Third Aspect in Buddhism / in ZEN

If anybody has read my blog all through from the beginning  ( thank you very much ) may found

something different tone around the posts about Kisa Gotami and some posts following it.

You are absolutely right.  The posts around Kisa Gotami are about one of the main aspect of

the Buddhism —– Buddhism as a Religion. Religion to save the tormented soul. (And also

about the Intellectual snobbism  / Philosophy —– this is the Second aspect )

———- Though,  I’ve been talking a lot something different, especially in my early posts.

Yes,  they are about the Third aspect of the Buddhism especially strongly in the Zen. —– It is the

aspect of the Mind Engineering,  and in this aspect, so-called burden, the Self Denial having different

treatment —– since it is not for a salvation of a man but more for the achievement of the person.

—

Third aspect in the Zen is, as the word Engineering suggests, it may remote from the religion

hence it may seem Atheism, hence the person may not end up in the Heaven though, don’t worry

no such things over there. And even if you were reborn to a dog, there shouldn’t be any trouble as

no dog remember the former life or the name.  ( I never met any dog telling me his former life, so far 😀 )

To deny such deluded idea of the Perpetual Soul, therefore to deny the same person can be reborn

to a dog, was the starting point of Buddha.

Anyhow, before talking about after a death, to regain the sanity out of tormented mind is the way to

save one’s miserable life —– that is Buddha’s approach.

When a part of a machine was twisted and jammed, whole machine wouldn’t work properly.

So that before imagining what dreamy product the machine could make,  repair the parts and

adjust each part of the movement and make it works perfect,  is the first thing to do.

Same to this, to re-construct one’s life out of misery, has to start from a part to part, step by step.

Re-adjust the way to operate and the way to carry out the daily life —– and on the process,

to learn the way to see the mechanism, how they work together,  in what principle. —– and as

the result,  one can operates their machine or life perfect,  therefore

able to create perfect product / LIFE.

This pragmatic approach IS the Teaching of BUDDHA.

Hence,  in the Buddhism the practice is inseparable as it is the way to learn how to see and

to know the principle operating in there.  This principle is the Dharma.

———- So that, the Buddhism’s structured approach to the practice having the most effective

way and the wisdom to DO the Things and achieve the highest standard. ( To see the proof,

have look the Japanese products  😀 —– But don’t ask me why the products from other

Buddhist’s country are not necessary so. —– it’s really a good question  😀  )

—-

To see the way how the approach of the Buddhism ( or Zen )  can solve the question in a field of

to DO something, is the Third aspect in the Buddhism. In here, there is not necessary

tormented soul or miserable life,  the precondition of Self Denial having different aspect too.

Such as a case of a sportsman is the best sample, in there, it is the fight against the Oneself.

And its effect or the result doesn’t  appear anywhere other than in practice, it got

not much use for an intellectual interest. ” As long as you are thinking, you can’t do it “

—

On the end, the key element in all aspects of the Buddhism is the MUSHIN,  mind of no-mind.

Though, anyone who wants to be saved out of misery,  needs to get rid of the Ego,

hence needs to have Self Denial first. ( One small sect of Buddhists in Japan, Ittou-en going around and

asking the household to let them clean their toilet  in order to have one’s Ego to be denied —– though, the

toilet is a genitals of a house, not open to the public —– it might be better them picking dog shit on the street

than invading somebody else’s privacy, in the name of religion —– still it’s their practice)

To a tormented soul, as the person’s mind had been through the torment and its Ego had been

defeated already, and as long as the person can see the Karma straight ( without twisted view, misdirected

grudge etc which is caused by an arrogance —– so that it need to have personal consultation ) the process

of  Self Denial has been done.— Hence the person can go to the next stage while having  proper direction.

—

Yet, the one who doesn’t care end up in the hell ( 😀 ) but still aiming highly tuned life and the

freedom of creativity  and actuary want to Do it —– gain the Mushin by doing it as a practice.

This is so-called a technique of the mindfulness —– to eliminate any  thinking  in the brain, even the subject.

