Be Objective

( This is a diversion though funnily enough,  I found this is a KEY function of the Buddhism psyche )

I stumbled on a Japanese Website giving a kind of Agony Ante advice which says,

To get rid of the troubled mind of lost love and get on the life is, ——- the best way is to write a letter

to the person telling all the thoughts or explanations etc etc.  (But, not actually send to the lost lover)

Then, soon or later, the agony of lost love will gone and become a history.

——————–

In fact I found this when I was in my love-sick youth (don’t forget, even Yoshizen was

once a pretty baby——- a bit long time ago though   Ha Ha Ha  😀 ) and in that situation,  I found

” Dissect the feeling of the love too much,  it lose a sizzle and became dry “.

———- It is a  well-known fact, mad love is in fact, caused by the unbalance of the hormones,

and this psychological, physiological condition was created by the over stimulated emotion.

Though, once the subject and its feeling in one’s subconscious was brought out under the light

and analyzed and given a written description it became a clear object.

When we see the same object again and again, we lose the interest, so that, once a

such pretty exciting object, become a mediocre. ( Then,  How I could  be such mad   ? ? ? )

——————–

When love-sick person sit down and try to meditate, it is impossible to get rid of love thoughts,

though if the person has to do this every day, not only its hot emotion become clear object

but also, the brain started to have a fatigue of the same subject, then its no longer able to

trigger the emotion——– its mean the person was effectively detached from the subject.

——————–

So, when you sit, but couldn’t get rid of the thought,  it is the indication of

” This is the thought, you have been bothered and need to let it go “——– So, let the thought to

come up again and again.  Don’t fight with this process but give a good analysis, soon or later, the thought

itself become brittle and  wear out, and the interest where the thought was originated, lose significance.

———- Be an ordinary human, and just sit —–( Don’t pretend to be a super human, like Bodhidharma)

( Though, I rather like to cut cucumber for my diner which I can enjoy, than sitting —– 🙂 )

The Natural process will take you to the next stage, step by step.

This is what we call the Dharma.

——————–

( Then sharp-eyed reader may find a contradiction, ” Why repeated analysis of love-sickness can

make it detached, and on the other hand, repeated readings of the Mantra goes down deep ? ? ? ”

Well spotted.

The analysis of the feeling exposes the silliness of the love-sickness, by its objective logical thinking.

But even illogical teachings in the Mantra would gradually makes sense subconsciously, as it was

written to appeal to the deep logics of the spirituality, which we were born with.——- Convinced ?   🙂

I’ve tested as it works, and tested by the people 2500 years of time.  Try and find it by your self. )

Daily Job

” Your boring Job would lead you to the ZEN “

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

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

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

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

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

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

———-

———-

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then you might make a question here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Contradictions

” Step by step process of the Buddhism “- – – – – You can’t Jump “

Anybody who is patient enough to read through all those posts which started  March 09,

may spotted the funny contradictions here and there, this and that.

For instance, at ” Lemon Zen ” I wrote ” While cutting lemon, you have to think

” I’m doing  Zen ” —— and much later post ” Forget the Buddhism “.

How come ?

——————–

Buddhism is the wisdom, how to live one’s life, and change it to achieve one’s

maximum potential to fulfill the roll ofwhich the one has born to be.

——————–

The process of change is in steps or stage by stage.

But the hard part of this change is, it has to be changed in the person’s subconscious

level, which is not visible and not easy to manipulate like a piece on the chess board.

So that, on the beginning, you have to start the practice under the tag of ” Buddhism ”

or ” Zen ” and imprint it deep into your subconscious.

Once the file was established and you got used with it as a routine, and on the end,

you have to get rid of even the file name, as it is no longer a part of you but whole of yourself.

——– Often it was described as a boat to cross the river, you need the boat only on

that stage which you don’t need to carry after crossing  ( boat is heavy isn’t it.  🙂  )

——————–

The process of this, is like a mathematics   -A x -B = +AB.   ( ! ! ! )

First you negate the existence, then apply the negation to its idea itself, so,

everything become + (positive !—–but they are not the same as before ).

