Still, this is the Zen

Seeing a scratch on the surface of the washing-up

bowl in my kitchen which I’ve been using since I have  

started to live in this flat, I realised that the dirt or  

stubborn coating on the surface of this plastic bowl 

could be removed by just scouring hard.  —– I was 

thinking to remove such limescale mixed stubborn

dirt needs to use a strong chemical such as limescale

remover kind of acid.

—– There was the choices.  

Throw away old bowl and buy new one.

Anyhow, it was only a couple of pound cheap item though, strangely

I couldn’t find the same shaped one in any shop.  

Other choice was do nothing. = as it has been used 15 years, why not

another 15 years. — utterly lazy and sound hopeless though, to make

nothing happen is a kind of peaceful choice and cost nothing too.

One of the famous Japanese monk, Ryokan said to have one pail and

he used it for everything, to wash his foot to serve a rice.   So, use one

bowl only for washing-up many many years wouldn’t make any crime.

[]

If I can clean it by just scouring, why not to try. = When a spoon edge

made a scratch, a scouring pad made by metal mesh should work well.

—- So, I did. (to the half extent) It IS a simple work = just scouring,

scouring and scouring.  The more scour,  bowl become the cleaner.

While scouring, I just scouring (=Mindfulness) = no thinking.(Mind is

in the Mushin / Void state.)  

This is the Zen. —– soon or later, the bowl will get perfectly clean state. 

Exactly the same process, the Japanese Sword was perfected. (Strangely,

we aim always the better — who asked ? or because of our nature/Dharma)

You may laugh though, the bowl which became clean is the equivalent 

of the enlightened soul.

—– Yet another teachings may say,  neither a bowl nor soul kind of

things was there in the first place, who get enlightened ?

Good question.

___/\___

[]

Tokyo Dream Party

Somewhat coinciding with a Japan Matsuri, there was a Japan themed

extravaganza in a member’s club somewhere in the Mayfair, London.

It was organized by my friends, stage designers and a good coincidence,

it was a day, happen to be my birthday.

So, it was a great occasion to have a fun for the day — even if it was

not organized for me still, as those people are my longstanding friends,  

they sang “Happy birthday to you~” altogether = What an evening !

(but no birthday cake —– I wouldn’t ask too much.  Ha ha ha ) 

All those performers, musicians are the Japanese and sang Japanese song.  

Organizers are the party people = wearing Sushi jacket (mind you, none of

genuine Japanese Sushi restaurant people wearing Sushi Kimono. = such

crazy things happens only in this country.  lol ) 

And number of so-called Cos-ple (Anime costume player) girls.

They supposed to be Kawaii (cute) — are they ? — (I’m not sure.)

They said to be the Ninja. = it’s mean Kunoichi. (female Ninja)

Though, I wasn’t convinced.  They must be the comedian.

(BTW, the name Kunoichi came from the each element of

the letter 女(woman) く=ku，ノ=no，ー=ichi．They (said to have) 

used a Honey Trap as well, as a weapon. — How exciting ! )

MMM ? Who ?  80s Japanese group, Frank Chickens ?

And, another (are they ?)— anyhow I don’t know the song. ( I’m 浦島太郎ね）

They are the very sexy performers. = supposed to be the Taiko drummer.

Drumming well, though I’m not sure of the jumping flesh.

Then, here comes so-called Yuru-chara — kind of stuffed toy / Mascot.

Organizer brought an automatic bending machine — this one sells

many sorts of pants / knickers. (for women — but not necessary.)  

It could be a great opportunity for a solemn faced gentleman to explore 

the taste without facing a shop assistant or giveaway a personal data to

a net shopping. —– still, are you sure no hidden camera watching ?

And Puri-cla  (Print club) = Photo machine with a lots of fun collage.

= a fun for the Japanese teens and a fun for the English grown-ups.

So, it was a good fun and the pleasure to be in an extravaganza,

which made a day for my celebration. = (Sure — now I feel older !  Ha ha ha)

(And this is my 800th post.)

[]

Japan Matsuri 2015

It was a Japan Matsuri = Annual Festival today at Trafalgar Square Central London.  

There said to be a performance of Taiko Drumming though, before I got there.

(and long after I left = 7 o’clock evening)  The weather was fine — in fact too fine.  🙂

Normally not, but I did come this time with a hunch to bump somebody

— and surely I did.

Why “normally I wouldn’t” was that because, I’m not so sociable person to the

general public, likewise, I don’t do any SNS.   Yet still, I have many friends

— though some of them, not seen so many years. ~ ~ ~ then, bump

the person in this kind of event. —– And I did today.

