Fate and the Mentality

Few days ago in Japan, one of the busy commuter train breakdown due to

the safety mechanism in their over-head power cable.  Stranded passengers

in the trains were lead to a nearby station, 20 minutes walk on the rail track.

(Japanese train takes the electric power from the over-head cable, not from

the side track, so that, without a danger of electrocution, it is safe to walk

on the track.)  = All 5000 passengers were just walked in orderly manner and

no trouble was ever occurred. 

When this news was reported on the Chinese News Paper, the Net users in

China responded with their astonishment saying such as “If this was happened

in China, within 5 minutes passengers started riot, smashing the windows etc”

“How 5000 Japanese could keep calm and quietly walk for 20 minutes long

without showing any anger or frustration !”

—– And the Japanese Net users responded to those Chinese thread saying 

“It’s no point to make a riot and break the train because it would only cause

even more delay”  “When all the people having the same fate, making trouble

wouldn’t get any situation better”  “Anyhow, the company or school where

people will be late wouldn’t accuse them because it was like an act of God =

It was the fate anybody has to accept”.

[]

They are the two contrasting mentalities = in my view, each mentality

originated from the Chinese Taoism and the Japanese Buddhism.

I quite doubt, in China how many people ever read the Book of Taoism =

Tao Te Ching, still, most of them seemed to visit the temple to read their

fortune = by throwing two wooden sticks six times to find Yin and Yan’s

combination (It is in fact the Ai-Ching).  The funny things were, they keep

doing it again and again until they receive good prediction. (=they would

not accept bad prediction !)    In other words, Chinese doesn’t follow even 

the will of God (or Heaven) or vend it by their Ego).  (China has Confucius 

and Buddhism as well though in mentality, they all got the same.)

—– in contrast, Japanese Buddhist is far more cool, or even cold,(may 

be even Cynical) for not to have a passion for riot.  🙂  = since they know

the situation, what sort of the process would be needed to repair the

breakdown system etc well.  They are far more rational to know

what they can do —– in fact, the situation IS telling them,

Just Walk. = So, they did.

This is the Mentality to accept and follow Dharma and the Karma (or Fate)

and the Wisdom or the Belief, that the end result would be better with this.

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Karmic Encounter or just a Coincidence ?

From Japan,  group of tourists are visiting northern India / Ladakh.

At the introduction meeting of one group, in a sheer coincidence,

two of the members found  that they’ve got a common connection.   

Both of them happen to be my old friend. 

The guy was a younger member of our Alpine Club and the lady used to

work in the Uni’s Herbalium = a part of the  Science Dept’ where I was

taking botanical photos and assisting their expeditions and field works.

So that, when I had my wedding party in the mountain hut, they were

invited and indeed, both of them were there — long time ago !   🙂

—————— (Some photographs of Ladakh from my friend)

In practice, their encounter wouldn’t have any  real implications to the

two and to myself —– still, it reminded me that I spent more time to deal

with Botanics in the Hervarium, than facing the Rock while I was in my Uni’.

= This fact seems crucial for me to stock-take my Life.

= It’s mean, I haven’t been in Ladakh, Himalaya, Patagonia etc etc, but what

I did for the Ogasawara Expedition left me more legacies, exactly like how

the life in the mountain shelter structured me, far more than the life in the

Alpine Club. (— sorry, I’ve gone too personal though, without having those

underline causes,  Yoshizen couldn’t be existed as I am now. )

It explained well, Yoshizen was not a man sitting on the rock but kneeling

down and watching the flowers.  — and I like this stance.

[]

It signified my approach to the Zen Buddhism.    Unlike a kind of guru who rely on

the maze of mambo-jumbo (so-called spiritualism), but me to approach the Buddhism

from the factual observation with scientific, neurophysiological aspect was correct.

As the result, to see the Mushin as a fatigue of one’s mind and the No-self as

the jump-process or no-tagging of the Emotion.  Those prosaic definition had no

glorious Mahayana like ornamentation though, have you ever read the words of

Lord Buddha with a mythical embellishment in the original Agama Sutra ?

