PRECONCEPTION
This is the another Wire Figure, Damsel in Distress.
I don’t know the detail of her story though, she is in deep trouble and in agony.
——————–
Beauty of wire sculpture is, it is the 3D equivalent of line drawing, with added surprise of changing
shape by the view from different angle. So that the same piece could give different impression to
person to person, and the impression which people received from such piece could be very deceptive,
since the people can adjust the view according to their preconception, and reconstruct the
image in the brain. ———-( All the 3D images were the Re-Construction in the brain, anyway )
The figure here is very narrative, so you might be well convinced, this is a lady in deep grief,
thrown her body on the ground and scratching the mud ——— is she ? ? ?
———- A matter of fact, you saw the photo in wrong angle. Look the photo again in vertical angle.
The truth is, she is a Kung-Fu Killer. She is the Emperor’s special body-guard, and it is the moment,
she is launching a lethal flying kick.——–m m m ? ! ! ! ( Now your brain is re-configuring the visual
signal and re-construct the image of the fighter jumped in mid-air —— She looks fearsome isn’t she ! ! !)
( Imagining her setting in horizontal or vertical, will create completely different impression of dynamism)
( Movement / feeling of dynamism was induced by the anticipation—– if you believe it’s move, it’s looks move)
——————–
Seeing is believing. Yet our eyes are not necessary seeing the truth. They could be easily fooled by
a suggestion, planted preconception and its bias.
Buddhism calls this preconception as Delusion by which people see the same object in
utterly wrong context. Negative view often create monster and create vicious circle.
—– See the things in detached eyes is better than to have a wishful thinking.
So, what’s the truth ? —– Oh, it’s a twisted wire Sir. 😀
[]
NUDE 4×4+1
As a mean of communication, the Art has very peculiar property. Since when I was doing photography, this
peculiarity is one of my conundrum. Some photos are the Art, but most of them are just a flat copy of the object.
But, strangely, anybody can distinguish a good
photo in
one glance. And anybody can also distinguish good art
as The Art at one glance.——– (so, conceptual art is not art,
but it is only an intellectual concept, as the name indicates)
With my artist friends, photographer friends discussed together
in many occasions, still we never found a good explanation
in the words, why and how do we know, is it the Art or not.
Because ART is a communication between Subconscious
to Subconscious / one’s inspiration to the other’s feeling
without involving the conversion to the linguistic Notion.
(Its mean, the ART strikes the EMOTION straight, not the intelligence)
So that even if we found the typical sample, it is impossible to
describe it in the words, instead, just point the very sample and say ” You see this is it “.
——————–
Something similar phenomenon is in the artistic expression such as in the abstract figure.
This is the matter of cognitive ability. —— How simple and even simpler, we still able to recognize as it is.
———- The photo above is, some said, the most simplest and cheapest nude sculpture in the history.
It is just a twisted wire though, even 5 years old kids instantly recognized it ” Ah, it’s a woman “.
This Wire Nude was made by just twisting a wire 4 times clockwise for right-hand side, and 4 times
anti-clockwise for left-hand side, plus one for the head. ( Hence the title 4×4+1 )
I experimented many design and simplified further and further. This seems the minimalist’s limit.
(Sitting woman putting both hands to her head—— in case, if you couldn’t make sense from flat photo)
It is impossible to describe exact shape in the words, still it convey the message, ” This is the Woman”
and people can see and feel straight, this is the woman. ——— and makes them smile 🙂
——————–
Our brain, Deep Layer / Subconscious System has remarkable ability to capture the meaning beyond
the ordinary intellectual logics. ———-( I’m still puzzling, is it Pattern Recognition or something else ? )
And this is the way, how direct transmission of Zen works. ” You see, this is it”
Passive or Active
Somebody who has read my Blog questioned me ” Hey Yoshi, So, you mean to live reactive, Passive Life ?
Where is your independence or individuality and its own active choice ?”
The one’s own individuality or So-called Self is an imaginary notion. It is an abstracted idea.
You have to see it in reality in clear eyes.
——————–
OK, so, if you want to create something new as an artistic creation (or new technological invention, what
so ever )—– what is the resources you got and the origin of the idea or imagination ?
Are they purely your own creation / invention ?
—– The seeds of the idea or concepts were given and placed long time ago, even unconsciously.
We are just picking one or two of them and re-arranging (in what we believe) in our logics.
But those idea, logics themselves are also the result of the accumulated wisdom. They are not our
invention.—— In fact, this is the way what we are processing our thinking, nothing new there.
