What Photography to do with Buddhism

Someone asked me “ Why Photography in a Zen blog ?”

[]

The understanding of Zen is so wildly varied, let alone the understanding of the Buddhism.

It spreads from vague spiritualism to an endless peculiar practice.

A reason is that it lays in the person’s subconsciousness. Hence, the person oneself couldn’t

see it clearly, let alone the others, even the teacher.

Since, it was not clearly written down like as a Dogma, and to memorize it doesn’t mean

understood the Buddhism. (Though, some sect says, they got 100 of the rules written down

and follow them is the completion of the Buddhism.)

[]

My discovery of the Zen came from a peculiar practice = Disco Dancing  😀

With a peculiar mental tendencies habituated in my subconscious, I realized, this is

what people called the Zen —– Like a Pathological diagnosis, I found the symptoms all

matches to the description of the Zen of the past masters =

hence I understood, what I’m living is the Zen.

[]

So that, in Zen, the matter is a mental state or so-called mind-set, while the one is DOING

something. = Doing it unconsciously with the mind-set of what

Lord Buddha stated = IS the Buddhism. = Hence, able to receive all the benefit to live with

the Dharma. —– Here, it is crucial to be unconscious (=in Mushin). 

We can do a thing without thinking but not able to do thinking without thinking  😀

Try to do Mushin or talking it consciously is just a pretense or mimicry  😀

[]

Photography is a secondly art (it doesn’t mean second class art 🙂 ) = unlike an abstract

drawing or sculpture, unless the subject is there, its photograph couldn’t be created.

In other words, photography has to follow the existence and its moment.

That moment is the only moment. Photography is to capture and deals with this MOMENT.

As Lord Buddha stated, “Nothing stays the same and they change moment to moment”.

= Photography has to face this situation straight.

[]

Why and how you encounter its situation or subject was not necessary what you expected or

designed.  = To encounter it was what the Karma has worked.   You may think that

the idea to come to the garden to take picture was what you conceived and planed by yourself

alone though, without Karma has had pulled a string, you didn’t get the idea in the first place.

Whether you are aware or not this is how the system works.

And this system = the mechanism of the Dharma is what

Lord Buddha elucidated. = This is the Buddhism which is applicable even to a non-Buddhist.

[]

And we have to follow the subject = we didn’t create it, hence this is a secondly art =

we have to accept a humble position to be a secondly creator. Therefore, we have to see

the world with humble open eyes but at most diligent way, down to the minute details.

Once we start to see the subjects, what we are seeing is the environment or most likely

the nature. —– In fact, we are seeing the Dharma.

[]

When we try to capture and focus the subject, are we thinking what to eat for lunch ? =

Not only the lens, we are focusing what we need to do without any thinking but with full

attention to the subject on front of the camera whole heartedly.

This is the moment of Mushin and the Mindfulness.

[]

Then “Got it” = but what we got ? —– Even though we might think “I’ve got iconic image”

it is a mere reflection of the subject in the memory card, which could just disappear with a

glitch in a computer. —– And in most of the case, it wouldn’t do anything with the person’s

finance = it is nothing but a selfless, greed less act = expect no reward, still needs to put

so much effort for taking.

[]

—– Isn’t this Zen Buddhism ? —– If not,  What else   🙂

___/\___

[]

Dark Matter

Gosh, this is the simulated visualization the Dark Matter.

— Dark Matter is filling the void of space such as the Ether which was conceived century ago.

Lord Buddha said to have ignored such matter, —– still, interesting isn’t it ?   😀

[]

The article from Gizmag = (link to the original article)

A view of the distribution of dark matter in our universe, based on the Millennium Simulation.

The simulation is based on our current ideas about the universe’s origin and evolution.

