Ikkyu story (2)
Ikkyu Sojun (一休宗純) was the most famous Zen monk in Japanese history,
especially with his hundreds of quick witty stories to deal with the situations or gave an
answer though, as so many books has been written much later, we don’t know which story
was true and which one was a fanciful invention.
—– I read this story in a cartoon comics when I was a child, so that it could be a nice
invention of comic writer, still, this story had such a drastic twist of rhetoric
therefore showing quite Zen like jump of wit, this one could be a real story,
if not, it might be written by another accomplished Zen monk.
[]
The Abbot of the temple where Ikkyu was staying, had a secret pleasure to lick a honey
kept in a jar. When young novice asked him what is it, the Abbot told him that it is a
medicine of wisdom though, as it is so potent, only a learned elderly person can take.
Otherwise, it is deadly poisonous to a young brain. But novices, Ikkyu and others did know,
it was a lie and what in the jar was a honey.
[]
One day, when Abbot was out for a day, Ikkyu gave his drastic answer.
He took an old ceramic vase, which the Abbot was most treasured, and smashed it to the floor.
Then took the honey jar, and started licking honey with other novices.
Soon, the honey was emptied.
When Abbot came back in the evening, he found all the novices were in the crying state.
When he asked what has happened, Ikkyu replied that while cleaning the room,
they accidentally drop the vase and it was completely smashed. As the vase
has such irreplaceable value, there was no way else to repay but with own life.
“So that, in order to commit suicide, all of us took that poison in your jar.
But, even after swallowed all the poison, we still couldn’t die and this is why
we are so ashamed and feel dreadful. ~ ~ ~ cry cry cry !”
—– Abbot had no word to return.
[]
😀 😀 this was the revolution. Face to face, asking the truth what is in the jar —– is
a democratic approach of dialogue (provided if the Abbot treats them as equal and tell the
truth) though the Abbot was just a tyrant = there couldn’t be any fair negotiation => only
insurgence is the remedy = revolution, hence some casualties were unavoidable.
The ceramic vase could be worth million though, Ikkyu didn’t gave even a hint of hesitation.
= He just smashed it. On the end, his revel exposed the fraud in the temple =
Abbot lost his credibility and the priceless ceramic vase —– even honey too 😀
But, what Ikkyu and the novices got — not much, just a taste of honey and a good laugh.
—– most of Ikkyu stories are for good laugh, not much else.
(Anyhow, they were aimed to the children )
[]
Still, real Ikkyu was a serious Zen monk.
As one of his Short-Poem (Kyoka 狂歌) for New-year said ;
門松は，冥土の旅の一里塚 (Kado-matsu wa, Meido no Tabi no Ichiri-zuka)
馬，かごも無し,宿も無し(Uma, Kago mo nashi, Yado mo nashi)
New-year’s (Ever green) Pine branch is a mile-stone to the Nether world.
No Horse or Palanquin (for the journey), even no inn (to stay for a night).
= there is no celebratory mood at all. Ha ha ha 😀
That was quite Ikkyu-san. (He had no illusion to the life, neither to New-year,
though in reality unlike any other meek monk, he had very active eventful life,
all because of his completely liberated mind and the eyes.
No illusion mean no emotional blockage neither = This is the Zen )
___/\___
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Apocalypse ? —– What Apocalypse ?
According to a kind of interpretation of Mayan Calendar, last Saturday, 21st of December suppose
to be the end of the world ! —– How exciting ! If it happens, the most spectacular scene must be
seen on the landscape of sky-scrapers = so, I went to the City. In fact, I went there together with
another video artist, Funki Porcini and Tallbastard. —– Funki needed to shoot the night building
whether it is in ruin or collapsing on front of the eyes, otherwise just standing as usual 😀
And while he was shooting, I cricked few pictures.
The top photo, Snowdrops was the kind, I least expected to find here. —– But, expecting only to
see them in a kind of nature, might be just an arrogance of the mankind = for them, like a rocky
mountain and the thin soil on the rock = city-scape can be just another nature for them.
