Stop SMOKING
In England, there was a health campaign held on October, which was
dubbed as “Stoptober” to stop smoking.
—– I was talking with a local man, who remember me used to smoke. As he has been
trying to stop smoking, asked me how I managed to give-up, “Was that thanks to Zen ?”
[]
My smoking seemed to be a mystery to others, long time. = How a Zennist who doesn’t
drink alcohol, never take drug, even managed to give-up woman, still keep smoking ? ? ?
My joke was “I’m perfectly clean Holy-man except smoking. So, if I stop smoking
Lord Buddha wants me to work there. It’s mean, I will be called up straight.
—– in other words, me to stay in this dirty world, I was forced to smoke = if I stop,
I would be just gone.” —– then other friend advised me “If you need one vice to stay
in this world, change smoking to woman. It’s would be much healthier and exciting”
“I know, but to have a woman is much more expensive :-D”
[]
The local man (in fact he is a musician) asked me what sort of mind-set needed to
stop smoking ? —– I answered, there was non. I just stopped. That’s all.
—– people seemed to have a misunderstanding such as
= [To Stop Smoking, it needs a firm determination and lots of efforts] —–
utterly contrary to popular belief, such mind-set has opposite effect.
= People think, [Stop Smoking] is [TO DO Stop Smoking] hence strong will and
the proper mind-set is needed = IT MUST BE a matter of Mindfulness.
—– is utterly wrong. And it is not Zen.
[Stop Smoking] mean, [Smoking is no longer exists] = Just disappeared.
Put a Mind or Effort to a thing which is not exists = is nothing but a delusion.
If you need to DO, you have to deal with it with your Mindfulness and the effort.
But, when you deal with a thing which is not exist = you do nothing
(can you DO anything ? ) = you don’t even notice it.
[]
So that, when I stopped smoking = I just stopped.
The last packet on the desk was still containing 4 cigarettes. (I still remember 😀 )
Technically I could have re-started any moment = anyhow there was no obligation,
nobody watching me still, no such thoughts came up —– because, the notion of
smoking itself had been disappeared = when the target is not there where to put an effort ?
I didn’t need to have such high tension in my mind at all. The harder, it will crack.
= So, it’s better to be relaxed. —– (easy, easy, it’s only about smoking 😀 )
[]
People has been inventing lords of excuse “Not to Stop Smoking” before-hand, such
as it is addictive etc etc. Therefore, when they try to stop, they put so much Preparation
and the “Determination” —– from many Rituals (such as to destroy all the related objects,
ashtray, lighter, etc etc) to Declaration to others — 😀
In reality, the more you put Effort or Ritual kind, they stack to your mind and
remind you again and again = prevent you to get rid of the notion of SMOKING.
As long as the notion of Smoking is in your mind = it IS viable CHOICE to DO.
[]
So, the best tactics is, just stop it, even to take notice of it = when you see a
cigarette —– “What is CIGARETTE ?”
In Zen term, this is Mushin.
= vacates the Mind, not mention any related thinkings.
If you need to stop smoking = JUST DO IT IN THIS WAY
= You will succeed.
___/\___
[]
禅の源流 / How Zen was started
勤行や禅における日常の勤め,実践について具体的に説明した言葉は古代の経典の中には登場して来ません。 単に善き仏教者である為の身だしなみ,心構えが書かれているだけでそれが実際上,
本人の心理生理に いかなる変化をもたらしているのか,そのメカニズムに対する考察が行われた事は仏教2500年の 歴史の中で,かつてー度たりとも無かったと言えるでしょう。
唯ーの例外でそれに近い考察はアーラヤ識という概念(潜在意識に近い)の登場でしたが実際にそれが構造的に,いかに仏教と関っているかが考察された訳ではなく単に存在論,認識論=存るのか無いのか=単に存ると思うだけなのか=>「アーラヤが捕えたものこそが真実」という考えであったにすぎず,
仏教における 空,無,無心,在=不在,不立文字,以心伝心 といった概念の全てが実は[不可視の潜在意識]故に出て来ていたという事には思い至らなかった訳です。
そもそも2500年前には[潜在意識]という概念は無く,その透徹した眼で己れの深奥に在るそれを見すえながらも,それを説明するのにはさすがの釈尊も手甲ずったようで,色々な喩えにたよらざるを得なかった。
例えばダルマ/法とともに在る喜びを「ー切矛盾の無い理想境,極楽に暮すようなもの」と描写すればそれが潜在意識中の満足感,ドーパミンホルモンの横溢による気分のことと理解できなかった者,後世の読者は字づらから「釈尊は極楽が存在すると言われた」と誤解する。
眼前に無くても,潜在意識はその存在を知っている場合。逆にそこに在りながらも,その確証が無い。理屈で解っても,どうしても受入れられないとか。そうした意識はどこに在るのか?