It included ten billion particles, and consumed 343,000 cpu-hours (Image: Virgo Consortium)

Dark matter filaments detected for the first time

By Brian Dodson

08:10 July 14, 2012

For the first time, a team of astronomers has “observed” a filament of dark matter connecting two

neighboring galaxy clusters. Dark matter is a type of matter that interacts only very weakly with light and itself.

It’s very nature is mysterious. Mapping the dark matter filament’s gravity was the key to the breakthrough.

The result is considered a crucial first step by scientists. It provides the first direct evidence that the universe is

filled by a lace-work of dark matter filaments, upon which

the visible matter in the universe is distributed like small beads.

[][][] (—– If you like to read full article, please go to Gizmag  🙂 )

[]

Self Healing ? ! ! !

As I wrote on the previous post, I got injury and

the wounds were stitched and patched up.

This is the heaviest injury on my life.   As I used to climb the

mountain, also worked as a voluntary keeper of a mountain

shelter while cutting 10 tons of fallen tree for fire wood every

summer, and a kind of man likes to make everything, using all

sorts of sometime very sharp tools, yet I didn’t get injured.

(Though, in such environment, small cut etc is not rare at all.

In fact I cut my finger first time when I was 4 years old = first

time ever I touched a sharp knife and the finger is still carrying that scar.

= It’s mean, I’m a regular user of a plaster tape.  In fact, Plaster tape , Antiseptic cream and

Tiger balm are the all medicine I got here = nothing else.  🙂 )

(Photo of the Zombie might be up-loaded above, later  😀  😀 )

[]

For a small cut or pierced skin, just clean the area and cover-up = may be 3~4 days, it will be healed.

(You believe, or want to believe or not, I discovered, Super Glue can close the cut and good

to cover the wounds too. —– You may try  😀  —– As a matter of fact, one type of 

Cyanoacrylate = Super Glue which will be dissolved by the water in the body, has been used for

surgical operation = doesn’t need to remove like surgical thread ) —– After all, healing is what our

body is doing, not the treatment itself.  Treatment is to remove the destructive cause, such as lodged

objects or dirt or already dead part of the body, then leave the healing business to the body’s

own mechanism = with small encouragement of stimulant to increase blood circulation or prevent

further infection by using Antiseptic or Antibiotics, wound would be healed by itself.

—– (I’m talking about physical light injury on the skin.  To inject additional metabolic substance

for the body to regain its balance etc, kind of the internal matters are out of the scope here).

[]

If we don’t cover the wound, it will be covered by the dried up blood or bodily fluid to become

so-called Scab and under this natural cover, healing process is taking place. = In other

words we may not need to put plaster tape though, during the work, the same injured part may be

rubbed against other object etc and start bleeding again = it is better to cover up.

Still, this Scab seems to be the best protection than a plaster tape. Plaster tape keeps

the wound moist and the scared skin cell were exposed inside, hence bacteria can get in and

the infection would takes place = then the pus would be oozing out. = this infection would prolong

the healing process though, it is a necessary evil 🙂

If you observe the scar covered by scab, it pulling the skin around, hence when it was cured the

scar is more visible. Wet cure show less scar. —– any how, it’s a small patch on the skin. 🙂

[]

It seems the scab made by the bodily-fluid which got anti-septic property, and it can keep the

wound in just right condition = germ-free and able to keep injured, exposed skin tissue in

exact right humidity. = Hard enough to be a protective shield and able to keep inside germ free,

yet able to evaporate excess moisture. —– I don’t know, is there any artificial material can do this.

Scab on the injured skin is not a kind of welcomed guest though, they are so well designed (or well

refined during the history of the evolution of the life), we should pay respect to the Nature =

or Buddhists should say the Dharma. (=Whole system of the Nature and its Rules)

Without having this badly perceived, badly named Scab any animal include us

even the plants (their bleeding sap = bodily fluid such as Rubber plant’s is not for

us to make Car-tire but to seal the wound) couldn’t survive till today. Otherwise

all the animal and the plants had been infected and eradicated by the bacteria.