As I didn’t expected, likewise, people may not noticed this flower = hence never disturbed her =
being left her own, Snowdrops could thrive !!! ( This is what the Nature is. = It’s the Dharma )
—– It seems, the world has survived intact and the Xmas is coming yet again 😀
So, to everybody who is going to celebrate it, “Merry Xmas” 🙂
—– For me though, a matter, winter solstice has past, was much more significant, as
the sun is coming back ! = It’s getting brighter 🙂
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Stop SMOKING
In England, there was a health campaign held on October, which was
dubbed as “Stoptober” to stop smoking.
—– I was talking with a local man, who remember me used to smoke. As he has been
trying to stop smoking, asked me how I managed to give-up, “Was that thanks to Zen ?”
[]
My smoking seemed to be a mystery to others, long time. = How a Zennist who doesn’t
drink alcohol, never take drug, even managed to give-up woman, still keep smoking ? ? ?
My joke was “I’m perfectly clean Holy-man except smoking. So, if I stop smoking
Lord Buddha wants me to work there. It’s mean, I will be called up straight.
—– in other words, me to stay in this dirty world, I was forced to smoke = if I stop,
I would be just gone.” —– then other friend advised me “If you need one vice to stay
in this world, change smoking to woman. It’s would be much healthier and exciting”
“I know, but to have a woman is much more expensive :-D”
[]
The local man (in fact he is a musician) asked me what sort of mind-set needed to
stop smoking ? —– I answered, there was non. I just stopped. That’s all.
—– people seemed to have a misunderstanding such as
= [To Stop Smoking, it needs a firm determination and lots of efforts] —–
utterly contrary to popular belief, such mind-set has opposite effect.
= People think, [Stop Smoking] is [TO DO Stop Smoking] hence strong will and
the proper mind-set is needed = IT MUST BE a matter of Mindfulness.
—– is utterly wrong. And it is not Zen.
[Stop Smoking] mean, [Smoking is no longer exists] = Just disappeared.
Put a Mind or Effort to a thing which is not exists = is nothing but a delusion.
If you need to DO, you have to deal with it with your Mindfulness and the effort.
But, when you deal with a thing which is not exist = you do nothing
(can you DO anything ? ) = you don’t even notice it.
[]
So that, when I stopped smoking = I just stopped.
The last packet on the desk was still containing 4 cigarettes. (I still remember 😀 )
Technically I could have re-started any moment = anyhow there was no obligation,
nobody watching me still, no such thoughts came up —– because, the notion of
smoking itself had been disappeared = when the target is not there where to put an effort ?
I didn’t need to have such high tension in my mind at all. The harder, it will crack.
= So, it’s better to be relaxed. —– (easy, easy, it’s only about smoking 😀 )
[]
People has been inventing lords of excuse “Not to Stop Smoking” before-hand, such
as it is addictive etc etc. Therefore, when they try to stop, they put so much Preparation
and the “Determination” —– from many Rituals (such as to destroy all the related objects,
ashtray, lighter, etc etc) to Declaration to others — 😀
In reality, the more you put Effort or Ritual kind, they stack to your mind and
remind you again and again = prevent you to get rid of the notion of SMOKING.
As long as the notion of Smoking is in your mind = it IS viable CHOICE to DO.
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So, the best tactics is, just stop it, even to take notice of it = when you see a
cigarette —– “What is CIGARETTE ?”
In Zen term, this is Mushin.
= vacates the Mind, not mention any related thinkings.
If you need to stop smoking = JUST DO IT IN THIS WAY
= You will succeed.
___/\___
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INTUITION / Face reading in the Szondi Test
In the previous post I gave rather vague and not 
necessary positive impression about the Intuition.
It’s because of the invisible nature of the
subconscious brain activities.
Yet still, (strangely, or as a family tradition ?) I got
pretty good accurate intuition.
I can assess the person in one glance, even in a
distance or from a photograph.
Trouble is, even if visible phenomenon is there, still
I have to give a guess-work to analyze its mechanism = how it’s works.
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It’s strange though, every body can see the personality from a portrait photograph
—– or at least able to judge like or dislike at once.
No body knows how it was done, but this is an obvious fact.
Even with its vagueness of the Intuition, still, some way of the practical use
has been exploited with significantly high reliability.