大乗仏典独特の「在るのではなくして在る」といった苦しまぎれの表現は全てこの不可視の潜在意識が存在する故に出て来たものです。(しかしこの不確定性は物理学上のものではなく人間の知覚,認知の ニ重性から生じるもので,先ず潜在意識で直観した情報を選択的に処理してから思考領域で概念化,言語化する為に起る=つまり無心というのは潜在意識での直観,判断に従い,追加処理の思考を排除する事。 ー方,無私というのは受覚した情報を情動域との連鎖無しに処理する事に外なりません。=情動抜きであるから心は平穏)
[]ほとんど所有物もなく比丘としての生活を続けていれば毎日の生活は単純なパターンになり殊更「自分がこれをやっている」という意識を抱くまでもなく,無意識のうちに作業を完遂できるようになるものです。 これが[無心]というものの出発点ですが
釈尊につき従っていた弟子達は同じ作業,同じ所作を無条件に模倣し毎日それを繰返していたので[無心]で作業するという事はわざわざ言われるまでもなく自然に身についていた訳です。 つまり,わざわざ書く必要も教える必要もなかったが,はるか後,孫,孫孫弟子の時代に,それ程の人徳もカリスマも無い老師の元に何十人もの弟子,しかも中には懐疑的反抗児も居ると言った情況になると,何か特別な教育法を考え出す必要が出て来た訳です。
[仏伝に登場するシュリバントクの庭掃除十年の話も,芥子の実(英訳ではマスタードの種子となっていますが)を捜して走り回ったキサーゴータミの話も,いかに
釈尊の教え方が臨機応変,方便に満ちたものであったかを言うのみで,そこに在った延々と繰返される反復動作というものの側面は忘れ去られていた。(反復動作=同ー信号の入力は脳の情動域が無視するようになる為,「自己の」というタグ無しに処理されるようになる。-方,運動域には動作全体がパターンとして刷り込まれ自動的に処理されるようになる=結果として自己意識/自覚/自我を抜きにして行動できるようになる=これが無我無心です)
はたして中国に禅を伝えた菩提達磨師がこうした情況をどこまで把握していたのかは全く不明ですが (達磨大師にまつわる伝説は荒唐無稽なものばかりで,その最たるものに師は青眼であったというのがあるが絶対有得ないハナシ) 間違いないのは,師自身は古代ヨガ (含む,古代の舞踏ヨガ=南印度のバラットナットヤムダンスの源流) の達人であったという事でしょう。このヨガの動きがブラジルのカポエラ様の,複数の人間による瞬間的対応のゲームといった過渡期を経て云わゆる小林寺拳法に進化したというのは疑いない事です。---瞬間的な対応は無意識だからこそ可能なので,モタモタ考えていたら即ー発喰う。
菩提達磨師の着目したものはここに在る[無心]とその效果で,これこそが[無我,無心]に達し[ダルマ/法に身を委ねる]最上の道と喝破した訳です。
己れの生に対する執着,「これは殺されるかも」などといった恐怖が有ると体が萎縮して元々持って生れたダルマの自然(じねん)すら働かない。思考も感情も抜きに,「己れを捨ててこそ浮ぶ瀬もあれ」と言われる由縁です。
[菩提達磨師が空観,無我無心に立った仏教を説いた中国には既に[無為]を説く老荘哲学が流布していた。「意図的には何もやるな。全てを天命に委ねよ」と説く老子の教えは「己れを無にして法に身を委ねよ」という大乗の教えと共通のものがあり,概念の翻訳設定や用語の選択をする上できわめて都合が良かった訳です。 しかしながら既製の用語を使う為に,どうしても元々のニュアンスが出て常人の日常生活に主眼を置いた大乗印度仏教も中国化し,むしろ通念に縛られない事を旨とした独特な禅仏教が生れたと言えます。
(同様な意味で,日本の禅には神道の純粋主義,武士道が影響して,仏教の中でも特異な硬派となっているのでは? —– 同じ禅でも中国人は[無為]は言うが[無私]はやらない。最も悲観的,厭世的で[捨身](しゃしん)と言うのは日本人だけで,お寺が喪式専門になるのも日本独特と,うなづける )
[]人間も含め,万物=ダルマ/法が元々[無我]であると言うのは,バラモン教/ベーダの言うアートマンに 対立して示された
釈尊独特かつ当時としては革命的な発想ですが,この本源的[無我]ゆえに自己意識,我欲などは全て己れの想念の作り出した妄想に過ぎないという教えを納得するには既に[無心]を体感し実践している中国人にとってもいささか時間がかかる。それが納得でき潜在意識の深奥まで 染みつき,無意識に[無我,無心]の行動が取れるようになるまでの修業が[禅]と名付けられたプロセスです。
---で,本人無我無心の内に作業を続けそれが完成したとする。
=それでは,これを作ったのはいったい誰なのか?