[]

Having more than inch of stitched dark scar on the forehead, I didn’t like to have dark scab on

my nose and the cheek bone hence, I’m under the patched up state. 

= Not very pretty sight in deed 😀   So, I’ve been inside all day (in fact this is the second day)

—– only the trouble is the egg and the onion has run-out — M m m ?

Should I go out shopping pretending “Frankenstein here” or walk like “Zombie” to scare local kids,

and giving them an opportunity to enjoy a nightmare or two ?   Ha ha ha 😀

It isn’t like a “Good Peaceful Buddhist” is it ? —– Otherwise settle with humble meal ?

Good question 😀

___/\___

[]

LIFE

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

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

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

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

are automatically carried out. )

[]

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

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

generalized abstracted meaning was invented later.

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

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

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

—– you may think as well.

[]

(I give you a bomb shell.)

Lord Buddha thought it, completely opposite.

That was why He denied the thinking.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[]

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

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

the Life, or even a help would suddenly appeared.

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

___/\___

[][]

Compassion and Charity in Dharma

When we saw somebody lost a balance and seemingly fall, we just give a hand to

hold the person. ———- why ? ? ?

Give a thought. —– Why do we need to give a hand to this person ? Why this guy shouldn’t fall ?

Why with my hand, why not other’s ? —– This guy even might have a Karma to fall here, and

hit the head and to die. —– Or, is it to prevent a messy situation developed and don’t want to

see bloody scene ? = are ALL, in the THINKING.

[]

But without any thinking, instantly we just stretch a hand to support the person.

Have we ever taught to hold a person to prevent fall ?   Who told you to do so ?

= Without any knowledge, without any thought, WE JUST DO IT. = WHY ? ? ?

Because it is in our nature. Instantly see what is necessary, what is right and good.

So that, Lord Buddha explained that this is the Dharma which, we were born with.

[]

There is no word on the beginning.   So we needed to invent a word for this phenomenon, as

[Compassion].   And after started to notice this, started to talk and teach brah brah brah.

Without we know its whole mechanism and details, we knew it’s there of which we named

DHARMA.   And we knew, it is functioning without we think nor even noticing it. = in other

words, it is there, in the same time it is within us.

—– If we start to think, it is not necessary rational nor beneficial for us.

—– Why, do I need to help this person.   Yet we automatically do it. = don’t need

to think too much. = better leave the matter to the hand of DHARMA.

[]

And this is what all about the teachings

of Lord Buddha.

His teachings are all not about to reach the Darma, but to eliminate the obstacles

which prevents the Dharma prevailing. — such as “Why do I need to help other = Ego”.

“Has it any benefit for me to do this ? = Greed”.

“Oh, this person is falling, —– should I help but how = too much useless thinking to waste the

time and make it too late”

= So that, the core teaching was to eliminate the useless thinking = without own

thinking we can react to the situation = it’s mean, we can do it without SELF

= Self itself is not exists.  ( He just pointed out the facts and its explanation,

same as the science = anything fancy imaginative stories were added by others)

[]

Natural flow of inspiration doesn’t necessary having a convenient order or structure.

Lord Buddha’s teachings must be given as his wisdoms, situation by situation on the spot.

The structure and the classification, listing and the numbering must came much later = after

the teachings were written down as the scripture.

Trouble in the Buddhism teachings are, the person who compiled it didn’t necessary understood

what the [Mushin] is or knowing the effect of having the Dharma in him.

Therefore, he only guessed and listed up each description of act from hear-say.  

So that, in the Buddhism Scriptures, each duties were listed

as if it is an each discreet mind and act. (List of DO and DO-NOT)

(It was like a man who doesn’t know the Dancing, to teach How to Step and

How to move Hands all separately without accompanying music  😀 )

In the state of the mind = in Mushin, Compassion, no Ego, no Greed, no

Wrong intention etc etc are in fact, just one mind.  It is an inseparable one state

to see the good or better at once, which also controls action or body movement.

