Ox’cart and the Fate

I found a Buddhist story in a Japanese website, a collection of small episode which was said to be told by Lord Buddha = “There was an ox’cart carrying heavy goods. The ox, who draw the cart everyday fed up the work, got an idea, if there was no cart there couldn’t be any work.

So, on a bend of the road, ox sped-up and the last moment,he sway and made the cart smashed onto a rock.   As the cart was smashed broken, no more work on that day.  Then few days later, the owner brought a new cart made by heavy iron. So that, the ox had to draw even heavier lord”— in this episode

Lord Buddha taught that if anybody does silly things, it would boomerang back onto the next life. —– interesting story though,I don’t think this story was genuine at all even if it was in the Mahayana scripture.

—— The reason was

1) Lord Buddha wouldn’t have said “Next Life” since his stance was Anatoman (No- Atoman = No perpetual soul/self) therefore there couldn’t be Next Life.

2) I don’t believe that there could be a cart made-up by iron exists which was affordable to a man of ox’cart in India, 2500 years ago.

3) Of cause, ox isn’t such clever. (Sorry, Mr Ox.   😀 ) This story must be a fake by a script-writer of much much later period when the idea of Hindu = Atoman and their belief of Reincarnation was mixed up into Buddhism. Obviously, as the Buddhist’s Sanga (follower’s community) had

NO CAST system, the idea of Reincarnation was not existed there.

How do you think ?

Prince William on Gay Magazine

After the discussion, HRH The Duke of Cambridge made the following statement:

“No one should be bullied for their sexuality or any other reason and no one

should have to put up with the kind of hate that these young people have endured

in their lives. The young gay, lesbian and transgender individuals I met through

Attitude are truly brave to speak out and to give hope to people who are going

through terrible bullying right now. Their sense of strength and optimism should

give us all encouragement to stand up to bullying wherever we see it.

What I would say to any young person reading this who’s being bullied for their

sexuality: don’t put up with it – speak to a trusted adult, a friend, a teacher,

Childline, Diana Award or some other service and get the help you need.

You should be proud of the person you are and you have nothing to be ashamed of.”

Attitude editor Matthew Todd says: “During my time as editor of Attitude I have met

parents whose child has taken or lost their life after being bullied for being LGBT+

or just perceived to be LGBT. I am very happy that the future King of the

United Kingdom agrees this must stop and I would urge parents in particular to

raise their voices in their communities to ensure that every school protects

– really protects – all children.”

This issue of Attitude magazine went to press on Wednesday 8 June, just days

before the devastating shooting in Orlando which saw 49 LGBT+ people lose their lives.

Attitude sends our most heartfelt condolences to those affected by this atrocity.

Around the world, LGBT+ people experience hatred and violence every day.

Such violence does not exist in a vacuum but snowballs from intolerance and bullying

that begins in classrooms, too often comes from politicians or religious leaders and

is often not treated with respect by the media.

——————————————–

(You may see the original article here)

http://attitude.co.uk/making-history-prince-william-appears-on-the-cover-of-attitude/

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Being a photographer (or used to be) I have/had many friend who was

happened to be a gay.   Most of them were such as a hair stylist, designer

etc who was working in the creative industry —– but on the business,

(I mean photo shootings) no such things are the matter I neither care.

(Still I appreciate their gentle attitude and the care for the details.)

.

I myself is a so-called straight = only had relation with opposite sex

but, almost 30 years I haven’t touched a woman (only a shake hand).

(I would say “Enough is enough, no more thanks” = fundamentally,

sexual relation was designed to be quite unfairly = pleasure, the woman

can get, is comparable to have a trouble to have 10 months pregnancy

 

and the child-birth.  In comparison, a man’s pleasure is to release a shot,

still receive a blame etc etc of trouble. = What is the point to have one.)

Though, in the society, “If a man doesn’t have a woman he must be a gay”

= It seems, the people couldn’t think the third way.

.

When I was a regular of the Club, Fridge, Brixton, London where they

had “Escape from Samsara” every Friday — I was there for 5 and a half

years as I had free entry and the free drinks — since I was the best dancer.)

