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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Requiem
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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Is this ZEN or nuts. (2)
I’ve put this picture before though, this IS too iconic and deserve to have its own post.
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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Healthy eating – Paradox
I don’t have any ism other than a habit in my character which is a kind of cleanness = loath to touch anything filthy or dubious = originated from Japanese Shinto. I wash my hair just with a water = use a shampoo may be less than once in a month. I hate to expose my skin to dubious chemical more than a dust in my room.
But I eat something a vegetable in the Brassicaceae family is a matter of my taste = not a kind of healthy concern or any ism. And eating frozen sprouts instead of flesh broccoli or daikon etc, was, I’m just lazy. (You may disappointed to see me not so keen = = = Here is a wise rule, this is the problem of the mind = “If you are too serious, you tend to fail / if your mind was stuck, you loose the ability” —–> Make eating it to almost a unconscious habit which origin was forgotten = = = It IS the same, “If you are too serious / wary too much of your health = you became ill. — This paradox is common with Zen Buddhism !)
I was eating boiled sprouts with salad cream with the same laziness. Once I bought a “light” type salad cream then noticed that such product was something unnaturally plasticky and realised that to make a similar textured, tasted product without using original ingredients, there must be a lots of dubious chemicals and the ingredients were used for a factory production.
Basically, the western food life is dreadful. Eating looks healthy whole grain bread but with animal originated fat (butter) — even worse with trance fatty acid “Margarine” etc etc. —– So, I don’t buy processed food. (Don’t ask me Miso, Suger etc were not processed food ?)
Instead to use salad cream I’m making Miso based Paste = Miso, Chinese Chilli bean Sauce, pinch of Sugar and a bit of Vinegar —–> mix together. (I hope those products were produced in traditional way without using dubious chemicals) (Am I asking too much or ignorant ?)
The paste I made here was also good for other cooking such as Oka-kurage, boiled Daikon etc. —– may be I should make a lot and keep it in a jar for a quick serve to each breakfast = may be safe to keep for a week or two.
Before we start to talk about Eco, Health issue etc, we better look around and think deep. = In order to make a 16 years old Swedish girl who said that she dosen’t want to pollute the air by jet flight, to appear the UN, while 4 times more jet journeys were needed for her staff and her father to travel !
While this girl accusing Japan etc for their coal burning power station, making an exception of China who is the scond largest poluter by their coal burning, saying that they ARE the developping country. (Are they = who said so ? ) We need to see the truth behind the hypocritical farce. And see who is behind her campaign.
That’s what we call deceptive performance, in another word, fraud. 😀
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German Realism
There was an almost ending exhibition tytled “Magic Realism” at the Tate Modern.
But I’m not guiding you or work as a catalog —– you better find them.
It seemed, there was only one Paul Klee = counter part of Joan Milo ?
(Only this photo was taken by 110 Pentax 24 mm lens)
(And like all other photos, this one was taken by a home made so-called ZM-2 lens)
Human history has two drastic experiments, one was the Chinese Cultural Revolution, which destroyed all the culture and killed a population of 40 million for the sake of Chiarman Mao’s greed for power. And the other was the Weimar German Republic till the birth of Nazis when all the “Idea” was developed and tested in Art as well.
All the human issue, wemen’s issue was also discussed and argued.
I don’t know why when those hidden desire was unleashed, why they become to grotesque Hentai Images. Was that the face of hidden reality ?
But the most cynical irony was, even the most well designed democratic system couldn’t save the burden and the poverty from the war reparations, and push the country to even more disastrous rise of the Nazis. After all, all those distorted faces showed their pain. They were not a happy people. This true reflection was what the Realism mean.
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Zen — Supernatural Phenomenon or Asperger Syndrome ?
While having a casual chat with artist friends over a coffee, I noticed that the popular concept towards the Zen seems to be somewhat distorted to that it has a kind of supernatural ability. Indeed, when somebody wrote about the Zen story, it often describing how extraordinary or phenomenal. Of course, ordinary people wouldn’t make a good talking piece. It needs to be something special. Then, a man dropped the words “Isn’t such person just an Asperger ?” M m m ?
Asperger Syndrome could be an interesting description of Zen. I’m not an expert to talk about this topic still, my knowledge of Asperger seem to be matched to some pattern of the typical Zennist. = rather prefer to be alone and concentrating own interest or a particular subject into even an obsessive level. And came up with some amazing creation or highly skilled work. Indeed, such concentration, dedication might be attributed by the Zen ethos. Yet still, we may not know whether it was the result of Zen or came from the person’s own tendency.