( So, the Best Judgment, Creativity or the Mastery Skill are all bore-out from this)

Though, it couldn’t even be observable by the person. —– If it was in conscious

of the person, such as “ This is a compassion” = it is a sham and just a pretense.

This is the reason why being in the state of  Mushin and in Ichijo is so crucial.

[]

When your hand spontaneously hold the person,  it was a real compassion and

the prevailed DHARMA.

___/\___

[]

Brutal Nature = or is it just a Nature ?

They are the photos of a Dandelion seed magnified  x16 times (in length, on 36×24 screen)

the Lens used was the one I’ve hand-made to take May Fly Egg before (click the Link here).

———— (This photo is a comparison, taken by Pentax 20mm F4  Lens, in Revers with Extension Ring,

————  but to make a comparison, photo was trimmed to the same size = x16,  like the photo above. 

————  As it was able to stop down to F8 ,  Depth of Field was much deeper than Microscope Lens )

As often the case, it looks pretty and fragile though, nature do have sharp claw and poison.

= Disneylized  romanticized look is just a thin veneer ( still, it would inspire a child’s dream

” Like a Dandelion seed,  fly away in a wind and have a bloom somewhere in a new world” =

how romantic ! ) though = they also live in the same, or even harsher Samsara.  

(And they are really the Nemesis of a gardener   😀 ) —– Through the evolution, Dandelion

seed must have adopted this looks brutal barbed armor, against eaten by a bird.

And this photo was taken by Canon EF Macro F2.8 , at F2.8,  magnification was  x1.

And in comparison, this photo was taken by a lens, once regarded to be one of the best

Macro Lens, Tamron SP 90mm F2.5  at F2.5  with Extension Rings,  magnification was  x1.5.

( Because of this lens has some softness at F2.5, quite few photographer loved it for female

portrait, but I used this lens only for closeup work ) —– all those shots here are for the tests

of shallow focus and the soft image at the fully opened F aperture, since when I found an

Olympus 50mm Macro F2 lens has phenomenal off-focus “Boke” = I wanted to investigate.

[]

In photography, there are two opposite approaches to emphasize the subject = one is using

wide angle lens and close to the subject, hence make the subject over-sized.   😀

The another is, to use telephoto lens, and focus only to the subject. —– even though I like to

do [Man-watching] in distance, when I come to take photo, I don’t like sneak view. 

I like to have face to face, and communicate with the subject, or to commit to the situation. 

( This is the attitude of [Engagement] of the Existentialism and the  Mahayana Buddhism. ) 

—– As I started my photography taking photos of plants, insects = use smaller F-aperture

to get sharper image, deep depth of field was the norm. = I was not a man to use the lens with 

its F-aperture fully opened —– unless the situation demand, under a dim light.  🙂 )

[]

In the life, nothing is simple but having many contradicting facets.   Behind of loving care

of  Tiger mother to her cab, there are misery of a Deer family.   Even a fluffy dandelion seed

having such fierce face which I didn’t know until I gave a very close look.

We tend to makeup a convenient story from just one facet, in most of the case with our

ignorance, or even worse, with a sake of convenience to make the story nice and sweet.

So that, such as in the Eightfold Right Path of Buddhism = to make Right Speech needs to

have right knowledge and the understanding.   It’s  quite a tall order isn’t it.  

And with a crèche, we casually use an expression how gorgeous the spring blossoms are,

or glorious golden color of autumn trees and so on, but nature may not be there to

please mankind = Flower was there, waiting the insects, and we just happen to be there.

[] 

To interpret the Nature in our sake is just our Ego, and romanticize it would be a delusion.

Who said, Mankind conquer the Nature ?  — We only found a bit of way to tamper it, that all.

They may not willfully Brutal against us, as they have no self or Ego, but the Mechanism.

This Mechanism contain us as its part, but they operates without recognize us.