When we suddenly struck by !!! and get superb idea, it might be triggered by the particular
external situation or internal re-arrangement / configuration of the knowledges which were
already there too. And this is how we inspire.
So that, re-configure all the resources in one’s unique way, we like to think
” It was my invention / creation ” —– though it was in fact, only a given opportunity.
———- And we Buddhist understand or interpret it, It was given by the Dharma, since those
mechanisms are almost invisible and beyond the human comprehension therefore it must be
placed by the supreme power, the wisdom of the Universe.
The one’s seemingly active creativity is nothing other than passively receiving and accept the
Dharma’s suggestion and its rules. (Divine inspiration works far better. Have look around 😀 )
——————–
When I got the idea ” I should go west and listen organ music ” was not my idea but the order of the Dharma.
And I just accepted as an imperative and diligently followed it.
——— Do you think was that wrong ? Did I wasted my time or lost anything ?
Far from it, I learned and gained unmeasurable value of experience.
Pay enough effort while expect nothing (by Mushin ), would bring unexpected reword
I like this Paradox in Buddhism. This is the way, we can achieve the life’s maximum Potential.
Mushin ( No Mind )
While looking back and analyzing the circumstances of the extremely lucky coincidence
which I described in the post “J, S, Bach”, how I was given the chance to meet the organist,
Prof; Helmut Walcha, I came to the conclusion, the contributory fact seemed to be my very attitude
for that organ pilgrimage.
I did the said pilgrimage absolutely no purpose, or for any personal gain. So that, other than
few photos of the organs, there wasn’t any attempt to make such as the sound recordings.
I bumped a Japanese Radio Producer working in NHK (Japanese equivalent of BBC) at a church in Paris
who said ” It shame if you had made sound recordings, it would make good music program” though
such idea was completely out of the scope. I just wanted to listen the music, that’s all.
Its mean, there was no Ego, only the Music of J,S,Bach existed there.
——————–
This absolute Mushin (since as I have distinguished the difference between Mushin and
the misconceived idea of so-called Selflessness, I’ll use this word instead ) was the very distinctive,
peculiar state of the mind then, and it must be the reason why the Dharma rewarded me with good luck,
otherwise such coincidence was too good to be true.
This must be the reason why Zen never ask the followers to believe any story or even the teachings
itself but just achieve the Mushin and live with absolutely no intentional thought, even a conscious
of ” I’m doing Zen” — only in such Ego less state of the mind and the life, the Dharma prevail itself.
( If I resort that idea of Double Layer, of cause my upper Layer, Rational Thinking was working, as I had to
find the train to go to particular town and the Church etc, I needed to deal with all the task though,
the Deeper Layer, fundamental drive ” Why Do I need to Do” had no Ego, took as imperative and
automatic. It was the same situation like in the mountain, we need to keep walking without question)
——————–
When I did that Pilgrimage, I didn’t have enough understanding of Zen, let alone any belief of the Dharma.
(I was still a young man. Only few months after I met Master Kogetsu in the Eihei-ji Temple )
But I can definitely say , there was no purpose or any special intention behind of my journey ——- it
happened almost by chance, and this completely open, Mushin was able to touch with the Dharma and
invited the good coincidence to meet Prof; Walcha.
This is the very Panja Paramita of the Buddhism, hidden mechanism of the Dharma.
Emotion
We tend to simplify the Notion, such as the Emotion, like thinking it as if it is only the feelings, Sadness,
Joy, Anger etc—– just see as an indicator of the mind, thus totally missing the point of its function behind.
The part of the brain which is dealing with Emotion is known as Limbic System, which situated under
side of the Cerebrum, and just above the Thalamus where body functions were kept controlled.
——————–
Structurally, this part of the brain is the older or original part in the evolutionary scale ( sometime its called
Old Cortex ) therefore common with other simpler animal.
(less number of Neural layers indicates this too ——primitive hence it is fundamental to the Life)
So, what is this Limbic System is doing as the main function.
Its function is to Assess the incoming signal (Information / Data ) according to the Self-interests.
Self interest is largely, the instinct of survival and own comfort. —— its mean, Ego.
( Though, highly developed human’s case, this ” Own comfort” include the feeling of Achievement ——
of which target may not necessary immediately link to his or her own gain, and it can be very spiritual )
——————–
And the action which was triggered by a stimulus such as a visual signal of the danger,
the evading action has to be continued for a certain length of the time, (just out of vision wouldn’t be enough)
it has to be kept by the chemical effects.———- (So, Adrenalin is high, tension is kept high )
Since the Limbic System is directly linked to Tharamus, effects are mostly Physiological,and the
secondary Psychological effects must be a later development, or even a cultural development and
the result of the Conditioning. (When to laugh or get angry etc are depend on the Culture, so that
small children don’t have same Emotion. They need to lean the manner, how to react and should feel !!!).