Lord Buddha was a rational scientist, hence had no delusion or illusion.

So, the original teachings of Buddhism didn’t have any mambo-jumbo.

(In fact, there was an urgent needs to explain that there wouldn’t be any danger to

reborn to an animal or lower cast like as newly emerging “Hindu” preaches,

because everything exists in relation (Karma) to the others, when the body dies,

the soul dies too = nothing remain to reincarnates.    This was what

Lord Buddha taught then, 2500 years ago.  Anything else was a mix-up.)

___/\___

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Mountain Tool box

Ideally, in here I should put a story and the photos from mountain or

at least a kind of hill walking.    Ideally from Scotland or North Wales —

if not, at least South Down somewhere. — That’s what I’ve been thinking

though, now I would say “Shame” it may no longer a viable idea.

I missed the boat.

= As a consequence, quite a few of my possessions became redundant.

(Still, such as a tent could be used for a camping, and a cooking burner

for a party use etc — typically, a multi function knife is in my daily use.)

Among those who became redundant, my Mountain Tool Box must be the

top of “the object de reminisce”.  

This was a Box accompanying me almost all of my active life more than 55 years

and in the mountain, this box could acted as the last resources for a survival. 

(Over so many years, many of the original members were broken or replaced

by the better tool. —– So that, in the photo above, only a Pocket Torch Light,

2 Screwdrivers, a Tweezer and the small boxes with its contents remain original.)

Specially designed Sewing kit in a match-box (left photo )

Screws and the Nats etc and a Razor blade (center photo) = (If 

anybody got Appendicitis, this Razer could be used for operation)  🙂

Spare-parts for Oil Burner and the Rivets etc (photo right)

Burner then was either kerosene use Radius, or white spirit use Phoebus.

And in the Alpine Club I only know how to repair, hence kept the spare

parts.  So, this box was expected to have everything for repair work. (from

mending a Climbing Boots, stitch-up the Tent to tighten-up loose gear)

And in the mountain, able to put a

fire could be the most crucial matter

for a survival.  Keep a match dry was

always a headache.

(Cheap gas-lighter wasn’t common then)

So, I kept a gas-bombe type gas lighter

for the last resources.

(After over 50 years, gas-bombe is still full !)  —– and I reflect, it wasn’t a bad 

start for a Hi-school boy to prepare and organize a Tool-box in this extent while

giving the detailed foresight of what sort of repair work could happen.  

—– And it made me think, “Is this kind of mindset (prepare to fight-off all

the trouble beforehand) affected the Karma to exclude me to get an accident”.

= It is the question, when the burner was broken down —– frozen to death is

a natural fate, or the Karma gave me the way to fight-off ?   Good Question.

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Can Zen change a person to Liberal

Very fundamental question — Can Zen Buddhism change a person to be more

open-minded liberal personality, or a person who IS open-minded, come to Zen ?

= in other words, that person has been born to be a liberal by own Karma already.

Zen or Das Kapital may have played little role to make one’s direction, only gave

an excuse and a cosmetic to the life.

— In my early post, I wrote, I came here by coincidence though, from the start,

I was born to be a son of Zen priest.   Like it or not, Zen family has the Zen principal

and such atmosphere anyway.   So, standing here as I am, was that because of

nurture or my nature IS questionable (pointless) question.

[]

In scientific theory, decision making in the brain “which one to choose” or “do I take,

or not” was driven by the the Dopamine reward system = choose correct direction

would be rewarded by the seclusion of the Dopamine = so, feel satisfied and happy.

—– But, this selection, “Which choice would be rewarded” was not necessary

rationally decided by the data book’s logic.  

We might thought, such as the choice to be a Liberal or Conservative kind is highly

intellectually complex matter therefore it must be concluded by the big data-book

(thus lots of experiences and the learning required = So that, a long practice of Zen

would affect) —– though, contrary to this, a Gene affecting the person to be Liberal or

Conservative as one’s nature, seemed to be found. (was what they says — can be true !)

