Clear the Deck for 2013 / Detach the EMOTION

Blogging, or writing in general, it is the process to convert the idea or notion into a separate object,

thus, enables it to be examined as an independent entity. ( on top of much more common purpose

to express it to others ) = like a Jig-saw Puzzle, we have to find, not only matching the shape of

pieces but also its picture printed on, which we can see the rationality in bird’s eye view.

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Thanks to given task of this Blog (yes, I regard this, not my choice but a given task I was assigned

— simply because it has occurred on my life — has anybody else assigned as well ? = if nobody

else there, I have to take care, haven’t I ? 😀 ) at least I managed to record the process what and

how I figured out Zen Buddhism in the past 3 years and 9 months, with over 400 posts.

(since, this is the DIY Zen study)

As it is still an ongoing process, I wouldn’t pretend it had consistent unity = far from it, it deviated

a lots, therefore it often contradicting each other.   And not necessary having even consistent

definition of the term, not because of mistake but change of my approach.

So, thanks goodness, I’ve managed to come to much clear picture of which those confusion has

been sorted out (well, more or less 😀 )

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My basic approach to the Buddhism is the same from the start, long before even I

started this Blog. —– It was to retrace the way and the process how

Lord Buddha found and came to his conclusion as a normal human being, not a

superman or divine figure.

Human brain is more or less having the same function and the same tendency.

As there couldn’t be any super natural phenomena such as Extra Sensory Power (though, I

reserve the judgement about this point, because there seemed to be something still there ) and

the human common-sense is more or less the same, therefore when we see the same subject, we

are able to deduce to the same conclusion.

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While I was blogging, there were two important view point came to my consideration.

The one was a phenomenon in the Neurophysiology, that the threshold of our perception

become higher against the repeating signals = I realized the connection to the repeating

action of the Buddhist’s practice which lead the person to acquire the immunities to the

repeating coming signal or same internal thought, hence higher threshold blocks the signal

reaching to emotional cortex and trigger the hormonal reaction. ( Such as if you see

the same porno photo on the wall every day, the perception was desensitized and soon it loose an

impact to arose you with a seclusion of Testosterone = photo become just another landscape. 😀 )

—– (On the beginning, I’ve been putting more emphasis to an effect of imprinting

by the repeated practice, but [imprinting into subconscious] alone couldn’t explain

the origin of Selflessness).

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And the other was a neurological symptom that the blocked connection to the emotional cortex in

the brain of Alzheimer’s case, it cause the loss of cognition to see the SELF and the

own possession = hence, loose the EGO, and the Self-preserving GREED.

Some of you may feel rather disturbing with this, because of the connection to Alzheimer’s though,

despite of it this is the very key to understand the MUSHIN and the SELFLESSNESS as

one phenomenon = the matter is to block the Emotion which is causing all the trouble

in the LIFE such as Obsessive Thoughts, sticky Attachment, EGO and the GREED.

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So, thanks to Alzheimer research, the mechanism of our Mind has been exposed.

But, to have this detached mind, you don’t need to wait another 40, 60 years =

while doing Buddhist’s practice, you might realized that you are doing it without

conscious (unconsciously hand was moving or automatically chanting) —– once

you see this phenomenon, practice the same while watching this blank-space in

your brain. —– Then, while having this blank-space in the brain (Being in Mushin)

turn the eyes beyond, and see the world in Mushin. = Soon or later, you will acquire

the skill to have this eyes in any moment and in any situation. = YOU ARE IN ZEN.

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In this context, so called Buddhist’s teachings = [eliminate THINKINGS] this Thinkings has to

be understood as [Emotional Judgment] not a logical clear thinkings. =

This is one of the most confusing part in the Buddhist’s teachings.

Lord Buddha ordered his disciples in his death bed

“Don’t believe what you were taught and what others say, but think it yourself ” =

Think logical in clear objective way, and use common-sense, was what he meant.

After all, cool dispassionate eyes = non-emotional, logical thinkings is the key to the Buddhist’s

Mind-set. —– (Without having Emotional conscious, we feel the Brain is blank ! 

= When we see something in total dispassionate way, we only feel the vision but

not a thought = This is MUSHIN —– still, the brain is working subconsciously )

There is no mythical secret technique which is not achievable to the ordinal mankind.

What Lord Buddha taught was not a kind of Mythical belief but the clear practical solution

—– such as the case of Kisa-Gortami, he didn’t tell her any Mumbo-jumbo such as she could see

her dead child in the Heaven or child would reborn and see her again, but simply made her just

running around and made her to reach logical understandings, that a death is the common

and inescapable truth. = This is the very Key teaching of

[Life IS, to suffer, getting ill and old, and to die].

[And the way to deal with this harsh Life is to learn Buddhism through its repeating practice] which

would eliminate the bad effect of the Emotion, hence able to live in peace of Mushin and Selflessness.

