A Field by Homemade Lens — (1)

Well, the lens what I call “Homemade Lens” has first appeared here as

the  “Lens from Toy Camera” and then having had additional front element,

it became to the “Two element Retro-focus Lens“.

In fact, the additional front element was a concave lens from my

broken specs. (Photo above: Left)    Then, proper optical lens came from 

HOYA Optics.   And finally I properly mounted that optical lens onto

Canon EF Mount adapter, using  67 mm filter ring. —– But, to put

the main lens (from Toy camera),  I mounted it 10 degree tilted forward,

since this lens has no focus adjustment, tilting the lens would give

a kind of Pan-focus effect. (Photo above: Right)

Still,  the images were the good old Impressionistic fuzzy image

which I’m very fond of.  🙂

What I like the most of this lens was,  it’s small size,  good general wide angle,  

no need to bother focusing,  shows enough detail of the subject but

not too much,  with good fuzziness —– and above all,  it cost nothing !

It is really a lazy Sunday Painter’s best companion.  = just click a camera,  

it automatically produces the paintings in mass scale !    😀

So, a knuck to have a life contented is = don’t ask too much.  Be contented.  

Ha ha ha   😀

[]

A Field by a Pinhole

A week after the previous post, the flowers in the same field has almost gone.

When there is no distinctive color pattern, the Double Density Pinhole is not

suit for a photo, as it’s image become just an incomprehensible murky blob 

though,  never mind this is the 666th post in this blog ! 

A belief, the world to be a clear, comprehensible place may not be true.

Neither photo necessary shows  clear image. (It still a photo !  Why not. )

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM  🙂

Devil might like them !

Ha ha ha.   😀 

———————

PS :  To advocate the Pinhole Photography general,  Not most of the

Pinhole photo is such bad,  I’ll show you the images made by

the ordinary ( one small simple ) Pinhole. 

 But the trouble of the ordinary pinhole photo was that, they are only the Photo

of  un-sharp. = nothing other than that inadequacy and never showed any other

positive value. —– That’s why I’ve put yet another pinhole around the center

pinhole  to make Concentric Double Density Pinhole,  in order to achieve the 

Impressionist’s Painting like effect.)

 

 

M[]

Think yourself — Why ?

“Don’t believe what others said. Think yourself” was the most famous last teachings of

Lord Buddha in his death bed.   Buddhism is not a religion to recites the words in the

book (repeat the same words million times makes a man to believe it ) or arguing how 

to interpret the meaning with rhetoric, but just practice and get understanding.

 

Therefore, in this context, the use of the word “Think” may not to be the correct word

= instead, “Feel and Grasp” “Find and Understand” would be better, because as I said,

the Buddhism is not a religion of what you Think and Remember but who you become,

down to the subconscious level.

[]

See a simple situation. Somebody taught you the Walking Zen saying “By walking

round and round, you can get rid of all your thoughts, and get Mushin, the Mind of

No-Mind.   This is the another way of meditation which purifying your mind.”

—– Well, the words must be well remembered and a word Mushin must be stuck

to the mind. ~~~~~ Then, walk round and round —– while a thought of

“Have I got Mushin or yet ?” coming up again and again and haunt you. 😀 😀

(Instructor should have told you just “Follow me”.   It’s difficult to see a quality

of the instructor = well spoken friendly instructor tend to get more attendance.  

It’s a paradox  Sir ! )  😀

[]

When No-Mind, No-Self was the matter, 

teach it by the word is self-contradiction.  = I think,

Lord Buddha didn’t teach it in such a way, but just showed how to do, expecting

that the followers can get the Selfless Mushin naturally through the practice.

(Please read the Post : [Test of Selflessness]) (And remember Kisa Gotami’s story =

She was just made running around without having any explanation ! )

Though, among the followers, someone pretending to be wiser, started to give an

own explanation what was the intention of practice or meaning of Selflessness.

But as I said, to explain it by the word is the Self-contradiction, for instance,

“ Do this without thinking is the No-Mind, No-Self” — though, to have this notion

in the Mind IS against the No-Mind = nothing but a Self-contradiction.

