Stollen ( German Fruits Cake for Xmas )

On my daily life, there are quite few things missing —– on the shopping front, it is far easier

to count what I buy rather than listing up what I don’t buy = such as other than fresh vegetables and

the fruits, a sort of sweets or confectionery is completely missing = simply because I’m buying

essentials which I desperately need ! = if I don’t eat I may die = So that, I have to eat = hence, I buy

the food staffs, but in the cheapest way = fresh raw material = never buy processed food, let

alone junk-food or that kind, bottled drink, any alcohol, which we don’t need for our survival 😀

[]

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not following ANY idea of “Healthy diet” or Religious restriction what so ever

but simply I’m living the life of poor-man. Cooking out of fresh materials is the cheapest way to eat.

This mind-set, “poor-man” (in Buddhist’s term, Bhikku = Beggar)  seemed to have originated from

my family = Zen priest’s and the life in the mountain = NO waste of food, food is to survive.

—– And in the same context, no waste of anything (since, I’m not printing a money or ever

produced even a single grain of rice) so to repair and recycle what so ever it was possible, is the norm.

In the same way, wear the clothes is for its essential function, not for fashion or vanity = hence,

as long as it is wearable (with stitching repair etc), no need to buy another one.

—– So, I’m still using my heavy-duty jacket I bought in Japan 40 years ago 🙂 — though, it seems,

it has gone too far hence, some body told me “If you like to come, buy decent clothes and wear a tie”

= so, I needed to buy a trouser and jacket last week (last time I did shopping for clothe (other than

underwear and socks) was two years ago 😀 )

[]

Therefore, in my shopping, I’m going through a forests of foods and goods like a remote land-scape.

Still, it is not a kind of fixed mind or prohibition, the mind recognizes those item which I don’t need is

not there —– sweets, confectionery or the fashion display doesn’t take any attention = or they are

almost NOT exists. (I might be an enemy of the super-market —– or for them, £10 par week

kind of person has no statistical significance :-D) —– THOUGH, once in a year, I’m making

an exception for a German cake Stollen which is only sold in the Xmas time.

Stollen is a German equivalent of Xmas pudding but not as heavy as Xmas pudding with Rum or

Brandy, still it is a kind of festive fruits cake.

[]

—– I’m not an expert of cake making, let alone Stollen. I only know this, in the past 7~8 years since

I saw a woman buying this from the Lidl saying “This Stollen is our traditional Xmas cake”

As the woman pronounced “Sh-tollen” I noticed she is a German. (And Lidl shop was originated

from Germany)

—– So, as a cultural interest, I bought one and realized this must be the symbol of their winter life.

= In the Autumn, people, kids goes woods and gather edible small fruits, Blue-berry

kind and Walnuts, Pine-nuts etc. And use those harvested and dried fruits to make a

cake for winter festive season. (Though, today’s Stollen was made with imported Raison, Almond

/ Marzipan etc —– still showing and maintaining their traditional folk culture 🙂 )

I like the life rooted on the Earth and live accordingly to the season = life of

the moment to moment.

Pick the Berry in a late Summer, preparing for the coming Winter — and eat the gift of the Nature

in the Festive time remembering the Sun in the Past Summer = To repeat this, ten or so times,

the kids become good grown-ups and start to have their own family.

—– or, to repeat 60~80 times is what our LIFE is = smell of sun drenched bush, or cool air

of forest’s floor —– the memory of brother or sister, friends etc etc = and the cycle of the LIFE

= therefore, as I bought the same Stollen again, it’s mean yet another year has past.

I wouldn’t say, either congratulation or sorry = it’s just another year  😀

(And, I wouldn’t imply the life has an equivalent value of 80 Stollen  😀 😀 )

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Is Yoga Religion ?

Is Yoga Religion ?

Is Acupuncture Religion ?

Is Shaolin Kung-fu or Tai-chi Religion ?

– – – how about the Exercise for Rehabilitation to whom got Brain damaged ?

And is Zen Religion ?

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If you ever practiced Yoga, you might have heard the theory or story behind of Yoga = how

to get harmony with Nature or even with the Universe = Spiritual aspects of  Yoga.