(As I rote above, without connecting to Emotion, the action can be done in

dispassionate way almost automatic = even without the conscious, and without the

obstruction of Ego, Greed and the Delusion)

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—– If you give a thought and review all the Phenomena in the Buddhist’s psyche, such as

Detachment, Detached to the Changing world hence Live in its Moment, Has no Fear of the Death,

no Ego, no Greed etc etc you will realize, all those were the manifestation of NO Emotion (and

Emotional Judgement). —–The man who could forsake the pleasure of life in luxury and the feast

of flesh, and able to bluntly define the [Life is Suffering],

Lord Buddha had no illusion, neither gave any sweet illusion to the followers,

especially his teachings were the one, revolutionary idea which against the popular

Vedic idea of Atman = (Perpetual soul, which has no logical, scientific proof) he would have had

no way to fabricate any another fancy stories. = Hence, the Buddhism in its original form is blunt

and straight, because of it was not considered to be popular but stand on the Truth, as it teaches

Own Enlightenment, not dependent on a Salvation which proved to be never come.

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Widely misconceived so-called Buddhist’s [Compassion] is not emanated from the tender

Emotion but it comes from the same Mind-set of Mushin and the Selflessness = see

the situation without Emotion and the Ego, hence able to see the needs of others as if it was one’s

own = then able to see what is the best to DO here = effectively helping others as a result.

= If the one still having own Emotion, the own self-preservation comes first.

Selfless act has no Emotion.   And this is why it has no notion of [giving to others]

= NO distinction of ME and OTHER. = in this Mind-set, there is even no conscious of Me and even

Animal or Plant. = This is the True Compassion in the Buddhism.

True Buddhist is not compassionate sweet person but he (she) is the person just Doing what he

ought to Do, without having even a conscious of doing or being as a Buddhist.

When the one has NO conscious of SELF, how the same person can have a conscious

of [I’m a Buddhist] —– And this is the true meaning of [There is NO SELF]

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Cooking Daikon ( Japanese / Chinese White Radish )

Daikon (大根 in Japanese) is a sister of Radish (yes, that red small one) or Swede and  hey are all in the same  Brassicaceae  family, hence having the same four-petals flower like Rape flower (but Daikon’s flower is in pale violet to white = in fact pretty pretty, innocent looked flower  🙂 )

Despite it is one of the most common root vegetable in Japan (also in China = Japan is exporting its shredded and dried products to China hundreds of thousands of tons every year) when I came to England, it was not in greengrocer’s  (yet, French calls it as Molly and eat a lots though, theirs having black skin and as big as Japanese one  (up to 4″ or 10 cm diameter = hence, it resembles girl’s leg with black tights = so, to see it in the piled-up mountain in St’ Michelle market in Paris, it looked very sexy  😀 )

(In Japan, call a girl “Daikon ashi” (Daikon leg) is a worst insult 😉 )

Even though Daikon is so popular and ubiquitous though, you may not see them in a restaurant menu —– situation looked the same in French or Chinese, I don’t remember I ever seen this vegetable in their menu, except a very rustic or family kitchen style restaurant, otherwise as a small side-dish to drink Sake = such as I describe hereafter.  🙂

( If you ever seen disc-shaped yellow pickles = Takuan = it is one of the pickled style Daikon though, it may not in an expensive Japanese restaurant  🙂 )

—– So, how Japanese is cooking this vegetable in their kitchen ? 

Daikon is very easy to cook vegetable as its own or with another materials —– It can be eaten  even  raw = grated ( the source to dip Tempra) or finely cut into thread (comes with Sashimi) and often boiled with Octopus or Squid because the Daikon is having a Digestive Enzyme which soften Octopus, on top of many nutrition and vitamins   🙂 

The photo above is  Furo-fuki Daikon ( 風呂吹大根 ) = Daikon was boiled with dashi, that’s all !

 * Boil the Dashi = as the powder, or in a small packet,  or use Dashi Kombu (Kelp sea weed) and a bit of Salt.

* Then put cut Daikon and boil — may be 60 min or so, until it was cooked soft (— it would be disintegrated if it was boiled too long —– still, it will make a nice soup.   🙂  )

Even simpler is Dengaku ( 田楽) = just boil Daikon in a plain water until it was cooked soft.  

* And eat it with a Miso based source  = Miso with small amount of Vinegar and a bit of Sugar, + small amount of Mirin (Japanese Cooking Sake or a bit of wine, White Rum can be used instead )

* For additional flavor — I add few drop of West-Indian Hot-chilly Source, or Wasabi,  Mustard. — When I mixed with Thai Tom-yam-Ku paste = it wasn’t too bad —– any variation you can try and enjoy the taste.  ( If it became too runny with vinegar etc, just add more Miso.   🙂  )

(For Dengaku, you can put many different materials too, such as Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery even Potato. — Japanese use Konnyaku (it’s a funny staff /  Mannan product)  as well. ) —– from here, another popular Japanese cooking called “Oden” is only a step away.  Basically Oden is a cooking of the chopped Daikon and various fish cakes boiled together and pick up of those you like from the pan to your own small dish and eat. (normally with mustard = why mustard is, = since Daikon and Mustard belongs to the same botanical family, their taste mix well, = same as that, Tomato based cooking will mix well with chilli pepper, since they are in the same family) 

—– Now you have seen the key of the Daikon cooking = main seasoning in Furofuki Daikon was in its Dashi, but the Dengaku, it was in the Source.   Still in both cooking, the dominant taste is Daikon itself.

