how I’ve been coming through chancy life.   I wouldn’t say I was anything casual or irresponsible,

because if there was anything due, I did my bargain in my best.   But beside this, I put even more effort for

something else which is not necessary I was expected to do. —– but in the hind sight, I’m wondering

whether it was my choice or just happened to be there, and I just picked it up ?

—

When I was small, my interest was the Nature, insect or plant kind.    But it was not my choice.

Soon after the war ended, Tokyo was a burnt down city, not much other than a wild field to go around and

no sports facility or game kind there.     (My hobby of electronics was definitely my choice. And to get the

components, I needed to take a journey to Akihabara where ex-Korean war junk was sold — and those

mechanical-electronical components  such as variable condenser, vacuum bulb’s intricate, futuristic

structure fascinated me ! )

—

For me to turn my eyes to human life and its psyche was happened when one of the (bad) boy in the

secondary school incited me to read a book of the notorious suicidal novelist, Osamu Dazai.

(so, I became bad boy too —– and became a rebel )

And to start to go to mountain other than for chasing the insects was, simply the class teacher organized an

out of school activity club and I joined it.    (Since I was familiar with walking on the hill or in the woods)

And this activity continued while getting heavier and heavier even to winter rock climbing level.    (Its mean,

I did this, one of the physically, mentally hardest training from 12 years to 27 years, up to 1/3^rd of the year

in the mountain)

non

For me to take the subject of  Industrial Sociology  in my Uni’ was also a sheer coincidence.

A Professor of Industrial Sociology asked me to help his project, and I got involved deeper, that’s all.

But I personally learned from him, how to observe and analyse the man and its society.

(Visualize somebody’s life and give an insight “If I were the man in there, how do I feel

and behave”—– this approach gave me great insight, and the way to see the human life

—– instead of imposing the view or criteria of observation, not to take superficial

observation of one’s behaviour, but to see the situation from the person’s psyche and his

stance, was the crucial attitude I learned from him)

—

And while in my Uni’ I spent most of the time  (well, while I was not in the mountain)  in the Herbalium in

the Science dept’ despite I was studying sociology.    This Makino Herbalium is one of the largest in Japan

having millions of botanical specimen and I was working there, taking photo of plant or making specimen.

It was my part-time work to pay for the Uni’ and to go to mountain or skiing.

While there, I was asked to join 3 expeditions to help botanists as a botanical photographer and an expert of

jungle walking   🙂 —– in fact for those reason I remained in my Uni’ altogether 7 years.

(with annoyance of the administrator, who shouted me  “Are you still here ?” 😀 )

———- but I might have made a mistake to become a photographer   😀

( But if I were not a photographer, I didn’t come and to live here —– it was a necessary

 element in the course of my life —– like a Butterfly Effect / minute change may cause

the drastic difference in the end result —– therefore, there is no regret )

( To deal with close-up photography,  it is necessary to improvise or even specially design the equipments.

Working in a part of the Science Dept’,  I could access the engineering machine in the Technology Dept’ and

having the knowledges of electronics lead me to design even special camera.  It happened, as it happened.

—– was that natural consequence or just a lucky coincidence  —– it’s a good question  🙂 )

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Then I left Japan.  And while staying in England as a photojournalist, suddenly the awkward court case was

started which I had no choice.   I had to deal with the case as a Litigant in Person while learning English Law

overnight —– and I was forced to give up photographic business.   Court case really consume time though,

in the other hand,  if next hearing is months away —- suddenly, too much time but nothing to do.

So that, I got plenty time for reading and thinking —– about  Zen.  Then, suddenly  “ Alas,

now I know,  all through my life,  I was given the hardest training to become a Zen monk”.

I’ve learned Nature. Then my scope was expanded to human existence while dealing with sociology and

working in the mountain as a voluntary keeper,  seeing the people in their edge of  the life.   Hence, farther

into the spiritual fundamental aspects of humanity.

(but didn’t learn how to deal with funeral , so, don’t ask me to conduct a funeral 😀 )

(Since, the Court case was caused by a woman’s explotitation of my immigration status, I was quarified to decrear

” Woman is the cause of nothing but the trouble”  hence I quit to deal with woman.  Literally became a monk  😀  )

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Looks utterly chancy life ––— though, on the end, it converged into one direction.

And yet another coincidence,  I happen to start this Zen blogging.

Before I left Japan,  I was told by my mother who was a psychic, and while she was reading my palm line

“Since you got mission, you wouldn’t be fallen before your task was accomplished. Therefore I wouldn’t

worrying about you at all” —– I don’t know the reason why I don’t get ill (I still have no registered Doctor

while staying in this country 35 years), or in the mountain,  I had falls on the rock 3 times though never

injured.   And I’ve broken 3 skis but never broken any bone   😀

—– It’s hard to tell, whether all of those are just the sheer coincidences, and I was just lucky

—– or something else ? —– there seems to be no order or rational connection, everything

were just occurred,  yet still,  in the hind sight,  there was a certain direction.