It is the process to re-program your subconscious,  hence Mind Engineering.

You may find the explanation for each sample and others,  in my old post somewhere.

( I should make the Key-word index —– for a moment, seek is your part of practice. Just Do It   😀  )

___/\___

—

Hidden burden in BUDDHISM

Hidden is not necessary appropriate word.   To the people who is aware of it, it is nothing new but

because of it is not convenient or sound nice, it has been stashed away or intentionally ignored, hence

it was rarely talked about, —– YET, it is the most crucial element and the steps of which

a Buddhist had to take once in their pathway.

—–

Go back to the Kisa Gotami story, —– What was her Contemplation ?

Was that just an acceptance of the life’s reality and the surrender to a force of the Dharma ?.

What was the meaning “Surrender” to the Dharma ? —– obviously, it is silly to stand against the Dharma,

therefore, it is no point to talk about the general condition of human existence, as man’s

existence is a minute from the beginning.

Superficially the teaching in the story of Kisa Gotami is an acceptance of the life’s undeniable reality= Dharma.

Yet hidden in the story, was her Self Denial —– not just accept the Dharma, but there was much more

personal, strong feeling of the failure, as a mother and a wife.

In fact, it was a rigid patriarchal society where a wife’s role and the duty was to bear a son.

A woman can assert her status only as the mother of the heir. Having her son’s death, she was

facing not only the grief of her loved child but a crisis to be branded as a woman of failure.

—– To accept the emotional trauma of both grief and the feeling of failure in fully minded

depth was, in deed her contemplation.

Discovering the harsh reality and found no possibility to find the seeds to revive her dead child,

psychologically she was stripped naked, left alone in the void of blank space —– she became

a clean blank sheet of paper, well prepared to listen the teaching of Buddha.

And Buddha knew she will reach to this state of mind when she come back. ( That’s why he sent

her out for a journey ) So that, when Buddha saw her come back without carrying heavily deluded

expectation and clean calmed face, he gave her kind consolation and the words of wisdom.

—-

Often forgotten or rather intentionally ignored fact of the Buddha’s life is that,

once Buddha was a renegade of the ascetic holy man’s lank.

In order to soften the blow, this story was changed to rather positive description of that

Buddha found the better way to reach the truth, other than torturing the body and the mind —– though,

the eyes of the society then and to the mind of himself,  he knew he was a renegade until

Buddha found his own answer —– real truth and the way to reach there.

In the man’s life, anything has happened was, in fact placed there to be happened.

Same apply to the Buddha’s life as well. —–  If he didn’t join the holy man’s lank and learned among them

and then abandon its practice, the Buddhism today is not exists.

In other words, the elements and the experiences Buddha gained while he spent a time among

the ascetics, and  above all, the contemplation he got when he became a renegade was a key

to reach the Buddhism.

When Buddha abandon and let such practice go, he was literally a broke. no margin to retain

any ego or arrogance left, and having the deep blank space in his mind —– the mind was

completely open. Buddha was ready to configure his understanding from the deep depth of

his subconsciousness. ——————->  (read again and have enough time to visualize those words)

And Buddha’s blank space in his mind,  completely open subconscious inspiration was

able to see the invisible rules of the Dharma which we call  Panya Paramita.

Here the Buddhism was born.

—–

It must be clear, it sound not very pretty though, a defeated completely lost mind, or utterly

desperate feeling of failure, —– utterly denied and hopeless ego, utterly powerless feeling

and so on, —– is the key to gain a blank space or completely open humble mind.

Which can be bracketed as a Self Denial.

May be not, not pretty, but sound rather dreadful   😀

But this is the key step to start to receive the teachings. —– hidden and yet another unfortunate

aspect of the Buddhism.

Yet, even The Great Teacher Buddha went through this, how can we avoid to take this step ?

Sound too much ? —– OK, I leave the analysis to the next post   🙂

___/\___

—

Word – Word – Word or RUN

In my daily life, my radio is always on.

On the beginning of my English life, it was  BBC Radio-3  with its classic music. 