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When an Italian guy who seemed to have very good taste bud, first ever eat Daikon and he was very impressed and asked me how to make it.  —– And he was even surprised, why Italian doesn’t have such cooking, despite it is very popular in France. 

( Only a small trouble with eating Daikon is,  it could make you to produce strongest mankind ever know kind of fart, yet still, it was known to be not poisonous = hence, it makes short of health warning.   😀  )

—– Not because of its humble, Minimalistic Zen approach, but simply, it’s so tasty  = So, this is my Festive time eating.  (on top of Temaki-Sushi.   😀  )  

If you haven’t tasted it yet,  I strongly recommend you to try.

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PS :  I received an Email from my Chinese friend  Sing Lee, the way how to cook it in Chinese style !

<<< (There was the Photos from him though, they have been disappeared — copyright issues ?  —– I don’t know.  What a shame.)

It’s been a quite long time I haven’t visited WordPress, I got some very beautiful photos of azalea flowers in my hometown in May last year, but haven’t got a chance to post them at my blog yet.

 

We cook White Radish(Bai Luo Bo- 白萝卜) at three methods:

 

1) Sliced it in little strips or little bits,  and then stir and cook with pork.

2) Sliced it in large unit, cook and boil with pig’s bone, pettitoes, chicken or duck meat

(boil it about half or one hour).

3) Sliced it in large strips, boil with pig lung (boil it about 1 hour).

Especially during the winter, cook the white radish with pig lung and eat them, it can help people to keep their lungs in a good condition.

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>>>  Thank you very much Sing Lee for your great contribution.

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Stollen ( German Fruits Cake for Xmas )

On my daily life, there are quite few things missing —– on the shopping front, it is far easier

to count what I buy rather than listing up what I don’t buy = such as other than fresh vegetables and

the fruits, a sort of sweets or confectionery is completely missing = simply because I’m buying

essentials which I desperately need ! = if I don’t eat I may die = So that, I have to eat = hence, I buy

the food staffs, but in the cheapest way = fresh raw material = never buy processed food, let

alone junk-food or that kind, bottled drink, any alcohol, which we don’t need for our survival 😀

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Don’t get me wrong, I’m not following ANY idea of “Healthy diet” or Religious restriction what so ever

but simply I’m living the life of poor-man. Cooking out of fresh materials is the cheapest way to eat.

This mind-set, “poor-man” (in Buddhist’s term, Bhikku = Beggar)  seemed to have originated from

my family = Zen priest’s and the life in the mountain = NO waste of food, food is to survive.

—– And in the same context, no waste of anything (since, I’m not printing a money or ever

produced even a single grain of rice) so to repair and recycle what so ever it was possible, is the norm.

In the same way, wear the clothes is for its essential function, not for fashion or vanity = hence,

as long as it is wearable (with stitching repair etc), no need to buy another one.

—– So, I’m still using my heavy-duty jacket I bought in Japan 40 years ago 🙂 — though, it seems,

it has gone too far hence, some body told me “If you like to come, buy decent clothes and wear a tie”

= so, I needed to buy a trouser and jacket last week (last time I did shopping for clothe (other than

underwear and socks) was two years ago 😀 )

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Therefore, in my shopping, I’m going through a forests of foods and goods like a remote land-scape.

Still, it is not a kind of fixed mind or prohibition, the mind recognizes those item which I don’t need is

not there —– sweets, confectionery or the fashion display doesn’t take any attention = or they are

almost NOT exists. (I might be an enemy of the super-market —– or for them, £10 par week

kind of person has no statistical significance :-D) —– THOUGH, once in a year, I’m making

an exception for a German cake Stollen which is only sold in the Xmas time.

Stollen is a German equivalent of Xmas pudding but not as heavy as Xmas pudding with Rum or

Brandy, still it is a kind of festive fruits cake.

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—– I’m not an expert of cake making, let alone Stollen. I only know this, in the past 7~8 years since

I saw a woman buying this from the Lidl saying “This Stollen is our traditional Xmas cake”

As the woman pronounced “Sh-tollen” I noticed she is a German. (And Lidl shop was originated

from Germany)

—– So, as a cultural interest, I bought one and realized this must be the symbol of their winter life.

= In the Autumn, people, kids goes woods and gather edible small fruits, Blue-berry

kind and Walnuts, Pine-nuts etc. And use those harvested and dried fruits to make a

cake for winter festive season. (Though, today’s Stollen was made with imported Raison, Almond

/ Marzipan etc —– still showing and maintaining their traditional folk culture 🙂 )

I like the life rooted on the Earth and live accordingly to the season = life of

the moment to moment.

Pick the Berry in a late Summer, preparing for the coming Winter — and eat the gift of the Nature

in the Festive time remembering the Sun in the Past Summer = To repeat this, ten or so times,

the kids become good grown-ups and start to have their own family.

