Most crucial Paradox

” You can’t run as long as you got legs “

This is THE most crucial Paradox in the Buddhism.

” As long as you have an intention to attain  Selflessness or  Enlightenment,

you can’t get it until you loose its intention.”

This sound almost like ” You can’t run as long as you got your legs ”  isn’t it.  How funny ! ! !

But this is true, you can’t run as long as you got legs. Ha Ha Ha   😀

——————–

Why this is true is, its true in the Buddhist’s context.  In the Buddhist’s context, when they says

anything about ” is there or not there ” it is not Physical existence of the object,

but  subjective conscious of its object.

So, as long as you are conscious of the legs or noticing its existence, in another word,

if you are thinking of it——– you can’t run (in its full potentials )

So, the Buddhist says, as long as you are conscious of your Self, and conscious about

your life, you can’t achieve its maximum potential.  Neither you get your Enlightenment.

( They are quite harsh aren’t they.   😀  )

In fact, there is an answer, leave the business to your subconscious.

Daily Job

” Your boring Job would lead you to the ZEN “

One of the exchange of the words with  Master Kogetsu ( Please refer to “Starting point—” ) and me

was  ” Zen is to fully become Who you are.   As you are a photographer, you got to become perfect

photographer, is the Zen ” —— so I returned,

” But, to find what is the Buddhism,  may need to look for somewhere else.  Look, Buddha himself

abandoned his roll to be the Royal Prince and became a Bikku to seek the truth “.

” What an  outrageous devil.   To compare yourself to Shakya-Muni Buddha is treacherous “.

———-

———-

As most of us think, to master the Zen we need to do a special practice ?

But as I explained before in ” Selflessness – Detachment ” the matter is the disconnection to the emotion

and to connect the signal to the Notion of the  ZEN.   Which  I explained  using a  word  [ Tag ] at

” Contradiction ” in reference to ” Lemon Zen “, practice itself can be anything. The matter is the end result.

———- The most boring, mundane practice which anyone can do to make your brain empty is

your daily job.  ( In my case, it was the photography then )

– – – – – – – ? ! – – – – – ! ! ! Isn’t it ?

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ( I’m giving you a time to think )

———- Non of the Mantra said so.  Still, as a story of ” Buddha asked to sweep the garden to Churi Pantac

(known as Shuri Bantoku in Japan ) which lead him to attain the Enlightenment ”  is telling, there is a

crucial clue there.  The Mahayana Buddhism gradually came closer to recognize this.

(At this point, if you read ” Perfect Circle ” and ” Lemon Zen ” again you can see the matter clearer ).

Then you might make a question here.

” If an ordinary daily task can lead the people to get selflessness, can ordinary people

achieve enlightenment by themselves ? “————The answer is yes.  Since the Enlightenment

is not the Buddhism’s monopoly, but in the same time  Karma affect non Buddhist too.

Unfortunately, some were born to suffer.  Therefore, need to take longer way.

On my life, I met many unforgettable person who has achieved astonishingly high level

of contemplation and able to make themselves almost a noble Holy Man.

( I’m telling about those people in next post )

Hot or Cold

” Hinayana  vs  Mahayana “

There are two completely contradicting Buddhist proverb and the words of a Zen Master in Japan.

One is an old proverb which says ” When you emancipate your head and the heart, even a fire feel cold”

( Shinto wo mekkyaku sure-ba Hi mo mata suzushi ).

And the another.  When a Master of Zen was asked ” What is the (best) way to stand under a summer heat ”

( Ika-naruka, shyo-ka hou ? “)  The Master answered ” Get sweat under the heat, and shiver in winter chill ”

( Atsu-sa no Natsu wa ase wo kaki, samu-sa no Fuyu wa chijimi-agaru ).   – – – – – 😀

They are the old says and I have no idea who said it in the first place, yet still interestingly, the former is

a typical Hinayana expression and the later is the typical Mahayana – Zen expression.