My character and the resulting life and lifestyle has been written on my palm since I was born. So, even if I do something related to the Zen, it is rather difficult to tell whether it was due to the Zen idea, otherwise, in reverse, that’s why I was attracted to the Zen. (Which caused the other?) In fact, Zen is a mere technic to silence the emotional region of the brain, by which, the one can gain the state of No-self, and in this state, the supernatural phenomenon could be seen or achieved.
(The emotional region, namely Amigdara emphasize the incoming signal whether it is important to him or belongs to him or not. They are in fact, the base of Ego and Greed. Therefore it’s creating the mind which make-up the Self —– if this function was pathologically damaged, cognitive function to distinguish own possession, even to recognize own family member would be lost = everything would be seen detached) —– you may think they are quite a familiar character of good Buddhist though.
So the matter was not in Asperger kind but such No-self state has the key. (Asperger seemed to lack a social connectivity = not able to see the relevance between the self and the others = simplly the person couldn’t feel who am I = it is almost the state of No-self.)
Zen Buddhism may not be an invented idea but the recognition of such a hidden function of human nature by which the one could touch with invisible phenomenon. Provably human history had been noticed such supernatural phenomenon, hence created many spiritual myths, such as God or Vedic philosophy etc. —– It’s mean, it was not because of the existence of the God but because of the function of the brain which did see the supernatural phenomenon (though others may says it was a delusion). Which has been interpreted in their own way, and created like a God story or Vedic story etc. (Though, the vision seems to be very vague, in other words any clear image or story was nothing but an interpretation = made-up story —– that’s why “What it is” was never described for “The Panya Paramita”)
Lord Buddha was the one who noticed that such truth appears behind the state of No-self. (And Mahayana Buddhists try to describe them as the Panya Paramita) That was why all the Buddhism teachings were aiming to gain the No-self. (But, once become able to negate the function of Amigdara completly, and achieved the No-self, and able to detach from everything, the demerit become too much, (such as to forsake all the possessions or family) a kind of moderate teachings which says that yet to be is still be a part of Buddha become popular = which was called Mahayana. (Yet to be perfect — this “yet”was misinterpreted to “need one more life” by the mixed-up of Hinduism.)
Whether it was Zen, Asperger or Autism still, life goes on —– not only sociable friendly person is a person in the society. Zen exist for personal needs.
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Procure a Bribe or Extortion ?
Following this story (extract from the letter to the Leader of the Council) ~~~
~ ~ ~ Because of the matter seems to be potentially explosive, I decided to write direct to you.
The matter is a behavior of one of your staff Ms. N * * * * resident officer of * * * Estate.
This woman started to visit me a year ago. Since I’m not a British (Japanese / Ex-Journalist), live in this country since 1975 alone, (and now I’m * * years old) she might be worrying about what could happen when I die. So, asking me my emergency contact again and again (more than 5 times while all of my relatives are in Japan therefore no point to repeat the same question if not a cynical joke mocking me “lonely death” ) (You can check her past entry to her tablet or the report to her so-called manager)
~ ~ ~ Yesterday (21st August 2018) she came again and made the same question with a pretext of a tenancy check. And asking me, if I found where to put my Art pieces, and said “Give me some” then started to mention that the fire and safety check would order to dispose my things as a fire hazard or obstruction to fire-escape, as I’m having a lot of half-finished sculptures or the material for those work. (On top of that, as I am a well-known photographer / camera critics, I got many cameras / collection of vintage cameras etc as well. )
Here the serious question is, is it your normal practice the council officer ask the tenant to give away their possession under the threat of “Fire check” while hinting an eviction ?
