Tiny Comment — How Master Kogetsu got angry
If this is the first time for you to stumble this blog, you might be puzzled
as this blog is the most not Zen like place.
In here, there is no pretentious word game or glorious myth were told. Especially,
if you have a romanticized idea of Zen as something intellectually hi-class culture,
you will be disappointed. Zen is not an exclusive special culture nor peculiar practice.
Even so-called Enlightenment, Nirvana is NOT the hard to come-by
awkward commodity. It is right there sitting next to you.
You just not see it because you believe, it must be the other side of the river, long way
beyond the Pathway, hence looking somewhere wrong place.
Far from it, it is nothing afar. In this blog, I’m showing how Zen and Enlightenment is
ubiquitous and in fact, right inside of you.
It was not my opinion but simply this is what
Lord Buddha told, therefore what the Zen is.
Zen can be walking, can be cutting a lemon. In deed,
being yourself is the Zen and Enlightenment.
I show it to your eyes, what I’m doing here.
non
When I faced Master Kogetsu in the Eiheiji Temple and told him that I was a
photographer, what he uttered was “What a hell, why a photographer kind of person
wondering the Zen Temple. This is exactly the indication of that you couldn’t settle
and be diligent in your own life” “As you are a photographer, do the best photography
and become the best photographer. It is where your life is”. — In return I replied to
him “Wait a moment, why photographer can’t search the truth. Have look, even
Lord Buddha himself did forsake the life of Royal prince and became a seeker. Why not me ?”
“What? —– What a preposterous word you got, comparing yourself to
Lord Buddha is unforgivable” (though, he didn’t hit me with a stick which was in his side. :-))
non
Master Kogetsu was one of the highest Soto Zen priest ( wearing brown ), who was the
head of the Suzuka-dera Temple and visiting, serving fellow of the Eiheiji Temple.
(In fact, leaving the dairy chore to deal with dead man for the hand of young monks and
have a break, come to chat together with another priests in the Eiheiji Temple 🙂 )
Naturally he knew the Zen Buddhism back to back. Hence, what he meant was, as he said,
the Enlightenment to a photographer is to live totally as a photographer.
There is no fancy myth or abstract enigma there.
As the Life itself is total already,
Zen wouldn’t make it any more complicated, simply Life is the Life.
To see as it is and to live as it is, Just Do It which is due, is the Enlightenment.
non
Just like a lotus flower, being as the flower is the Dharma,
a photographer being as the photographer is the Dharma.
Being with Dharma mean, when the time comes it is the Nirvana.
(Photographer being as a photographer needs no pretence or thinking =
being in Mushin = his camera, his technique, his eyes and the subject,
all become one = Ichijo —– what the one needs more.
(in this instance, forget pretty model—– What model ? 😀 )
This was the way, how Sword Master perfected his skill, how Sword Smith
created his unbreakable sword —– even a Tea Master perfected his tea making.
It was the Zen.
Zen is not in the sitting posture, but in the every day’s life, moment to moment.
non
When the historical Great Zen Masters got their Enlightenment all of them uttered
“It’s a Dog shit”
Yes, it is as ubiquitous as a dog shit, as the Master has been with himself all through his life.
No fancy or enigmatic mumbo-jumbo has been discovered. The life as it is —– It is there.
(In other words, to invent or cling any fancy story is nothing short of a delusion).
My blog here is talking about this [Zen in action] —– action in everyday life.
___/\___
—
Bang in Trinity Gallery
Last Friday night, there was an opening of an Art exhibition and the performance at the newly opened
art gallery called Trinity in Greenwich (5 minutes from Cutty Sark ship) (Click here for Info’)
Exhibition was titled [ Emblem – Deconstructed and Destroyed ] = installation using a lots of books, created
by Christina Mitrentse and the performance of fire-play to burn a book = ( so, Destroyed ? )
May be only an Artist who is using fire powder to create ( or destroy ?) the Art =
Aoife Van Linden Tol prepared the fuse and the explosive powder on a book.
( She is a qualified and licensed explosive handler ! )
While Aoife was preparing, an Art Writer Douglas Park recited a text he wrote for Aoife’s creation.
Then, she put light on fuse — Bushu shu shu shu 😀 —– And Bang , Pang Pang —– ! 😀
Then, it’s so-called Art Talks.
In the gallery floor, Christina’s installation. —————— And Aoife’s victims or her Art.
Something very unusual of this gallery is the structure of
the building, hence floor plan for an art-space.
It got great height = 3 stories height and straight wall, but not
an expanse of floor or side wall.
It’s mean, it is very useful for a kind of display or
performance having interaction with the
space above / another level of existences or
its symbolic expression.
In addition, outside garden having a lots of trees = good spooky back ground !
( In fact, I got quite few idea pretty suited for this space 🙂 )
—– unfortunately exhibition is only untill 2nd October. Still, the gallery is having the series of
exhibitions, I’m sure next events should come soon. =
Check their website to find farther info’ < http://www.hivelondon.org > < Trinity on Facebook >
—-
Panda Babies
Oh, Cm’on, you got to be joking. —– No no, they are REAL Panda Babies. Not soft toys 🙂
Born in China and hand reared by personal attendance, even when a baby they are the well behaving
Confucius Pandas ! 😀
They are the precious baby (hence not cub, and sleeping on the Futon mattress) of Panda, in
the Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Base.
When I found this photo in a Japanese news site, I couldn’t stop to join this fun.