—– or, to repeat 60~80 times is what our LIFE is = smell of sun drenched bush, or cool air

of forest’s floor —– the memory of brother or sister, friends etc etc = and the cycle of the LIFE

= therefore, as I bought the same Stollen again, it’s mean yet another year has past.

I wouldn’t say, either congratulation or sorry = it’s just another year  😀

(And, I wouldn’t imply the life has an equivalent value of 80 Stollen  😀 😀 )

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Is Yoga Religion ?

Is Yoga Religion ?

Is Acupuncture Religion ?

Is Shaolin Kung-fu or Tai-chi Religion ?

– – – how about the Exercise for Rehabilitation to whom got Brain damaged ?

And is Zen Religion ?

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If you ever practiced Yoga, you might have heard the theory or story behind of Yoga = how

to get harmony with Nature or even with the Universe = Spiritual aspects of  Yoga.

And you might heard the Acupuncture is based on the ancient Taoism = balance of Yin-Yang

and each points are on the line called Meridian etc etc.

Shaolin Kung-fu came from the same temple where the Zen Buddhism started

= Part of the Buddhism teachings.

And the Tai-chi was based on the teachings of the Taoism = Yin-Yang theory etc etc.

In other words, it has theory though, in practice it doesn’t matter.   It’s nice to

have elaborated theoretical decoration though, the matter is in practice.

Because, it got visible effects and clear physical, mental or even medical function whether

you believe its theory or Myth or not. = They don’t need to be believed. = Just do it.

– – – So, why the Zen was regarded to be a Religion ? ? ?

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The difference between Science and the Religion is,

Science stands whether you believe it or not.

So, a paper will burn if you put a fire on it = paper rapidly combines with oxygen, which will

happen regardless whether you know the Science behind or not, or you can see oxygen or not.

But in the Religion, if you believe its theory or blah blah, you will see it exists.

– – – – –

But in the case in Zen practice, most of the people couldn’t understand what the point of doing

it, let alone to see or feel its effect or result.

Twist the leg and meditate AND THINK NOTHING = it is the hardest practice for most of the

people to comprehend.   Added trouble here is, most of the people think the meaning of the

word [Meditation] is somewhat think deep 😀 – – – how to teach [Think nothing, while

thinking deep] 😀  Or to think an answer to a strange question “ without THINKING” 😀

– – – – –

Still, most of the people know, [ Do something simple, can be done without having

any thought = Auto-pilot] – – – Zen should be taught in this approach.

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The key in the Zen is, [ To do something “the same”, many many times which

lead the Brain to start ignoring the repeated signal, and process “the same”

WITHOUT THINKING] ! = Done by Subconscious = Mushin.

= with an inherent tendency of the brain = [ BRAIN start the process without

linking the signal to the EMOTION]  = Done in Selflessly.

The EMOTION is the source or generator of the [Mind of Self ] = without linking to the

Emotion, the Brain will process the signal / information / stimulant, almost automatically =

without the Self-interest or EGO = objectively and in the most efficient logical way =

and once the person mastered this Mind-set, the person can use same process to other

subject in general = therefore, able to see the reality and to respond the Life

in the best way without distorted Ego, fear or dithering.

This is the ZEN (the mind  without lingering and having no hindrance, hence

in its at most calmness = in another word [dispassionate] ) – – – in fact,

this is the Enlightenment.

This brain activity / Mind-set  is a clear FACT hence, it is a subject of 

neurological science = you believe or not, Brain is doing it in this way.

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Still, so called teacher of Zen is teaching it as a Religion, simply because they don’t know

this Fact and the Brain activity, let alone they have ever experienced it by themselves.

Without effectively able to teach the way to develop the Brain, teacher has to rely on the

mythical story of blah blah to pull a wool on your eyes = if you believe its story, this is

another kind of Zen (“expecting to have enlightened several lives after” kind of fantasy,

while living this life in vegetated states ).

– – – – –

Like Yoga or even the Exercise for a Rehabilitation which works as a physiological function,

regardless any elaborated theory or a mythical story, Zen has to be learned as a

training to the Brain and its Neurological function.

After all, even the invisible mystical activities of the mind are the reflection of

the Brain function = not a mythical Religion.

– – – – –

Zen is a type of the process in the Brain, not a religious belief. And this is what

Lord Buddha has discovered.  This was the reason why he was called Buddha =

Enlightened one, not a divine figure nor prophet = NOT as a religious figure but a great

teacher to the mankind who share the same type of the Brain and the same

tendency of the trouble in the Life.

As you are going to have this kind of the Life, you better have this Mind-set = this was what

Lord Buddha has taught. = His teachings was not for believing but an advice

which will actually works. = because, the Brain IS working in this way.

What Buddhists need is not a Bodhisattva or Maitreya but bit more brighter

teacher who can see how the mind and the brain works.  🙂

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Autumn CHERRY BLOSSOMS

It was on the end of November last year, I found the flowers on this Cherry tree.

But it happened to show the same, two weeks earlier in this time. —– As it is a bit early

this year, the Cherry tree has lots of leaves as well.

