Wabi – Sabi

Time to time, you might have heard the Japanese words, Wabi and Sabi, especially in relation to the Haiku Poet Basho or about Tea making and its pottery work. (such as tea bowl)  The word Sabi is related to Sabi-shii or Sabi-reta etc all of those meaning may be clearer in the visual metaphor than a lexical explanation (since those notions has to be grasped by the naked perception not by the thinking brain = hence direct transmission) — imagine you came across the place looks like abandoned or inhabited houses. = you may use a word ghost town.  No single soul on the street neither any sign of daily activity. Though, it is the very matter I’ve talked about in the previous post = if you were a westerner, your psych imagine a ghost town in a western film which is a dry, dusty, sun stricken street of wooden hoses — but here, in Japanese case, it has to be darker, under the shade of the tree, and rather wet, moss-covered half rotten houses. = you may feel even spooky.  This is rather exaggerated case of Sabi-shii scene.  And if you were here alone, you must feel quite Sabi-shii / lonely or desolated.  Then stretch your imagination further to the inside or the back of the house, what sort of the things you may find — wooden utensil ?  or a kind of bowl for eating, drinking ?  — a kind of the people used to live here, might be a poor farmer or casual worker helping those farmers = anyway, having had hand to mouth kind of the life = everything was a bare minimum.  So, if the bowl was not wooden but a pottery, how it looks like.  A bowl made to exchange for few vegetables or a caught bird, the pottery wouldn’t have a nice glaze or any decoration = just enough function for daily use. 

In the case of pottery, those images are the completely opposite of the Wabi, Sabi. Or I should say the typical decoration in the western standard, which the people think “gorgeous”. (but may be rather poor taste though) 

And in comparison, this is a Japanese dish in its decorative formal style. (This is Nabeshima. — If this one had no clack, it could fetch £10,000 even though this one was made by a trainee (= the lines were rather messy), hence second grade) —– Still, you may noticed that the stark contrast in the visual design = The western approach try to fill all the space with decorative images but Japanese leave the blank space.  Why ? It’s because of the Zen philosophy.   Western philosophy says, Nature avoid the vacuum but Zen is the matter to live with the Void.   So, to the westerner, gorgeous mean filled with nice decoration but Zen sees the peace in the blanc space.  If the nature was not in the free space, it is not natural but a fraud.  And Zen reject any intentional act as an unnatural fraud.  Especially in terms of Tea making, it got to be absolutely humble and everything has to be a bare minimum. —– This principle was in strict force, almost to an austere level.  So, when this principle was applied, a tea bowl has to be as a bare minimum = away from any intentional, artificial decoration or even an attempt to make it looks good.  In this philosophy, Tea-master Rikyu found the cheapest and the most humble pottery made for and used by the poorest people was the most suited for Tea making, which showed the Wabi and Sabi.    (Photo above right)   And this is the typical sample of the Wabi.  (In fact, this was the back or bottom of the dish the photo before.) = There was no intention to make it looks any better — it was naturally shaped and finished.  Its unassuming naturalness was not created by any intention but rather say, it just happened because it did nothing particularly. This absence of human intention = nothing is the core of Wabi. = poor humbleness, be natural in its material is the matter.  —– So, to a potter, this is the most difficult paradox in the pottery and the ZEN. = Tea bowl have to be made but made without having any intention to make it.   The answer is,  Make it with the mind of NO-Mind = Mushin in Zen. 

(In practice, just to be a potter, not a business man but just potting and let the pot to have its own fate = a pot made out of soil should have the face of soil and show the face burnt by the fire.)  (Photo above are the most tipical Wabi bowls, left was made by Koetsu)

(To an untrained eyes, “rustic” or lack of skill may looked like or confused with Wabi, though, the important point is, Wabi’s roughness or unevenness  was created by the unexpected accident, such as a fallen ash or unevenness of the fire not by the hand.)  = Think, Karma created Wabi not the hand let alone the brain deliberately thinking.  And the participant for tea ceremony has to appreciate such imperfect feature as an encounter on the moment.  (Which called Keshiki.) — The photo above, the vase showed a kind of Wabi on its glaze though, its pretty shape was too commercial.  Yet still, the right one seemed to have certain character to join Wabi = it’s a poor mans non-assuming daily mug, rather cheap product still it IS nothing else of Just a mag ! — but the photo left is a typical sample of a sham pretense.  On the surface of the mass-produced cup, a fake pattern of the dripped glaze was painted.