The club also had the gay-night = “Love Muscle” on Saturday night (but I

didn’t like the atmosphere = I stack to Samsara.)  Still time to time gay man

came to Samsara.  Though they are the very flashy people (wearing SM

string costume, exposing their bottom kind) I didn’t care at all, (it’s their

business, not mine)  When I was in the club (in fact in any club) I was there

for dancing, not for socializing, I didn’t speak with the cloud but only to staffs

(so, some of the people mistook me to an under-cover drug police, security,

even the real owner of the club !)  Then one night, a man with a SM costume

hugged me from behind and shake his thing onto me.  I twisted his arms 

and throw him out.  A member of the Samsara organizer, took the man inside

again saying “I’m a gay since I was 16” “I don’t care it’s your business”

“I have the exactly the same right, no to be harassed by the gay”  “OK, if you

don’t like I stop to come here — see what would happen”  — after I stop to

go Fridge club, strangely, every Friday was rainy, and the club floor became

empty.  6 months later Samsara bankrupted and a year later, Fridge was sold.

.

So, I don’t care who ever, what so ever your sexual orientation kind = leave 

me alone and I’ll leave you alone = Don’t expect me to treat you special.

 

Everybody born with their own Karma = So, everybody is different — AND

while finding somewhat common, we ARE living together by the “Majority”

consensus = Minority IS always there. Behind of 51% Majority, 49% of almost

the same size of the Minority is there.  If the Minority is asking the same right,

what is the point to have the Democracy.  The system was designed and

working when each part was functioning in cohesion.  To keep in coherent,

the part or person has to compromise otherwise the system disintegrates.

It must be the headache, when the each part of the system behaving

differently (out of cohesion) still asking  the same right and the same

treatment of the perfectly functioning system. (System is in debt already

— still the person “speaking” friendly words while living above the system

looks nice — to the untrained eyes.)

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Fortune-line and the Bully

Many years ago, when one of my friend visited this country with

her friend’s daughter, I met them over a lunch. While having a

casual conversation such as the cultural shift in Japan, generation

gap kind of talking, I found a bit of odds in this young (yet over 25)

woman’s talk — I asked to see her palm.   Bang!

“Oh, what a stubborn woman!”   “Oh yes that’s who I am”

— My friend (my generation) said with surprise, “I didn’t noticed it.

You never behave in such a way” —– Probably before the senior,

young woman must behaved well, while

covering-up her hidden character which she must be well aware.

[]

The reason how I could see her true nature was, that she got

very strong so-called Fortune-line in the centre of her both palm.

—– Together with over 50 years of my own observations, what I

found about this line was, not necessary the success and the fortune,

still at least the urge of dominance and its assertion of own way was

quite prominent = simply, very bossy strong character.

In theory, this character could be an effective asset to push the

business or project to succeed but, the life is not such simple.

Want to dominate IS what the person WISH, though others to

accept it and to support, IS the another matter.

Whether the others follow and support the person should be clear

on the other lines, which was called Sun-line under the Ring finger.

One or two vertical lines started from the bottom of finger indicates

the person’s virtues respected by the others.

Without this respect, the dominance is just by the force (money,

position etc) therefore it was only superficial hence empty.

[]

Reading of line is always in relation to the other lines.

Between the Thumb and the Pointing finger, if the

Intelligence (Brain) line and the Life-line doesn’t start together,

the person got a different mind-set of what he/she was born to be

(= like believing to be other or want more.)   So that, when it happens

together with strong Fortune-line, it likely causes

the tension even trouble in the daily life.

(Try to dominate though, not necessary having such power or

influence let alone the leadership, yet still having a delusion or

dream of that “I can” — and harass the others who don’t follow

= is nothing but a trouble maker.)

[]

It is the remotest situation to my life, therefore far beyond my

imagination though, there was a news (time to time) that a young

mama committed suicide after receiving the harassment / bullying

from the mom’s group of a children’s nursery.

Living in the same area and taking the same aged children to the

nursery mean the moms are belong to about the same cluster,

more or less the same financial, social position (otherwise lives

much posh area and chose posh nursery or even having own

child-minder) = so, everybody is the same kind of “person” — yet

still, or because of that, somebody among the group try mount

the others and assert “I’m the boss”.