——————–

The former, denies the head and heart, in another word the Self and the emotion.

But the Mahayana extended the logic further, as to deny even the idea of emancipation of the self,

(though, it must be noted that the Self in the Mahayana is, the Self once denied Self = Selfless Self ) therefore,

the Mahayana doesn’t deny the emotion (but in certain extent / in the limit of middle way ) so, if it’s hot its Hot.

So, undeniably I feel (especially since yesterday)  Oh ! its a winter. Its cold. (I wouldn’t kill my head and heart)

Everybody, Take care, keep warm —— (save some of you in the southern hemisphere )  🙂

Mindfullness

” Understanding the Buddhism by the translated word carries the burden “

The most fundamental difficulty in the approach or to seek

Buddhism is lie in its English translated word.

From the word such as Fully minded or Mindfullness the people start to

think  ” What is the Mind ? ” and end up in the endless puzzles.

The trouble is, the mind has hundreds of layers like an onion. We only see

its outer skin.

Especially if the one thinks  ” The mind is where the thought is being processed ”

it would end up against the wall.

The mind in the Buddhism is  not exist or not noticeable.

It is deep inside of the onion. (To see it you have to shed a tear or two.  🙂 )

Or in human term, it is in the subconsciousness.

——————–

So that, the word  ” Mindfullness ” is, in fact, has to be exercised  subconsciously.

This is the fundamental trouble to think about the Buddhism and this is why the

study or aproach to the Buddhism by way of thinking or try to understand it,

is utterly wrong.

And this is the reason why all the Buddhism sects employ the practice.

The practice is there to teach or lead the people to learn to do it

without thinking or empty the mind.

——————–

The another trouble or misunderstanding lie in the word  ” Meditation “.

The word Meditation is almost a synonym of the Buddhism though,

the popular understanding of its meaning  ” Think deep ” mislead the people too.

As one of the practice in the Buddhism, the Meditation is also the way to lean

to do it without thinking.  This is why even the Master Dogen said ” Just sit “.

And this is why the Buddhist has to get rid of even the notion of the Enlightenment.

When you forget to reach to the Enlightenment and get on your life, You are Enlightened.

This is the biggest Paradox in the Buddhism.

Shaolin Martial Art / BodhiDharma

Somewhere in the Internet, there is a story telling an origin of  Shoaling Martial Art, which

says it was started as Bodhidharma taught an exercise to the lazy monk. ———-m m m ?

I quite doubt this story.

Bodhidharma didn’t come to China to open yet another talking shop.

He came there only to bring the way of the direct transmission.

Bodhidharma came from Southern India where many types of Yoga,

include so-called Dancing Yoga has been widely practiced.

——- As all the Buddhist sect using each unique practice to deepen

and sublimating their teachings as a part of study or training,

the practice is the essential part of the Buddhism’s teachings.

———————

When Bodhidharma came to China, spending three years of harsh

journey, he must have had definite purpose and firm idea what to do in China.

And well-practiced Yoga Guru, he must be an expert to see the Dharma within the ultimate movement of

the Dynamic Yoga. (Which later developed into the Martial Art infused with the local culture )

—— Anybody who practiced the body movement, such as gymnastics, dancing or martial art etc knows,

its technique evolves and skill deepens just by doing it again and again.

And on the end, body gains almost super human like movement, speed, balance, rhythm and harmony.

And all those movements are programmed into the Motor region of the Brain, to do it without thinking,

its mean no Self  there. Most importantly, its potential was there from the beginning as everyone has.

This is exactly the Dharma what Lord Buddha taught.

——- While having a simple life in the Temple as a monk, and watching own body movement

evolves, the awareness to be with Dharma deepens.

This is the very direct transmission of the Buddhism what Bodhidharma

taught in China. —– in there, no words required.  Just Do It.

———-

Legend in China says that Bodhidharma had blue eyes though, I quite doubt it.