And you might heard the Acupuncture is based on the ancient Taoism = balance of Yin-Yang

and each points are on the line called Meridian etc etc.

Shaolin Kung-fu came from the same temple where the Zen Buddhism started

= Part of the Buddhism teachings.

And the Tai-chi was based on the teachings of the Taoism = Yin-Yang theory etc etc.

In other words, it has theory though, in practice it doesn’t matter.   It’s nice to

have elaborated theoretical decoration though, the matter is in practice.

Because, it got visible effects and clear physical, mental or even medical function whether

you believe its theory or Myth or not. = They don’t need to be believed. = Just do it.

– – – So, why the Zen was regarded to be a Religion ? ? ?

[]

The difference between Science and the Religion is,

Science stands whether you believe it or not.

So, a paper will burn if you put a fire on it = paper rapidly combines with oxygen, which will

happen regardless whether you know the Science behind or not, or you can see oxygen or not.

But in the Religion, if you believe its theory or blah blah, you will see it exists.

– – – – –

But in the case in Zen practice, most of the people couldn’t understand what the point of doing

it, let alone to see or feel its effect or result.

Twist the leg and meditate AND THINK NOTHING = it is the hardest practice for most of the

people to comprehend.   Added trouble here is, most of the people think the meaning of the

word [Meditation] is somewhat think deep 😀 – – – how to teach [Think nothing, while

thinking deep] 😀  Or to think an answer to a strange question “ without THINKING” 😀

– – – – –

Still, most of the people know, [ Do something simple, can be done without having

any thought = Auto-pilot] – – – Zen should be taught in this approach.

[]

The key in the Zen is, [ To do something “the same”, many many times which

lead the Brain to start ignoring the repeated signal, and process “the same”

WITHOUT THINKING] ! = Done by Subconscious = Mushin.

= with an inherent tendency of the brain = [ BRAIN start the process without

linking the signal to the EMOTION]  = Done in Selflessly.

The EMOTION is the source or generator of the [Mind of Self ] = without linking to the

Emotion, the Brain will process the signal / information / stimulant, almost automatically =

without the Self-interest or EGO = objectively and in the most efficient logical way =

and once the person mastered this Mind-set, the person can use same process to other

subject in general = therefore, able to see the reality and to respond the Life

in the best way without distorted Ego, fear or dithering.

This is the ZEN (the mind  without lingering and having no hindrance, hence

in its at most calmness = in another word [dispassionate] ) – – – in fact,

this is the Enlightenment.

This brain activity / Mind-set  is a clear FACT hence, it is a subject of 

neurological science = you believe or not, Brain is doing it in this way.

[]

Still, so called teacher of Zen is teaching it as a Religion, simply because they don’t know

this Fact and the Brain activity, let alone they have ever experienced it by themselves.

Without effectively able to teach the way to develop the Brain, teacher has to rely on the

mythical story of blah blah to pull a wool on your eyes = if you believe its story, this is

another kind of Zen (“expecting to have enlightened several lives after” kind of fantasy,

while living this life in vegetated states ).

– – – – –

Like Yoga or even the Exercise for a Rehabilitation which works as a physiological function,

regardless any elaborated theory or a mythical story, Zen has to be learned as a

training to the Brain and its Neurological function.

After all, even the invisible mystical activities of the mind are the reflection of

the Brain function = not a mythical Religion.

– – – – –

Zen is a type of the process in the Brain, not a religious belief. And this is what

Lord Buddha has discovered.  This was the reason why he was called Buddha =

Enlightened one, not a divine figure nor prophet = NOT as a religious figure but a great

teacher to the mankind who share the same type of the Brain and the same

tendency of the trouble in the Life.

As you are going to have this kind of the Life, you better have this Mind-set = this was what

Lord Buddha has taught. = His teachings was not for believing but an advice

which will actually works. = because, the Brain IS working in this way.

What Buddhists need is not a Bodhisattva or Maitreya but bit more brighter

teacher who can see how the mind and the brain works.  🙂

[]

Life-Form ???

Chinese name of this, is Sea-zi or Shi-zi.   And it has glorious Latin name Diospyros.

So, how you guess what are they ? 