—– and this System is what the Nature mean.   And this is the Dharma in Buddhism.

To see it beautiful or brutal is in our eyes, in fact it’s all in our Mind.  Nature is just there.

[]

 

Win win – Musashi the Sword Master

There was the most strange quote of Sword Master Musashi Miyamoto.

When he was asked what is a secret to keep winning the fight, he replied,

“ Never fight with a man stronger than me” —– !

( I wasn’t there to hear this myself, so I’m not sure whether this quote is true or not though,

from the level of Zen he reached, this word sound quite likely his own word. )

[]

Enlightenment in Zen liberates one’s mind = Liberate mean, free one’s mind from

all the restriction and the bondage of the ideas.

Free from pretence, rules, stereotypical beliefs even one’s own Ego.

So that, here is a contradiction, why Musashi needed to win ?

Why he needed to avoid to fight stronger opponent ?

But, before that, there was a preceding condition, why needs to fight ?

To seek a fight is driven by an intention from the Ego, Greed for the fame etc etc,

but once he reached to the level of the Enlightenment, he no longer had an impetus to fight.

( But Sword Mastery is not came from the will, but instinctive body reaction = if it

was needed to react in the situation, he could have done without having a will to fight

= it was not him fight, but the Dharma does ).

So that, once Musashi reached to this level, even the other sword master as good as him dear to

challenge him because even if challenge was successful, fight would cost a limb or two = a life of

sword mastery would be lost for ever = no point to challenge Musashi — and it never happened.

[]

Still the remaining question is, why Musashi uttered such words to spoil the game.   😀

It was because, what the Zen and its natural choice = Middle Way was.

Once enlightened, to cling the idea of Zen disappeared too.

(Conscious idea doesn’t need to be there because everything were controlled unconsciously).

So that, on the occasion, chattering with young novice, what situation required (= a task on front

of Musashi, on that moment ) was to have a good, cheerful conversation.

Why needs to be so serious.  He just took a Mickey out of serious novice.

(To his eyes the people in Sword Mastery or Zen seemed more like a caricature figure then)

Go, Middle way.   So that, the life can have much more fun. 😀

Relax !

[]

Mushin – Panya Paramita – Dharma (in [Z-band] )

Hidden between the line of funny Cat’s story, the paragraph ;

The stories of the Zen Buddhist communicating with other animal may have

the basis in this phenomenon = silencing the noise of thinking in the Brain

mean, it is to be in a state of  Mushin.

Not in thinking but having a deepest perception of  friendliness in the

primeval Limbic feeling = This feeling is the common language with any

living form.

= Here is a good insight to understand what the Panya Paramita and the Dharma is.

[]

To make the story easy to understand, let’s use a metaphor = assuming the [common language]

quoted above is a kind of signal in certain frequency, to say [Z-band].

Like Internet system, all the Spiritual communication and the information are exchanged through

this [Z-band] channel.

This channel is inherent to all the existences include the all the life form, it’s mean this is the

communication system of the Dharma.

All the life form mean it’s include us too.   Therefore everybody having born with

the Dharma with in (born with a Receiver and Transmitter) hence, the person

should able to receive the signal.

But, unfortunately, because of us, only us human got hugely out grown brain, thanks to the evolution,

our brain and its activity is creating too much noise, and this noise is

masking the [Z-band] signal.

[]

Since we evolved like an “add-on extension” on top, we still retain old system in the base.

The process how we were developed in the Mother’s womb, from a single-cell organism = egg to

fully grown human body, showing this fact.  = (Once, you were a fish —– remember ?)

In other words, we are retaining whole evolutionary history together with its DNA (and memory).

In our expanded brain / neural system, the old part is known as the Limbic system.

This Limbic system is common with another animal.   So that, we (our far ancestor) were

using this Limbic system with pretty small brain.  But, as there was no huge noisy brain then, all the

signal we were using for communication was in the [Z-band]. As all the existences are using

this [Z-band] too, we were able to communicate with other animal and the nature.