=それが外ならぬ持って生れた,内なるダルマ/法であるというのが
釈尊の教えです。
つまり,禅に限らず仏教は現に作業してみない事には体感もできなければ,その体感の経験に立って考えてみる事も納得もできない。座って考えていても何も把めない訳で,仏教の全ての宗派が延々と続く反復作業を修業として課しているのはこの理由からです。
当然ながらー二回禅寺に行って座禅をしても足が痺れるだけで何の足しにもならないし,釈尊にすら説明できなかった事は解説書を読んでも把めない。つまり禅には学んで理解すベき事は何ーつとして無いし,禅を理解するというのは有得ない。 実際にやってみて,出来るか出来ないかしかない訳です。だからこそ,自転車に乗れるか乗れないかの喩えが使われる。
しかし[無心]の作業というものは日常生活の中にいくらでも在り(当ブログの中で「レモン禅」のカテゴリーに分類されている例),=それこそ単に歩くだけでも体験できるものです。その体感を出発点に禅の世界に入っていくというのは誰にでも出来る事。道元禅師の僧食九拝の教えは将にこの事です。作法として細かく様式化されたそれぞれの作業に集中しそれを緻密にやり遂げていく、この作業を修業としそれを雑念無く無心に行える事をめざすのが禅に外なりません。(無念無想、一切のこだわりを捨てよと教える一方で徹底してこだわった細部までを習得させる矛盾はともかくーーーまァその作業を五年十年、百万回も繰返せば無意識でも完璧にやり遂げられるようにはなるでしょうが)
逆に言えば禅,及びその心理作用は必ずしも宗教に直結したものではなく,むしろ心理工学と呼べる ようなもので,
無我無心である事で心理的拘束から解放される自由度にむしろ利点があります。(情動領域での 好嫌,損得,エゴといった自我意識を誘発する事なく判断行動できるという事) =当ブログに奇抜な試みや変った造形物が色々登場して来るのはその自由発想の見本です。 (しかもそれを黙々と作る手作業は,禅以外の何物でもない---で,結果として出来上ったものも満更悪くないと,本人マンゾクしておりますが如何?)
---つまる所,人生楽しく生きる事が肝心!=それが本来の禅というものです。(強もての達磨師が弟子達と,踊るように体をひる返している様を思い浮ベてみられよ---渋っ面の老師のやる事ではないでしょう。 笑)
___/\___
[]
What Lord Buddha originally taught ? ? ?
My task is to find what the original
Lord Buddha’s teachings then 2500 years ago ?
As I wrote on the beginning, there was no direct recording ( I mean written ) of his words.
Even the earliest written scripture were made more than 200 years after his death.
So, does the earliest scripture Agama is telling true story —– I’m not very sure.
There is a Mantra in the Argama which is listing up what was the bodily appearances of
Lord Buddha. —– 32 major signs and another 80 miner signs of them. (See Wikipedia 🙂 )
—– ? ? ? Really ?
Among major signs, it is said that he had [ blue eyes ] —– M m m, Really ? ? ?
