Daisetsu Suzuki — ZEN

Fortunet to some of you (unfortunet to others) This Viz was in Japanese.

But, he was not a Zen monk — he was a trancelator and he was talking about the difference of the concept between the east and the west. —– So, he speaks, the notion of FREE in the west IS a notion of a relationship = has to start from two subjects. And its meaning IS = the one is free from the other. It is the relation of Subject and the Object. Dominant and Subjected. Such as the God and I. = So, the fundamental ethos / idea of the west starts from here, therefore the social structure too.

In contrast, there is no such God in the east. Instead, the heaven and the nature which we are in its part. Therefore, in the east, we were not created by the God, but we are exists as a part of the universe, nature from the start.

A word which was normally assigned to the word “Free” was 自由（Jiyu) though, the real meaning of this word in the east IS “To be as it is”. —– If it was the case of you = You to be as real you ARE (not the one who you imagined or others defined). (this is close to the meaning of the Zen notion 自在（Jizai）). So, in the Buddhism, You are not exists but the Nature (Dharma which you were a part) IS. So that, the Rinzai Zen try to make you aware who (real) you ARE through dialogue. And the Soto Zen try to disolve you as a part of the nature through practice (sitting and the other daily activities).

So, he was talking something like that.

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Daikon 2020

So, I’m watching the same windowscape of my kitchen window.

Only a difference in these days was, the leaves of the Daikon head. Which was growing well. Some of you might say that I can cut them small and eat or put in a Miso soup —– I know. But I want them to live free and grow. (I’ve tormented the Daikon root badly enough, boil her alive and eat = I need to make a hypocritical excuse by humainly saving the leaves)

It’s a spring. (Forget the hell outside or the world beyond)

So, the Daikon is having her flower bud —– though, would the flower open or not is the different story.

https://yoshizen.wordpress.com/2017/05/17/daikon-flowers/

When she got 30cm tall, before opening the flowers, she lost a vigor of the life. I couldn’t see any reason why, —– it was same as last time. How shame. (May be I need to learn about the Daikon plant start from its seed, not the left over top of a Daikon food.)

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Requiem

Those screen shots of the Youtube viz was made with Canon 5D-MkIII, EF 40mm F 2.8 set manually to F5.6, 1/8 ~ 1/30 Sec’ = ISO was selected to enable this exposure.

Under the restriction we stay at home —– to spend more time with internet. = So, I encountered one of the most distinguishable, Morzart’s Requiem which was packed with the strongest anger ( = no sobbing, or asking mercy but an explosion of the anger — may be toward the God) But, mind you this recording was made 2014 —– I think the Venezuela was not in the hell (yet). And this is not my sarcasm toward the COVID-19 trouble we are having. (Timing was purely the coincidence) — but, my coincidence was always having had the message = the God may be angry.)

The musisians of this orchestra and the choir must be the ethnically the most diversified members — that’s what I noticed.

In my view, the Requiem is only a music Mozart created for himself with his true sentiment. (Others were just a commercial products to buy a favour of the society)

(Morzart said to be a member of the Free Masons though, when he died even before completion of this Requiem, nobody helped his funeral and he was buried to a common grave. — was this what he deserve ?)

—– yet still, there seems to be the reason why. Unlike what you believe, the real life of Mozart was nothing like a decent kind, but a hopelessly disorderly man = loose on the money and drunk which pushed all of his friend to forsake him = so, when he faced the death, he must be aware what to expect = the reality of the own fate = the reflection of own making. He must have had enough anger toward himself, much much more than toward the God who he never seen.

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How NOT to get COVID-19

This was a tweet which has been Re-tweeted 100.000 times in two days,

[the advise, how NOT to get COVID-19 infected] made by a (Prof) Takayuki Miyazawa（宮沢孝幸准教授） of the Virus study, Kyoto Uni’, Japan

(1) Think, you were a person already infected by the COVID-19.

(2) And Think, try NOT to infect others.

(3) Breath through the Nose. (not by the mouth)

(4) Don’t touch your Nose, Eyes, Mouth while you are out.

(5) While you are eating, just eat, NOT to SPEAK (or Talk)

(of course, those MIND-SET were on top of the ordinary precaution = What to DO, such as [Wash your hand] [Keep a distance to each other] etc ——- may be because of those mind set and the attitude, the number of the infected in Japan is (on 30-03-2020) only 2.700 cases so far.

Stay safe and keep you well.

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Why less COVID-19 in Japan ?

The world is wondering why the number cases of COVID-19 in Japan was far less than the other country despite their society has also very aged population like Italy and having a lots of Chinese visitors ?