The first negation was reflected in the Hinayana and the second process is Mahayana.

So that a beginner has to start to learn the denial of ego, greed, desire etc, while following

strict rules and the way of the life to achieve quiet subdued (peaceful) life as a good boy.

Then the Mahayana revolution put the eyes on the ordinary forks on the street, (not the

professional monks)  who has to carry ordinary daily life on, running business, making love

etc etc, as a man was naturally born as it is.  And shifted the emphasis from its appearance

of the life, to the way how the person’s mind inside works.  Do it in selfless way.

—— Therefore, the solution in  Mahayana can be utterly contradictive in Hinayana.

——————–

As the Buddhism had evolved in its own logics, a person’s steps follows in similar  way.

Micky couldn’t be in the Hinayana, but yes it can be in the Mahayana.

Enjoy to be a Micky.  All of your life ahead.

***

Jharte Jharte Para Jharte, Para sum Jharte Bodhi sowaka.

PS: I’ve been wondering  many years to find the meaning of this word  Jharte.

One day, I noticed this word was spoken in an  Asian Radio.

So, I asked a man in a news-agency.  He replied ” Oh, its mean, Go Go Go ” ! ! !

( Its same as the call in the Flamenco Dance, Ohlle, Assa or Amajha.     Cool     🙂 )

Photography / Zappa Photo

” What a Hell,  Frank Zappa is doing in a  ZEN  blog ? “

It was rather unexpected turn of the situation.

Since one of my great  friend artist, Wayne Chisnall mentioned this blog and me as a photographer in his

blog spot,  it became necessary to explain about my photography. (—–of strange kind  :-))

Frank Zappa and me on the live stage (Copyright reserved/ 2009/ Yoshi Imamura )

The photo above was taken by my hand made camera called Yoshi-handy,  with

17mm fish-eye lens attached on the 6 x 6 film format, hence it create whole circular image.

(On this photo above, the lens attached was Nikon Fish-eye 16mm of which the Lens-hood was removed)

——As Zappa was so intrigued by this camera and its effect, he asked me to produce as

strange as possible photos.  —– And this is it.

When I was young, my interest was the nature. Close-up

photography was the essential tool and to do it I needed

to improvise or modify the equipments.—- If I got

to do, do it.   If I didn’t know how, learn it or try it.

If not successful try again and again.

The camera here left, the body was hack-sawed and

made the lens to tilt, enabling a focus from lens front

to infinity in one picture.—— When I modified EOS, the boss of R & D in the Canon asked me,

How I could make the camera working again ?   I answered ” If Canon can, I can do too, as

we are the same human being “.

Why not.    Ha ha ha   😀

( If you are the person who expected to see lots of photos—— Have a break, and see ” Zen in  Action”

It would be a fun ! )

Wayne’s Blog        < http://waynechisnall.blogspot.com >  or click / Associates / Wayne Chisnall

Zen in Action

” With the ZEN you can still live and kick, like Micky”

There was an opening of an exhibition called  ” Sign of Revolt ” in east end of London.

It showed wide spectrum of the artistic  by-product of the Protest Campaign, such as posters, fliers,

props, appeal installations, video images etc etc.

So that, this exhibition can be seen as from the Art with Social issue to the sample of Applied Art;

ie Graphic Design and in the same time it was the appeal of its issue like Eco to Police brutality.

———-One of my friend, War Boutique, exhibited an Armoured Vest of British Army standard, but

with Arabic script printed on it.——- m m m ?   ” Is it an instruction to the enemy,

how to dispose this dead body ?”  ” Oh, that is the script of the Coca Cola can “ —— ! ! !

I like this man’s twisted humor.

——————-

In fact, I got a Police bullet proof vest made by him which got [Metropolitan Peace] tag on the chest.