Programing of ” How One has to Feel”— is the basis of the development of HUMAN like human.
This is what we call ” ETHOS” —– since, it is in Emotion / Uncontrollable—– hence Imperative.
( Carl Jung called this ” Collective Unconsciousness” though it is only the end result. He didn’t know why )
( Most of the people know only their own culture and own emotion—– so, not aware of this)
——————–
To see a news “A boy was rescued after 8 days” may trigger an Emotion ” How lucky this Boy is” and
feel a joy, or dreaded with a thought ” What a poor boy to spend 8 days next to the Death” —– is
depend on each personality, still this news gave significant impression to both person —– as it
triggered their Emotion, but if it didn’t trigger the Emotion, this news couldn’t
even be noticed / insignificant Data to the person.
Even an exciting signal source such as a sexy object (person) may become boring subject after a while.
( Hence, ” Seven Years Itch” —— 🙂 )
———- Emotional perception is very subjective, hence changeable. So the importance of the Data as well.
Selfless (so-called) is to handle the signal while being Apathic to the Emotional Bias, which
bore out of the Ego or deluded idea.
And giving no significant weight to any signal, and treat all the incoming signal impartial is
The Open Mind. ( Sociologist’s Value Free )
Emotion is the part of Self-conscious feeling, noticeable side-effects of the Limbic activity.
Before the Large Brain / Cerebrum evolved and took over the Decision making process, this part of the
Brain handled the thinking function / assess the Data and decision making. —– Important fact is, its still
doing this subconsciously —– Hence it makes Double Layer System .
( Emotional feeling may started like an Allergic Symptom to alert the individual.)
——————–
In metaphor, the incoming signals were assessed and directed to each door. (One is a Trash bin)
And this signal leaving each foot print.—– Some of them might make very muddy big foot print,
even splashing sticky muddy water all around. ( Emotionally drenched. It’s a mess. 😦 )
Buddhism is making this signal to tread quietly, leaving minimum foot print and the noise.
When the foot step become silent, the Buddhist can hear the minute sound behind.
And some experienced Buddhists can even re-direct the signal and prevent it goes into the
door of House of Horror. —— (Shame, screaming Horror House may be quite exciting and fun 😀 )
Direct Transmission at work
Something amazed me is, soon after I put the words
” Spread your hands wide, embrace the world” This is the Dharma. (at [ Selfless —What ?] )
I started to receive Emails which saying ” This is the best / most impressive expression you ever made
in your blog “——— m m m. (what about another 50 odd posts ? ——Ha Ha Ha, I should be humble )
I know many of my friends are quietly reading my blog without putting comment publicly still
advising me to correct my pigeon English.
Yet I didn’t know they are reading my blog in such timing, soon after I have put it up.
——————–
What impressed me even more is, the response from those readers.
The expression ” Spread your hands—” was the Zen Direct Transmission.
( It is only the Action. No Notion contained there. Yet, it conveys direct Message to strike subconscious)
If you read that paragraph in the post, you may find, I was rather tired to write in the words, as I was
the one kept saying ” Stop talking, stop thinking, just do it —-” , so I changed the tact at that moment.
———- And it worked straight.
Non of those friends are practicing Buddhist, and if they know anything about the Zen, it may only learned
from my blog, yet still they grasped the meaning of the Dharma straight.
Yes, Direct Transmission does work. —– This is the living sample.
——————–
Learning from the suggestion ” Detached from Emotion “, ” Apathetic ” etc, some people could reach to
the deep understanding.——-By this Detachment, it exposes the soft tissue of Subconscious.
Let the most sensitive sensory to work, (Zen Master called this Shin-gan / Eyes of Heart) ——and able to see
the meaning behind. Like them, even non Zenist could able to notice the significance of that expression
spread the hands, and able to respond to it at once. This is the Zen.
By the Apathetic eyes and the mind, they could open their deepest Pathos. ( Paradox again )
This is the Buddhism and Zen at work.
Selfless—-What ?
” Misunderstanding of Selfless in the Western Buddhism “
My career in the Buddhist’s talking is only 10 months long. I’ve lived my life just as my life and
I just happen to be a Zen Buddhist.——- I didn’t find any needs to talk about other than make a joke.
One of the reason why I didn’t talk about is (any how nobody likes religious talk ) I didn’t know
the existence of this kind of talking forum.