But past 10 years, it is almost always Asian Radio, hence the languages are Hindi, Urdu,

Tamil etc, and musics are Bollywood, Bangla, Punjabi etc (they rarely play classic Indian music).

It seems, it is an annoyance to a visitor, hence all of them volume down the radio.

(What so ever, it is noisy)  In fact I’m not necessary listening it. Any how I can’t understand the languages

and I don’t care the music    Still, something there would cheer up the atmosphere. 

Best of all, it will prevent the unknown unwelcome visitor to knock the door.

(I’m open minded, but not necessary having open door policy  😀 )

[]

Even though not listening, still I remember lots of  Asian popular music and picked up quite

a few of words.  So, time to time I asked my Asian friend about the word, what is the meaning

—– then I realized, the meaning of the word is so widely varied in each context and

among the people (even among the same Hindi etc).

Like the words  Kia-bate.  On the face its mean “What’s going on ?” can be an accusation but also

a praise with unexpected surprise. 

[]

So that the words in the Hart Mantra, ” Gate gate ( Bodhi-suwaka)” can be

” So, it went on as Bodhi-suwaka” or “Hurrah , go-on, go-on, Bodhi-suwaka”. (I don’t care though)

—— So, it must be a lots of headache for the academic, authority to translate an

ancient Mantra, —– as we can conveniently see the situation in the Wikipedia, and

compare the difference in the interpretation of such as the  Eight fold Pathway ( Just find

which word is correct to describe the Pathway ?  —– how time consuming ! )

[]

In the Buddhism story, the story of Kisa Gotami who lost her child, is the

most well-known one.

I knew this story since I was in my 20th though, why I didn’t talk about here before is, the

seeds what Lord Buddha asked Kisa Gotami to find was,  in Japan (hence in China as well) it

was written as Poppy Seeds, not the Mustard Seeds as known in the West. 

I thought, I should find which one, before I write.

[]

Lord Buddha asked Kisa Gotami to find the Seeds (which one ever) from the

house where no bereavement ever taken place, to revive her dead child.

She went around asking all the houses in the village, but everybody told her

“Oh no, we lost one (or many)” —– on the end, she contemplated that it was an

inevitable and common occurrence and came back to

Lord Buddha with calmly settled, relieved heart.

[]

Lord Buddha knew, she is so desperate ( = Mind was stuck, attached to her child)

= she will seek the seeds in just for its purpose ( Mindfulness), and walk and walk

asking door to door (Repeated Practice) —— soon she become to do it with almost

automatic manner next by next hence get the state of the mind of No-mind,Mushin.  

And with Mushin she could see the situation and the fate, with clear eyes and

the mind. —-Hence achieve the Contemplation.

This is a Direct Transmission.

[]

How many hours has she walked ? =It all happened in one day.

With Lord Buddha’s spot on advice, a desperate woman achieved contemplation

and get peace of mind.

Lord Buddha knew, an explanation in the words wouldn’t work.  

But the practice (walking, asking around) does. = This is the typical teaching

of Lord Buddha which showing its crucial core of the Buddhism.

In comparison, the people who try to read the words still arguing —– 2500 years ?

[]

So,  through your book away, switch off your computer, and go out.

As Lord Buddha said,  ” Don’t believe (cling on) the words you were told.  Think yourself “.

Have a nice walk.  You can see something afresh.

Yes, it is your first step to learn what the real Zen and the peace of mind is.

___/\___

[]

–

PERFECT or INPERFECT ?

Many of you who read especially the previous post ” Limit of TRUTH “ may be wondering

what I was intended to say.  ( In fact I was showing, how futile to hit the wall on the end of cul-de-sac  and

the limitation of the approach toward the life by way of thinking )

Fresh comer to the Buddhism might be bemused or even felt a disappointment as I’m not selling

the Buddhism while saying ” This is the perfect Answer, buy Buddhism” —- like another vending post.

But this is what the Buddhism and the greatness of the Buddha’s teachings are.