While live in London I might have met tens of thousand of people from southern India

such as Tamil people, I never seen even a single blue-eyed dark-skinned Tamil man.

It must be a made-up story to elaborate him, as

Lord Buddha also had a legend having had the blue eyes.  (This must be also false )

[]

Dog Shit

After years of practice, when Zen Master found what is the Zen,

—– as it was simply the detached mind, hence selflessness (Mushin ) and

nothing but ” Just Do It ” with no mysterious secret, ALL of them

described  What is Zen  with rather insulting words, such as ” Its a dog shit”

even  ” Toilet Paper ” (well, equivalent of it — real expression  Shiketsu-kan

is not printable ).

They must felt almost the annoyance ” What all those years’ practice for ? ”

——- This is the beauty and the paradox, even an irony of the Buddhism,

as its says ” Everybody has the Dharma with in ”

—— You see ?  I told you !

This is true, and it is so easy as there is no complication. —– Though,

in real life,simplest thing is hardest to understand, especially to the people

who try to understand.

( Hidden secret here is, to attain selflessness, one has to Re-Program

one’s subconscious through repeated practice, not by thinking, because

higher level of the brain activity has less effect to the subconsciousness )

——————

This is the reason, why people see the Buddhism not as a Religion,

or even as a  Philosophy.

There is no Mambo-Jumbo to believe or worship, hence it is not a Religion.

And no systematic structure of the understanding of the Dharma, but

simply just accept it as it is, hence it is not Philosophy.

——–But on the end, Buddha’s teachings freed the people from their

deluded idea  such as a fear to reborn as a dog , and made them to live

their life with firm confidence and able to live quite creatively.

Isn’t this, what Buddha intended with his teaching ?

Perfect Circle

One of the Zen priest in Japan was well known to draw near perfect circle free hand.

—- Just to make a tea, tea master spend 10, 20 years, even all his life

perfecting its procedure down to the minute details.

—- In Internet, you may find rather peculiar  site to make a perfect

sphere of mud ball.     < google  to    dorodango   >

——— ?      What is the point to draw perfect circle, or to make perfect

mud ball, or perfect tea ?

To achieve perfection is the Buddhism.     It is the way to reach  Nirvana.

—————

To practice this path-way  by doing utterly useless, repeating action is

the Zen practice.  (sitting is one of the popular method )

Because of its useless, valuelessness, it is free from any greed

and vain arrogance.

And as it is purposeless, it is no use anything other than for Zen.

Useless, purposeless act couldn’t nest any idea or thought of ego or greed,

therefore it is a very effective way  to empty the mind and achieve Selflessness.

————

Many years of practice in selfless,  Zatsunen-less concentration and perfecting

a dairy subjects on the front one by one, will lead to the perfection of

the life in total.     Thus, ultimately it lead to a peaceful  Nirvana.

————-

When you see an extremely detailed fine carving of Japanese Netsuke,  you

might think  ” It is mare stopper of a string, what is such an over quality for ? ”

—Wrong.

What you are seeing is just a by-product.

By making it, the craftsman achieved his perfection and achieved his Nirvana.

This is the secrets behind of intricacy of the Japanese Art.

——– ( In reality though, as Japanese society was a tight feudal society,

there was no chance to move up in the social system even for a top craftsman

and little financial reward for even to the best art.

The pride and the spiritual achievement was only the way out for those people )

—– Sound pathetic ?    Wrong again.

Have look.    Even though, it was a by-product of his life, a beautiful  Netsuke

is still appreciated by people even hundred of years after his death.

His signature art achieved the eternal life.

This is not a belief or rhetoric, this is a fact.

No Words ?

On the beginning there was no ( written ) words.

After the death of Buddha, this situation continued 200 years.

Its mean the Buddhism continued without having solid dogma or

unified teachings.

Even in the Buddha’s time there were several types of Buddhists exist,

such as Shomon (who is receiving the teaching and following it) and

Dokkaku (practicing and learning by themselves and attain enlightenment).