—– Now you might start to understand why Japanese garden or even an arranged flowers never had pattern or even a symmetry.

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Lost in Translation

There are quite few Japanese words notoriously difficult to translate into western language. 

Such as  Itadaki-masu (いただきます), Okage-sama (おかげさま), Mottai-nai(もったいない)、and abave all  Wabi, Sabi. (わび) (さび)

Why those words were difficult to translate, was because of that the one’s fundamental conscious to exists were completely different in the west.   Some said that because of the difference between the Christianity and the Buddhism.  But, to my eyes, the cause was much deeper = because of the fundamental difference, the westerner invented God, but the people in the east IS living under the Heaven since the beginning of the time. (so that, even Buddhism adapted the Dharma / Rule of the Universe)  And in the Shinto, (of which Japanese unconsciously follows) naturally follow the Rule of Nature which is almost the same to Dharma though sublimated much deeper down to the almost chemical level.  (That’s why Japanese doesn’t touch other’s possession and wash or clean the hand almost obsessively = so that, they were reluctant to shake hand, let alone kissing others, because they were prohibited to touch filth by the Shinto. —– hence, wearing surgical mask to avoid to breath other’s germ. = some of them even don’t eat a rice ball made by others hand.) 

In the same time, since the Japanese has the deep awareness that they “were Made to exists” by the Heaven, Rules, Dharma what so ever called, when they start to eat, they have to say Itadaki-masu = I gratefully receive this given food and thanks to the food (material itself) who gave their lives to me as well = Japanese are well aware that they are killing the Potato, Beans etc boiled alive.  Likewise, the word Okage-sama meant the thanks not only to the person who gave a kindness to him but also grateful to the Heaven who arrange the meeting. = This is the word to express absolute humbleness. = conscious toward the “Given Life” and thanks to its fate.  And the word Mottai-nai meant “Feel shame to waste the precious resources which has been given to us“.

=== It’s easy to see the point, that the fate of the rice glowing society was governed by the sun and rain = nature, not by a strong hunting, fighting individual. (The western God was conceived as an ancient Hero ascended to the heaven (A legend became myth, then to a religion) = therefore speak same language, and negotiable with a bribe = how humanistic !    😀 )

In contrast to the east, the western’s Ego justify his existence “As a rightful owner of my life”  and have a right to kill and eat, because they were made to be eaten. = thus feel no sorry to a butchered chicken.  Such fundamental difference between arrogant Ego and passive Humbleness couldn’t have the same kind of sentiment, the psych which is the base of each word. = therefore no compatible word could exist.   No wonder a trouble in translation.

I’ll explain the words Wabi and Sabi on the next post with sample photos. 

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Snowscape in Japan

I found those screen-shot image among the news (Jiji-news) from Japan.   They are having very heavy snow these days.    Japan has the highest snow fall (in the urban area, more in the mountain) record in the world, somewhat over 11 m (nearly 40 feet) high — I’m not joking = you can check it in the Guinness Book.   When it’s very heavy, the visibility could be less than 1 m = hard to see the ski trail of a man in front. (I have actuary ski down in such condition once. = in fact, we had a run for the life.)   So, the view of the (not too heavy) snow scene could be like this.  The landscape over a snow curtain.  And I like this impressionist like image !   Shame I was not in there.   😀

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Ball and Socket

— (from top-left down = Bilora, Unknown German, Bilora copy.  Second top = Velbon, Velbon. Third = Slick. Fourth = Manfrotto with fixed quick camera  mount, Cheap Manfrotto. Big white Bilora. Gitzo and the second largest ball size in the world then = Cullmann (Germany) with Manfrotto quick camera mount )

While looking for something, I noticed one of the box is very heavy.  And it turned out to be full of Ball-and-Socket Tripod-heads packed in.  For general use, I’m using two Gitzo tripod, one with a Ball-and-Socket head and the other with ordinary 3 axis adjustable head.  On top of those, I’ve been using small tripods, ball-socket to many improvised use in the dairy life.