So that, there is no way else to learn No-Self other than “Do the practice

and find it by oneself.” —– (Same situation to learn how to ride a bicycle

 = absolutely no word will help, but to learn it yourself !  —– And once learned,  

you ride it automatic = no thinking is needed there. )

[]

Lexical communication is based on the words which is the categorized, abstract 

notion, hence, it rely on the high-level process in the brain which we call thinking.

Bypassing those thinking process and leave the judgement, or action to the

old intuitive part of the brain called Limbic System, = is

“What Mushin and the Selflessness meant.”

This is why “Don’t believe what others said. Think yourself = Experience yourself and

discover the fact, that the things can be done without thinking = in Selfless Mushin.”

So, if it was Selfless, who did this = It was done by the Dharma !

[]

—– Still, this episode exposed a serious situation then.   In a very last moment, WHY

Lord Buddha had to give such basic instruction to the most closest disciples.

= It signify the fact, that

Lord Buddha did aware that his disciples haven’t fully understood

what his teachings of No-Self was.

(And it explains why the Buddhism have had deviated in such early stage

and mixed up with the Hinduism.)

___/\___

[]

 

How to teach No-Self and Void

No-self,  Mind of No-mind = Mushin,  Void etc etc —– in fact it’s all same state 

of the mind or brain though, a trouble is, it can not be explained —– because,

if it was explained, its action, and the words themselves destroy the notion of

No-self or Void and in effect, it is to prove that “You have your own Self”.    🙂

It is the same to a duty of silence, you can’t tell or declare that “I am in silence”

= if you tell that you are in a practice of silence = you fail the duty.

[]

In the Buddhist scripture it was “explained” in the relation to the 5 aggregates

= in fact the relation between the sense and the object =  “sensed” —–

such as a sense of vision and the object what you thought that you have seen,

and likewise sense of hearing etc etc = 5 senses and effectively all the existences.

===> Its core is,  you never be sure whether you actually seen it,  or what you

thought that you’ve seen, was true or not, that’s because the subject, you and the

object were existing in the relation to the others in moment to moment, hence

they couldn’t be defined as a reliable solid existence therefore nothing, include

yourself is real —– in another word, Void.    (It’s shame though,  to understand

what was written there doesn’t mean “able to get Selfless or see the Void” ! )

—– (The expression in a typical Mahayana scripture “Exists as Not-exists” was

an excuse of the autoer “I didn’t say neither exists or not exists” )   🙂

[]

Because of you, yourself is Void, you can’t explain it’s situation because the

situation in any moment is keep changing hence any static description could

be a false = in fact any such notion is nothing but a delusion.

So, this is the fundamental trouble to teach, let alone to explain the Selfless or Void.

Lord Buddha had this trouble too, of cause.   And his answer was “Not answer” —–

because, there is no problem to continue the life without having the SELF, far from

it, we were born and naturally living in Selfless, in other words, having and clinging 

to the Self, or believing that the world, or all the existences are really existing, is

nothing but the delusion.    So, what

Lord Buddha did was just show the practice he does in Selfless state (Mushin) = 

and he instructed to do the the same, exactly like him. = and everybody followed =

automatically following him exactly the same manner IS nothing but the practice 

of the Selflessness.    (Please read [Test of Selflessness])

[]

It is impossible to explain what the Selflessness or Void is, still in practice 

anything can be done in completely Selfless manner and it is in deed a

demonstration and the proof of the Void.

[]

And this was the reason why the scriptures are in haywire still the teachings of

Buddhism and it’s tradition has been maintained in the Zen practice.

—– if you can do the same, again and again without conceive a question, you are

in the Selfless state.    And you can extend this state to do any other work, even a

thinking process.   (It may sound funny as it is the same brain though, the thinking

part of the brain is not necessary involving the emotional region where the feeling

of Me = Self was created.  —– So, the mental practice of Detachment will work.)

___/\___

[]  

Orange Peel

You may not guess what I’m going to talk about.   The photo here is Orange Peels.