Life and the survival was relying on this system.

[]

You may feel strange though, this communication in [Z-band] is existing even in a photography.

In WordPress Blog, such as [draw and shoot] (link here) I noticed, the author, Karen is communicating

with nature in this [Z-band] as her photos are showing it.  Hence, I often commented saying her, her

eyes are the eyes of Zen. = No wonder, her Blog was selected as one of the great blog for Earth Day.

(Incidentally, Radio Communication is using X-band for Satellite channel but not Z-band yet.  So, I

made up a word Z-band = Z after Zen  😀 )

[]

Unlike so-called intelligence and our signal processing system in the current brain, which got only

few hundred thousand years history, this [Z-band] has been used and refined in the hundreds of

millions of years in the history since then the Universe was created.

Because of this, this is the channel, where the information of  Dharma, even the

activities of such as this Planet was broad casted.

(Hence animal can sense the coming Earthquake or foresee the weather).

[]

To listen this [Z-band], it is essential to silence the noise of the brain.

The Buddhist’s practice is a way to obtain this silence = Mushin.  Then, in Mushin,

what we are able to listen is, what Dharma is telling = This is the Panya Paramita.

But this signal is not an abstruct message such as the God’s words, but live broadcast of the

situation we are facing. = It’s like a latest Drive Information system. You can see all the

meter-readings and the SatNav information of trafic condition though, it wouldn’t tell you

the destination or Philosophy in driving.    Read it and what to do is up to you.

[]

Lord Buddha’s teachings are all about “How to get it” = the way and the Practice, not an

abstract answer.   The Answer has to be found by the person = [Think yourself], as it is different

in situation by situation, person to person, as each person has own Karma.

To see its situation and respond to it,  live in its moment is the matter.   It can only be found

by [mindful clear eyes] of the person, obtained through the learning. —– This was why

Lord Buddha didn’t answar “General view or belief” like what the Dharma is = Because

the Dharma is a moving mechanism, working in its rationality ( of which we only able

to analyze its small corner, not in its total dynamics, and WHY) = The important matter for us,

is to see the Fact in meter-reading, not a belief or a fancy illusion which exist only in the mind.

Lord Buddha didn’t teach anything supernatural.  But, this Panya Paramita in the [Z-band]

came to the edge of it.  For him, it is the FACT though in the same time, he knew it is audible

to only few people who can hear = no need to explain to them since they knew it, but impossible

to make sense of who couldn’t.  It’s like a pain of Kidney stone = only the people who got it knew.

This was the reason why he taught only the way to get it ( I mean not Kidney stone  😀 ). 

And this was what

Lord Buddha found and taught.

___/\___

[]

Different Perspective (Cat’s story – 1)

M

M

M

M

M

M

M

————- ( Here, I’m going to put a photo of my cat when I find the old film  😀 )

It is easy to say to others “See it in another perspective”

—– in fact I used this phrase a bit too casually and too often.

Here is a very good sample —– How good is because the situation was seen and handled by

[Totally different view point] = in deed, it was made by a cat.

[]

I used to live with, up to 9 cats.   I’ve risen 18 kittens bore out of  my Tom and Queen cats.

(In fact those two were also 6 weeks kittens when they came to my place —– and I didn’t know they become

mature in just over 3 months and became pregnant = and every 4 months the queen cat gave a birth of 3 litters,

hence all together 18 kittens).

[]

As I treated those cats just as another person, (simply I don’t know how to treat them as pets) they had

somewhat same freedom like a man.   Their only restriction limitation was that they happen to be the cats.