—– One area is to read the air reconnaissance photograph in the military front. (This is a fact,
not a joke 🙂 ) Instead to scan the details of whole area which is utterly time consuming
laborious work, but just see all the aria with open-eyed detachment —– then
suddenly somewhere catch the attention. The photograph was not necessary showing
typical military installation but giving somewhat odd impression. Then give a detailed
inspection = Boila, enemy’s activities ! This intuitive method is actually employed in
the Military ground image analysis, because of its quick process with
amazing accuracy.
—– And somewhere in this blog, I wrote about a Rail-way Ticket-inspector who
can intuitively distinguish ticket-cheats among hundreds of passengers
passing through in every minutes, with almost 100% accuracy.
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In Psycho-analysis , there is a test called [Szondi Test] invented by a
Hungarian Dr Leopold Szondi. = It is a very simple test = Just chose which person
you like and dislike among 48 photos of the faces.
(You can read this in the Wikipedia, please see yourself its detail.)
—– In fact, when I was in my secondary school, we had this test which gave the result
such as “You are an aggressive sadist” or “Depressive, passive person” and so on, rather
not nice to tell to the 13,14 year old kids though, we were very surprised as its
assessment was amazingly spot-on.
Originally, those 48 photos were in fact, Mental Hospital Patients whose Character or
Pathological symptom was clearly known, such as a person who was a sadistic murderer or
suffering depression etc etc and the person under the test feel like to chose a face who
got the same character, which the person can Intuitively see from a photo
= hence, if you are a maniac, you chose the photo of a maniac as your favourite.
(— sound awful though, this is what we do unconsciously / Intuitively !
= Hence feather gathers :-))
(The test I had, was an American version which was using 4 or 5 sets of 48 photos of
the Prisoners —– that’s what the teacher told us, after the test)
—– As an intelligent decent boy I was (might not true now. 😀 :-D), I’ve chosen looked like
decent-faced, intelligent man’s photos (= hence, I got the assessment, saying “You are an
intelligent decent man with good common-sense, etc = Yes, that’s who I was. Honest. :-D)
Seeing the photos, I couldn’t imagine if anybody dare to chose another gloomy looking faces
—– then we realized, somebody had actually chosen those gloomy faces, hence received the
assessment “You are a sadist” ! = In fact this boy was a notorious bully, so, all of us burst
into laughing. —– (Before 60s, there wasn’t a kind of Human Right notion to protect
sensitive personal nature and anyhow, we all knew the character of every body, we took it
more like yet another mocking = Nobody complained that its assessment was wrong, nor
complained that his secret has been exposed. = It was a fun for the kids. :-D)
[]
Though, it may not a fun, this psychological test strip you naked = as you intuitively, feel
like particular face and put a mark without knowing why, you can’t hide who really you are.
And, because of this test is blatantly accurate and ruthlessly explicit, yet as no scientific
explanation (= as in a nature of the invisible psychological phenomenon ), and especially in
the today’s “Human Right, Sensitive Privacy, Political-Correctness etc etc” kind of awkward
social climate, it became out of fashion, so that, not many psychologist is using it now.
Yet, this is the most visible demonstration of how our subconscious mind /
intuition actually works, by showing the character with known pathological symptom,
and observe direct coloration between the viewed person (photo) and the viewer.
= Because of no information, other than the facial photos, viewer has to use
solely intuitive perception.
Other than this test, it is difficult to visibly test and demonstrate accuracy of our intuition.
( remaining question is how a person’s character or symptom shows up on the face or
even on the photograph —– I wonder, am I looks like Zen Buddhist ?
—– Or was that what Master Kogetsu found on my face ? ? ? :-D)
[]
It is impossible to teach Intuition, same as a creativity in the art or invention.
And same as a vision of Medicine-man = apprentice may not have the same mental ability,
so-that a second class Medicine-man needed to resort with hallucinogenic drag.
We can not swap the eyes with other person , let alone the mind = without the apprentice
having had a real experience, it is no point to teach the meaning of the vision or even
humble Intuition. Explanation in the words is utterly pointless = because the
part of the brain which perceive Intuition and processing Language are
completely different. = Somebody can do better but not others.
—– Such as a Ticket inspector aforesaid = he was the best in the station, still it was
impossible to teach others because he, himself didn’t know how and why, where to look for.
Neither me can explain why I can see the personality at once = I only feel —– even if
I try to say such as a shape of the mouth brah, brah though, it’s not necessary make an
explanation since, there are too many variations and exceptions.