Orange Peel (of its powder) has been used as a flavoring spice or even a 

Chinese herbal medicine. (= moderate stimulant to the stomach )

—– But I’m not going to use it in any form but I’m going to get lid of them.

Though, if you throw them into a rubbish bin in the kitchen, together with

carrot skin etc etc,  inevitably you’ll have a rotten wet bottom in the bin where

Fruits Fly thrives.  — Still, try to fight against them is the futile, impossible task.

A bin with lid didn’t work = they get inside when it was open = and lay eggs =

then come back in hundreds.   You can’t catch, you can’t hit = they fly so quick.

Throw a rubbish every day is the one  answer.  (Sounds quite paranoia isn’t it ?) 

And make them composted in a jar with tight lid, is the another answer,

though, when I tried, I realized that I don’t have a garden to use the compost. 

Anyhow, my rubbish for 2 weeks is not more than a super-market plastic bag.  

—– On the end, I got the answer = wet rubbish IS the root cause of trouble.

= Why not dry them ! = If no wet rubbish, no Fruits Fly would come, hence

= no trouble, no fight. —– isn’t this the Buddhist’s like answer !   🙂

(Same as, “No alcohol, no trouble. No woman, no trouble” kind of approach  !  

Save the joke of Mahayana Buddhism “Having trouble IS the Enlightenment”

though, Fruits Fly has no fun at all.)   😀

= So, I leave the Orange peel,  Vegetable skin etc to spread on the plastic tray

and let them dry. (Looks strange though, nobody would see it anyway.)  

—– When they are dry, put them into the bin.  

[]

Just a little bit more attention, then able to have a peaceful life !

Isn’t this a Zen ?  —– or do you think it’s a nuts or paranoid ?  

Ha ha ha ha  😀 —– Have a nice Friday 13th, and a fun-full weekend.

[]

 

 

 

Cherry

One of the most popular tree of Cherry, they got hundred of species and may 

be thousand of garden varieties.    So that, all of their flowers look more or less

the same though, when it came to the fruits, they are amazingly different.  =

Not only the sizes or color —– but only a thing it would be certain, is, the most

of them are not nice to eat at all.   Only an exception I ever encountered was,  

the Cherry trees standing on the road side outskirt of  Wurzburg in Germany.

(Though, I wouldn’t guaranty  you to find the same street and the tree.  😀 )

That cherry was the same kind sold in the shop, the dark colored one.

I guess, the local council just planted the same variety for Cherry fruits.

(But I don’t know how their flowers looks like. )

[]

Many years ago, once European farmers tried to export their cherries to

Japan though, non was sold.  To the Japanese, Cherry got to have the color

like the one in the top photo and of cause the sweetness with subtle acidity.

So, this Cherry got the right color, the size was somewhat a half of “Salable”

standard in Japan but this one got awful bitter taste.

[]

Strangely you may think, not so many fruits yelling Cherry in Japan.  

There are hundreds of different Cherries there though, most of the tree

commonly planted there were the variety called  Somei-yoshino, which

was created  in a Somei village somewhere north of Edo (now called Tokyo).

Since it was a specially created hybrid, this Somei-yoshino is infertile ; ie

there is no cherry fruit !  = No seed.   And all the Somei-yoshino in the world

were propagated from single tree by means of grafting = one by one by hand. 

Therefore, thousands cherry trees planted on the bank of Potomac river

Washington, US were all created in the same manner and genetically

they are all identical clones.

[]

What makes this Somei-yoshino so special was,  when flower is open, there is

no leaves  and when the flower finished, each flower petals falls like a snow.

= Symbolizing the Ethos of Samurai.   The beauty in the death.    ! ! !

[]

Zen thinking — [Void] in the real life

After years or months I don’t remember still, I suddenly realized a significance

of the words in an episode in the Agama Sutra.

(= I described it in the post [Three times Buddha] )

[]

“Thinking without thinking” sound  Zen like approach you may think though,

it is nothing fancy at all = 90% of our thinking was actually done in this way.

With utter annoyance of the philosophers, this fact was revealed to the mankind

when a Brain Scanner was first introduced = after all, we, the most intelligent

creature on the planet is not necessary consciously carrying-out our

thinking process.  —– (We only conscious of it’s process after it was converted to

the lexical code on the last moment.)