Can genes make us liberal or conservative?

Aristotle may have been more on the money than he realised in saying man is a political animal,

according to research linking genes with liberal or conservative leanings.
Or, to be precise, a specific variant of one gene that would seem to exert greater sway over women

than men.   Working with 1,771 university students of Han Chinese origin in Singapore, researchers

compared answers to surveys — including one tailored to hot-button issues in the city-state — with

the presence of a permutation of the DRD4 gene.
DRD4 is one of several genes that determines the way dopamine — a crucial neurotransmitter, or

chemical messenger — is released in the brain.
What they found was a robust link between the presence (or not) of the variant and a split between

liberals inclined to decry inequality, on the one hand, and die-hard conservative wary of change,

on the other.
The association between political attitude and DRD4 was highly significant for females, and less so

for men, said the study, led by Richard Ebstein of the National University of Singapore.
Women, it was also shown, tended to be more conservative in general.
The results are bolstered by earlier research based on people of European descent that found similar

patterns around the same gene, according to the study.
In the long-standing Nature vs. Nurture debate, it was long assumed that social values — and

especially political ones — were rooted in family upbringing, education and class.
But a growing body of evidence suggests, in the words of the researchers, that biology can’t be ignored.
A landmark study published in 1999, for example, of twins separated at or near birth showed a

marked strain of heritability for ‘conservatism’.
The brain is wired with several distinct dopamine pathways, including one related to the risk-taking

— arguably a parallel to the liberal-conservative dichotomy.
From an evolutionary standpoint, risk-taking is a complicated business: in some situations, it may

enhance one’s chances of success or survival, and in others it may spell doom.
In the study, the researchers used standard questionnaires to rate conservative or liberal tendencies,

making it easier to compare with earlier efforts to uncover links between genes and attitudes.
At the same time, to adjust for cultural variations from one country to another, they also devised a

survey based on local issues known to divide opinion in Singapore along political lines.
One set of questions, for example, asked the students — half men, half women with a mean age of 21

— to take positions on sensitive environmental and animal rights issues.
The correlation with the genetic variations was especially strong on these points.
Our results provide evidence, Ebstein and colleagues conclude, for a role of the DRD4 gene variants

in contributing to individual differences in political attitude, particularly in females.

(2015/08/06 12:34)  from AFP-Jiji Press

So, I may born to have a fancy variants of DRD4 ! —- have I ? ? ?

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Yoshizen Phenomena

Alongside the peculiar phenomenon found in the Google Search, such as

“Yoshi – Zappa” which lead to my circular fisheye photo on the top page,

or “Tiny Life Egg” which lead to my photo of the Green lacewings’ Egg

( = on top of the 3.4 million items on their list,)

— the search term “Art Figure – St. Lucia” will have this image

on the top page of the 850,000 items in their listing.

 Really ? —- is this an Art ?

 Isn’t any better art work or painting of

 St. Lucia exist in the world such as the 

 Spanish old masters religious paintings ?

 —– I have no idea how the algorithm of google,

 worked-out to select an image of a twisted wire.

 Never the less, this is the Google certified “Art”

 on top of the million items.    😀 😀

 Even more peculiar phenomenon was, the artist

can recognize this as an art in one glance,

while holding the breath.   (If you think otherwise, you are not the artist.  😀 )

[]

The same question again.    Is this an art or even a sculpture ?    If this was a

sculpture, where IS the sculpted substance ?   We are seeing a mere contour of

something.   Something of What ?

—– to see, it was a frightened woman while she was hit by a blue line (purported

to be a lightning from the God)  🙂    was in fact in the mind of the viewer.

—– otherwise it was just a twisted wire.  —– And in its contour, we are seeing a

woman’s body — are we ?   Where is the body. = it IS just an empty space between 

the wire isn’t it ?  —– You believe this or not, this is the very ZEN Buddhism.

(In the term of the liberated mind and the eyes,  the mind of complete selfless 

Buddhist is very close to the complete open minded artist. — and the children.)