So-called Matsuri = Fest’ and its stage show seemed to be so and so

— or I would rather say, shabby. (No karaoke please.  lol)

(Photo by 500mm F8 Mirror lens)

May be the most typical JAPANESE phenomenon

= manga drawing panel (Photo left)

And Origami tuition / demonstration (Photo middle)

Surprisingly, Blush Calligraphy was pretty popular. 

Somebody was selling Kaki-goori /Ice Flappe (?) — What ! ?  £5 — Oh Com’n.

Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuke stricken Fukushima people was selling noodles.

— ?    I couldn’t find what was the connection.  (Photo right)   lol

And Fukushima shop soled me their local rice (Koshihikari) 500g Sample  for £3 = !

(Which was sold in Japan 10Kg for £18) = may be a support donation included !)

In fact Quite a lot of food stall. (Photo left) = Bento / Lunch box = £10 — what ?

I don’t know what was “that” in the Photo middle.  Photo right = Takoyaki. 

      The visitor must be noticed that the very peculiar things in this Fest’ = 

other than the food stall, there is almost nothing else = no stall of campaign,

such as Eco, Green issue, no appeal for Help / Donation even for recent flood.

No appeal of voluntary / community activity group. = In fact, this was not for

the japanese community = therefore, more than half (even 60~70%) of the

visitors were non Japanese. = so that, very few Japanese Cos’Ple girls there.

Among the Japanese, there must be very strong feeling of the Peace Issue now

which has been triggered by the recent change of the Diffence law.

—– But such movement has been completely hidden-away, because Japanese

establishment is far busier against the threat from the Chinese expansionism.

It is so funny to see a difference. Chinese is brandishing their military might and

Japanese is pretending to talk about the taste of a noodle. The timid dog barks.

—– So that, the funny irony was, Chinese couldn’t broadcast their military parade

without the Sony or Panasonic equipment NOR their military system doesn’t

function at all without relying on the Japanese components. lol.

Nevertheless, it was a nice day-out for me.

[]

禅における Detachment = 無着無住の意味

表題としたこの言葉は，実は検策の為に書込まれ，ここにやって来た

もののーつです。簡単に言えば参禅者からの質問という事でしょう。

－－－で，この機会を使ってこれに対する僕流の所見を書いてみます。

　　禅を云々する上で最も決定的な大前提となるのは「禅は到達する

境地ではなく，悟りに至るプロセス，単なる作業修業のーつである」

という事です。禅は月ではなくそれを指す指，あるいは指している動作

に過ぎません。＝　ではその動作がいかにして悟りにつながるのか？　　

これは仏教史の中で完璧に見過ごされて来た事ですが，仏教の修業，

勤行の延々と続く繰り返しの中に鍵があったのです。

仮にぐるぐると歩くにしろ，太鼓をたたき続けるにしろ，延々と

続く作業の神経情報処理は人間の脳内でルーチンとして自動的に

処理されるようになり，一方延々と繰返される刺激に対しては

情動的閾値が髙くなり無感動で処理されるようになります。

これは毎日座り続ける座禅においても同様で，遅かれ早かれ人間の頭

には全作業を自動的，かつ無感情で処理する習慣が身についていきます。

実はこれが禅で言う無我無心に外ならず，このメンタリティを持って

物事に対処する事が無着無住と言う事です。

－－－で，これが悟りとどう関わるのか？　

＝執着を離れ，情動に翻弄される事も無くなったら，後いったい何の

気懸り苦労が残るのか？　気懸りなしに生きられるなら，そうして

気懸りなしに死んで往けるならこれ以上の自由（解脱）は無い訳です。

つまりこれが涅槃です。

－－－－－（あっけに取られたとか？）

___/\___

——————————————

追記：

反覆動作のルーチン化とか毎日通り過ぎる道端の看板を見飽きて

それが全く気に止まらなくなる（存在しているにもかかわらず，

存在しないのと同様になってしまう）現象は，本人が自分で経験

して把み取る以外には学びようがないものです。

つまり無我無心，無着無住と簡単に言う事はできても，

こればかりは人から教えられ言葉の意味を理解しても本人が

経験して身につけない限りは何の足しにもなりません。

何故ならそれは知的理解ではなく脳内での情報処理の短絡化＝

情動域（＝偏桃体＝入力された情報に自己帰属の夕グを付ける＝

所有物や家族を見分けられる）の関与の排除，そこでの処理の

ジャンプ（自己意識抜きに物事を処理する）なのでこの回路が

作られない限り無心としての処理は機能しない。

理屈や知識では自転車に乗れるようにならないのと同じです。

現実には直弟子ですら必ずしもそれを体得できていなかった為に

釈尊はいまわの際になってすら｢人の言葉を信じるな。自分で

体得せよ」と繰返さねばならなかったのです。

逆に見れば，仏教史に登場する異説異論は実は無我無心を体得

できなかった者が，その言い訳，目くらましの為にいい加減な

作り話しをやっていたのではとの疑いが涌いてきます。

この点から見ると龍樹（ナガールジュナ）あたりが最もクサい。

本当に無心無住の境に達していた人間がはたして龍宮のハナシまで

デッチ上げて，あそこまで派手なセールスキャンペーンをやるか？？？

『大乗印のエスパーベルト，これであなたも即，菩薩に変身〜！』

えっ！？冗談でしょ？

（実践に依る人間改造ではなく，思い込みを利用した盲信への変質です）

————————————

My old Basket

I found 130 years old photos of Japan, pretty well hand-colored and preserved.  