The reality is, when we say “I think”, in fact, the most of the thinking has been

already done a moment ago without us noticing it.

 And in the almost all the case, so-called  “My Decision” was actually made

out of our conscious. 

So, “thinking without thinking” is in reality “thinking without noticing that

I was thinking” = we are in deed always keep thinking or our brain is always active

yet simply we are not aware of it.    So that, not only an obvious “work-out to solve

an arithmetic problem kind” of conscious thinking, even so-called meditation is

nothing but a practice of “latent thinking process”and often, our brain find a

connection, even an answer from completely unrelated matter. (Very creative !)

[]

There was not a significant issue I was facing, or even an important question =

therefore it was not “posted” in my mind = just there as one of the memory, yet,

a passage in the scripture was suddenly highlighted and gained the significance.

= A ha ! I found it’s here.

(Answer was always given when we are not intentionally seeking = When 

our mind was free — or in the state of Mushin or in the Void, suddenly

the connection was made.  —– some time in the bathroom.  😀 )

[]

Lord Buddha told the horse trainer “Stop speaking is the same to kill the person”

(Please read the post.) —– this is not just an action on the mouth, but the hole

mind-set = In the mind-set, the person became a landscape hence no longer

recognized as a person.    So, its existence is “Exists as not Exists” = this is

nothing but a state of “Void”. = In deed, this is the very core of what

Lord Buddha’s teaching was, and what all about the Zen Buddhism is.

To detach and free the Mind and see the Void and by freeing the mind,

it enables us to see the dynamism of Karma and the Dharma, hence enables

to live with Dharma moment to moment.

—– This is THE paradox, “By detaching the view and emotionally free from the

subject, thence the mind can see subject even more in it’s details”.

= Because, the mind is not stack in a small part of the subject or fixed view, but

it is seeing the subject in any point and from any angle.

= this is the very Clear Eyes to see the Truth.

And the way to gain the Enlightenment.

___/\___

[]

 

 

Unanswered Questions 無記

Without doubt, the biggest problem in Buddhism is that against some questions why

Lord Buddha didn’t give an answer.  

This is an issue known as “10 (or 14) Unanswered questions” which was known in Japan and China [無記] = Muki or Wu-ji. —– With seeing all those questions, it is obvious, no answer was given to the matter of [Infinite] [Eternal] kind, the time and the space of the Universe, and the matter related to [I] or [Self].

—- obviously, like us, a small mortals fussing about the infinite eternal Universe kind of imaginary matter IS utterly waste of the time.    (Especially when Einstein was not born yet. 😀 )

And the matter of I or Self is not existing = Who can give an answer for “Non-existent phantom” = this was the very fundamental stance of what

Lord Buddha taught, strangely you may think, it was not elucidated in the scripture. —– Why ? Because, such matter was not existing = how to elucidate the Self which is not exists. —– After all, there was no teachings of abstract nor imaginary idea = its mean there was no “Spiritual kind of concept” in the Buddhism.

[]In fact, this is the question even bigger than the “Unanswered Question”.

Lord Buddha denying the existence of the Self / Atman was his fundamental stance therefore, the “matter of the existence of the Self” itself was not existed = because,his own Self was not there. = When he couldn’t see his own Self, in his own mind, how he could guess other’s mind and analyze “so-called Self”. 

(It may sound complicated though, IT’S simple — for instance, you may suffer from Alien fever symptom from the space though, actually no such illness ever existed = it was your imagination.   In such situation, what is the point to discuss the matter — only the remedy is you to open the eyes and become aware that no such fever exist and symptom was own delusion !)

Lord Buddha’s teaching of No-Self couldn’t have even an explanation because the word to deny the Self is, “in effect” recognize the existence of the Self.  It sound strange though, this teachings of Selflessness was not necessary understood even by his closest attendance, Ananda (he was a cousin of Lord Buddha) as he kept asking why not answer.)