It is not revealing what the structure of the Dharma nor to teach how to control it, but to learn the

way to follow it through practice, and the gradual change of the way of the Life and its mind–set.

Buddha was not a Devine figure nor Prophet telling glorious story.

He was a great teacher who taught the TRUTH of the LIFE through practice.

—

As it is the TRUTH, it is not necessary a sweet story nor deceptive salvation story, as harsh words in

the Four Noble Truth epitomizes.  Since the Dharma  is strict, not necessary friendly to the mankind

still it is only the rule beyond the human control or intention, Buddha taught the way to follow it.

And this WAY is what Buddha mentioned last in the Four Noble Truth .

To follow the unknowable uncertainty  and its changing nature of the very Dharma,

Buddha was teaching its on the spot user–manual, not the analysis of its tendency or psychology.

Same as  how to use a computer, to know how CPU was manufactured, with which material and so on,

wouldn’t help at all for its usage.   All about the mater is how we use it without causing clash or over heat

and complete the task —– therefore able to  have smooth happy life (then nirvana).

( But mind you, the Life and the Dharma is not as simple and cheap as  PC,  you can’t buy another one 😀 )

This approach  became more apparent as in the development of the Hinayana Buddhism.

It is not the Buddha’s idea or invention, it was his discovery in the function of the Dharma.

Hence,  it is the teaching to see and become aware how the Dharma exists in ourself.

—— or the Life to be accommodated in the Dharma.

So that, it was often dabbed as  ” Life in harmony with the Nature “

When the matter is not imposing own idea but to be accommodated by the Dharma,  it is the matter of the

acceptance, not the choice —– in fact there is no choice but to accept   (—– with  fight or else  😀 )

Whether the Buddhism Accommodating the Dharma or Dharma accommodating the Buddhism may sound

strange though, because of this accommodating nature of the Buddhism, the Buddhism can accommodates

any another religion,  race  whoever ( them to exists is also the expression of the Dharma —– if they are

contradicting the Dharma they couldn’t be there in the first place)

—– and exactly the same context, accept  any situation. ! ! !

Hence, Buddhism can be in the millionaire’s life and in the murderous gang star’s life too.

( So, there is my old post  ” Zen in a Battle field ”   😀  )

—

Thinking and judging in our way, and imposing our thinking, ( whether it is logical or not ) to the Dharma

is noting but an alienation or even a disrespect to the Dharma.

With an insatiable apatite to find whether one atom is in two places in the same time or not, or why

the rabbit bonking a lot etc ( 😀  ) might be in a legion unknowable.

So that, all about the teachings of Buddha is to eliminate the own thinking, conscious Self.

When conscious Self is not there, what is Mr. A standing here ? —— It is a manifestation

of the Dharma taking a shape of Mr. A

—-

When you face your own life in Mushin, you see only the immediate matter, the abstract

interpretation or romantic dream can not be there —– hence you are concentrating to the matter.

Being in Mushin, the subconscious program  ( Dharma ) which is most relevant to the matter ( whether you are

aware, it is there or not) will deal with the matter —– hence you can deal with it in most efficient way.

To deal with its matter, only small part of the Dharma ( and its wisdom )was needed.  Yet still, all the

Dharma is in us —– may be another occasion we may need somewhat fancy part of it.

Like Window Program, it came as a bundle, OS to graphic program, text document, video etc etc,

when you buy Laptop, it comes together —– you open and use the program for the task to task.

Some of the program, you may never use —– it’s still there, and something you may not understand what

it is for —– and the most basic phenomena of how the electron behaving in the billion of semiconductors

in the CPU—– I don’t think you are care about it at all.

Don’t think, just use the computer and do the task,  Just Do It.

So, Don’t ask or think about whether they are perfect or not, or showing the Truth or not.

It is not the computer to make you to achieve Nirvana, but the work you have done.

—— Funny you may feel with this metaphor

—— But this is your Life and the Teaching of Buddha.

___/\___

—

CLEANING

Currently in Japanese Twit-Sphere, a heated debate for the Cleaning their class-room is going on.