Among them, this was a photo of a Basket maker and his work samples.

(This is a studio set-up photo by an Italian Photographer

— Photo Credit / 1886-Japon-Adolfo Farsari )

It’s amazing to see, the technique and the design hasn’t been changed much

—– I mean, if anybody still doing it somewhere in the world.

And funnily enough, I have one which has been with my life (mostly in the

mountain) for the past 50 years or more !

I bought this when we went to a mountain in the northern Japan, I found it in 

a local shop.  = it may looks a bit odd taste for a techno orientated Hi-school boy,

though I was a very opinionated noisy student, a sort of a nemesis of the school

authority then.  And I had a view to feel shame for the loss of the traditional

culture and the crafts.   Not because of a nostalgic feeling, but I did know such 

kind of crafts could be much suited for the daily life and even stronger for a long 

term use, as its historical fact = it has been kept used 100s of the years by the folks

= it’s mean, it has been repeatedly modified and refined. = it IS the

manifestation of the accumulated wisdom came from user’s side, not from the

head-big designer or the seller’s side !

And after so many years of the journeys and the climbs, it’s mean packed tight

in the backpack, tumbled, pressurized etc all sorts of hard use, still my basket is 

almost intact because of its flexibility.    It has been used not just packing

important items such as toolbox, first-aid kit, survival food, money, train ticket 

etc but also it was my pillow in the tent or where ever.  In any emergency,  grub 

it and jump-out the tent and run. (if we noticed a flush-flood or avalanche kind

is coming) —– In real life, once I run-away (to the side) from an avalanche and

move the tent just before a flush-flood came down, so not much serious trouble

I actually experienced.  (other than, hard climbing itself.  🙂 )

[]

You may wonder, why I didn’t use plastic container.    In fact I did, though,

they didn’t work well in the Winter mountain where the temperature goes down

minus 20~30 degree C. = they easily break.   And the another disadvantage of

the plastic container was,  when the water get inside, it stayed there for ever.

(They are not water tight = when they got pressure, their rid easily come off)

—– So, I’ve been happily together with Bamboo.   🙂

[]

 

Mountain Tool box

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

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

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

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

I missed the boat.

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

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

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

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

top of “the object de reminisce”.  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And in the mountain, able to put a

fire could be the most crucial matter

for a survival.  Keep a match dry was

always a headache.

(Cheap gas-lighter wasn’t common then)

So, I kept a gas-bombe type gas lighter

for the last resources.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[]

Artcore Int’ Exhibition

There is an Exhibition of the Artcore International at the Bird’s Nest Pub in

the Deptford, London —– in fact, it coincided with their event called Nestival

with a lots of live music.  

You may find a lots of info’ here.     

https://www.facebook.com/events/382090185319668/

In fact, what exhibited there was a collection of weird images = almost

obsessively,  painstakingly created drawings, sculptures.

(thanks goodness not a kind of “So-called” conceptual art but has substance)

(sorry, so many artists and their works, I couldn’t name and credit each one

= if you are interested in, please visit there as it’s opens till 26th Sept’ )

The exhibition was organized by Joefur and Kevin who were the 

artists of Minesweeper Collective.   The Tyre Creature, (Photo above)

= Dragon ?  or huge Rezard ? looks amazingly realistic.  🙂

(Sorry, this picture = lefthand side = Top )

As I reported before, Deptford (next to Greenwich) is a weird artistic town.

  <<   https://yoshizen.wordpress.com/2014/02/21/deptford-art-or-odd/

  <<   https://yoshizen.wordpress.com/2014/01/18/graffiti-in-deptford/

  <<   https://yoshizen.wordpress.com/2014/02/23/spiritual-deptford/

So the Bird’s Nest seems to be a kind of community center, gathering point.

And it is a rare kind of pub always playing Punk, Sexpistol like music —–

the reflection of the local folks’ psych.   Good !     🙂

[]

Algae or Moss ? — Water plant

I’m not sure what is those green staff on the river bank of Deptford Creek.

Its green color indicates that they are a plant living on the Photosynthesis.