Isn’t this nothing but an extortion ? Or asking a bribery isn’t it ? ~ ~ ~
(It seemed that the Leader of the Council handed the matter to the Strategic Director of Housing — and from him to the senior (or manager) of above mentioned Ms.N**** )
So the man came to my place to talk about Ms.N’s “Give me” matter though he only managed to say an useless character reference “She is not a kind of woman to say like that.” = Of course she wouldn’t ask him a bribe = He is her boss, not a tenant. The trouble was this man was a kind of person telling me that the dead room plant was caused by me kept open the window. (and exposed the plant to the outside sub-zero air ! = What an ability this man got to fabricate a story, what an imagination ! = If it was the case, the temperature indicator could have gone down to a single digit and able to make my freezing story far more dramatic. —– While using costly electric heater who need to open the window ! ) 
When I mentioned that the conversation has been sound recorded. He said it’s not legal to record without a permission. Yes, same as a security camera we can make a recording in our home unless it was made somebody else’s private moment like in the toilet. As those council officers visit was a part of their official business, they can not claim a privacy. Anyway, the officer’s words of Procurement of Bribery is in the public interest. (Even a criminal evidence)
And what this man could utter was the same intimidation, the Fire and Safety check against my possessions. (I’ve been having the same possessions since I moved in here 17 years ago —– they only started to fuss about after Ms.N visited here a year ago = seemingly as a seer pretext of harassment. = And here it was used as a red herring. = The matter is not the safety issue but the Council Staff asking a bribe. )
So, there were few more Emails ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ Dear Ms.N * * * * (22 Aug’)
Another day when you visited ~ ~ ~
Incidentally, about my art-pieces, you asked me “Don’t you sell ?”—– When you made this question, were you aware that those works has been listed on top of the Google’s search list (try such as >> St.Lucia, art figure or >> Yoshi, Zappa
Therefore, the value and the price of item may accordingly. So, your peculiar question to me “Give me” —– was this words made with the full knowledge of the situation which I afore said ? Or were you ignorant to those matter ?
All the best
Yoshi ** * *
~ ~ ~ a mail from Ms.N to me (13 Sept’)
Please note that I find your allegation of asking you to “give me some” highly unacceptable.
I asked you whether you sold any of your pieces because you informed me you have a blog with many followers.
I have at no time asked you for anything what so ever.
I am happy for the council to investigate this matter fully.
~ ~ ~ ~
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—– So, seemingly the battle goes on. (I wonder how they can argue and escape from this situation ? —– But as a matter of fact, the Council may not able to suck a rotten apple because of a resistance from the Trade Union ( = They would say, it is nothing wrong to receive a present as between a good friend = why she has to be singled out ?). And the council boss may not lose his pension because of this, anyway.) Further more, even if the fire safety chief ordered me to remove my possession, they wouldn’t take Court action to enforce it. And neither me needs to follow. = So, on the surface, the battle may just go on and rotten situation would just carry on = It’s a farce.
—— I really wonder, isn’t any honest, decent people working in here ? (Or is this an inherent culture in the south of Themes ? —– as some cynics say = home-grown Banana Republic where a bribe is the local currency. And as such, = superficially separated wife and the children as a self-proclaimed victim of a domestic violence, get another flat at once together with a benefit, then rented out one of the flat for a good money = every neighbors know it, council staff knows it, still no problem as everybody is a good friend. —– Once I staid such flat for a week. (I learned a lot.) The guy who owns it has yet another flat in the next council as well, with a different ID as a homeless.)
The fundamental trouble here IS, even if somebody in the council suddenly developed a cancer and died, nothing would change = just other same kind will take over the job and the same situation goes on. —– made me even more depressed. (That’s why not so many blue sky outside shot appeared in here, either no new sculpture created = other than the tinkered junk.)
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Heaven or God ?
I just found those photos in the net and I do know not more than any fact of what the photo was telling us. —– may be the photo was genuine = straight record of the aftermath, showing the remaining gate of the Shinto Shrine.
A person who found the photos must be utterly amazed hence just up loaded to the net. As I have no information of original source, I have no idea whether the photo was taken by the professional journalist or just a passerby, let alone any fact whether the subject was intentionally picked up (such as the survey of all the Shinto Shrine — and the one / only one Torii kept standing — or one of many) or just a coincidence.
—– yet still, seeing one more photo, they convinced me that there IS something. Think, you were a person who encountered it on the spot. Even if you didn’t bend your knee there, you must felt a chill on your back and felt, something like Heaven or somebody like the God is there and showing their providence. (But don’t blame, why send a tsunami or ask why save only a Torii, not the city. 😀 )
This is THE basis of the Japanese Shinto. We don’t need a fishy sweet words telling the Next life. We are seeing and keep feeling it IS there. Unlike an intentionally created, invented idea of so-called God, the supernatural power, or Heaven IS a part of our native sentiment or so-called spirituality. (That’s why only few % of Japanese is christian. = To the Japanese, Disney like personified God is a joke that’s why no Christian, still almost all of them believe the Rule of a cause and the consequence / the punishment return by the Heaven = that’s their spiritual Ethos.) So, we don’t steal, nor riot because we know the heaven IS watching us, or living with us. We don’t need to be told and learn “The idea of Morality” = we have it. Idea was an invention in the brain. Japanese Ethos is a part of how we were born. (Well, ideally —– we have Yakuza too. (But you know, Yakuza’s own rule is as tight as in the army) And, if you know them, they ARE also nice people. Ha ha ha 😀 )
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