[]

What you are seeing is the wire and the VOID between.   Seeing the twisted wire and

in the same time, to see it was a figure of the woman in one glance. (Without hear or

read any explanation still capture the meaning instant, by a naked subconscious.)

To know the meanings in one glance while seeing its twisted wire as it is.  = This is 

the clear eyes and the mind.   Indeed, this is what the Buddhism teaches.  We might

be seeing just a contour or shadow, and the substance may there or may not =

Who can see everything anyway ? = and, does it a matter ?

—– as long as we can see its clear face and the meaning, we know what we have to do

and how to live without being bothered by a wrong thinking.

This IS the very enlightenment.   (You may say what is the difference between a wrong

thinking or delusion to the clear mind. = the former was a result of the thinking with  

a lots of desire and the greed kind so on, and the later will come only on the moment, 

without thinking, like as an intuitive, spontaneous reflection.

(= this is the reason why, Zen never give a second thought or negotiation.) =

The interaction of the million factors in the Karma gave very reflection of very moment.

And that was what the Dharma gave the person to pick.  —– this Confidence “To be with

the Dharma” is the core of the Enlightenment, hence no hindrance in the life though,

on the face, it looks the life just as it IS = it’s mean no fancy magic or mysterious

supernatural manifestation = hence it was described as common and ubiquitous

as a Dog Shit. = if anybody was saying something “Special Enlightenment” it is a sign

of that the person haven’t learnt what the Zen Buddhism IS.)

[]

So, look at the photo again.   What do you think of this. —– do you see, is the VOID

between the wire, still a meaningful existence ?  (or the illusion ? = Did the Google too,

saw the illusion and said that this IS the Art ? ? ?     Ha ha ha ! )

___/\___

PS[]

Red Moon

————- (Photo above was taken by Tamron Mirror SP 500mm F8)

Even after one o’clock early morning (?), I noticed pretty late moon rise.  

But the moon, as red as the blood. (It’s a bit of  joking.   🙂 )  

But even without the joke, the moon was unusually red.  Is that the sign of

the Greece collapsing, the China disintegrating ?  Japanese volcano ?  

I’m not a superstitious man, still, to see such a red moon is not very comfortable.

—–

I hope should the world see a peaceful sunrise in the few hours time.

—–

PS:  (on the next day)  Thanks goodness, nothing serious happened.

(And this is my 777th Post !   🙂  )

 PPS: For somebody’s request,

I show you the original photo which

was 5760×3840 pix size.

(Clopped photo above was 827×828)

( —– since it has been exported

the photo has no original size here.)

Unless we need a huge enlargement

a photo of 800×800 is pretty usable isn’t it ? !   🙂

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Follow the Flow — Karma / Dharma

Those who, the kind regular reader of this blog might have noticed that the past

5~6 months or so, I seemed to become an intoxicated junky of junk cameras.

What happened on me ? = Give a thought or two, in terms of the flow in the life.

(= Follow the flow mean, not chase it, not cringing the mater or notion, let alone

obsessed.  It would just happen = so, just follow.)

I gave a glance to those cameras —– then, I found the serial number of the camera

I first disassembled, (which was given by my friend) was like this.

Oh my goodness, 8150 again ? !!! —– This sign appeared wherever I go, but

crucially, it will be sign-posted to the matter or thing which got “the concern”.

= May be concerned to the Dharma, and to my Karma hence I have to take the

matter serious. — to show some more hard facts, if you think it sound dubious.

Photo above left was Canon EF Macro 100mm F2.8 = the most useful lens to me.

And the Photo middle was the most frequently used Canon Fisheye Zoom 8~15mm.

Which got the number 2***1850*.   And the right, Zeiss 18mm for Nikon.

They are the numbers happened to appear onto my camera lenses.

They were in the shop purely by chance = as if they were placed there for

me to pick-up, though,in most of the case I bought it even without seeing

the number. —– Without any explanation of why it’s there = is the

natural flow of the fate or given task or opportunity to pick-up, whichever

the way we interpret.