(It seems, the bullying among the children, mounting among the

social group, job front etc are almost the “Norm” in the human

society, regardless whether it is acceptable or not.)

[]

—-If anybody try to get rid of such Ego, Zen Buddhism could help

though, Zen couldn’t stop the others indulging the pleasure of bully.

It is the Irony = “Try better in Bully !” “Show you my power !” —–

So, when you encounter such situation, have look the palm of the Bully.

How rampant the Fortune-line is, and the Brain-line and the Life-line

were separated. = People behave as they were born to be.

That’s what the Karma meant = Parents, DNA, Family/Social

environment, Way of grown-up — but

NOT because the so-called previous life. (because, no such things exists)

= The palm lines were the reflection of how the Brain developed and

organized = and it was according to the DNA received from both parents.

(and the Fox-Gene’s rather chancy behaviour)

—– Human being is a fancy creature !

(though, I have not learnt of animal palm line yet =

Chimp might be having as fancy life as ours. = Bullying Chimp.  😀 )

.

 

What Buddha taught ?

When we try to find what was the original teachings of

Lord Buddha  among the millions line of scripture, we have

to pay the most heavy attention to the personality of

Lord Buddha as an individual human being in his totality, while

chiselling out all the mixed-ups and the glorifying decorations.

(If the scripture had Hindu name, it is not Buddhism, or the 

story has supernatural magnificence it was just a fantasy.)

—– there could be a gradual change of his view and the opinion

still, there couldn’t be an utter contradiction from the same person.

Since he got his Enlightenment (with his own understanding of the

world) after he seceded from ascetic monks/Guru’s group (with a

disappointment and a lost hope to find a viable answer from them

and such ascetic approach) therefore his idea couldn’t be anything

like a transcendental oracle like fanatic words  (so-called

mumbo-jumbo) but  frank and down to the earth straight idea.

[]

Typically like Four Noble Truth, those very brunt and blatant words

were the words of cool realist.

If the person was a kind of salesman, he would have chosen much

sweeter words and even a misleading bait in it (such as a promise

of Heaven). But

Lord Buddha was not a spin-doctor but rather like a rational scientist,

he talked the facts and phenomena, not his speculation or fantasy —

its mean his teachings were not an idealistic Dogma but the wisdoms

based on the facts and the scientific observations.

= in this approach, he found the mechanism of Karma and able to see

the effect of the time in moment to moment flaw.    So that, to find 

the NO Perpetual Soul (Anatman) was a straight conclusion.

(That’s why in his Sangha, there was no Cast = curse from the past)

Those observations and the understandings needs no special filter to 

see = they are the common facts, and from those observations anybody

who acquired the right eyes can see and find the truth behind 

( 8 right ways meant this) and see the Enlightenment.   That was why,

Lord Buddha gave the last instruction on his death bed

“Don’t believe what was said but see/learn it yourself” = this word

clearly indicates that the teachings were not a Dogma to memorise

but the Direct Transmission =

wisdom which could be learned from the observation of Facts.

[]

And Lord Buddha’s observation went into deep inside of the

human psych = subconsciousness too.

He realised that we are able to see and know the subject

without us thinking it.  (So-called intuition) 

And he thought this is the Manifestation of the Dharma in us.

(We can walk without thinking how to walk — so,

WHO made us to walk ? = It must be the Dharma !

But being in our subconscious, even we know it’s there though

we can not see = It is there and/but It is not there.  (There must

be a big debate about “Self / Soul, the subject / who is thinking, =

the person who is thinking IS WHOM ?       Though, as

Lord Buddha took the stance that there is no Self / Atman = talking

this subject IS effectively a recognition of the existence of the Self =

So, how it was debated was very interesting but we may not know.

—– still from the Scripture we can see the description “Giving

without aware of giving IS the true giving” = we can guess what

was taught there then.  And from here, (if Self exists or not) the

debate extended —> Does Dharma exists or itself is Void ? ? ?

And in this context, an episode in the Agama sutra was the

story which gave us the most crucial insight.

= That was the true record of

Lord Buddha’s teachings.