[]
Lord Buddha came from the family of the elected local chief = ruling family, but not rely on a military
power = seemingly a kind of Democracy there then. —– Still, the dominant rich family could be a descendant
of the invader / conqueror = foreign people who got blue eyes, —– Caucasian ?.
Or a roving sword’s master with blue eyes / Hero who were married to a daughter of the King, hence his
descendant could have blue eyes though, —– I’m very much doubt of it. (No such historical fact there )
[]
Something certain is that the author of the mantra had a fascination / admiration to the blue eyes = almost
like a fanatic fan who chase Rock star. (Despite, the idolized personal worshiping was prohibited by
Lord Buddha himself on his death bed)
And of cause, the author or the preceding people who had been keeping the teachings in a verbal form =
reciting the memories mouth to mouth, had never met
Lord Buddha himself nor able to give any rational thought while copying it. = It’s mean, despite of
Lord Buddha’s teaching [ Don’t believe the words, but think it yourself] the people had been
blindly following and believing what was toled. (regardless whether it was true or not)
[]
Make the situation worse was that those people who compiled the Mantras, the professional monks who
almost monopolized the writing, reading skill needed to justify their position and to enrich themselves by
tinkering the Buddha’s stories. Later addition of the story/Mantra, such as that the Vedic God came to see
Lord Buddha and paid their respect was, intended to show off the supremacy over the Hinduism.
Therefore, when we read those even earliest scriptures, we have to read them with a pinch of salt =
diligently follow the teaching of [Think yourself] = (this teaching seemed to be a true word of
Lord Buddha as it is not necessary convenient to the money-making monks = still, not altered) 😀
[]
While reading and thinking, we have to distinguish, what is metaphor of what, in reference to the real life =
your real life. Especially, when it is dealing with the matters of our mind, as they are not necessary visible,
we need to give a very good insight. And most importantly, give an insight to what was not written = such
as about their mundane dairy life in the community, who got only a rice bowl in a bag = exactly the same
dairy practice was carried out. And the instruction or advice to individual follower = that was the
Real Teaching given by Lord Buddha = which is the most crucial, but missing in the script.
———- In the situation of dairy life, to see what
Lord Buddha was doing, his body movement, attitude was what the CORE of the TEACHING.
That was why, all the Buddhist sects are telling importance of the dairy life. ( Because the
Buddhism is not what you’ve read or understood, but what you are actually doing = this
actual action become an habit which reflects into your subconsciousness = you only
learn this from ” DOING it by Yourself ” —– not from reading or thinking )
In a mantra, gone too-far-fetched glorious stories are likely just a glorious story, elaborating the glory of
Lord Buddha, nothing other than that. ( In fact, it was a self indulgent of a monk who wrote the story)
[]
This is the reason why I’ve been relying on the reference to the science, since
Lord Buddha had very good observation and the insight in rational approach = very
scientific mind-set. (But don’t expect the Modern science, it was 2500 years ago —– still,
Lord Buddha’s insight to the human mind is, even in today’s standard, astonishing.)
In comparison to the Hindu approaches, to see the natural phenomena —– instead of contributing
them to each God in charges with, but see the facts and its relation, and understand it in the
frame-work of cause and effect is nothing but the scientific thinking.
———- With a psychological profile, I’ve been thinking
Lord Buddha was a scientist, whose insight even reached to the edge of the Universe
And he found those rationally interacting system and its rules as the Dharma.
___/\___
[]
Tree of the Life
———————————————— ( Kailash Mountain / Photo = Wikimedia)
This is the roots of a tree said to be brought from the Holy Kailash Mountain of Tibet.
It is a dwarf birch tree < Bitula Kailash Kailasee > only
a tree grow in that high and cold area.
—– as the soil is very thin on the rock, roots can grow
only side way in the shallow soil, and strangely, it said
to be always grow same anti-clock spiral direction
as you can see in the photo.
The ancient legend says that this tree has the
mythical power of the life, hence able to grow
even in such harsh condition.
And the pattern of this roots was said to be the origin of the Swastika/卍 = as
its graphical representation. —– M m m ?
[]
Though, unfortunate to the tree, since this tree was too highly sought after, they are said to be almost
extinct in its original location now. —– How shame.