When we connect something, bar, arm, even camera or light to the base or tripod kind, a Ball and Socket is the most useful (if not the best) system.  They can be easily adjusted of position, angle and able to fix it with a turn of one lever.  Very good for a busy photographer though, such advantage is exactly the big disadvantage in the same time. = painstakingly found, adjusted position could suddenly collapse with one miss move of the fixing lever.  And when it collapses, it dramatically collapses all XYZ direction.  Try to counter this trouble, Cullmann Ball-Socket Head using very heavy grease to prevent the sudden move of the ball though, as the ball was somewhat stuck to the socket, it is very heavy to move.  (And even worse, this heavy grease preventing the solid clamp of the ball, even when the fixing lever was tightened, ball would move slowly by its own = and after a while, the position = lens direction would have been changed by the gravity ! — with such trouble, soon it disappeared from the market, so, my one is a historical collection.   😀 ) 

And in the box, there are quite a few “Ball-Socket” kind of items.  Left is a Level Adjuster from Manfrotto  #138. 

Probably the most incredible and disturbing item in my all collection is this Manfrotto #138 = level adjusting head.   As you can see on the photos, its ball is cracked and started disintegrating.   Non of the other head etc showing the same deterioration, it must be unique to this item = the material must be hopelessly inferior or mixed with wrong additives.   To my complaint, Manfrotto said that they got the confidence in the quality of their products, and didn’t even interested in to see the photos let alone item itself = indicating it may not be new to them = don’t need even inspect, let alone investigate.  (As you can see the deterioration occurred only the ball side nothing on the socket = indicates it was not caused by the external factor such as the way how it was used or kept (heat, humidity kind) but solely in the quarity of the ball itself. = material or manufacturing process was responsible.)   Still they says that anyway its out of warranty and the product #158 has been discontinued. = No hope ! — So, this is who Manfrotto is = we may need to prepare that their product could suddenly clack and breakdown, while crushing the expensive camera on it.  Oh dear.

And the second = Action Head from the Slick — with a grip of the lever the ball will be released to move — though, it was a torture to the hand ! (This one was designed more than 45 years ago.) The third must be a kit tripod for a small camera though, I haven’t found the camera fit to this.  And the right one was in fact a base of an old wooden tripod = level adjusting base — 100 years old ? — I thought it would be useful in somewhere, one day.  😀

When I need to shoot on table top with flash light etc, I’m using a Support stand which can hold the subject, accessory etc or a light reflector etc.   Those system is having many different kind of grip, clamp, holder etc and having many articulated flexible joint to adjust the position.

For such purpose, the Ball-Socket is what we need.  But there is not such small Ball-Socket in the market.   If not there, why not make one myself.  It is only a matter of cramping a ball.  And such material could be found everywhere. (From a fixture of a furniture to a broken top of a Hasselbrad Focusing Lever. (Photo middle)   Or make a cramp using a large screw nat. (Photo right)

If we look around, the useful material we can improvise, is everywhere.   A small display base could be a small camera base. (Photo left)   And you might recognize this = looks familiar wasn’t it ? (Photo middle and right) = it was a flexible base of a radio antena. = now converted to hold something on front of a lens  on close-up shot or hold a light reflector on a side of the lens.    (Once before, I did hung a flower dipped with honey to attract the flying bee come to the front of the lens. = it’s worked !   😀 )

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Flow-chart of Buddhism Teachings (2)

Past 7~8 days or so, the access to the post “Flow-chart of the Buddhism Teachings” has been suddenly increased, seemingly access from either Japan and/or India.   I’m very grad to see my blog has been appreciated over there.  After all, the Buddhism originated from India though, my interpretation of it must be utterly new if not crazy to them.   Still, so far I received no criticism let alone a denial.  (May be because I was talking about the Physiological / Neurological facts which anybody did know and able to understand. —– or, because nobody ever connected a repeating simple work on the boring job (of which you are doing it without emotion) to the Zen Buddhism Mushin / Selfless state, it was just out of imagination.) 