So that I was not familiar with the Technical term / Jargon of the Buddhists in English. Nor, what is
the Western style Buddhism.———- (all of my Zen books and Mantras are in Japanese )
Then what I discovered is, especially from the criticism against Buddhism which says
” Killing (or sacrifice ) the Self is no good for the human nature.”
The cause of this misunderstanding seemed to came from the choice of the translation, the word SELFLESS.
In the East, this Buddhist’s term has been understood as No Mind (Wu shin in Chinese, Mu shin in Japanese)
since, Mind often causes too much thinking (hence indecisive, and too slow) or wrong thinking under Ego,
so that, get lid of altogether and leave the matter to the Subconscious wisdom. (In the concept of Tsu-nyen
in Chinese or Ji-nen in Japanese ——Exist as itself / Bore out from itself / Nature.
Which originated from Taoism, this Wisdom is the deepest original nature of the oneself, and the wide nature)
And this ” Subconscious wisdom is not from the Self ” is a Buddhist’s concept. Where else its came from. Obvious.
Though, from the truth of Dharma, by which we are a Part of it, This Subconscious wisdom belongs to the Dharma.
(—- So What. It’s a tiring rhetoric. Spread your hands wide, embrace the world. This is the Dharma. )
——————–
Equivalent of Selfless in Japanese is Mu shi. This SHI mean private, or self (antonym of Public)
One of the most well known author in Japan, Soseki Natsume wrote in his book ” The Gate ”
using the words to describe this state of Mind as Non-Emotion, away from the matter of the
ownership of the Mind. ( Though, I haven’t found Who taught Zen to him yet ).
( Just for the sake of convenience I’ve been using this word Selfless from the beginning though,
as I repeatedly writing ” Selfless is not sacrificing a self, far from it, it release the one from
the bondage of the emotional Ego, therefore it liberate and empower the life.”
——————–
As I wrote somewhere, “—– otherwise Gynecologist can’t do their business ” The Buddhist’s Selfless
( in its true form ) is almost same to a Medical Doctor’s ” Clinical Detachment ” or Sociologist’s
” Value Free ” —– but its having more universal applications to all aspects of the life. ——that is why it is
directly connected to the ” Clear Eyes “. ( Does anybody ever heard a complaint from Doctors or
Sociologists of their occupational hazard, Loss of the Self ? —– far from it, they are getting the
benefit of it by achieving much higher efficiency in their life.)
The allegation against the Buddhism has been emanated from the misunderstanding of so-called Selfless,
both by the Buddhists and ignorant Critics. ——- As a matter of fact, even earliest Buddhists had this
confusion, as they didn’t have the knowledge of the Subconsciousness. Thus struggle to define elusive
Mind and the Self, which was taught by Buddha in metaphor. Considering the followers and the audiences
of Buddha, they were not the scholar or epistemologist, far from it, they are the ordinary people on
the street who never read a book nor familiar with philosophical term (the people who was educated was
the Vedic Brahman—-antagonist to the Buddha’s teachings) so that the complicated terminology such as in
the Abidhama Cosa Mantra couldn’t be in the Buddha’s words, therefore they are all later addition
and the guess-work done by professional monk hundreds of years later.
———- Since we have new insight to the structure of the human mind, we need to have correct
understanding of the so-called Self, which Buddha himself had observed then.
——————–
I also wrote somewhere ” To do the practice with absolute obedience ” is not only the matter
for the Buddhists, it is what the life is.
No one can do Rock climbing half-heartedly or no Surgeon can operates without concentration.
It needs to have 100 % unconditional commitment.
It will kill the Ego certainly, but if anyone still cringing to Ego, just leave Buddhism or Operating Theater.
Buddhism is to give the most efficient state of the Mind for the life. Thats all.
Who need to ask more ?
.
Compassion
Compassion is, as the word suggest, it’s the
matter of the passion and the deep feeling.
It is not in the domain of consciously operated
logics or like a coöperation which need to have
a lots of intellectual deliberation in the brain.
It seems there is a kind of invisible
communications operating behind.
Strange fact is, as every body knows, we
still able to distinguish if nice smile, sweet words are genuine.
Even just looking a face we can see the character and what kind of the person.
I collected 20,000 faces found in the Net, and analyzing such as, why those looks same 2 faces give
different impression.——- It may emanated from a dormant memory in the Subconscious Data Bank,
even from a genetic memory. And this invisible communication making us almost automatic reaction,
when someone need a help we give a hand.