So, the autumn golden leaves and the pink blossoms in the same time = rather unusual

sight in deed. Because it was unusual, I didn’t feel very comfortable last year though, I was

more permissive mood this year. After all, to impose “What is normal or abnormal” is man’s idea.

—– Nature may have much more facets which we never know = And they may say,

“What’s wrong with having flowers in an Autumn = it’s not your business”.

A sort of stereotypical knowledge = there may not be an insect who visit and pollinating

the flowers out of season though, —– yes, there is an insect (kind of fly ?) was in the flower.

Out of our eyes and beyond our knowledges the Nature may still be in full

operation regardless the season 😀

And WHO said, the Cherry open the flowers only for the purpose to make fruits

and seeds = yet still, they could blossom just giving a fun

for the winter insects too —– why not 😀

—– As a result, this tree gave the opportunities for me to talk about TWICE already

= it’s a big achievement for such a small tree !

Never mind, the Wheel of the Nature is Going Round and Round and Round —–

And our lives goes on as well. 🙂

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Can Ordinary Bicycle Rider become Zennist ?

I’ve wrote about many samples of the Natural Mushin, such as the examples,

Typing, Riding Bicycle even ordinary Walking, or through the practice to Cut

Lemon, Put a Pen onto a paper, just watching a Flow of Water, Sea Wave etc.

= In our daily life a Moment when our brain fallen into the state of the No-Mind [Mushin]

is not a rare occurrence, far from it, it is quite an ordinary psychological condition.

—– If so, you might ask, what makes the difference between those

common Moment of No-Mind to the ZEN.

= The answer is in the person’s Mind, or what the person thinks and accepts

[this is the ZEN] = then, it is the Zen or at least it is a start.

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While riding a bicycle or cutting a lemon, once you realized that your mind doesn’t have

any thinking other than a mere feeling of “ I’m riding” and the vision “ Land scape is just

passing by” and “ Air is just flowing on my cheek”, or you just see the Knife cutting a Lemon.

—– You need to feel [Oh, this is the ZEN] or feel [I’m in the ZEN] = and

make it a kind of tag bound two together, so that the notion of ZEN is always

stack to the action, Riding, Cutting or Typing what ever be the action.

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And you must became aware, the subject you are acting on, and your action is just passing

on or going on, such as the Landscape, shape of the Lemon or the Letters you are Typing,

next by next and moment to moment, like as to see an endless continuing flow.

= As it is the Flow, it never stays the SAME (of cause, that is what Riding, Cutting or

Typing meant to be = otherwise you can’t reach destination, couldn’t make Lemon Slices

and a cup of tea, or finish Typing).

And you must become aware, “ This is what the action meant, or the situation IS”

= YOU just have to DO, hence the SITUATION CHANGES = You are seeing

its flow as if you are just an observer, despite YOU, Yourself is

ACTING and CAUSING this FLOW.

( You have to see and aware this, as it is just a passing phase = but NOT THINK,  just see

as if it is a distant land scape) —– And need to be convinced and become aware,

This IS the ZEN scape.

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This detached eyes is what called OPEN EYES and the OPEN-MINDED MIND.

= with this, you must become aware YOU CAN DO THE THINGS ALMOST

AUTOMATIC, IN QUITE DISPASSIONATE BUT EFFICIENT WAY.

While DOING this or HAVING this eyes, a landscape even a bottom of a woman become

just another landscape ! (fortunately or unfortunately 😀 😀 )

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Ultimately, ZEN is to have this MINDSET and the OPEN EYES (often called

Clear-Eyes), by which, strangely you might think

“ With the detached EYES, I can see the Real Detail more”

Details, hence the Change, in minute Moment to Moment = Hence YOUR response as well.

Because of the open-eyes, you can have more facts, hence you can be much

more PRECISE  or less SELECTIVE and more TOLERANT and FLEXIBLE,

(as you can have the More Freedom on YOUR  JUDGMENT and the CHOICE)

and able to pay more attention even to the others as well.

This is what the ZEN IS.

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When you try this and became able to DO this, go back to the old posts in this blog

= You must be realized Why, and see What is the psychological mechanism behind.

And see, amazingly all those were taught by

Lord Buddha, 2500 years ago already = this is nothing new or fancy novelty.

( In fact, they are the matter of Subconscious =To see and Feel is done by your intuitive 

Subconscious — but Reasoning and Rational Sorting etc is done by the Thinking. 

ZEN rely on the Subconscious perception and the straight response = hence

eliminates the bias or distortion caused by the intentional Thinking )

= Have a good try or many = it is not difficult as even I hthinkingave done (as DIY).

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How Buddhism has survived ? / アビダルマを読む？ エッ，マジ？

It was a real history, once there was a time, the Study of the

Abidharma Mantra was the main task of the Buddhist.

If you open and read few pages of such as Abidharma Kosa, you will see the trouble if

anyone has to study those. = they are incredibly complicated, laborious and endless

description of all sorts of definition or the relation of each phenomenon, existences

= which was purported to be the analysis and elucidated structure of the Dharma.