The observations made by the net people and me were, (1) Japanese is not a kind of people of hug and kiss but make a bow while standing meters away. Because of they are very conscious about the hygiene, which was originated from their Shinto religion which demand the absolute cleanness. ( Non-Japanese may not know that in behind, they clean their hand with wet tissue after made a shake hand with others, and wash the hand after touch the bank note. —– Taking off their shoes on the door step typify the base line, so does eating the individually served food with a chopstick. ) (2) In the same context, when Japanese came back to their home, first they wash their hand and gurgle with plenty water. Then take a bath to wash off any filth remained on the body. (Then, time to time they visit the Shinto Shrine to cleanse and purify their spirit.)

All those almost imprinted into their subconsciousness level of the Japanese ethos which was avoid touching foreign body or not to have a close contact with it, naturally prevented the spread of the virus from the begining. = Japanese didn’t need to be told to do so by the government but doing it by themselves without even aware of it ! (While having this metality deep in their mind, to adapt the Zen idea of Mushin = Mind of nomind has no dificulty to them at all)

While having even the Olympic Game postponed due to the many of the country couldn’t have their own athletes selected through the competition neither able to have enough training, the effect to the Japanese socioeconomic situation is immesurable.

So far, mentally, the Japanese seems to cope with the situation, but having no income from their closed down shop or factory, life is hard. Now, how Japanese government could navigate this situation is the burning issue. (The situation in China is even worse, in any moment they could have national scale violent uprising started which could disintegrates their communist government.) >>>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b27T9jHMzb8 >>>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLKuStsHuJI >>>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PonD6sTbO3M

——— I received many phone calls from the friends who is anxious about me = thank you very much to all of you = may be I’m the oldest person (except to the OBs of my Japanese Alpine Club) and seen to be the most vulnerable link in the circle though, thanks goodness, so far I’m OK.

——- One of my friend said that he did have the COVID-19 and recovered = when having had it, he said that he noticed that he got his sense of smell and the taste were lost. (and now regained them) = = = So, if you noticed such symptom on top of temperature, coughing etc, it must be the C-19 = Prepare against it ! (either go to a doctor or take a good treatment) —– TAKE CARE !

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Spring Equinox 2020

The photos here were taken by NZ-B lens on Nikon Z-7

But this one was by Pentax 110 24mm lens on Sony A7R-IV

Whether the day was something special or not, when it was dull, photo would be dull. Especially when it was taken by the dullest NZ-B lens. (Still, I think, even if the lens was genuine Nikkor or Pentax 110 lens, the sky like this will be looks like dull —– What else ? )

By NZ-B lens

Whether western people feels it is not so special, Japanese cerebrate both equinox as a national holiday. (春分の日、秋分の日＝since those days were related to the rice growing agricultural calender they are important in the Japanese tradition)

The same sky in the evening, taken by NZ-B lens on Nikon Z7 —– I like this soft tone.

And the same sky, further down in the evening by Pentax 110 24mm on A7R-IV

The sky looks quiet.

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3 – 11 Sunrise

Like on the morning of 9-11 in the United States, the sun doesn’t rise straight on 3-11 in Japan.

6:51 / This photo was taken by the Pentax 110 Auto 24mm lens on Sony A7R IV

And I saw it the same in here.

7:06 / P-24mm on A7RIV

6:55 / Distagon 18mm on D850

6:57 / Godo lens on N-Z7

7:03:05 / Godo lens on N-Z7

7:03:22 / Godo lens on N-Z7

7:05 / Distagon 18mm on D850

7:03:22 / Godo lens on N-Z7

7:07 / Godo lens on N-Z7

7:59 / Godo lens on N-Z7

Nine years ago Japn saw its one of the biggest earthquake and the Tsunami. Since then even the sun seems to aboid to see the eye to eye straight. ———-

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Yet on the afternoon, it turned out to be a best brilliant day in this spring !

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Is this ZEN or nuts. (2)

I’ve put this picture before though, this IS too iconic and deserve to have its own post.

Young man who reached to his adulthood this year showing off who he is on the local ceremony event where he may see his old mates of junior school etc.

You may think, that was his display of his EGO, but you were wrong. Think, if he got ordinary mind of ordinary citizen, or common EGO such as the collective unconscious, do you think can he do the public display like that ?

Too often, this was the case that the other people misunderstood the Japanese mentality. = It was not a matter of EGO but, he was just playing the role without his own SELF. And he might have taken the role without having any order or others suggestion. = it might come like a revelation = Oh’ I got it, I’ll do.

So, a Chameleon pearched on his head. = pretty impressive !

Thousands of the people took the role to volunteer the rescue work after the disaster in such a way. —– In the same way, often the people take their work / job to became a man of “research” or a man of “the convenient store” what so ever. And that was the reason why others hear the story of “How the researcher dedicated his life to discover or develop the scientific something.”