(This time, they are not plastic, in fact, they are pretty god to eat as well   😀 )

[]

Impressionist photo of Autumn

They are utterly vague fuzzy images though, strangely we can see enough information,

or we feel enough of what is going on there.   And it is enough to carry on our life.

( The detail of Concentric Double-density Pinhole can be found in this post (link))

Some one said, ” To know the name of Plant is the start to respect and love the Nature”

Is it ? —– I think, ” To realize, How little I know,  lead me to just accept what’s there,

regardless any  name or details, —– This must be the Truth to be there”.

= Therefore, see nothing is what clear eyes can see at it’s best !    Ha ha ha  😀  😀

So, those fuzzy images may be what our eyes are actually seeing.   And so-called sharp

photographic images were, the results of the heavy  manipulation in the brain.

( Do remember, our eyes never able to see a straight line, as the Retina is not flat =

impression of  straight line was created in the brain !  = so did any images.  The facts

in the Argumented Reality showed, our vision is very very flexible.  😀 )

They looks like just common tall grass though, this one is the Japanese Susuki Grass.

And I’m very very attached to it.

So, this is it.    It was my Autumn moment of this year.  🙂

[]

Not so sharp Fall — (Since, it’s done by Pinhole)

It’s a middle of November, fully qualified Autumn.  And rather murky light

invites yet another murky image.  Double-density pinhole photo again.

In last moment, for short time, the nature gives bright flash —– like their last gasp ?

( No no, it’s a too humanized dramatization.   Nature is not making any fire-work.

Simply, as green-colored  Chlorophyll has vanished, orange or red colored Carotene

which had been masked by the green become more visible. = that’s all.

—– m m m ?   Am I spoiling your game ?   😉  )

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Stop SMOKING

In England, there was a health campaign held on October, which was

dubbed as “Stoptober” to stop smoking.

—– I was talking with a local man, who remember me used to smoke.   As he has been

trying to stop smoking, asked me how I managed to give-up, “Was that thanks to Zen ?”

[]

My smoking seemed to be a mystery to others, long time. = How a Zennist who doesn’t

drink alcohol, never take drug, even managed to give-up woman, still keep smoking ? ? ?

My joke was “I’m perfectly clean Holy-man except smoking.   So, if I stop smoking

Lord Buddha wants me to work there. It’s mean, I will be called up straight.

—– in other words, me to stay in this dirty world, I was forced to smoke = if I stop,

I would be just gone.” —– then other friend advised me “If you need one vice to stay

in this world, change smoking to woman. It’s would be much healthier and exciting”

“I know, but to have a woman is much more expensive  :-D”

[]

The local man (in fact he is a musician) asked me what sort of mind-set needed to

stop smoking ? —– I answered, there was non. I just stopped. That’s all.

—– people seemed to have a misunderstanding such as

= [To Stop Smoking, it needs a firm determination and lots of efforts] —–

utterly contrary to popular belief, such mind-set has opposite effect.

= People think, [Stop Smoking] is [TO DO Stop Smoking] hence strong will and

the proper mind-set is needed = IT MUST BE a matter of Mindfulness.

—– is utterly wrong.   And it is not Zen.

[Stop Smoking] mean, [Smoking is no longer exists] = Just disappeared. 

Put a Mind or Effort to a thing which is not exists = is nothing but a delusion.

If you need to DO, you have to deal with it with your Mindfulness and the effort.

But, when you deal with a thing which is not exist = you do nothing

(can you DO anything ? ) = you don’t even notice it.

[]

So that, when I stopped smoking = I just stopped.

The last packet on the desk was still containing 4 cigarettes.  (I still remember  😀 )

Technically I could have re-started any moment = anyhow there was no obligation,

nobody watching me still, no such thoughts came up —– because, the notion of

smoking itself had been disappeared = when the target is not there where to put an effort ?

I didn’t need to have such high tension in my mind at all.  The harder, it will crack.