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I think, and you can easily see, they were not what

Lord Buddha taught. —– Imagine, if it was taught by him, soon he would see, half of the

disciples are sleeping. = No such non-appetizing or boring teachings were ever given, as

Lord Buddha was not such idiot.

And does anybody think, is any essence or even hint of Buddhism were written in there?

= So, how come, how the tradition or essence of the teachings were

not lost through that period?

—– The secret was hidden in the situation itself.

= If you were a monk then, you were forced to study it.

You got to have strong will to follow the Buddhism.   But if you were having strong Ego, you

might be just run away from the monastery. = in another words, if anybody survived its hell,

it was a person having strong will to serve Buddhism but abandon to have any Ego.

Repeatedly read the same book of Abidharma again and again, you must have memorized

everything hence able to recite all the passages = mouth can move automatic and recite the

words though, the Emotion and the Mind is no longer there = NO THINKING.

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Our Brain filter out the same signal. If the same signal is coming again and

again, the threshold of the perception became much higher and it will be

processed without involving any Emotion.

Like the same wall on the street, you wouldn’t pay attention twice = you can see it’s still

there = So What ? = Once you know it has no significance (not special or impose

any danger), the visual signal would be ignored.   It is the same to a radio CM. = even if

you heard it 100 times, you may not remember what it was saying, because it has no

significance or took your attention with interest = it mean, it didn’t take interest of your

Emotion or no longer appearing to your Emotion.

= all those signal / information became transparent = doesn’t trigger any thinking.

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= So, the Study of Abidarma Mantra was not what written in there but it was a training

to get rid of the Ego and eliminate the Thinking ( = reach to Mushin).

= this is what all about the Buddhism study needed.

It’s mean, DESPITE of Abidharma, Buddhism tradition was continued. 😀

( In case, if you like and enjoy reading it —– M m m ? Who the hell you are :-D)

___/\___   😀

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仏教２５００年の歴史の中にはアビダルマ経が教義の主流であった時代が有ます。

パラパラ数頁を読めばすぐ解る事ですが，とにかくしちめんどくさい事がびっちり延々と書かれている。

誰が見ても明らかですがこんな解りにくく退屈なものを

釈尊が延々と説いたとは考えられない。ほんの数例が喩えとして説かれたと言うのがいい所で，延々とやったら

さすがの直弟子ですら居眠りに落ちていたでしょう。

これが全ての存在物，事象それぞれとその関係（因果／縁）の定義で,これがダルマの解明であるという訳ですが

バラしたカメラ部品全ての説明を受けたからといってカメラは元より写真が何かはまるで解らないというのと

同じで,アビダルマ経の全てを読んでも仏教が何であるかは全く解らない。

＝逆に言えば，読んでも足しにならないものを読む事が 主流であった時代を経て来ながら，

どうやって仏教の教えが失なわれる事なく，綿々と受継がれて来たのかと言う疑問が出て来ます。

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この答はその当時の現場の情況を思い浮べてみると解ります。

僧院に入った若い弟子は何が何んでもこのアビダルマ経を学ばざるを得なかった

＝無条件に受入れるしか無くエゴの入り込む余地は無い。さもなければ寺を離れる以外に道は無かった。

＝つまり寺に残るのは苛酷な修行に耐えてでも仏に仕えようという強靭な意志と経文をマスターできる頭を持ち

 ながら, しかもエゴ／自我を消滅できた少数のエリートであったという訳です。

それに加え，冗長な経文をマスターするには何千回も繰返して読む必要が有り,最後には全てを暗唱できる

ようになっていたでしょう。

人間の脳は繰返し入って来る同ー刺激（信号）に対しては刺激の閾値が高くなり，それを感情抜きで

機械的に処理するようになります。

見慣れた物や風景はそこに在るのが見えていても全く注意を引かない（思考に結びつかない）事と同様の

現象で， 経文を唱えるにも頭はほとんど無意識のまま口は自動的に動いて唱えられるようになります。

これは禅で言う［無心］に他なりません。

［］

つまり，アビダルマ経を学ぶという事には，経文の内容の問題ではなく，それを学ぶ実践の過程，

その派生効果の中に仏教の核心（無私，無心への到達）が隠されていたという事です。

（もちろんアビダルマ経は仏教用語の用法やその定義を明確にしたという意味でその後の経典作者や

仏教学者に とっての聖典でもありますが－－－アタシャ苦手だね）（笑）

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( Thinking ) in MUSHIN

While talking with people, I found even a person regularly reading this blog still having a

confusion about the subconsciousness and the state of Mushin.

—– giving a thought = It might be caused by my explanations, since I might have used the

term Mushin = Mind of No-Mind, too casually = since it is almost a crèche, I presumed that

the term must be well understood from other books or the sort, so that I just concentrated

to the way [How to reach or experience and learn it].

= Or, may be I haven’t been clearly defined about two different “Thinking” yet.

Mushin Without Thinking might be very deceptive words in deed 😀

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“ Mushin without Thinking” = In this “Thinking” mean, Higher level of the brain process

such as categorization and the sorting process = matching to an existing

references, and the conversion to the linguistic expression.