___/\___

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Core of the Buddhism

Did Buddhism asked the followers to remember any special notion,

something like a rule of the “Preservation of Energy” in physics or

a special formula, or to do very peculiar practice ?   (Don’t mix-up

with a funny ritualistic practice of Tantra sect.

Or their magic Mantra (Dharani) which was claimed to have a

supernatural power. — They are noting to do with the teachings of

Lord Buddha.)

.

—– Such as Four Noble Truth = they are only a bit deeper

understanding of the phenomena in our life general.

= After all, what the Buddhism telling us were the Awareness

toward our own existence.    Which is not far from our

common sense = Because all of us ARE existing more or less on

the same bases = Nobody was born to live for ever, nor born

with the wings to fly etc etc = nobody is superman, or

divine figure in flesh —– as no supernatural facts exists (other

than silly delusion or rumour) there couldn’t be any possibility

of the fantastic fabrication mixed into the Buddhism teachings.

(In deed, there are mountain of fancy stories = but they ARE

the fancy stories = nothing to do with the teachings.

— It’s a fun to see a fancy imagination of the people.)    😀

[]

Lord Buddha denied any idealistic notions as they are only

the delusions.  (Therefore he completely ignored to answer

(completely stop to talk the person is the same to kill him)

the questions about “after the life” or about the “universe”

which is neither exists nor possible to know.

—– Considering the both subjects are the easiest topics to tell a

fabrication or a fancy story (because, to counter prove its fancy

story is even harder — Try to prove there are Heaven and Hell.

Then try disprove them.   You will see it’s a waste of time = so that,

Lord Buddha completely ignored it. )

Probably the most important key to decipher Buddhism teachings

are in the story of Kisa Gotami (Running around the village) =

as a typical Upaya teaching, there was no verbal teaching but the

learning by the practice = Direct transmission to the subconscious.

= No lexical Notion/Idea or Thinking process.

And this phenomenon was also significant in this story.

—– Why it’s significant = because its phenomenon of

“Exists but Exists Not” character of the Subconsciousness

and this phenomenon is the core of the Voidness.

Dharma IS here or HERE all together IS the Dharma though,

since its detail is constantly changing moment to moment because

the Karma is active, it couldn’t be defined in one shape, still it IS

the Dharma.  = This “Exists yet Exists not” character is parallel to

our subconsciousness.  = And this IS what we ARE = and to

become aware this fact IS the Enlightenment.

(So, effectively it IS no difference to know who I AM = just

I am as I am. = That’s why, it is a Dog shit.)   😀

___/\___

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The same Meadow by 2 Element Toy Lens

Somewhat the same kind of photos again.

But with 2 Element Toy camera Lens.

This lens can make a bit more detailed image than Gaudy Lens.   🙂

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Takumi (2)

A guy asked me “So, you say the supreme quality component

could be made by the empty-headed robot ?”

“No, that is not true — I needed to explain more”.

The matter of the use of tool in Mushin is the last stage of

the production. Other issue there (if any) has to be resolved

before hand.

—– There is the fundamental difference of the worker’s

mind-set in Japan.    Western or westernised society, the

people has individualistic mind even on a factory floor,

and in the same time the ways to work in the production

was fixed by the manager down to the small details.

So that the worker’s mind was “Just do what was told and

anything beyond the instruction is not MY business = I only

need to mind my own interest”.

But Japanese worker takes his/her work as a part of his life.

He feels the responsibility and the pride in it.

[]

—– Even on a fully computerised automated CNC machine,

such as the change of the cutting bits and its maintenance

affect the final quality.    And the person working with it

everyday could see the difference but how to deal with this

matter wouldn’t be the same in Japan and the west.

In the west, the worker there may ignore as it is not his

responsibility or just report it to a technical staff.

But in Japan, the person working with it and changing

the cutting bits can give a very deep observation and try

a minute adjustment.   Or, the person working with the

machine many years may have discovered the tendency of the

production, such as the weather condition affect the quality 

= and may have found even a measure to compensate it.

As I said, the Japanese worker has the attachment to the work

= even if it may not as heavy as a “Sense of Duty” still keeps

an eye to the work and able to see what is going on.