When ever a kind of explanation of No-Self appeared in the scripture, it was a kind of metaphor, such as to explain what is Real Giving = “Giving without having a conscious of “I’m giving” is the Real Giving”.    Or even worse, “Giving as not Giving” — You can not understand this by reading or by thinking —- but only by DOING.

(I’m sure, if you DO the giving million times, you will become an expert of giving to hand-out the money to a needy, food for a hungry, a rope for a man to hung without need to think ! ) Like the teachings through Tea-making — after 10, 20 years of practice, when the person fully mastered and able to make a perfect Tea, even with the eyes closed, it’s mean all the procedure has been completely programmed into own subconscious and the motor-region of the brain, therefore all the process of Tea-making could be done without the Self or any thinking (= it has all been done in Mushin) — still, it doesn’t necessary the person did (intellectually) understood the Selflessness.  ( —– Ideally, the person can make a Tea without having any notion of Zen or Buddhism even Tea-making is the best, and it IS closest to be an Ichijo.)

It would be much clearer to see it in the case how to ride a Bicycle = there is no theory or explanation or understanding is necessary, but by actually master it by the body you can ride it. —– Then, when you ride it, you can do it without a conscious of that you ARE riding the bicycle = “You ARE riding it without your SELF” and more importantly, this selfless condition / situation IS NOT an imaginary / spiritual matter. = IT IS A HARD EXISTENCE. = And to become aware or grasp this condition as it IS (without the literal interpretation = without thinking) IS what all about the the teachings of Lord Buddha.  = Just to be riding, as to be Ichijo in riding, even without having the awareness of riding, of course, without the conscious of “Me riding this” = IS the situation becoming a part of the Dharma, or the Dharma itself. (= when you became able to glasp this Dharma, it is your Clear Eyes = So as the Dharma IS not an abstract idea neither imaginary existence = this HARD FACT is the Enlightenment though, in reality, what you ARE seeing IS the same existence and the same fact = this world (nothing new neither special) = hence, it’s a Dog Shit.

And this tradition = learn from the practice, only kept Zen Buddhism as Buddhism of No-Self —– not by the scripture which doesn’t contain the explanation of  [Selflessness]  anyway. —– Think, Selflessness IS NOT a spiritual matter at all.  It IS a fact “you can do it without your own conscious” and its physical, neuro-phisiological mechanism IS the Selflessness.

___/\___

[]

Ghost — Buddha’s Psychological Profile

Can you describe the details of a Ghost ? — how it looks etc, etc. — CAN YOU ?

Imagine, it was a kind of public gathering and somebody started to talk about seeing

a ghost and some others responded and told their own experience or hear-say but

 most of the others didn’t say anything, other than murmuring their doubt.

—– I think this is the general situation and it wasn’t so different in 2,500 years ago

in India, even if more superstitious people was there, still, only very few could say

actually seen it. 

[]

Lord Buddha’s time, when out of Sanskrit / Vedic belief, a new religion, later known

to be the Hinduism was emerging.   Over the Sanskrit belief of perpetually remaining

soul, Hinduism put an emphasis on the reincarnation of each soul which reflect the

previous life = hence, the life in this world is the result of previous life, in other words,

every life was fixed which makes a person’s Cast.

—– This idea horrified the people then = the endless cycle of reincarnation traps the

person, if not make the worst to reborn to be a beast.

To against this idea of endless suffering of reincarnation, (called Samsara)

Lord Buddha was the one offering the rescue, saying “Don’t worry, no such things

like endless reincarnation, because the one supposed to be reincarnated = the Self or

so-called Atman is not existing, therefore when your body dies, it is the total end =

Nirvana” and offering the refuge where there is no notion of Cast or previous life.

[]

Lord Buddha’s this understanding came from the observation of the Karma and

the Dharma.    Everything depend and rely on others in every moment.

Without this inter-dependency, nothing could exists, so as our body and the mind.

It’s mean, when the body goes, the mind which has been imagining the self, also goes.

The self is mere illusion and the cause of all the troubles.     As it was clearly stated 

in the Four Noble Truth, the Life IS nothing but the suffering. —– In this respect,

Lord Buddha gave no illusion.   Very realistic and blunt.   To observe and give an

insight to the relation between the phenomena of the Karma, eyes and the brain has

to be as clear as a crystal or like a critical scientist.  