It started by a secondary school boy who is saying ” Its no use to clean the class-room by themselves.

It is not efficient enough.   Why not use the professional cleaning company ? ”

Against this, many people are saying  ” Its only a cheeky excuse, he just want to have a lazy life ” etc.

And others are saying, school is not just for studying knowledges but also for leaning the attitude for

the life, morality.   Some are saying even in religious context.

It is the same tendency, even in the western society, once it was spoken  in a religious context, the others

reacts at once,  in almost in allergic vigor —— saying feel uneasy, or even dubious.

—— It was in an unfortunate history, when a religion was spread, they always take over the morality

and the wisdom as a part of their own teachings, such as ” Thou shalt not kill, is their God’s commandment ”

—– But long before religion was invented, it was an established commonsense in the human society.

And, when a religion became out of fashion, because of even a fundamental  morality was mistaken

as a part of such religion, it became a target of rebellion.

—-

As a matter of fact, the tradition of cleaning their school room was originated from the Buddhist’s temple.

Since the school has started as the monks teaching the reading, writing to the local kids, the tradition

( in fact, it was a part of Buddhism practice ) to clean the room by the kids is an inseparable part of

the school’s teaching.  And by doing so, the kids learn and grown into a person of their own life.

Life is a violent imposition of the tasks to all the living things.

Nobody ever asked and born as it is.  Everybody came to this world,  without any expectation or

preparation at all.——- Somebody may born into a harsh desert country as an ugly boy or a pretty girl

in wealthy western society etc, as in a variation of fifteen billion. ——- Without question, without

complaint, the one has to live or start to live their own life.—– It is the harshest imposition.

So, the kids learn this reality, starting with cleaning the room, without question as everybody is equal.

( To ask somebody else to clean the toilet, always create the seed of discrimination in any society )

By doing so, the kids learn to be humble and to be selfless, and learn to act in equality.

In the same time, to find the best way to clean and master the skill —– it’s a training of the

trouble shooting, practice creativity.  On the end, even a kids can achieve to do the work in

Mushin (Mind of No-mind )

To have a clean class room for comfortable study environment —— is only one of the by-product.

——- Though, this kind of opinion seems not welcomed in today’s Japan —— to have a lecture from

somebody else is an invasion and interference to the individual’s human right. ! ! !

( in the point of political correctness )  Beautiful.   Ha ha ha 😀

—-

Obsession – Mindfulness – Middle way

Anybody who try to learn / practice Buddhism by oneself, to find the measure of Middle way

while committing so-called  Mindfulness, but not in obsessive extreme,  is not easy.

To biggin with Mindfulness, to learn what is the Mindfulness is hard enough, —— in fact, to understand

what is Mindfulness —— is already somewhere middle of the way reaching to the Enlightenment !

Most obvious and common mistake to learn Mindfulness is, to mix-up it with the concentration.

Concentration with passion and enthusiasm.( in another word, with Emotion )

Far from it, it is the result / even a by-product of the Mushin ——Once the Mind has gone, so nothing to

think about though, something left in the hand or very front of you—— so, just do it.

Mindfulness is not the concentration of the mind, but simply nothing else is there.

It may look utterly strange though, to learn Mindfulness, first, start to do a boring useless

practice, repeat and repeat again until your mind become insensitive and able to do it without

thinking —–> and able to see the task with completely emptied brain / Blank Space ——-

The task may seem something foreign or looks even first time to see  ( by the newly acquired

Open–eyes / Dispassionate eyes ) —–> as nothing else is in your mind,so

just deal with  ” this, only the Task.”

Hence, nothing else there, the eyes, attention everything  goes into it, down to the minute details.

( Eyes sees what you want to see, but Dispassionate eyes sees everything on front, as it is )

To somebody-else’s eyes, it may seem too much.    To clean the kitchen down to a minute water-mark

may seem to be a  Compulsive cleanness Obsession / Mental Disorder though, never mind, as long

as it wouldn’t take more than 10 minutes after a cooking or eating,  it is just a normal practice.

If it goes hours everyday —— m m m ?