So, I reblog the original post with a bit of additional explanation.

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Flow-chart or the Steps in the Pathway

1) Do anything which has a fixed pattern. (Each sect has their own, such as chanting the name of sutra,  banging a drum, walk round and round etc. And you can do your own, such as cutting a lemon.  😀 )

2) By doing it repeatedly, 100s, 1000s even million times.

3) Because the nerve signal dealing with its action has the same pattern, our Perception and Emotion’s threshold level rose, hence the significance of the signal will be lost and disregarded.

4) As the action has been repeated, its pattern will be programmed into Motor-region of the brain and the action become automatic routine.

5) With the effects of 3) and 4), the action can be carried-out without thinking, even out of one’s conscious.

6) In the same time of 5), the one doing the action without one’s conscious mean, it is in the Selfless state of the mind.

7) Once the one is in its Selfless state, the things become distant objects as if it is somebody-else’s matter, = Detachment = the one’s Ego or Greed wouldn’t be triggered.

8) To apply the same state of mind to other aspects of the life, the one can see everything in distance = objectively = Clear eyes.   (Gradually, the one would acquire this, and once mastered it, it become free to control, — detach or not, or which one to concentrate or ignore.)

9) And the one can see even the Self detached, objectively, as if it is one of the public, the social action start to follow common-sense, not self-centred.  (Centring self isn’t there)

10) And able to act or help others without Ego and do the things as much as possible. (Strangely, we instinctively do it better !  Even if it is not in competition with others and even to useless things, it’s mean, it’s not for Ego or Greed. —– but for the Fundamental Pleasure to be a man ? 🙂 )

11) From those aspects, it is rational to conclude, Ego itself is not one’s imperative, so is the Self. = Self is not naturally exists but a product of one’s imagination or thinking.  (so called delusion)

12) Without having the Self, Ego and Greed which tend to creates trouble and discontent = could any suffering be left ?

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It must be clear from this chart, all the process is pretty natural as it follows the natural mechanism inherent to our brain which is common to anybody, so that

Lord Buddha concluded that the Dharma which rules us is Selfless and as it is common to anybody, in other words, all of us has the Dharma within and Selfless.

— And it become clear, the so-called Rules of “Do this and Don’t Do that” had been written by the  person who hadn’t actually done the practice to reach Selfless state by himself, hence, didn’t have a knowledge how the human mind naturally works.  (Real selfless person need no instruction, nor such instruction would stay in the mind. 😀 )

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It must be clear. —– Is there any argument ?

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PS : Though, in addition to this Chart, applying the context of “denial” not only to the Self and suffering life, but to the “Idea of Denial” itself, therefore, instead of being enlightened, “being suffering” seems to be more natural = and this idea became the stance of Mahayana Buddhism. —– Hence, Zen says “To see NO enlightenment is the Enlightenment”

= (Anyway, no Self = Who is going to be enlightened = what’s the matter = Nothing ! )

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Soft Option (2)

I found quite few very sharp macro lens (or the lens unit which can function as a macro lens) among the junk optics, still there wasn’t many soft macro lens so far.   So, this lens seems to be an exception.  The lens itself was yet another omunifocus toy lens though, when the lens was pushed forward and went into the close-up region, the spherical aberration seemed to be increased, hence the image become very soft.   Otheres may say it is a useless lens, still, for the sake of the soft image, I very much like this character. = So, this was yet another soft option = the special goodness this lens can offer.