And the crucial point IS their mind can see the difference

and conceive “What could be done” because they could see

what would make the work/result better. (Same as Kaizen)

(By the way, I got a Degree in Industrial Sociology and a work

experience in Honda while working with 1000 ton press.)

[]

In Zen Buddhism, this mind-set was called Mindfulness.

(though, this word is the most misunderstood word in the west.

— western people think “Mindfulness is the concentration of

the mind” but in Zen, it is the completely open mind without any

other notion but see the work on front of the eyes. = It’s mean 

when you ARE working with the machine, see that work.  

When you ARE walking, let your body WALK = DON’T think about

the work while you ARE  WALKING. 

— And see you ARE Walking but DON’T think how to walk.  😀  

[]

In Judaeo-Christianity, the followers await the salvation = go to

the Heaven “after the death”.

But the Buddhists hope to reach Enlightenment = get Enlightened

while we live.

Lord Buddha’s teachings was “when you die, it’s the end”

—– so, while we ARE still alive we have to come close to the

Enlightenment as close as possible.  

Therefore, Zen is the way to DO the best, to achieve the best. 

This IS the mind-set of the Zen and this mind-set has been deeply

sublimated to the Japanese  = If you work with CNC machine,

achieve its best.    If you make sword, make strongest sword.

If you are a sword-master be the strongest killer. — and to be

the strongest sword-master, don’t think but JUST  KILL.

—– So, this mind-set IS the mind-set of the TAKUMI and

no wonder why the Japanese Takumi could achieve to produce

the component no one else could.

(Now you might be realised that was why no routing after the

disaster in Japan and having the least crime rate in the world.)

Have look the lotus flower, it IS flowering out of muddy

water NOW = it’s no use, to dream a promise in the heaven.

We have to live best, NOW in this moment.

___/\___

[]

Takumi

At the Wireless Wednesday gathering in Greenwich, we had

2 laptops to repair.  One was a quite hi-spec Dell which needed

to change a HDD and the other was HP. 

Dell needed to completely disassemble to see the back of mother

board = so many screws had to be removed, and the cables had

to be disconnected etc etc.

—– Then, when two of the cables to Wi-fi module needed to be

re-connected, the guy who has been dealing with this kind of

the work very well, couldn’t manage to insert the connector,

and neither the other guy managed to do too. — strange ? ? ?

The cables to Wi-fi module were not simple power wire kind but

the hi-frequency coaxial cables.   So, the connecting post was not a

simple metal stud but a coaxial connector and the male connector

has to be inserted exactly parallel to the female counter part,

otherwise the needle thin center pin would be broken.

—– While watching them try, I found their finger couldn’t keep

the cable straight, neither the finger pushing it is steady.

= So, it was the time for the Zen Buddhist to join the game.

And the cables were safely connected.   😀

[]

When earthquake struck Kumamoto,  Japan,  quite few hi-tech

company there had to close and it sent a shiver to many other

manufacturers in the world.  Such as Sony has their factory for

image sensor there = if it’s production stopped and the export

delayed, the production of iPhone in China would be stopped.

(Swedish camera manufacturer Hasselblad had to postporn the

sale of their medium format camera H6D, because the production

of 100 Mp image sensor  in  Sony, Kumamoto  was disrupted —

in fact, 80% 0f digital camera in the world relying on Sony)

When China got their industrial development,  they took over

the top position of manufacturing business — that they thought.

— While ago, China’s Premier Lee Karchan was so annoyed to

find that they needed to import even a ball of ball-point pen.

In deed, 60% of  iPhone was made by the Japanese components =

the components of which China couldn’t make by themselves

even when they bought and used the same machine.

So the world started to pay an attention,  Why only Japanese got a

skill to make certain component or device, and started to talk about

the Takumi (匠), such as the Mind-set of Takumi, Skill of Takumi.

(Takumi mean, the Master of something) —– the economists,

industrialists etc talking a lots about the Takumi though so far non

of them seemed to be aware of the sublimated tradition of the Zen.

When a craftsman (even an engineer) try to learn, they try it again

and again and develop a state of concentration of the mind = this is

a condition what Zen Buddhists call Mushin.  Since the concentration

in Mushin is to vacate the brain, not push high tension to the mind,

such as the blood pressure,  testosterone level doesn’t go high = able to

keep the mind and the hands calm and steady.  (= able to do the job

without an emotion or any useless thought.)