—– as it comes.    So, I pick up and do what I can do, regardless whether it is

worthwhile or profitable, or please others — or NOT. (in a hindsight, at least

I can say “I did a lot” to respond what the moment required to me.)

I think, what comes is in fact, what was given —– for each of us to fulfil what we

were born to do. = It’s mean, my Karma think, that me to play with junk camera

suits me !   Or the Karma even like my way to play with the junk.  😀

—– And may be my Karma noticed that I’m not sensitive enough to see the

hidden sign, they started to put a noisy notice shouting 8150 to make me aware

that we are a part of the Dharma and they are watching us.

___/\___

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Google Account — What ?

If you are a user of G-mail, G+   what ever the Net-account on Google

or a Net search on Google, you may have received a mail like this from

them.  —– Do you think is it  a convenient way to deal with Net or

devices ?  = If you go to “My account” to register this is my account, you

will find lots more information needed to tap-in — to each account !    

And to “SECURE” your account for recovery you need to put your

PHONE NUMBER ! —– ? ? ?  wait a moment ?    

Most of your friends knows your number.

 = by pretending that you forgot the Password and tap into with the

number === someone might just HACK IN !

Giving the information to connect all the account under one entry = 

this is the most valuable information to sell !

Then a company or shop can do a telle-sale through direct phone 

while knowing all sorts of your information, preferences, even 

ethnicity  (by the choice of language)

—- When Google does this “On behalf of the shop”, they would

say “Privacy rules were not broken”.  

( This is how the AD was precisely targeted.)

Are you silly enough to dance with them ?

If you hand your possession to somebody, all the trouble starts,

if the person is trustworthy or will it be in the safe secure

keeping etc ?   The best measure is not to hand your possession

to others in the first place.

And the most secure way to deal with the Net is, give least

information, alongside a pseudonym, false DOB, etc with

complex password, and conceal the trace or connection to other

account as much as possible. ( = This is the way I’ve been avoiding

to receive spam and the fraud. It’s no point to trick false person.  😀 )

Convinced ?  []

Rhododendron in the Park — by Focus Shift

Long time ago, I was seeing the Rhododendron in the mountain.  

Then I saw them in the Kew Garden —– I’m afraid those memories

 are getting afar and fading.   Now, I’m seeing a bit in a local park,

— may be I should be contented or I need to be thankful that I did

have the struggle to go through gorgeous bush of Rhododendron.

I don’t know why the fragile sister of Rhododendron was named Azarea.

To know about the “Focus Shift” please go to the previous post and the links.

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How weird ! ? ? ? — Where the Ghost came from ?

While checking the photo taken by motorized Canon FD 50mm lens,

I found that those photos were utterly odd.

Those two were the consecutive photos, next to each other.  Though, 

the data recorded was — the left photo = A0452 , 4.2MB / Right photo

= A0453, 3.6MB and strangely  both were taken 14:29:44 (= exactly the

same time — of course, on the same 44th second, my 5D could have shot 

5 frames though the camera has been set to shoot only a single frame).  

What odd of those photos were —– obviously the camera shot the same 

flowers, yet they don’t look the same. = some flowers were stationed 

still, looks not exactly the same.  If all the flowers in the right photo

really existed on front of the lens, why they were not in the left photo.

And if the left photo was the real one, where all those additional flowers

= ghost images came from.  There was no similar image on any of the

preceding shot = no possibility of the memory mix-up in the camera.

A0452

A0453

If you download each photo and see each of them by alternately clicking 

next and back again = you can see which flowers keep the same position

and which flowers appeared and disappeared.  —– ? ? ? —– How wierd ?

How those flowers could disappear.   Were they existed there at all ?

Have you seen like this ?  Such happening was the first ever in my life

= the spooky images I never encountered before.   

Of course, I didn’t manipulate the photo at all (a bit brightened though) 

and the photo wasn’t a copy of the other.  —– Could anybody explain,

was that caused by the camera’s malfunction or else ? — But how ? ? ?

Please give me your opinion.

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