And all the faces are different.
—– One face contains thousands of the informations, and as in total, it gives off the
impression of who the person is = hence, few parameter of the biometrics wouldn’t and
couldn’t give an answer.
If you imagine, the very same face can express thousands of different
expressions by minute movement of the muscles —– Only Intuitive
perception can grub those informations in total, at once.
But its mechanism is still beyond the our understanding. Funny paradox is, they are all
in the same Brain, yet we don’t know what other part of the Brain is doing.
We know everything else, but not our own brain, let alone its contents = mind.
[]
INTUITION
Intuition is a tricky subject. 🙂
Every body knows it is there though, as a mater of fact nobody is sure how it works and
works correctly or not. Generally, the woman said to be good at with this though, if it is true,
how come 1/3rd (now it is getting nearly ½) of the marriages end-up in divorce = wasn’t it
correct intuitive choice —– or, correct intuition had been over-ridden by the useless thinking ?
[]
Many Internet blog sites are keep shouting “Be intuitive” though, funny contradiction is,
in the same time, often the very same blogger also saying “Never judge a person in first
impression but to be Kind to others and Open-minded” or
“Never chose a book with its cover” kind of crèche wisdom.
In most of the so-called WISDOM, there is always opposite wisdom as well.
= Silence is Gold and Eloquent is Silver, still many relation brake down because of lack of
communication —– if intuition is so good, why it needs to speak by the words. 😀 😀
Reality is, to see the situation down to the minute details and to pay attention to every
aspects of its implications and give enough consideration and correct rational judgement
is a heavy task, in fact too much to do —> So, don’t bother JUST react and pick-up first idea
—– IS what people calls “Intuitive Decision”.
[]
Our subconscious memory-bank has enormous amount of accumulated data, deposited since
we were born —– the more serious matter, it has been imprinted with the more stronger
emotional tag, often with the accompanying pain, or if it is important in the family or in the
society, it has been strengthen by the repeated input as it occurred again and again
= hence, the first INTUITIVE reaction against the situation was based on those
important data without having mere hear-say or “read yesterday” kind of
cheap data and thinking, therefore it is more or less correct, but not necessary
perfect. —– to compare to the result of “Deep consideration” which has been done by
a not necessary very bright brain = may be the probability of hitting right answer
would be the same.
[]
If the outcome would be the same = right or wrong, half and half, why bother
bothersome consideration or thinking ? Anyhow, we have to pick-up the
consequence — favorable or not = This IS what the LIFE is.
This contemplation is the core of the “Intuitionism”.
And to live the Life in natural flow.
And the more importantly, even the most wisest man in the history,
Lord Buddha has found (= even to such a wisest brain) “the Life is suffering”
= no one can escape from this fundamental truth. (If you feel not seriously suffering
= You’ve done rather well 😉 )
What we can do the most important attitude toward the Life is,
= NOT dwell the idea “IF NOT” = as the situation is changing moment to moment, to
keep regretting a wrong decision which had been made in the past, and a result already
arrived, is in the matter of the fact = have to deal though, the new and current situation is
on front of the eyes and it is burning. = This is what we have to fight against.
(If the fire is not big, a pint of beer could be enough to put the fire down otherwise, just run !
Don’t sitting there ! 😀 )
[]
Yes, don’t sitting there. DO something ! Enjoy a nice and active Weekend. 🙂
___/\___
[]
Sea Creature ? ? ?
M m m m —– What ? ? ? You may think. What are they ?
Yes. Those photos are genuine. Just straight close-up shot. No Photo shop. 🙂
– – – – – – – – – How do you see them ?
[]
HUMAN CIRCUS (of Piccadilly, LONDON)
— ( To take this picture, I’ve jumped onto tarmac, click, jump-back before hit by them —– focus was
—- wrong, and having camera shake as well. Never mind, you can see the atmosphere 😀 ) )
To pick-up a Japanese visitor, I went to the Piccadilly Circus. —– like a tourist. 😀
I don’t remember when I did the same, how many years ago ? ? ?
As it is the most famous place in England, and the Olympic is coming too, there are lots of tourists
and they are enjoying a rare opportunity to have a sun. (UK having too much rain in this year =
Japan, China had too = seemingly the Global freak weather.)