( If A hasn’t been there, encountering  B wouldn’t be happened, then at the B, conveniently C

happened —– and so on,  and lead to  Z  on the end = this is the life. )

—?— is this the hidden order ? —– Or the Dharma’s intention ?

___/\___

( To be continued to the next post  🙂  )

—

Bodhi-Tree / Bodai-ju

You believe or not, this is the tree what Japanese believes as the Boddhi-Tree.

My parents believed and explained to me, “This is the tree which Buddha said to have enlightened while sitting under this tree.  Therefore it got the name BODAI-Ju.   Since, a flower blooms as if it is standing in a palm.”

Yes, it looks uniquely strange flower.   So, I believed its story.  Anyhow, I was a small boy —– no argument 🙂

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Not only a boy, everybody in Japan believed that this is the Boddhi Tree,  hence a  German song composed by Franz Schubert  about this particular tree and its title  [Der Lindenbaum]  was translated into Japanese as [ BODAI-Ju ] — of cause, in this case, the tree was a tree known as a Lime tree in the west.

—– (Strangely, this [Bodai-ju] has another name which has Ainu tribe origin [Shina-no-ki] and from its shape of the false leaf under a flower, the another name was [Hera-no-ki] —– so, the name [Bodai-ju] was only after the time when Japanese got Buddhism)

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When the Buddhism was brought to Japan,  the India [Tenjiku] was in the another planet, even to the Chinese monks who travelled over there and studied Buddhism, it was a distance needed to take years of journey.

Hence, to read the scriptures was just a guess work,  let alone to distinguish what was the historical truth or even chronological order among the jumbled scriptures.

Therefore, to have mistaken Lime tree as to the Boddhi tree was not a big crime   🙂

(I haven’t found what Chinese people were understanding about Boddhi Tree, yet.    So, any Chinese reader who knows about it,  please leave a comment herein after)

In comparison,  we now can have amazing amount of informations and even a photo of a real Boddhi Tree ( Ficus religiosa )  while sitting in a room thousands of miles away from India —– still, we are not sure, 

whether we are any wiser than a monk thousand years ago. —– yet still, the reason why we can get the same understanding of the teachings is, Buddhism is not based on the knowledges but on its practice.    Like riding a bicycle —– no one can explain how to ride it, but by the practice you can get to know how by yourself.

( So,  there is no problem whether it was [Boddhi tree] or [Bodai-ju] to get enlightenment  😀 )

___/\___

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TRUTH or is it in the BELIEFE

A while ago I was exchanging the opinion with my friend who started to wonder why the scientists

who supposedly dealing the subjects with fact based rationalism,  still making utterly

dubious explanation to such as the nuclear or environmental issues.

And he said, is there any relation or influence of the persons belief system to even a scientific

research and its conclusion.

—– Well, my answer was,

1)  The science what we ordinary folks generally know is.  only a corner of popular science and there

are many [another kind of] science —– such as creationist’s / Christian science or some pseuedo

sciences etc. etc. —– Even a Black Hole or 4^th Dimension are out of our comprehension still,

they are regarded to be the science.

2)  The science is not an absolute truth.    It is more like a technique of debate.

In one frame-work,  using the fact(s) as the evidence and construct the theory or hypothesis.

Then from the theory, make a model or an expected projection and apply to the other samples.

If its works on the other samples —– the theory is proved to be true.

The matters in the debate is to convince others. = If the others were convinced,  it became an

established or widely accepted theory.  Still, not necessary everybody,  hence it may split the science

community or society general. —– Some are following, others are not.

3)  Discovery of the facts and the technology which can affect  them are changing everyday.

New facts and the new approach and the techniques are keep appearing

and the re-examination of previous results or theories are taking place everyday —– hence,

the truth yesterday is not necessary so tomorrow.

Therefore,  some may convinced but to others,  it may seem to be utterly rubbish and fraud.

( Remember, until 250 years ago,  the lightning was understood to be an anger of the Good,  until

very courageous and lucky Benjamin Franklin catch it into a jar and proved it was electricity.

( I’m puzzling how and why he wasn’t killed  😀 ))

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I definitely know, the sun is rising every day and goes round in the sky but never noticed

the ground / earth is rotating —– still, I accept the sun is in the centre,  not the earth

—– by the widely accepted science as I got no basis to contest it.  I have no choice but to join 😀

We know what is electricity —– to connect a light bulb to battery,  it would light up thanks to the

flow of electron —– though,  nobody ever seen what is the electron.

All the evidences are circumstantial,  in other words we are seeing only its effects.