One opening night of my another friend’s exhibition, I was standing on front of the gallery wearing

this Police vest, walky-talky on the shoulder and huge black dildo instead of a truncheon hanged

from the belt.  Then, out of blue, a real Police car came and stopped on the front.

Two officers in the car seemed puzzled (of cause my attire looked genuine / save some details)

and watched over me 10 minutes, may be wondering ” Is he one of us ?—- If not should we arrest him

for the false impersonation ?—– No  no, it might be an art-performance to take mickey out of us”

When they leave an officer rose a hand and gave me a salute, and I gave salute back.   Ha Ha Ha  🙂

(back to the main story)

This Revolt exhibition has much more relevance to our life today than in pure art exhibition.

( More information ——- Click right column / Associates / Spacehijackers )

Incidentally,

I’ve joined Spacehijackers  ” Training Camp 09 ” (scroll down the page in their website and /Read more )

It was the extremely funny enjoyable few days as you can see in the photos.

—————————-

” What a hell, Zenist doing in the Anarchist’s camp ” you might say. 😀

Yes, this is the Zen in Action.

Buddhism is not to become vegetated state of the life.  It is for focused, selfless state of the mind

and live in full with empowered action.   Don’t afraid to be a Micky.   Live as a Top Micky.

(Hesitation came from one’s self preservating ego. Micky may need to be there to stimulate the society )

😀

_____

Try Bicycle

What the Buddhism teaching is, its behaviour pattern to be a Buddhist or

the way of thinking.

In the way of thinking, thinking itself or notion is not a goal.

A type of behaviour which reflects the way of thinking is the matter.

The way of thinking, which is totally detached from the subject, even

oneself is the matter.

——–Why detached ? Because there is nothing which is reliable,

certain existence exists, include the one who is thinking, the Self.

Without attached to anything or anyone, in other words, without

clinging any idea or delusion, open the eyes and expose all the sense

to the Dharma, and live.

——–In this way you can live as a part of the Dharma or you are

the Dharma.

Because the Buddhism is the way of the life, there is no golden words

to worship but only  the guide lines how to live.  Rest is, one has to learn.

Because of the way of life is not possible to learn by the words, the one

has to learn only by the try or practice.

——- Same to learn riding bicycle.

There is no word ever explained how to ride it.  The one has to try to master.

——————-

To the people who is ” thinking the Buddhism ”  the hardest part  to understand

is, ” One has to be immersed to do the subject wholeheartedly ” in the same time,

” Completely detached from it ”

It looks utterly contradictory for the person sitting in a comfortable room,

though a person in the arctic weather, under a snow blizzard, there is

no choice.

The one might succumbed to the situation with the fear of the own life.

But the other may able to hear the rhythm of the wind, and walked

farther to find a rock to shelter —— and survived.

( Overcome a fear is not come from a confidence,  but accepting

the death ——- detached from the life and the self )

——- You may drink a cup of Hot Honey Lemon with the intensity

to hear the snow blizzard.

This is why the great Tea Master Rikyu described ” Take it as if

it is the occasion only once in your life “

—————–

Absolute concentration to the subject, in the same time to see the

subject clear detached eyes,  this apparently paradoxical practice

lead to the ultimate refinement of it.

It was the quest to the Dharma and the way how such as Shaolin

Martial Art or Japanese Sward  etc has been perfected in its ultimate form.

——— By the way, the expression ” Storm in a tea-cup ” is nothing

to do with this subject.  🙂

Lemon Zen

To start the Zen practice, you have to forget all the blah blah— so called Zen talk.

Such as the question of whether Self is exist or not.

The question only arise when you reach the state of the mind which you can

do the task without thinking or able to do it unconsciously.

——– Before this stage, you haven’t seen the situation neither need

to make this question.

——– And when you reached this stage, you must be aware it is no point

to make this question because you are already in this selfless state.

A person, who couldn’t get this stage keep messing around those questions.

As those people had to do the guess work, they have to keep asking what

is Zen. Though, as long as talking continues, the Brain is fully occupied to

process the logics and the words, there is no chance to vacate the Brain

and attain selfless, subconscious state.