And how unusual this lens IS too apparent on this photo above.   It’s fuzzy, still, we can see certain information = its mean, this is a usefull picture in the certain situation. (like for the evidence)

With the extension, close-up photo is fuzzy, still showing certain detail.

Same can be said in a distant subject = fuzzy, still, amazingly, having the details.  (did you noticed ?  The center of the enlarged photo, back-slash straight line is that crain ! )

With a normal lens, it should looks like this. (This one was by the Zeiss Distagon 18 mm lens) — that crain seems busy working !  🙂  

  Forget the theory or blurh blurh, see how “Fuzzy lens” works in practice ?

Unfortunately, situation was not ideal at all.  Under rather wet and windy days, I couldn’t find good flower.  Worse still, they were on the higher branch. —– So, this was what I managed to do with “Fun camera lens + close-up extension” and its “Fuzzy image” !

When the subject was not rich, it is the time to go to humble Zen Photography.

I’m serious.  Believe me.  😀

But these last photos here were by the other lens from Panorama toy camera, with close-up extension.  Despite the cost nothing plastic lens, the photo looks quite normal isn’t it ?    Almost religious belief that the photo has to be pin sharp, the lens got to be expensive hi-quality —– Who invented this idea ? = Only untill few dicade ago, most of the people was quite happy with a photo of the Instamatic Camera, printed on 3″ x 5″ chemist print.   Once you get rid off the idiosyncratic idea, you may find how you can be free to create “photographic image” = you don’t need to be just passive to encounter the subject neither just passive to receive (and buy) manufacture’s supply. 

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Soft option in close-up photo

The lenses of which I dubbed “Omunifocus Lens” produces quite usable images from infinity to 0.5m without having any focus control.  Yet, it has a limitation — closer than 0.5m, the image became too blurred.   Still, if the position of the lens was adjusted it can produce pretty sharp image.   So, I ordered the close-up ring for Sony E-mount and while waiting its delivery, I took a soft option of close-up technique.  = The lens was stack on the camera mount with 10 mm high soft plastic putty. (Bluetack) = As the lens was positioned further away from the image sensor it’s enables the close-up shot. 

Those homemade lenses were mounted on the OM body cap (which can be used as a Sony E-mount body cap), so that I can change each of the lens quite easily = take one out and just stick the other.   Since its humble origin from a toy camera or disposable camera, every lens are all one or two plastic, still each of them showed the different character.  Such as the one from panorama camera got quite deep depth of field = keeping omunifocus character even under the close-up shot. (Photo above left and middle)   Still the other lens showed very nice soft image. (Photo above right) — Can you believe, those images were created by the lens costed almost nothing !   And now you might be realised that the photography even with such thousands pound Hi-Tech camera may not necessary be very precise and rigid technology or art = in fact they can be very soft.  (You can see the images if the optical axis of the lens was 15° out.) 

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13th Moon

Well, the full moon will be on the 12th though, it may not be clear sky then = better move when we can.   Last month when I saw the Super Moon I was on the Thames River Boat.  From then already 4 weeks has passed.  😦   — When we have 12 full moons, its mean one year has gone ! = frightening isn’t it.

(The photo here was by the Tamron 500mm lens again.  But unlike before, I did it without open the W-grazed window.  So, the picture quality was worse than the photo over a low quality dusty filter —– still, it’s a Moon. — we mankind has been watching the same moon millions of years while guessing there must be a club or rabbit living there.  Then only those hundreds years, we started to concern the real image of the same moon !    😀    Our understanding of the TRUTH is always changing. — Still, we ARE believing it IS the only truth.  And try to impose its idea to the others.)   Are you sure ? ? ?   😀

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Delusion — Zen ?