(All those process are the matter of the pattern-recognition)

On the other hand, Sorting is according to the value or its importance.

= this Value and Importance mean Personal Preferences, the Value or Significance

in the Society, Value in the Belief System, above all importance in the scope of the

Preservation of the Self and the Society / Species (Mankind)

= (All those are related to the Survival instinct).

= So, you may think “ How we can survive without thinking”

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It is a well known phenomenon that our brain is doing thinking process without us noticing it,

and when we became aware of “I thought”, subconscious has processed it 6 seconds ago.

(This must be measured while observing the brain activity on MRI or PET scanner though,

I wasn’t there = I know not whether it was 3 or 7 second in reality 😀 )

So, the question is, out of our conscious,

what our brain has been doing during those 6 seconds ?

—– As a matter of fact, even in the state of Mushin, our brain is fully working.

Even if the Sword- Master Musashi is fighting in Ichijo with his sword and with the

Rule of the Dharma, his eyes have to see his opponent’s movement and the brain has to

analyze other conditions or situation as well, not mention the control of his hand and the body.

= It is the moment to moment responses.

(Some are really done out of our conscious by the Motor-region of the brain, such as to keep

the body balance —– but to pay attention to such as to the road condition, not to tumble on

a stone, may needs a bit more of the instinctive body reaction = stone has to be seen and take

it into account)   It’s mean, even in the state of Mushin, your brain is not blank but

fully committed to the matter what you are committed in its moment

(hence this is called Mindfulness) still without you consciously noticing it

(hence this is called Mushin) while your hand, body, mind, your sword are

all in one unity or in perfect coordination (so,this is called Ichijo / Oneness).

To DO this, or to BE in this condition, you can’t have any noise or unrelated

obstrucing thought, therefore it was described  “ Not to have any useless or

intentionally conceived thought”

(hence this is called Mind of No-Mind / Mushin).

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Those invisible / hard to describe latent thought or unconscious process in a dark depth of the

brain was bracketed into “Feeling”, and often called Intuition, Inspiration, Spontaneous Thought,

even Spiritual Feelings. = As those latent Proto-Thinkings has yet to be categorized to the

existing type, selected, filtered, or scrutinized against rationality etc, often they are pretty

wild and irrational (just like our dream is ), still showing amazing truth.  😀

Hence, they are also the source of  Inventive-creativity,  Artistic-creativities

and Open-eyed Free-minded Thinking, Lateral thinkings etc etc. = I described

those Free-Thinking process is taking place in the  “ Blank Space” in the brain,

long time ago.

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In comparison, so-called (Conscious) Thinking is either HAD been processed and HAS been

converted to legible or translated into linguistic format from those latent feeling or thought

aforesaid, otherwise the information has come externally in the linguistic format. (read a book)

So that, it is always the parallel process in the brain though, as the conscious process needed

additional formatting, it loose the reality (such as, processed words “red blood” doesn’t have a

fresh bloody reality in comparison to one’s experience = actually in the accident) and far slower

than the process which subconsciously done in its moment = Yet, Conscious Thinking is easy to

remember as it has been sorted and converted to the words, still, Original Latent Thought

has much more fresh facts / reality = much closer to the TRUTH.

This Truth is what Zen Buddhist is after = But it needs clear eyes and the Mind.

With clear eyes and the Mind, we can sense the situation in every moment = and

able to respond as it is happening. = This is the Life [Live in its moment].

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It must be clear now, the real meaning of Mindfulness, Mushin, Ichijo (in fact, they are

the words to describe the same state of the MIND in different angle)

= “ Without Thinking” has to be understood as “ The Mind has no Conscious

Thinking, still it is not blank but keeping all the perception fully open and

making intuitive up-to-the-moment response, without us noticing it”

= clear eyes and the mind is to capture those intuitive response in the depth of

subconsciousness,  without a distortion caused by useless Thinking and Ego.

= This is how ZEN with clear eyes and the mind can lead you to reach truthful

answer or the best judgement, even inventive totally new idea.  

And ultimately  “Able to reach to the Dharma”

= We might be retaining even ancient, ancient memory of the primeval time

which has been written in the DNA, where we came from, how we been evolved

= the reflection of the rationality in the Dharma = Rules of the Dharma.

To discover and reach this wisdom is the ultimate quest to the Zen Buddhists.

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PS : You might be realized here something is missing

= What is the control of our thinking ?

Conscious Thinking is parallel with Subconscious Thinking and if we can’t escape

Subconscious Thinking which is invisible hence out of control mean,

“ Can’t we escape from wrong thinking ?”

—– If we were imprisoned in wrong thinking down to the bottom of subconscious, there is

a remedy what the Buddhism has been specialized.

Here, Practice of Buddhism come to play their role ! As

Lord Buddha found, the main cause of wrong thinking bore out of the Ego or Self.

Against this, unconditional endless practice of the practice ware-out one’s Ego.

= If one’s Ego is no longer there = no instinctive drive of Self-Preservation = no greed, no fear,

no fear of the death = This is the fundamental change in the basis of thinking = If the basis

changed = upper structure changes as well.