No illusion, not mention a delusion was in the mind of

Lord Buddha, it’s mean, there was no notion of Ghost existed.  = As such notion

was not exists in the first place, no such image, let alone the word exist there.

No ghost exist, and its source, the Self itself neither exist.   Therefore, not only the notion

of Self, but the attitude to recognize or mind it shouldn’t be there.    Hence, in this respect,

Lord Buddha was very strict, even harsh.   When somebody who couldn’t understand

the imprecation of No Self, made a question “What happens after the person’s death ?”

its question was completely ignored. —– (There was a description in the Agama Sutra

“Completely stop speaking is same as to kill the person” )

[]

To understand this post, please read “Test of Selflessness” as well.

___/\___

[]

Wash Grapes

Grape is one of the most ancient fruits recorded in the human history 

though, as it is the cousin of Ivy,  I guess,  in the ancient time its

fruits must be as small as Ivy’s berry.   (about 1/4″ — 6 mm big ?)

Any how, the matter here is not a big (or small) issue at all = the way to serve.

—– In my bad boy’s habit,  there is nothing but a pleasure to steal a fruits.

(Fortunately or unfortunately I didn’t grown up to acquire the pleasure to

steal a woman.   😀  —– before read such menu available

I’ve become a monk (?)  —– how shame,  what a boring life isn’t it ! )

[]

To pick  and eat a fruit in the (Somebody else’s) garden, I wouldn’t be bothered

to wash it while presuming that the dirt has been washed away by the rain, and

no human hand ever touched it anyway. 

Though, when I bought it from a shop, I suspect it has been handled rather

dusty condition hence they are not clean. —– So, how to wash it ?

Long before,  I was washing the bunch of grapes under a jet of water then later

changed to wash each individual fruits —– I mean one by one,  since when

I noticed some time, some of them were covered with quite stubborn film of dirt.

( Remember, we eat grapes with its skin !  —– Japanese grapes can be skinned !  )

And these days,  I separate each fruit from a bunch and wash them in a plastic

bawl under the running water while make them well rubbing each other.

[]

Considering the amount of dust we are inhaling and eating, which may consists

sand or dried soil, even dried dog shit etc etc, without  knowing,  some dirt on

the occasional grapes wouldn’t make any concern.  —– So,  is this a matter of

principal or most likely the personality ? —– A kind of contemplation such as

“Resisting the dirt would be useless” may have an effect still,  the sense of 

cleanliness came from one’s up-bringing, and IS the one’s second nature.

[]

So, as a practice, how about the point of  so-called “Mindfulness” or “Middle way”

= how can we be “single-minded” and in the same time “be tolerant”.

(Is it a funny question ? )

If you think this is a funny question,  your understanding of Buddhism was wrong.

Wrong in the “Thinking” of  both  “Mindfulness” and the ” Middle way”.

[]

We don’t need to think about how to wash or how to eat grapes.   We should just Do.

= Wash or not wash what so ever you Do, IS a reflection of WHO YOU ARE.   As you

are born to be under the own Karma,  to follow it,  is the most natural way to live.  

And to be natural, need no thinking = just to be the own.  

No thinking or no conscious mean no Self is there.  And no Self,  no conscious mean

no intentional thinking NOR being not natural,  hence no over doing = Middle way.  

Without the Self, still able to do what necessary to Do, IS the Mindful way.

In fact, all the teachings of Buddhism are [ To be done without conscious ].

= Live without a conscious of Self IS Selfless.  Do without thinking IS Mushin.

When you Do the thing, there are no other things in the mind IS Mindfulness.

And when you Do,  no intentional thinking is there, therefore

Do only naturally you need to Do,  IS  Middle way.

If you are Doing something special to be a Buddhist,  IS not Buddhism.

[ Buddhism is Do nothing special, Think nothing as Thinking.

This IS why, Buddhism mean the VOID.  —– And this was what

Lord Buddha taught though, it was not fully understood by even

the author of scripture. ]

___/\___ 

[]