Soon after I posted the previous post, someone asked me if I’m promoting to indulge a delusion ?   Or is it nothing to do with the Zen Buddhism ? —– I answered, that the Zen is not judging or promote anything.  Because the Zen is not a direction but the way to go there, where-ever it is.   The sword master Musashi refined the way to kill, through the Zen.   Zen wouldn’t direct a person not to kill.  The person can learn the best way to kill in the highest efficiency through the way of the Zen.   So that the Shaorin Martial art came from the same temple where the Zen was started as they ARE the same teachings.  Likewise an Otaku may achieve his own best delusion.   Right or wrong is in the different teachings.   Buddhism will not pretend to be right but it would be naturally prevailed while the one living in Dharma.   Still, as Dharma is everywhere and the Karma is dealing with all sorts of fate, it is no doubt, a professional killer must have his (her ?) own Dharma.   What’s wrong ?  —– I don’t think you can direct Dharma, let alone editing it in your preference.   😀

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Live on a fantasy = naughty talk !

This is a photo of a girl’s figure (The image has bee removed / disappeared) costed almost 2 million yen = about £14,000.  (You may see more photos in this link.  >>> http://onecall2ch.com/archives/8593286.html )  It seems, her name was Megumi Kato — though I have no idea whether she was a character in a comic story ?  Apparently the person who bought this figure (one of 10 people) was quite rich and having many more figures in his collection which were displayed in a special room !   The guy seemed to be  hooked by the love for the fantasy world. —– Was that anything wrong ? —– In fact, there has been many many stories of “A man fall in love with a doll” in the history.  Or, even with shoes, under wares etc etc = so-called fetishism.  A man can love anything, pretty deeply.  But sometime people call it “Obsession”.   Anyway there is no sane love .

You might say, this is a bit healthier choice as she is a real woman (girl ?) in flesh.  She, Ai Shinozaki is, probably the most adored idol in Japan.  If you Google her name, you may find the 10s of thousands of items in their list. = on top you may find a site having her nearly 5000 photos in their collection.   Obviously, she is not a world-class beauty, — you may even say plain, some even call her pig though, yet the boss of Japanese Woman’s Association ( somewhat that kind) complained that because of her, so many Japanese man has been trapped by her and kept away from “normal” marriage. 

It might be true. = Psychologically being in love with her, the one can feel somewhat the same kind of comfort and the excitement, without having all the awkward trouble and the cost of real life. — Delusion can have anything.   Why not and what’s wrong.    😀

Don’t you remember, when you were in early teens, you’ve fallen into love with somebody (often others say, “Why her ?”) the one, even never seen her reality, worse still even without knowing the name.  Unlike a girl seeing in a train, young man can download or print-out  Ai Shinozaki’s half-naked body.   As she got very strange and strong pull, on top of her big boob, she is the idol pretty enough to fall in love yet still having no mess of life with real woman.  If a man want to have a sex, it’s easily available anywhere = So, who need to get marry = hence now-a-day 1/3 of eligible Japanese men are not keen to get involved in relation, let alone get marry.   Cynical irony is, since the male and female population is about the same, effect of the attitude of the men affects the women.

When the effect of the baby boom started to bite on the 70s, the population difference of men and women forced-out million of women from having the relation = women were forced to live alone hence the needs of equal pay and all sorts of women’s right became the serious issue.   Since then, the Human-right, Protection of this and that etc getting further and further creating independent-minded women, sexually liberated women etc = to the man, it’s mean better not getting involved, better keep distance from them otherwise the worst could be sued and be claimed compensation.   The society was disintegrated, or even into anonymity.  

In principal, equal number of both sex and the monogamy system was to guaranty every member of the society to have an equal chance to have a mate and rise a family.  In order to reinforce this system, the availability of sex was strictly controlled (= only allowed between married couple) and the relation has to be “contracted under authority / even by the God” and hard to divorce. —– To establish this system, mankind spent thousand of years of trial and error while negotiating with “Human Nature” !    But, once the fragile balance was broken, only the chaos would come.   Not only the less and less marriage, the spread of SD especially syphilis among the young Japanese people are alarming rate.  And it push the birth rate even lower.

—– In different aspect, this chaos could be a remedy provided by the Dharma to curb the exploding world population.  😀

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