What is extreme, where is the Middle way is just an arbitrary view. Often, the cleanness obsession

of Japanese frighten the westerners, (you may not know, they carry a wet tissue with disinfectant to clean

their hand after shake hand with unknown person.  They are only the people using disposal toilet seat cover)

but it is normal, among the Japanese.  This is the reason why they are even reluctant to shake hand, or

share the bottle and drink direct from it (touch somebody-else’s saliva ) let alone kissing to other person !

( It is originated from deep sublimated  Japanese Shinto ” Avoid the foreign dirt and keep you clean “)

—–

Where to draw the line and stay in Middle way, is not rigidly fixed.  Since, the fundamentals of the Buddhism

is not torment you  with complicated rules, but to liberate your mind.  Try extreme will definitely taxing your

body and mind, but obviously dirty kitchen would cause your ill-health.  So, here is clear Middle ground.

Do what you think appropriate. Observe who you are, and if it is acceptable for you, do your best.

( So, to a Japanese, Clean it when it was soiled may be a Middle way,  and to a Hippie guy clean the

kitchen once in a week may be his Middle way —- though it’s a huge leap to clean it first time ever.   🙂  )

—-

While observing your own tasks, re-arrange the order, or a  way to sort the memos, even the position

to stick those memo, or the way to respond the Emails etc, and making it easier and  smoother  to

deal,  —— if the situation is getting better,  its mean your Mindful approach is working.

And when you established a system to deal with those tasks, and able to sort them quite business-like,

almost automatic way, in fact you are processing it, in the Mushin manner. —Why not it is efficient.

Difference of the Mushin to machine is, as the eyes is completely open, it is possible to spot

anything peculiar or the point to pay attention.  This is what makes the human different from a machine.

—– So, keep you busy.   🙂

___/\___

—–

Time of Reflection

When we came to the END of something, season, road, a task or a project even a relation etc etc,

it is the time of reflection. —— WHY ?  on that moment ?

As the task had just completed, ( or the relation has ended ) there is nothing left to think ahead.

So that (as our mind is not necessary accustomed to have blank moment ) our mind was forced to go back

to somewhere we have passed.

We start to think the each moment which we couldn’t forget, not only we have actually done but also

the alternative —— ” It could have done, or If only ——- etc etc.”

As it is literally a hind sight, we can see better way to do it, and different outcome —— hence a

lots of regrets. ——- sound sad isn’t it ?

Why can’t we have the life with no ( well, nothing is perfect though  😀 ) regret.

So, why not to have a moment to sit back and think ——- in advance  🙂

—

We have only one life and only one chance.

We can not repeat the same moment in different way.

This is THE reason why we have to put the full effort to the very moment / each instant.

So that, leaving no regret. ( Well, ——- in theory  😀  )

Unlike the life itself, if it was a small project, such as designing small mechanism or electronic circuit,

if it was not perfect ( or not good enough ) I remake it often from the start. ( why not, this is a feed-back )

Though, the real life is not such simple.  Surrounded by so many factors and the occurrences affecting

the decision or others action of which we ourself has little control.

So, we Buddhists call it as the Karma / Fate, or even the providence of the Dharma.  And, we

accept it as it is and effectively wave the right to contest it.  Its mean, Buddhists have no regret.

Whether it was good or bad if it was given, there is no point to argue.  If it was bad, it’s because myself

didn’t do good enough work and the Karma to back fire ——- yet no point to have a  regret, but we have

to learn and do better next time. ( because, we can not change the past —— only look forward )

So, in my case, the time of reflection is not to have a  regret, but to face the music and laugh.  😀

( Oh, c’mon Yoshizen, what have you done ! ! ! —— Ha ha ha 😀  —— like this )

So, Don’t make your life even more miserable with regret, just laugh at it.

( So, life is Happy —— Honest, believe me.  Ha ha ha  😀  )

___/\___  😀

Lost and Found

In many occasions,  we suddenly realized,  Wait a moment where that Thing has gone ?