—– though, I don’t care.   I only thought, its green color is beautiful — and

it’s enough for me to click the camera. ( thanks goodness, this lens shows

only the atmosphere, not the useless details — of so-called Realism.   🙂

= often, surface detail mask the true reality. True reality may lie behind. )

This fuzzy lens I used to take those photos were yet another Two Element

Homemade Lens. (toy camera lens with strong concave lens on front.)

( The lens appeared in this blog

before.)

[]

OMG ! Is this Japanese Heavy Metal ? — No, it’s Baby Metal Sir.

Three Vocals of the Baby Metal = Yuimetal, Su-Metal, Mormetal. (16 years old)

(Screen shot photos from — http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2056265/?anc=015)

Past six months or a year so, the name Baby Metal often came to my ears.

Though, my only thought was, It’s a good name for a band = Without using 

any ferocious word, the sarcasm is far more stronger.  —– Yet I didn’t know

they are a Japanese Girls’ band.     When I saw a Japanese news saying that

Baby Metal is going to have a concert in the Wenbury Alena ( 2nd April 2016 ),

I started to wonder what’s the sound like ? = I clicked Youtube links.

Wao ! This is the genuine article.  (Very rare to see among the Japanese staff)

—– Of course, it is a mix of Japanese Kawaii staff in a guise of Heavy Metal, 

still, the impressive instruments, guitar, drum — its danceable rhythm, sound, 

pretty good. (—– the visualization too !)

— And this is the more joky exotic staff (for export to the west)  🙂

( Still, the marriage of Japanese Taiko rhythm and the Techno beat created

quite a drive = my kind of the speed ! )

—– Only a thing I dread about Heavy Metal is, = the long-haired audience

dance = head-banging = the smell of their hair is the hell !    😀  😀

[]

MS Windows -10 ~~~ What a trouble !

Since after Window 10 was released, the notice “available for download” was

keep pesting the screen.  In the net-sphere there wasn’t much report of the trouble.  

— So, I clicked to start download – – – ? ? ?    and again, the process always stopped

in a few minutes. and again. — (My action must be halted on this stage.)  😦    When

I tried again while all the programs were shut down = even an Email was signed-out.

Then, upgrading to Windows 10 started — and took hours to “Configure” “Restart”

and so on again and again.      On the end it was downloaded and start working

though, I realized it’s not on my taste — such as the apps appeared on the start page,  

Store etc may be convenient to some people doing a lots of net shopping  (I don’t

know whether MS is selling those space) but not for me.  And the way to gather the

photos to one place was utterly inconvenient.  I checked the compatibility, such as all

the program or files I’ve been using under Window 7 were still functioning — or not ?

[]

Then, I saw a notice to upgrade Openoffice from 3 to 4 something = and I did —–

though, something was not quite right and too messy. = Openoffice opened under

MS Word ! (Of course, MS is not happy with free Openoffice, instead to buy theirs)

– – – – – On the end I decided to revert back to the Windows 7 again.

– – – – – though, the Openoffice lost function = So, I try to uninstall  and reinstall it

through Chrome.  On this process a malware “Chromium” started to block the 

process and the other malware “Cassiopessa” started to mess-up saying “windows 7 

needs to be repaired = download this” (must be a spyware) = = = So, the battle to 

remove those malwares started !  😦    Chromium was easily removed on the Control 

panel (uninstall program) but, Cassiopessa registered nowhere as a program = So, 

I needed to remove it from the default settings of EVERY browser’s start menu.

— which took to me till morning !

[]

On the end, I’m on the same Windows 7 but without the Openoffice. (I couldn’t 

remove old file as they were corrupted = Computer says “couldn’t find the file” = 

therefore I couldn’t install new files). SO, my conclusion was, if anybody has been

using the Windows 7 or 8 happily, never attempt to upgrade to the Windows 10.  

To buy new PC or laptop with Windows 10 should be OK but not upgrade on a

computer of which many different origins of programs, apps has been installed.

(some of them may not completely be compatible)

And this was the legacy of this Win-10 trouble. = during unload, reload process,

together with malware, the virus got into my laptop — to my WP blog account !

(But this is the only Visible part —– Who knows what is going on behind. =

Security program found nothing — still like this popping-up ! )

You see, how risky those action is.

—————–

PS : On the end, I was forced to use MS Office / Word  (yet I didn’t became payed user)

= at least, MS succeeded to kill-off the OpenOffice.

(I tried to reinstall OpenOffice again without removing old file = I succeeded !)

Though, soon after I’ve installed OpenOffice, this notice Appeared (MS is spying

our every move! ) —– I’m very suspicious this could be a malware made by MS to 

slow down or even block and make us abandon the OpenOffice.

(Otherwise, what was the purpose to do like this ?) 

— By the way, the red cast on the photo above was the tendency of my Canon 5D Mk-III.

(When the subject was bright white, often such red cast appear, which Canon

couldn’t fix.   😦   )

[]