= So, it’s better to be relaxed. —– (easy, easy, it’s only about smoking 😀 )

[]

People has been inventing lords of excuse “Not to Stop Smoking” before-hand, such

as it is addictive etc etc.   Therefore, when they try to stop, they put so much Preparation

and the “Determination” —– from many Rituals (such as to destroy all the related objects,

ashtray, lighter, etc etc) to Declaration to others — 😀

In reality, the more you put Effort or Ritual kind, they stack to your mind and

remind you again and again = prevent you to get rid of the notion of SMOKING.

As long as the notion of Smoking is in your mind = it IS viable CHOICE to DO.

[]

So, the best tactics is, just stop it, even to take notice of it = when you see a

cigarette —– “What is CIGARETTE ?”

In Zen term, this is Mushin.

= vacates the Mind, not mention any related thinkings.

If you need to stop smoking = JUST DO IT IN THIS WAY

= You will succeed.

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” What are you doing ?”

Somebody, supposed to be a Zen Buddhist teased me

“If you are Zennist, how come, what are you doing in your blog ?”

I answered to him “If you only see it so, your Buddhism is wrong”

[]

The reason why the Buddhism after the Nirvana of

Lord Buddha was formed as known as Hinayana was because the followers just copied the lifestyle

of Lord Buddha (as an Bhikkuh) and kept his teachings.  And it took 500 years for the followers to

realize what the real meaning of his teachings were.

—– It is obvious, if all the people in the country become keen Buddhists / Bikkuh,

Who else can feed those Bhikkuh. Who grows the rice to make foods or fish in the river.

(You may give a thought, in a scope of a sustainability of the society = the socio-economical size

= how may Bhikkuh can the society sustain ? —– number is very limited.)

Lord Buddha was not such idiot.   Buddhism is not forsake the LIFE, but to live with it.

[]

Zen is a psychological technique / Mind-set to DO the THINGS = to have the

LIFE in the best efficiency without having useless hindrances.

Me to do a photography —– after all I used to be a photographer / technical-writer

= What’s wrong, a man keep doing what he was (a sort of) good at.   😀 😀

DOING all those, I need the Zen (such as so-called Mindfulness, Mushin etc etc, hence I keep

my tools in the best condition, let alone to make them etc etc) and I have, at least, having the

results which leaves no (well more or less) regrets.  😀  — (still, I want to do even better

= this is not a greed as my work is not producing any profit or fame.   😀 😀 )

[]

My approach to the camera or photography which is in most of the case, non-conventional,

quite inventive way would solve and help other’s trouble well,  (without costing them  :-D)

—– such as, when the camera or Mob-devise was dropped in the sea water or toilet = just

wash under tap water then dry it with Hair-dryer,  or jammed, stacked Zoom lens may be

saved with just hitting it in all directions.  Or utilizing Chinese toys would save a time and cost,

instead of building a new circuit for electronic controller etc etc.  😀

Life is to live, hence it got be fun, as you can’t avoid — any how.

Make it fun, instead of resenting or complaining.

And by making something would be even more fun.   🙂

___/\___

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Ultimate understanding in Buddhism

There is an interesting quotation in Buddhism which said,

“ In his 40 years teachings, yet in fact,

Lord Buddha had taught nothing even a single word”

—– on the face, you may feel strange.   🙂  This is true but not in the historical context,

—– true in the ultimate Understanding in the Buddhism.

How true, in what context ?

[]This is the added end part of the last post [Emotion / Meditation]  = PS : Please do remember, there is yet another purpose in the Buddhism training, other than [Eliminates Thinking = Mushin] and [Cut off the Emotion = Selfless] . Also to sublimate the teachings = Imprint the Teachings into Subconscious by repeated practice and repeated reading or reciting, is the crucial process. —– here again invisible mind.

When the Teachings were imprinted into subconscious (sublimated), it controls the person unconsciously = no need to consciously remember it = Mushin again !

]= Buddhism teachings has to be sublimated (imprinted into the Subconsciousness),  hence, the person can act and live without conscious or with the memory of the teachings.

When Sword Master Musashi fought,  neither his hands or himself was thinking of Zen. = Mushin has no conscious of Buddhism or Zen.  (Same as when you ride a bicycle, or even just walking, you are not thinking how to kick or move your foot = everything would be done without your conscious ! )

= Therefore, if you act in accordance to the teachings, it is not the Buddhism.