The more struggle in the puzzle, the farther stray away.

——————–

Zen practice can be anything, say cutting a lemon or cucumber into thin slices.

If you find your knife is too dull, start sharpening it with a good oil stone.

( Few pounds Chinese stone is not good—– you can use one good stone all your life)

Knife has to be as sharp as cut through a news paper held in air in ease, without

making any tear.)

Then slice a lemon to somewhat 1mm thin.

(You may start from 3mm thick, then improve it )

While doing this you have to repeatedly or continuously think ” I’m doing the Zen ”

( You don’t need to know what is the Zen theory—– what you are doing is the Zen )

——-When you finished slicing, you may make a cup of Hot Honey Drink.

Enjoy it and do this every day.

( In fact you may end up drinking a lots of cups—- with lots of Vitamin C)

——-After a while, you may achieved to make perfect 50 slices or so from

one lemon.

Its mean, your hand holding a knife has gained the absolute steadiness

which mean you have gained the absolute calmness and concentration

of the mind.

—— Here you are in the crucial point.

Once you managed to make 50 slices you might think, you have achieved

and reached to the goal, though you have to keep doing farther, like a

dairy routine. When it became routine your hand is accustomed to do

the work almost automatic and able to do all the preparation and after

clean up as one flow of the process.

—————-

In the same time, you must be noticed, your observation and attentions are

so refined and goes into the minute details, such as the position of cutting

board is exactly the same every day or found the way to move the knife to

avoiding the juice drips. etc etc.

——And you might be noticed you can hear the faint sound of the wind

out side or even a flower in the garden, which one is the one opened today.

Now you are in the Selfless state of the mind.

( Some may says, even the mind is not there and only sight and sound

surrounding you )

——————-

On the beginning, you might feel something strange in your sight.

Everything looks somewhat foreign and distanced, and looks fresh as if

it was the first time you see it. And it looks so clear.

And strangely, it spread the corner to corner of your eyes 140 degree wide

and still able to see the details all in the same time.

You can see even the small things move in the 140 degree view and still able

to respond instantly if it is necessary, like when you are on the road, you

almost see a coming car behind on the corner of your eyes.

( This is the way how Martial artist see the attack from behind )

——————

In the Brain term , now your brain is scanning all the visual signals from the

corner of peripheral vision to other corner without weighing the information.

Just see as it was seen.

Because of your mind is detached from even your SELF , what you see is

also looks like foreign land scape.

But it shouldn’t cause any trouble, since if it is necessary you can go into a

subject at once even deeper than before.

——- Though some of your associate might feel, you lost a passion and got

quieter, as you no longer have obsession.

———————-

I agree with the view, blood and thunder excitement of the obsession is also

very exciting on the life, though it comes with quite high cost.

And obsessive approach doesn’t have high success rate, as it is prone to

brake down. Dramatic success looks grate and exciting though, step by

step improvement and refinement would produce more reliable result.

——Quiet, tenacious Zen approach seems to achieve more in the end.

As a humble man, I took the way of the Zen Buddhist.

You also have the choice.

————————–

PS: We only see the world as we wanted to see.

Anything we don’t know already, we don’t notice. ( as its visual pattern has

not been registered in our data bank.) Such as, if you are not familiar with

plant, all of them looks same, and foreign language is just a noise.

And anything we don’t want to see or want to know , we refuse to take its

signal in. We just filter them out.

——

In the same time, we see a preferred subject with photoshoped image.

In the dark, all the women looks beautiful since the visual information

is not complete, we fill the gap with ideal image.

——

So that, when your mind is clear and open, without your wishful selective

view, world looks different as its shows true image.

And you may first ever see a lots of things you haven’t noticed before.

That is why, the world looks foreign and fresh.

——- Able to see the world as it is, with selfless eyes is the one thing,

and what to do with this, is the another matter.

——-( I’ll talk about this later in the other post )