Yet still,  we need and use its effect.   We don’t care what is taking place in a coil in the motor —–

as long as it’s rotates.   ( Some of you might remember the Rule of right hand to know the relation of

electric current, magnetic field and the direction of movement —– we can see the fingers, but

rest of the phenomena = we only believe )

Yet, as it explain well and the effects are always consistent,  we convinced it is the TRUTH)

We know thousands, even millions of phenomena in its appearances but need to believe the truth

or the theories behind.   Our imagination is filling the gap by what we call  [intelligence].

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Unfortunately we human being is still not clever enough to handle vast amount of factors and

the parameters in such as environmental phenomenon though, clever enough to select convenient

facts to construct a model which conveniently conveys the opinion —– regardless

whether it was true or not. ( I’m not suggesting,  I’m odd with conservationists,  but saying how hard

to construct [a model] which is having millions of parameters of which we haven’t even discovered yet)

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When we handle the matters in the nature or even about ourself we encounter the invisible of

which the whole truth hasn’t been fully discovered,  and there may be the unknowable.

In fact, we know only very little.   So that, even in a critical science we hide the gap of knowledges

behind of such as the statistical numbers —– hence the theory or prediction is only a guess.

If we have to deal with a matter which got too much unknowable, we either construct

metaphysics or myth —– or religion.   If you believe, it is the truth,  hence the belief system.

Non

My friend’s argument was, even a scientist who is having a strong belief system (its might have

hidden deep in their subconscious, due to their up bringing)  may tend to creates a theory

more imaginative (or Dogmatic ) than the facts based objective science.

———- ?— Its might be true.

And they might be believing and aiming the more positive outcome of the theory which would

coherent with the idea of promised land and the harmony —– subconsciously construct the

theory to proof the God was correct and the world is perfect.  Therefore,  such as an

environmental model should have automatic feed-back and self-preservation.

( And they knew the theory of self-destruction is not popular to get a financial support )

 

In fact, the universe would continue to exists even without the notion of the God and its alleged

creation —– practically the system looks to continue  for ever 😀

( Since the geological time scale is too long for us to imagine )

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We are standing the moment to establish the final General Theory which may proof

the multidimensional world —– we said to be co-existing next to 4^th dimension,

5^th dimension etc,  we might be living with the soul of people in the past. —– really ? ? ?

( I know something there —– but not necessary because of the String Theory —– even if

a fancy subatomic particle or antimatter was found and its trace was recorded in a digital

imaging screen,   how do I know the soul of my friend is there ? )

___/\___

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PEACE in JAPAN —- Really ? ? ?

Japan is a strange country.   Among the developed countries, it is the most safe, prosperous

country.  Newborn babies’ mortality rate is the smallest in the world and live longest life.

In other words, it is the most peaceful place in the world. Never seen bloody conflict or

political economical insurgence, other than few Yakuza killings and very remote poison-gas attack

by the religious fanatics. —– Only exception is occasional natural disasters which is

killing handful people in each incidence.

—– so, some may say Japanese are spoiled by the peace.

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It seems, the previous post which I wrote how Japanese is overcoming the disaster by

ignoring the BAD NEWS, annoyed some people who was saying “ Don’t mix-up

the natural disaster to the man-made Nuclear Accident and the failure of the

response by the government.

I’m well aware of it. In fact I’ve been annoyed by the situation myself. At least, I was an

anti-establishment activist. —-but, we learned it in 60^th, 70^th how hopeless the situation is.

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The expression in the west [Bang the head against a stone wall] would explain the

situation. —– And the rack of the political leadership, charismatic leader, nor championing

organization — hence no prospect of any change. ( You might be noticed, there is

virtually no anti-Nuclear demonstration in Japan except the one organized by the

musicians —– it was more like a family outing to cheer-up the depressed people

and politically gave no effect )

So that, there is very positive activities to help the disaster stricken people, but in the same

time deep hopeless mind-set toward the situation, especially the government or establishment.

This hopelessness and powerlessness toward the ever murky politics and the

situation of the Nuclear Plant made the people to feel —– it is no different from

unfortunate fate, like the one’s death which will inevitably comes.

(Remember, there was anti-Nuclear or anti-War demonstration, though I never seen

anti-death demonstration — of cause, there is no point at all though,

it is utterly unfair isn’t it. Why not ? 😀 )

—– This Japanese psyche has been exploited by the government, hence their one-party

dominance could continued 50 years.  (Then even after the power moved from Lib-Dem to

Democratic Party, unfortunately as they have been away from the system too long,

they don’t know how to govern the country —– and the system relying on the personal

expertise and the connection, it can not be replaced and changed easily)

Japanese politics is done by the negotiations between those in power and the backup person

and not open to public, not mention foreign journalists, the debate in the Parliament are

just a farce and the Minister is just a nominal figure (the facts and the data was held by

bureaucrats, hence Minister doesn’t necessary know the whole picture) —— even a head of

government change, those people who know the data and actually run the system is

still the same.   Mind you, the system there is economically second or third largest system

and the industrially as large as US. —– when the supply of components stopped from Japan

due to the disaster there, even the iPAD production in China halted.

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