= If you act Buddhism teachings without noticing that “ This is the Buddhism teachings” is the Buddhism.

Therefore, in ultimate Mushin, there is even no Buddhism exists there.

= If you have a conscious, that this is the Buddhism teachings and “ I’m following it”

in fact, you are not following, but just faking an orgasm.

Therefore, in the mind of accomplished Buddhist, there is no teachings of

Lord Buddha remains. (Exists in his subconsciousness but it is invisible and  unnoticeable, and this invisible mind is not regarded to be in the person’s mind but IS the very Dharma.)

= Dharma exists but not in the person’s mind or as his own SELF = (Self itself is not exists)

= Where the teachings has gone ?

= There was no teachings at all in the first place but the Dharma, therefore

Lord Buddha has taught nothing.

[] (It seemed, there were several Masters said this. —– it’s mean, historically only handful Masters ever reached to this level of understanding —– this was the reason why I wrote in an earliest post “Historically, only hand full people ever reached to the Enlightenment” though the Enlightenment itself doesn’t necessary needs understanding of the Buddhism, since the Darma covers everybody, even a non-Buddhist)

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Emotion / Meditation

On the surface, you may think Emotion and Meditation are rather antagonizing idea hence

they wouldn’t come together though, it is because you are trying to keep your pretense.

In reality, our Mind is always in the mess, otherwise we didn’t need to talk

about the Mind and its trouble 2500 years, and the Buddhism could have

become redundant long ago.

[]

Meditation is a funny practice. In principle, it supposed to sit while you vacate

your mind.    Yet, in reality, all sorts of your bothering ideas, thoughts, images

are coming up  = The more disturbing,  the more keep coming back. 

[]

Long time ago, in the mountain shelter, I talked with a man said to be a Japanese classics

teacher —– while talking about a poet, Saigyo, who became a monk in his later life, it

touched Buddhism idea, then the teacher reviled, in fact he is a trained, ordained Zen monk.

( Mind you, on that time my knowledge of the Buddhism was rather poor = a son of priest

didn’t mean know the Buddhism well.  😀 )

So, I’m not sure whether I made right question to him and how serious the answer he gave me.

He could have just kidding a young man. 😀 —– Any how, he said

“ It is a lie to Meditate in Mushin.   I sit while visualizing the image of a

woman taking her cloths off, one by one and become naked.    Ha ha ha  :-D”

“ Didn’t you get aroused ?”

“ Oh no. If you do everyday every time, it just became a simple routine and

the same old image.  Nothing exciting”

“ How about to change character to top film star and imagine her naked ?”

“ Yah, I did though, it’s all same”

—– Looking back this conversation half century later, I think he was telling me his truth

and the truth in what the function of Meditation is.

Meditation wear-out your thoughts = To see disturbing thought  straight,

and analyzing again and again,  soon or later you will fed-up, and the idea

will loose its fresh impact to induce an Emotion. 

Without having an involvement of the Emotion, it become just another

opinion and a remote episode in the life ==> Detachment (Emotion put a tug

to the signal / information “this is Mine / My concern” = Turf of the Self )

When you get used with this process, again and again, you will become

rather not to have any useless thought = this is Mushin !

And start to see the things Objective = in the Detached Mind !

[]

Emotion is developed in our old part of the brain / Hippocampus.  This old part is common

with any animal and it is directly dealing with one’s survival.

Hence, not only one’s survival instincts or sexual desire, but also one’s welfare = comfort

for oneself and for the species general, are all part of this Emotion.

Desire, Greed, Envy, Fear, Like-Dislike, Want or Avoid, even a judgement

of Right or Wrong —– are all related to the own survival (and better survival

condition) of oneself  = (hence,  it is the Ego / Greed)

Those feelings are the basis of the conscious of the Self (and its turf).

More importantly, Emotion is always causing a seclusion of particular hormone.

(Such as a fear to a danger needs whole body to prepare for prolonged battle by

seclusion of Adrenalin.  Or whole process of sexual activity needs continuing higher

level of Testosterone.)

—– In comparison, higher logical thinking is done by the later addition of the larger

brain and its process is not necessary induce a seclusion of hormone or Emotion.