I don’t think this is from the emotion which is entwaind with Ego, but from much dark depth of the
Spirit ( in fact I don’t like this convenient word —– but as we don’t have suitable word, I just use it
for a convenience) it is like a respect or awesome feeling as to be in kinship of a life form, as its apply
to even to a small insect. ( Except cockroach !—– they are the evil. —–Without our compassion,
they can thrive and survive even after the extinction of human ) 😀
Selflessness demonstated
” This is the Demonstration you can discover the Selflessness On The Spot “
In this post I’m going to demonstrate what is the Selflessness and
what is the Meditation should be in the simplest and clearest term.
—— m m m ? Interested ?
Until here, to read those lines, did you noticed, your eyes has been reading this ?
I don’t think so.
Unless you got poor eye sight and struggling to read the screen, your eyes is
out of your scope, out of your mind. ————-(So, the Mantra says, Its exist as not exist)
When we read, we just read without noticing the existence of the eyes, let alone
a knowledge how visual signal running and processed in the brain etc etc.
——————-
Until you have read and get the meaning of what I am talking about,
your eyes is just taking the pattern of letters. You are not thinking.
Neither you are noticing who is reading this.
———-As I asked you and you were alerted, then you start
to think ” I AM reading this, who else ”
(so there was a Zen Mondo ” Who was reading this, minute ago ? “)
——————–
Then, try reading a line of words alphabet by alphabet.
In this input your brain has to work harder to make sense of the word, what was written here.
As you try to think and process the word, it takes much longer time.
Here, you must be convinced, the automatic process of the Reading Routine is much quicker.
——————–
Now you must be convinced, how most of our activity was carried
out without we are noticing it. We are doing it unconsciously,
and because of the teachings of Buddhism is based on this subconscious activities,
the argument of ” Who did this without my conscious ” is
persistent all through the history. (And some are doing even today 😀 )
——————–
When you read those first few lines, YOU were just reading, nothing else,
otherwise you couldn’t concentrate to read—— its mean you were in the
Mindfull state.
As you been doing this without even noticing that the eyes are reading NOR
having the conscious of ” I AM reading “. This is the Selfless state.
———-Do you think is this too simplified and lost the glory of Holy Grail ?
Don’t over glorify. It is your arrogance and the delusions. Truth is always simple.
——————–
To apply this condition to the sitting, as sitting is supposed to be just sitting nothing else,
(in Theory :-)), it must be the best practice to practice not thinking
or selflessness——– so the ancient Guru thought.
But we are here in such noisy destruction full world, it is very hard
to vacate the brain. Even worse, we are accustomed to sit to think.
——– So, if you are struggling to attain selfless meditation, don’t worry, relax, sit on
a sofa, forget the Notion of meditation and play a non-vocal slow music to just fill the atmosphere.
Keep you eyes open and fix it on something, insignificant object on front of you.
(As the visual signal of insignificant object stays the same, the brain start to ignore the signal all together)
But as your eyes has been fixed to the object, brain couldn’t visualize anything else, and soon
it become empty. (but don’t fallen asleep 😀 ) ——But ! getting sleepy is not necessary bad, it is
the sign of your brain found nothing to do, its mean its empty ——though, if you fallen asleep,
you lose the opportunity to see the Dharma of which you may only able to see it in this state.
It is the Paradoxical state, almost sleep but fully awake, without even knowing you are awake.
This is the reason why many of the primitive religion (?) resorted with hallucinogenic drug.
Any how, have the emptied brain is more important than the posture.
——–Don’t torture your legs. It’s no good to your body which was given by the Dharma.
If you happen to live near the sea or river, go there and absorbed by
the atmosphere and the sound of water which is persistent but not
in the exact pattern. (So, the Brain wouldn’t bother to decipher the meaning—–its just the noise)
Or the woods is also good to be there in the same effect.
The Nature is where we came from. So, just relax.
——————–
Don’t struggle to attain something in the Buddhism. Intention itself is bad.
Don’t worry , there is nothing there. So that you don’t need to even
boast that you are The Buddhist, just be it. Never think you are anything special.
If you are born to go to the Hell, go to the Hell.
Once you accept this, you don’t need to worry anymore while you are still alive.
The matters in the Buddhism is to live now in peace and with confidence.
So that, struggle to find something in the Buddhism is the silliest thing.
Since, as long as you want to do intentionally, its mean you are THINKING.
When you sit, without noticing even you are sitting, this is THE sitting without thought.
Forget Buddhism, forget Enlightenment, forget the notion of Meditation. Just sit.
——– Use the words from Michael ” Let it go ”
When you let it go, you will get whole of your life.(strangely ! )
This is the Paradox in the Buddhism.


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