Dokkaku——–?

How was it possible when there was no book, no instruction manual and

without attending teaching sessions, yet attain the enlightenment ?

Because, in the Buddhism, there is no monopolized secret or exotic

formula to study.

No mysticism, no mumbo jumbo.

Buddha’s teaching was based on his observation of facts and the common

sense which can be understood even by a learning difficulty person.

——- Buddha never demonstrated any miracle as he was not magician or

Devinne figure, and died as mortal with food poisoning of a fish.

( On the death bed, he never said to the disciples  ” I’ll come back ” kind of

the words as he knew and taught that the death is the final end.

What Buddha taught was ( in metaphor ) ” There is a gold mine. Go and

find it.  Where ?  its in you ”

Anyone can find the gold as everybody has, provided if the one keeps

searching it.

So that there is no wonder, even Dokkaku can.  Hence DIY ZEN here.

ICHIJO / Fuji (oneness)

The truth what Buddha taught was, there is no barrier or separation between

the self and other existences.

Because the both are the part of one Dharma.

And everybody born, has the Dharma within.

————-

The teachings of the Brahmanism defines the one’s soul / Atman and

the universal supreme soul / Brahman as a separate entity. And says

the goal of the life is to make one’s Atman to reach or fuse with Brahman.

In contrast, Buddha said, there is no such separation of two from the

beginning though, one has to find this only one Dharma within, which

is invisible.

Anyone who believes the separate entity of self is having misunderstanding

caused by the delusion of ego.

—— From this simple, clear teachings, big debate started after the

Buddha’s death, whether the self is not really exist or what is the self,what are

the definition of the existences. Because, most of followers grown up with

the popular belief of the Atman, it was rather hard to change.

————

This is the reason why in the Zen books, they are filled with the explanation of

such as ” Ichijo “(oneness) or ” Fuji ” (non two) from the top to bottom.

Or such as the stories of how sward master achieved the ultimate skill by

fusing himself to the sward,

———It took more than 10 years for me to realize that the Key behind of those

stories is the matter of subconsciousness.

So that, the practice adopted by each Buddhist schools are, to carry the

teachings deep into the one’s subconsciousness.

———( Following 10 years or so, I tested all sorts of practices and

tried to find the effect to the body and the brain, as I thought if I could

open the door of subconscious, I may able to see the Holy secret of

the Anuttara Samyk-Sanbodi )

(I’ll talk about those try later)

Selfless Love

Among the human psyche, love and charity are the most strange phenomenon.

Love (and the base of the charity which is also love ) is only the phenomenon

which occurs without a cause (which mean out of Karma ).

All the notorious troubles associated with love are in fact caused by the attachment,

its mean the possessive ego.

Love itself is the causeless phenomenon.

—– Only possible explanation to this phenomenon is, it must be a fundamental

character of the Dharma, of which we are the part of it.

One of the peculiarity of the love is its selflessness.

While observing a selfless love of the mothers, and the charitable people,

Buddha must have conceived the original concept which is, selflessness is

a part of the Dharma though, the selfish ego always throw a spanner

( I’m not implying there was the spanner and screw in Buddha’s time)

to this act of love.

Since the Dharma is fundamentally selfless, its mean the ego is a human

invention driven by one’s obsessive delusion.

Therefore, the man to believe and clings the existence of self is fundamentally wrong.

The belief of the perpetual soul, Atman is nothing but a greed to keep the attachment

even after the death.

—————-

What Buddha wanted, was to save the people suffering in misery and in poverty.

They need to have the food to eat, help to alleviate their misery, not just

inedible holy enlightenment.

—————-

Following Buddha’s teaching, such as King Asoka spread the Buddhism and

organised the charity to save the needy and sufferers.

——- Though the professional scholar of the Buddhist Temple, who

couldn’t understand the teaching of the Buddha went into a cul-de-sac of

the ” definition of what is the self ” —-and lost.