[]

So that, when you hear the call of the Wolf = its signal rises your Adrenaline and become

Emotionally alert.   But if it is the same “Wolf-call” again, you just get used and

start to ignore = your perception would no longer trigger the Emotion.

—– Logically, Wolf is still somewhere in the woods yet its logical possibility wouldn’t

trigger your Emotion, because you are not in imminent danger, still, a kind of strong belief

or persistent thought / obsession would trigger an Emotion.

( But they are a subject of mental, neurological disorder)

[]

Seeing those function of the brain,

you might be realized that what the Meditation is doing.

= When your brain keep receiving the same signal, threshold of the reception

rise higher = the same signal loose impact.  You become immune to the signal.

Those external incoming signal or internal thought would work alike.

When the brain (or a Mind set) starts to ignore the signal or thought, it no

longer trigger an emotional reaction = therefore loose the tag  of ” Mine” =

and it become detached from the Ego = your mind would be in PEACE.

And when you do the things without involving your Emotion =

“ Effectively you are in the SELFLESS state” as all of your Emotion which is

defining  “ This is mine / my interest” is no longer there.

—– Buddhism teachings are using those brain function and its tendency =

Mushin and the Selflessness to control our MIND.

( Without Emotion, Selfless, and in Mushin = Just get on the task / Life ! )

Hence we can have PEACE of MIND and the  SMOOTH  LIFE.

———

( Though, there was an interesting question ” How and why,  some people

who is seeing a lots of sexual images, the person become immune to a

sexual stimulant  (like a Gynecologist),  but in the other hand it would lead

some others become rapist ?”

—– Well, this is the matter of the Mind-set on the starting point,  which I’m

going to write about in later post.)

___/\___

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PS : Please do remember, there is yet another purpose in the Buddhism training, other

than [Eliminates Thinking = Mushin] and [Cut off the Emotion = Selfless] . Also

to sublimates the teaching = Imprint the Teachings into Subconscious by

repeated practice and repeated reading or reciting, is the crucial process. —– here

again invisible Mind.

When the Teachings were imprinted into subconscious (sublimated), it

controls the person unconsciously

= no need to consciously remember it = Mushin again !

[]

Flowers in the Park — Cropped Macro (ish) Photos

Those photos were also in the file, taken in August though, long forgotten  😀

[]These day many compact cameras came into the market started to say that they got x20 super-Zoom / such as equivalent of 24~1000 mm —– m m m,  ? ? ?

Soon I realized, they are not optical Zoom to 1000 mm, but it was combined with Digital Zoom = in another word it’s a fraud. Thanks to the extremely advanced image sensor in the camera, the quality of the image is good enough for the most of the user even if it was in fact just a cropped, enlarged image —– most of the  consumers are happy even with Phone-camera !

So, why not = Camera manufacturer has gone over the blue line.

So,   the center part of this photo was cropped and enlarged to the next photo.

(Click the photo to enlarge —– not too bad isn’t it  🙂 )

As a matter of fact, those  originally near 10Meg bit file photos are reduced here to mere 500k bit or so, in order to upload.   Nobody ever complained, neither me 😀

Among the photographer who bought Nikon D810E,  who did ever needed to enlarge their photo to more than A2 size ? — Vast majority of the so-called photographer  who is showing their photos in the net,  is in fact surviving with small job for brochure or web-site photo or occasional wedding photo,  if there were job at all.

( I was lucky to survive,  when I came here,  there wasn’t a bilingual photographer who can negotiate and coordinate with English company —– hence,  I nearly monopolized Japanese commercial and editorial business here )

Looks like just ordinary close up though,  this is an cropped enlarged image.

Those cropped Macroish photos are no way near to the quality of proper Macro lens shot though,  if a photo like this was shown in Wiki,  you may not noticed or complained. —– this is a reason why I’m using Fisheye lens a lot such as in a party occasion. = in other words,  use a Zoom lens such as 24~70,  24~100 wouldn’t be necessary = good enough photo could be produced from good primary 24 mm lens !

( So, we don’t need to spend hefty money or carrying heavy lens  😀 )  ( Better not be obsessed with useless QUALITY ! = be relaxed.  take Middle way  😀  😀 )

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