In my life style, it wouldn’t happen if it is for the daily use.  The item, the thing goes back to exactly

the same position whether it may not necessary be the most ideal place.

Away from the ordinary tool box, strangely a glue-gun and a hair dryer is hanging next to the kitchen

utensils under my kitchen shelf. ——- When I moved in this unfurnished flat, it was before I moved my

possessions from a warehouse storage, I needed to fix something.  So, I brought some tools from the

tool box in the storage.  Unlike hammer or pliers those glue-gun and hair dryer (by the way, this one is not

for my hair but to heat-up or drying the material, and those ladles are to bend the aluminium with its carve

—– they are the  tools for me  🙂 )  having an electric cable,  hence it is easy to hang —– so, they found

a place to hang, and it became their permanent place.

Since, same hardware / tools or materials are in the same

place, the way to do the things, is more or less identical

—— hence it became a routine. —– Its mean I don’t

need to think about each action and only need to

pay attention to a part which is new or different.

You may see on the photo, the cable of the glue-gun or

hair dryer is twisted round its own body —— and the

way to twist round the cable was though out for its

best way round ( —- in fully minded manner  🙂 ),

therefore it is always the same and the plug will come to the most secure exact position.

This practice, place the item always exactly the same position said to be started in the Zen temple

and kept as a Samurai tradition.    Hence a  Samurai was able to respond to a sudden attack, able to

grubb his sward instantly in the total darkness.—— So, it was the iron rules in my family as well.

I was allowed to use my father’s tool, provided me to put it back exactly  the same place, same condition,

and it trained me to memorize where the original position and the conditions were, down to

the minute detail. ( —– Otherwise the teaching would come with a fist  😀  )

——– My photographic memory might have originated from here.

——————–

You may realized now, what I’m talking about is.  This is the Zen.  And the Buddhism. —– in real life.

Zen is not only for a fancy movement of the sword master or incomprehensible  Mondo —– but

in every minute details of the daily life —– to maximize the efficiency and ease of the life.

Then, — Zen ? —– the trouble is not the item in the same place.

Quite often, I buy something strange or fancy, —– might be useful-one-day kind of, such as cheap

Chinese things, toy etc.  As it is not very important and not necessary having  well-defined place ( that is

why it is strange ) I just stashed away somewhere. —— then year later, something bright idea came up,

” Aha, I got That Chinese Toy —– I can use that part of mechanism for this idea ” —— but, where is it ?

Since it didn’t belong to the defined category, it is not in the likely place of its function —– but it might

be placed in the similarity of the shape —– ? ? ?

When we try to think / seek the answer or to find a strange toy (in this case) —– our mind are caught up

to “Likely” direction,  where so-called logical ( but own logic ) thinking is leading.

But in real life, not everything follow the logic.    And not necessary having in the same guise which

I remembered or so-I believed.

The toy might have just dropped behind the box, from where I left it.

Or it may be in a bag, half disassembled.

When we look for something, our eyes (or mind ) is chasing the pattern as our cognitive function works.

The harder we try, we are even deeper caught up with same pattern. —— this is the moment we need

to have open mind.—– NOT concentrate, stop gazing at but take aback, and just to be passive.

Here the paradox again.  The more you looking into, you can not see —– because what you are

looking is what you want to see / your imagined pattern. —– (But how do you know You know it.)

——- Then what I found was, on the corner of my desk, something poking out of a milk-cartoon  was

that Chinese toy upside-down.  Only I didn’t know,  what it looks like the bottom of it upside-down  😀

We need to open our eyes with open mind.  Detached mind can see the world better.   😀

___/\___

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Peace in a Battle field

There was a funny conversation in Email exchange ——–

” Hey  Yoshizen, could you pay the cost through Paypal please”

” Sorry, I’ve been black listed by the debt recovery company,

so that, I can’t use money transfer.  I only can give you in cash.”

” Oooooh, you are such a trouble maker 🙂 “

(Among the Anarchist group,  Trouble-maker is the honourable title  😀 )

” Oh yah, so far I’ve made the enemies,  whole Judiciary here, Japanese Embassy,

Police, Local Council, British Telecom, Virgin Media, Three G, T-Mobile and

barely having a truce with Talktalk.