= And this was the way to use the tool and in control in making.

So, this IS what the Takumi doing.

___/\___

[]

 

 

Human Right and the Equalty

The most absurd misconception of the people today is the

idea of so-called Human Right and the Equality.

Did natural law or any God or Deity ever given such promise ?

—– How about Natural Evolution ? = Survival of fittest = It’s

not fare isn’t it! Not fit to survive still need an equal chance.

(Are you serious ?)

—– Because of no such promise from ANY supernatural power

or anything, anybody, the man had to make-up a declaration

by themselves.  = It was a mare human invention.

It was not a God’s-given “Right” but a Political manifest.

Politician and their organisation can declare that they promise

to give an equal opportunity and the equal treatment of the people

in their administration.  So, under their government,

people may have a Human Right and the Equality.

With this promise as a bait, the political group / democratic

movement got dominance in the most of the civilised world.

But in the history, country by country, regime by regime,

government by government, the treatment of the people has been

very different because no fixed, overriding rules there.

So, there was anything from “Good ruler” to tyrant.

—– In this situation of facts, very simple logic is, if the human

was born to have an Equality, why they were not born equal =

Born to have the same looks, same environment, same

opportunity and having the same Karma.

— Obviously, no such things ever existed in the human history.

[]

If ANY body, the “activist” want to say otherwise, please tell me

“From where or whom given the “Human Right” and

the “Equality” to human being.

Because, it seems almost all the trouble of the society has been

caused or aggravated by this mix-up or misconception of the IDEA.

(Don’t get me wrong, I’m not denying the potential benefit /

possibilities its IDEA possess, but, I can’t agree with an

arrogant attitude as if we were born with it.  —– Those IDEA were

the hard earned reward after long long struggle through the history.)

[]

In contrast, the significance of the Life IS there, who ever deny it or

think in any manner.  = Because it IS exists.

It has been existed even before the man invented the God.

So, we have no way to deny it.   Like a simple fact that is we are standing

on the Earth.    And as an extent to be a life, there is no difference

whether it is an animal or plant.

We are not a Judge to decide as we ourselves are just a miniscule part

of this Phenomenon.    We are not ruling, let alone created this world.

On the same base, we have to accept that somebody IS more equal.

= Since, the Karma affecting each person as an individual.

To be an individual there is no equality.   That’s was how and why the

Dharma created YOU as YOU are.   Accordingly non of us got a right to

complain this. You could be lucky YOU or may be unlucky YOU but

that IS what YOU ARE.

[]

Ha ha ha !

It was in yesterday,  13th Friday  morning — Wow.

As it was literally accustomed, I picked out an egg for

my breakfast from the fridge and cracked. — ? ? ? 

Cracked egg showed rather dark gap. — strange ?

—– The egg was supposedly a boiled egg but its crack

started leaking the slime. d leaking the slime. 

[]

When Zen Buddhist says “Accustomed” mean, there

wasn’t a shred of thought.  Act was totally programmed

and carried out automatic.    Brain was literally empty. 

= Just picked up an egg from the fridge though,

in this time, obviously I picked it up from the left side.

Left side for raw egg and the right hand side for boiled.

It was just a small mistake, still, What shall I do to this ?

I wouldn’t through it to a bin nor swallow it.

(some Japanese could do !) —– So, I emptied the egg

into a small rice bowl and added about the same

amount of rice powder (I should have had wheat flour)

and two spoonful sugar. — and mixed well.   🙂

—– So, unexpectedly I made a kind of pancake for breakfast ! 

Though when I cooked it

in a microwave cooker,

the cake mix suddenly

ballooned up ! 

Then clashed down.

I don’t know, was that

because of the rice powder

— the cake became very

leafy texture. 

— and the end result wasn’t too bad.  (— I could have eaten this

with honey, maple syrup, clotted milk etc though, don’t go too far. 

Be humble to be a Zen Buddhist.   😀  )

So, the casuality of the 13th Friday was to eat a humble pie.

(and ignore the issue of the ageing brain — Ha ha ha !)

.