Yet still, the nature is always the source of the inspiration to the man. —– and to me.
___/\___
[]
PS: It’s a nice story though, do remember, it is a mythical legend.
—
Season’s Greeting / BUDDHA Figure
with the Buddha 2009‘s image and the Wheel of Life.
Christmas is, for me it is much of a havoc as all the shops
close and the transports stops etc, than to celebrate.
Though, to a lots of my friends, it is the occasion to have a
good time and get drunk, which I don’t do. ———-
no drug, no alcohol, no gamble, no woman ( how nice 😀 )
still eat anything but not processed food or fizzy drinks.
——- so, I’m making a sheer joke, I’m a holy man Ha Ha Ha 😀
———————
To see the details of the figure, please click on the photo to enlarge.
Don’t miss the internal reflection, the image of Wheel of the Life
in his glass head ( In the Selfless state, the fundamental rule of Dharma would revealed itself).
(This reflection is an optical false image, it will change with a direction to see. It is there as not there )
——– This glass head was made by a technician who has made the glass housing of
the Hubble Space Telescope’s Image sensor which brought us unprecedented clearest images
of the Universe. ( To meet this technician happened by the series of sheer coincidences, which I would
call, Karmic encounter. ——- Buddha’s figure may wanted to have his head connected to the Universe )
——————–
Why he was depicted in such a poor looking figure ? you might say.
Buddha himself chosen to be a Bikku (beggar), and from where, the teaching of the Buddhism
was started. If he had stayed as the richly ornated Royal Prince, the great teachings of the Buddhism
couldn’t have born. We have to follow this origin, without additives or glorious decoration.
Without weapon he was the strongest teacher. Without any ornament he was the most precious figure.
So, I made him by using recycled materials except the head (and a Hi-power LED inside) though,
some may say, I wasn’t rich enough to buy gold leaf to gritter. ( So, your donation of a piece
of cloth to wrap his body would be much appreciated 🙂 )
——————–
It is difficult to see from the photo though, a skull head was held on his hand.
One eye of the skull reflects the twisted, distorted image, and the another shows straight image,
its meant, that is what we have to see the world.
( The rest of the concepts were explained in the post ” Odd news “)
***
* * * Hope all of you have a soul fulfilling and peaceful New Year 2010 * * *
———- As the Sun is coming back, its would be brighter any way 😀
***
Buddha’s Foot Step

This is the foot print of the Buddha——well in fact it was the first attempt to
make “Buddha-2009” ‘s right foot, and I made another to attach
to his body. ——–so that this one was left as independent piece.
With up side down, it looked just like a foot print.
Yes, this is the Buddha’s foot print. It lead us, humankind for the
past 2500 years as the guiding light.
————–
It was created from a sheet of aluminium panel by just pressing it by hand.
If you press a sheet of metal, it will bend. And if you further press bent metal
it will be curved further. Keep pressing it again and again, just do it.
On the end flat metal may even become round sphere.
——You might have read a Zen story telling the rain drops curves the rock.
Well this is it.
Odd News
Strangely you may think though, I have appeared in the BBC News Site,
but not as Yoshizen, but aka / Yoshi Imamura, demonstrating
” Psycho-kinetic Motor “ and in the video clip ” Pendulum Clock “
made out of computer HDD, and above all, the figure of the
” Buddha-2009 ” also appeared ( with the rotating light as his heart ).
http:// news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8125259.stm
(or Click top right column / ASSOCIATE / BBC News)
—————
I’m going to put the Buddha-2009’s full picture in this blog
in near future, though just give you a brief explanation how and why
the Buddha was depicted in this manner.
——- More than 20 years ago, I saw an image of a stone carving of
Buddha in his asceticism practice, almost skeleton like figure from
Gandhara, and I was deeply struck by it.
So that when I decided to create Buddha’s stature 7 years ago, I designed
to make him like a skeleton of which the head is a clear glass sphere
as the Buddhism stands on the selflessness.
The heart shows perpetually changing pattern of light, since
nothing stays permanent. —– etc (all the Buddhism teachings
are symbolised and depicted in here)
——-This is a sample of the Zen Buddhism in action, not in talking.
And my way to the Nirvana.

2 comments