So that, the Motto of the Zen is the PEACE,—— how to find a Peace / Calm Mind

while shooting  😀 “

—

——– When we are in the battle field, we need to have unmoved,  focused mind

and the clear eyes —- therefore the Zen is the most effective way to deal with the situation.

Dealing with the photography / how to capture the subjects, or even dancing on the rhythm, it is

the battle facing with the situation while sensing all the signals, then instant judgement and the response.

Because of the gushing torrent of the information is coming in, to put them in the clear space

in order to give detached  bird’s-eye view and make instant intuitive judgement

with appropriate priority, become crucial.

—–

This is the reason why,  the sword-masters,  martial-artists even the throat-cutting  share-dealers

needed to learn the Zen —– they are not chasing Nirvana or Enlightenment (too late any way  🙂 )

but needed to have ultimate efficiency managing their mind,

hence able to maximize their achievement in the life.

Do nothing, just sitting peacefully —— needs no more.

—

Most Fatal Joke in BUDDHISM

Most fundamental and fatal joke in the Buddhism I found is,

” If the SELF is not existing, Who is the one get Enlightened or Reincarnated ?”

———- the reason why this Joke exists is,  it’s based on the misunderstanding of the SELF.

What  Buddha  meant was,  the SELF who is consciously thinking Self, in another word ” Selfish Mind “.

To clinging and obsessed by this  Mind of  Self / Thinking Self  is the cause of the trouble in the Life.

The Self in one’s subconsciousness is the True Self  which is not visible, hence it exists as not exists.

Being in this True Self is in fact, in MUSHIN (in the Mind of NO Mind, since it exists out of consciousness)

( Ironically, unless this hated figure of  Thinking  Self  start to think

” I need to be wiser, I need Buddhism”  nothing would start.

This is why the Buddhists spent past  2500 years to argue about this complication and the Paradox)

When this True Self was absorbed in the Dharma or the subject, it is the Ichijo (Oneness).

And when this True Self is fully engaged with the subject, it is the Mindfulness.

The True Self, in Ichijo with  Dharma is in fact the Enlightenment.

——————–

Pinch your cheek.   Yes, definitely you are here.   Though, the one who is reading this, how you came here ?

Was that because you Book-marked this blog or just by chance you stumbled here ?

Who made you to read this post ?   What has driven you to read this ?   Why you need to read this ?

Who you are ? ? ?

Don’t waste the time to think about those questions.  Because you can not define it, since it isn’t there as a

solid entity.  ( Since it is a constantly changing relative existence , like a reflection on the moving  water )

Yet,  this blog is on front of your eyes now.  This is not an illusion.   Read this again.  Try hundred times.

This is the task you got on front of your eyes on this moment.  Just Do It.

NOW YOU ARE DOING  ZEN.

( Wasting time by thinking  Who You are,  wouldn’t take you anywhere.  Since, no such things in

the first place.  That’s why the repetitive task  was adopted in the Buddhism practice. )

So,  this will change you, from wondering thinking time-waster to Active Zen practitioner.

This is the very first step. ———– Read this again without any question.  And again.

( Now, You started to Re-program your Subconscious / invisible True Self )

This is The ZEN,  and What the BUDDHISM is.

The matter is to reach other side of water.  You may use modern grass boat or bamboo raft what ever,

though there is no motor engine, so you have to puddle  ——- (can be million times ).

Then you can reach there.  ( Believe me and Believe yourself,  You can do it )

( PS: Yet in case if you drifted down the torrent, don’t call me.  Because Hinayana Buddhist  would only say

” Enjoy a journey ” ——– Raft-ride  might be quite an exciting activity. ( Shouldn’t  be too bad.  😀  )

And when you survived, then later, you must be realized  ” I needed to have that rough ride, that’s why

Buddha made me to have it “.  Some people were born to have longer rough ride to reach other side )

Buddha makes no mistake.   ___/\___

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