(they became more like a dog character —– Who said, cat is the solitary animal  😀 )

(If you behave and live like their big daddy, and take care of them like daddy does, they think you are the

same kin but just got big body, they keep play like Lion’s cab play with a tail of parents Lion. They are

very playful mischievous creatures.   My guess is, neglected left alone cat became solitary sulky cat.  😀

Most of the cat’s owner is believing that be intimate with a cat is hugging them and squeeze them, but cat

hate it  = in the nature, they never being hugged.  I never hug a cat, but they likes parch on the shoulder.)

[]

When I was hand-writing a draft such as for an article go together with photos.  A cat sat on my desk started

to play with a pencil in my hand.   Gazing at the pencil almost captivated by its movement, and rose a hand

and waited the moment to strike.   And as the pencil was keep moving try to hit though, to capture slippery

pencil was not an easy play for him.

[]

Most of you may react  “Hey stop it” and just whack a cat  to chase off the desk.

Or, some of you might think  “Aha silly cat,  mistaking me playing and teasing the cat by moving a pencil”.

In cat’s view, he might have thought “ Oh, my Lord ( me) having a struggle to contain a funny

moving creature.  I should help him to fight against  it” 😀

So, he was offering side support to a battle with the evil pencil.   As he had no animosity toward

the pencil, when I gave the pencil to him, he just examined it to see it is dead, he didn’t do anything further.

If the cat was playing with me, he was making eye contact, but not in this case.

(Some time they do a football with a pencil on the floor and they are very fond of it)

—– of cause it was just a guess and I was not doing any animal behavior research, he just came up to my

desk to see what I’m doing. —– When they need my attention, they knew what to do.

What clear is, even a cat has their own way of thinking but in totally different perspective.

We human should have a bit more flexible thinking proportional to the size of the brain. 😀

[]

Some animal trainer is saying that we need to see the things in their view point, so we need to see the world

from the ground level, looking up though, I’m not telling you to obtain cat’s view.

—– To see the things in different view or perspective in human life. 😀

To start, what we need is [To know how we are imprisoned in our Ego] and egotistic view.

Just feel that the cat is obstructing the writing, is derived from a thought [what I AM doing and its value is

surpassing anything, let alone a cat !] —– is it ?   Who, you are ?

[]

When we need to work together or deal with others, to protect your own interest is one thing, but to have the

job done needs the hands of others as well. = It’s mean, others are also thinking to protect their own interest.

Others might be even more desperate in their own situation. It is necessary to see the situation with other’s

view as well and find the common ground. It is not just a compassion to others, if you deprive others, it will

boomerang to you one day, but this is the Karma.

Karma works in much personal level and quite visibly rational way.

[]

In fact, to deal with others or system is comparatively easy in our life because you can see them and it is not

difficult to see what they are up-to or thinking.

An heaviest difficulty in one’s life is when the person has to face the invisible counterpart, Fate.

The situation involved was too big to asses and the number of people coming into the equation were too many

to consider.  The force acting those complicated situation may not be a kind of economics or politics but the

huge scale dynamism.   It is more likely the dynamism of the Fate = Dharma.

You can’t see the Dharma like a western God, as Dharma has no personified shape or personality =

Character or behavioral tendency. Above all, Dharma has no Ego or Self, hence you can’t exercise inference

like to other human or to negotiate.

[]

If the Dharma has no Ego, you can’t deal with it with your Ego  = Only the way to see it, is you

have to see it without your Ego = See it without your Mind = Mind of No-Mind = Mushin.

It is not a matter to tinker or merely shift your view point.

But, completely abandon any view point (in fact, forget everything first, and empty the mind)

= and expose your whole sensory and your invisible perception = use subconscious hunch

===> wait and see.  = Suddenly you will see the view or scope which is totally free from your

view point. = This is the Answer.  = This is what the Dharma has chosen.

In this way, you can see the situation in much longer term and able to take the measure in much wiser way.

Above all, as you can have much longer perspective, an immediate endurance wouldn’t cause

unnecessary worries as you know the end result will be OK.

This is what we call Peace of Mind.

___/\___

[]

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.

___/\___

[]