And here again, it was not a kind of the intended dedication. But, he just took the role, since there was nothing else in sight = so, he was just doing the subject on front of him. This mental process was in fact the mechanism of the ZEN of which the key word was No-SELF. Since No-SELF = there couldn’t be any intension. = Just do it !

The matter of whether this person doing IS ZEN or not, rely on if he can be selfless when he deals with other than his Chameleon.

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Pla (B) Lens

Pla Lens (A) was somewhat a kind of flop in my try. —– Then, Zen wouldn’t give up. 😀 Why not to try with a different lens. Anyway, the luck is in a chance encounter (with a suitable character lens)

A lens I found was a single meniscus glass lens which can make the image like this photo —– of course, this lens could be mounted in the centre of much lager lens though, such large lens tend to have rather longer focal length etc etc. So, I decided to make a hole in the centre of this lens and put other one-time use camera lens in that hole. It took only 5 min’ when I made a hole in that plastic magnifier lens, but this time I had to drill a hole into a hard glass lens. If I push too hard, the glass will chip or worse clack altogether. = slow slowly work took half day.

The one-time use camera lens was pretty small. (I used only front lens ) Which makes the image like this. ( = unlike you expected, the centre lens produce the bokeh, and peripheral lens would creates detailed image. )

So, the concentric double lens was mounted on the camera = AND suprisingly, the image came out was rather normal. = the image was just fuzzy mediocre lens kind. (The size of centre lens was 6mm, Outer lens was 14mm which has 4.4 times larger area = in exposure level, the effect of 6mm lens was too small = negligible) (Yet still, the fuzziness wasn’t too bad even though it was far less than what I expected)

I need to get better subject —– image was somewhat similar to the Godo lens.

The fuzzy lens suite for the flower photo. Nobody complain. 😀

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LED ring light + 8150 Story

While looking around the Ebay, I noticed that the Chinese LED Ring Light is very cheap now = could be even cheaper than a homemade.

So, I bought one 24W-Variable, 5500K, 20cm Ring Light for £12 ! —– it came with a mounting fixture still not perfect for a photographic lighting. —– for photo-light, it needs to be mounted on the many kind of lighting stand etc, in order to have a freedom of the positioning and lighting angle. = A sort of good compromise was a Z-light arm on a flexible lighting stand, which may allow the position poised setting under one hand adjustment.

With this idea, I have collected quite few Z-light components etc, etc — then I realised that, to build a Z-arm, balancing springs are the most troublesome components I need to get hold (but who supply them etc )

And, I was convinced that instead of struggling building Z-light myself, why not to buy a readymade LED light with Z-arm = when such light comes as cheap as £18 !

So, I ordered and waited the item delivered. Then, I received a delivery notice of Tracking Code GV085180518GB, which said that the parcel was dropped off : 28-Dec 14:04 GMT. —– But, very parcel was seen nowhere.

—– As I knew the tracking number was completely that omen of 8150, I thought it could show the big trouble. (The parcel was not dropped to the neighbour either and no notice was left) So, where has it gone ? Was that one stolen ?

So the enquiry to the Royal Mail — etc etc. — ? ? ?

Then it was delivered on Monday by a Chinese Post woman.

Now the system of main light and the Aux / Ring light on Z-light arm were complete.

On this 8150 case turned out to be not necessary so bad for the New Year 2020. But the question was, ——— Why the Omen Number 8150 which can be read for Ha-I-Go-Rei in Japanese (mean the Spirit Behind = Guardian Angel, keep following me ?) Leave me alone. (Or, the heaven is giving me the sign = that I have to fulfill my role ?)

Then the twist came 4 weeks later = The LED ring light on Z-light arm which I bought for £18 from China brake down. (Can be modified or cannibalised to use only its LED ring-light and the Z-light arm) Seemingly, as it was chiep, the quality was just accordingly. —– Same as the Korean, Chinese might have thought that if they copy Japanese product using the same production machine and the component fron Japan, they can make the same though —– they don’t know the “Now-how” = how to use that machine. = Quality and the reliability couldn’t be copied. (That’s why I only buy small mechanical components, such as adapter ring from China)

And the heaven might know this situation long before, and that’s why the tracking number (085180518) appear to be that’s “8150” omen number = so, the product has come with a warning.

Then, the following story was funnyier. I try to get hold the said broken switching unit (asking the seller to replace the parts and try to contact the manufucturer of the switching unit —– without success ) Then, I realised that apparently the same ring light (with the same switching unit but without the magnifier lens nor Z-light arm ) was on the market for as cheap as £6.70, which could be even cheaper than the cost to get hold the electronic circuit from the manufacturer. = So, I ordered the two of them. (One to replace the broken switching unit and the other to use on my homemade ring light) = Now, my LED ring light on the Z-light arm is in a working order.

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