If there is no Self = Nothing to loose = Freedom. (If mortal Self is no longer there,

why afraid to make a failure and own demise or even death. = Anything is

possible though, as neither Ego is there, there wouldn’t be a possibility to

conceive self enriching act or having grudge against others.)

So, Freedom here but not a sign of selfish wrong thinking !

= What a contented, peaceful life. = WHAT you want more.

(This is the reason why the Great Zen Masters having so many extraordinary jokey stories !

= They must have had lots of fun in liberated mind  😀 :-D)

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” What are you doing ?”

Somebody, supposed to be a Zen Buddhist teased me

“If you are Zennist, how come, what are you doing in your blog ?”

I answered to him “If you only see it so, your Buddhism is wrong”

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The reason why the Buddhism after the Nirvana of

Lord Buddha was formed as known as Hinayana was because the followers just copied the lifestyle

of Lord Buddha (as an Bhikkuh) and kept his teachings.  And it took 500 years for the followers to

realize what the real meaning of his teachings were.

—– It is obvious, if all the people in the country become keen Buddhists / Bikkuh,

Who else can feed those Bhikkuh. Who grows the rice to make foods or fish in the river.

(You may give a thought, in a scope of a sustainability of the society = the socio-economical size

= how may Bhikkuh can the society sustain ? —– number is very limited.)

Lord Buddha was not such idiot.   Buddhism is not forsake the LIFE, but to live with it.

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Zen is a psychological technique / Mind-set to DO the THINGS = to have the

LIFE in the best efficiency without having useless hindrances.

Me to do a photography —– after all I used to be a photographer / technical-writer

= What’s wrong, a man keep doing what he was (a sort of) good at.   😀 😀

DOING all those, I need the Zen (such as so-called Mindfulness, Mushin etc etc, hence I keep

my tools in the best condition, let alone to make them etc etc) and I have, at least, having the

results which leaves no (well more or less) regrets.  😀  — (still, I want to do even better

= this is not a greed as my work is not producing any profit or fame.   😀 😀 )

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My approach to the camera or photography which is in most of the case, non-conventional,

quite inventive way would solve and help other’s trouble well,  (without costing them  :-D)

—– such as, when the camera or Mob-devise was dropped in the sea water or toilet = just

wash under tap water then dry it with Hair-dryer,  or jammed, stacked Zoom lens may be

saved with just hitting it in all directions.  Or utilizing Chinese toys would save a time and cost,

instead of building a new circuit for electronic controller etc etc.  😀

Life is to live, hence it got be fun, as you can’t avoid — any how.

Make it fun, instead of resenting or complaining.

And by making something would be even more fun.   🙂

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Ultimate understanding in Buddhism

There is an interesting quotation in Buddhism which said,

“ In his 40 years teachings, yet in fact,

Lord Buddha had taught nothing even a single word”

—– on the face, you may feel strange.   🙂  This is true but not in the historical context,

—– true in the ultimate Understanding in the Buddhism.

How true, in what context ?

[]This is the added end part of the last post [Emotion / Meditation]  = PS : Please do remember, there is yet another purpose in the Buddhism training, other than [Eliminates Thinking = Mushin] and [Cut off the Emotion = Selfless] . Also to sublimate the teachings = Imprint the Teachings into Subconscious by repeated practice and repeated reading or reciting, is the crucial process. —– here again invisible mind.

When the Teachings were imprinted into subconscious (sublimated), it controls the person unconsciously = no need to consciously remember it = Mushin again !

]= Buddhism teachings has to be sublimated (imprinted into the Subconsciousness),  hence, the person can act and live without conscious or with the memory of the teachings.

When Sword Master Musashi fought,  neither his hands or himself was thinking of Zen. = Mushin has no conscious of Buddhism or Zen.  (Same as when you ride a bicycle, or even just walking, you are not thinking how to kick or move your foot = everything would be done without your conscious ! )

= Therefore, if you act in accordance to the teachings, it is not the Buddhism.

= If you act Buddhism teachings without noticing that “ This is the Buddhism teachings” is the Buddhism.

Therefore, in ultimate Mushin, there is even no Buddhism exists there.

= If you have a conscious, that this is the Buddhism teachings and “ I’m following it”

in fact, you are not following, but just faking an orgasm.

Therefore, in the mind of accomplished Buddhist, there is no teachings of

Lord Buddha remains. (Exists in his subconsciousness but it is invisible and  unnoticeable, and this invisible mind is not regarded to be in the person’s mind but IS the very Dharma.)

= Dharma exists but not in the person’s mind or as his own SELF = (Self itself is not exists)

= Where the teachings has gone ?

= There was no teachings at all in the first place but the Dharma, therefore

Lord Buddha has taught nothing.

[] (It seemed, there were several Masters said this. —– it’s mean, historically only handful Masters ever reached to this level of understanding —– this was the reason why I wrote in an earliest post “Historically, only hand full people ever reached to the Enlightenment” though the Enlightenment itself doesn’t necessary needs understanding of the Buddhism, since the Darma covers everybody, even a non-Buddhist)

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