—– nearly 40 years ago I was one of them. But not as noisy as them today. 😀
I don’t think those photos needs any explanation. = So, I leave them without it. 😀
M m m m 😀
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Thought over LIGHT (and its visual effects)
You may feel strange though, there is no black and White
image in the Nature. 🙂
May be Monochrome image yes. = Pure B/W image is, in fact human
invention, in other words, it exists only in the brain, or a product of
the brain. = Simply because, there is no [no-colored light] exists =
all the light, even if it looks WHITE, it is just well balanced
mixture of the colors.
[]
So-called Color was created by the vibration of the Photon =
if you divide the distance of a Photon travels in a second in its
literally the speed of Light, by its number of frequency of the vibration = you get the wave-length.
The light-sensitive cells in our Retina called Corn cells (named from its shape) having the colored
pigment which selectively absorbe and stimulated by the particular wave-length, emits the nerve-
signal to the brain. = Hence the brain interpret those different signal created by each different light
as each different color. —– So that, when those Corn cells sending-out all the color signal evenly =
our brain think it is white and if they are less intensive than the white, the brain think it is gray.
But when the light level is very low = in the dark, the Corn cells couldn’t work well. Instead, only
the Rod cells which doesn’t have color sensitivity, works. = hence, the visual image which lack the
color information were created in the brain = we feel (some what) B/W image. —– ghostly night
scene of grave-yard was conceived like a bluish B/W image = simply because, only the available
light source came from the stars (provided no Cine-light, or Torch-lamp there) = hence,
the Dracula film is the best in B/W = (it is closer to what actually we have seen) 😀
[]
As long as there is lots of light which is having all the spectrum of the light, we see
white as white and able to see a colored objects as its own color without color-shift.
Therefore, mirrors in the dressing room of a theater back-stage having many light valves fitted
around. = natural Ring light effect. = no shadow and no color-shift = it is essential for the make-up.
(still, even a white under tungsten-light is shifted to much warmer color of about 3000k)
—– yet still, it is often the case, the white is determined by its relative brightness.
Our eyes were adjusted to see the over all brightness or by the brightest object while varying the
size of the pupil. And among the objects, see the brightest and relatively having all the spectrum
of the light as the white. = Hence, seemingly the yellow sun is so bright, we feel it is white in the sky.
In fact, all the photographers know, even a dark colored object will become
washed off white if it was over-exposed 5~7 stops more.
[]
In the natural environment, we are not necessary seeing the surroundings with ideal neutral light.
= not only the color-contribution of the light-source (such as Florescent light has Green cast due
to the Mercury atom) , but also the light was colored by the reflection of other object nearby.
—– May be it is the reason why we feel nicely lit image in a photo = too artificial.
While using color-corrected artificial light (Xenon discharge Solar-Light kind) or Studio-type flash
light, which is giving 5500K color temperature. The more photographer worked to make every
corner in the scene within 2 stops of exposure difference, it become even more unnatural.
[]
=== So that, in this occasion, as I’m dealing with LED Ring Light, I’m experimenting
“How to design Non-ideal light source to create natural looking image”
= to make Colored Ring Light. 😀
(I’m going to show its result soon)
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PS : If you’d like to experiment with LEDs, and try to connect different type of them parallel,
you need to connect a register to each types. Such as;
[3~4 Batteries (4.5V~6V) +] —> [100 ohm Register]—> [Blue or White LEDs]—>[Battery – ]
[ ———————– same +] —> [100 ohm Register] —> [Red LEDs] —–> [same Battery – ]
[ ———————– same +] —> [100 ohm Register] —> [Green LEDs] —> [same Battery – ]
( Those Registers are to limit the current to the LEDs = may need change to such as 47 ohm =
If you connect 10 LEDs parallel, which needs 30mA, x10 of them mean, you need 300mA)
(Exact value is [Supply Voltage – Forward Voltage of LED / Resistance = Current —– where,
Forward Voltage of Blue or White LED is 3.5V, Red is 2V, Green or Amber are 2.5V ===
6 – 3.5 / 10o = 0.025 = 25mA ——- As long as the Current is 50~20mA each, it would be OK)
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