It’s definitely make anybody smile. And everybody ought to join the circle 🙂
Have a happy smily day.
( The original news site < http://www.jiji.com/jc/p?id=20110928090039-1443782&j3 > )
___/\___
—
Future Cinema in Dockland
Last weekend, there was a cinema event in the Dockland, near Canary Warf.
My friends in the production team of the organizer Future Cinema invited me to see it.
As it was setup in the theme of Holy Wood films it must be a fun.
Lots of audience ( participant ? ) came with their guise of film character. A cute girl, said to be 11 years old
attracted the eyes of the others — A guy in commando style asked her ” You are under-age girl aren’t you ?”
” Under-age for what ? I’m not here for sex or drink. Ha ha ha ”
They are my friend Francesco / stage designer’s gang / DJ, Audio engineer etc etc.
—– thanks goodness, they are pretty decent people. (so far)
In fact, it is a party —– have a good time, booze, chattering —– film screening was just a pretext.
So, —– What’s wrong ?
And this is the pretext = film screening —– though, I don’t care the film whether the Boy was
lost or not —– anyhow it is just a film, not in reality. (sorry about 😀 )
I was more interested in the huge 35mm film projector.
As everybody has seen the same film before, we went to a bumpy-car ride. It was much more fun.
( Especially for the people of [the Italian Drive] )
Then took a merry-go-round, round and round, round. It is the tendency of the creative people, they
are the hyper-active jokey people (in another word naughty) —– thanks goodness they were not drunk.
So, it was a fun-full day (and evening 🙂 )
Peace ! ( Yes, in deed )
—-
Equipments used here : Canon 5D Mk-2 / Nikon Fish-eye Lens 16mm f3.5 / Pentax 15mm f3.5
Manual focus with F-aperture Priority ( AV ) setting ( with exposure compensation)
—
Tiny LIFE
( What I casually called Mayfly here was in fact Green lacewing / Chrisopidae )
Some days ago, short floss like thing standing on the edge of the book, caught my eyes ? ? ?
At second glance, I realized, it was an egg of the Mayfly. Then I remembered a
Mayfly was flapping around the table lamp a night or two before. = so, she laid an egg ! ?
While looking around —– I found four more those eggs
here and there. —– And I found a dead Mayfly too.
—– M m m m # ? # ?. What a hell ! What should I do ? ? ?
non
I don’t like it. Absolutely not welcome at all.
Even if those eggs hatched, there is no food for its larvae
—– simply I can’t take care of them.
—– and if I pick and throw them out, the eggs will be
eaten by other small creepy crawlies.
—– In any choice, those small life would be doomed —– isn’t there any alternative ? ? ?
non
So that I decided to take picture of them = at least, Mayfly could contribute something to
the world —– ( really ? —– for what extent ? ) —– Don’t ask me, it’s a sheer excuse.
But, to take picture of such minute subject is not easy. As my macro photo system has been
disappeared somewhere I decided to make it using cheap Chinese Micro-scope Lens.
( Using wide-angle lens with reverse adopter could make large magnification though its big
shoulder prevent to access small corner to take picture of this kind of fixed object )
So, I wound a wire around the screw mount of the microscope lens (and partly soldered / Photo above left )
then glued this ring on top of a splay can which happen to have suitable diameter ( Photo, middle ) and
put LED focus light —– here the Macro Photo Adopter for Canon EOS.
( can was mounted on a Canon body cap —– with a cut-out hole in the middle, of cause 🙂 )
What a hustle you might say. Yes it was a hustle in deed. To holding a wire ring in the dead centre
of a mouth of can while keeping it exactly parallel (well, sort of 🙂 ) and filling the 2.3 mm gap around
of it, using Araldite glue etc. etc, a lots of work.
non
But don’t forget the life of a small Mayfly —– she unfortunately end-up her life in this room though,
at least she did her best, surviving few days without drinking any water (may be — I know not) and
laid the eggs which was her duty in her life.
At least, I have to respond to the encounter with this life —– it is the duty to be a Buddhist.
Squeezing the brain and find the way to solve the technical difficulties and achieve ( at least in the
acceptable standard 🙂 ) the necessary objective —– is the Zen ( in action ).
This is what I’ve been saying “ Do It “ not wasting the time thinking.
—– Um m, the result seems not too bad. ( I think —– for an almost cost nothing hand-made device 😀 )
( Quality of the images is not as good as Zeiss apo-chromat lens I used to use, but think about the price 😀 )
___/\___
PS : The stem or egg supporting rod (?) is nothing but a wonder of the nature. How the secluded liquid
—– can instantly harden and able to hold the egg on top. —– If anybody know the scientific research of
—– this, please let me know. (Incidentally, the rainbow color on top photo was created by the optical
—– diffraction of the transparent membrane of the wing. —– it’s mean, the thickness of this film is as thin
—– as a wave length of the light ! — isn’t this incredible ? Man’s technology is still behind of the nature )
PPS ; After many years of having had their visit here, this year I came to the resolution, how to deal with
—— them. = When ever I saw them flying under the light, catch them and throw them out of window.
—— Watching them fly or take rest on somewhere —– might be amazing or interesting and giving a water
—— or piece of fruits etc. may seems to be an act of friendship or what so ever. IT IS our arrogance
—— and on the end, it would do nothing good to them. They don’t belong to this room and there is no
—— prospect for them to have their fruitful life here. Throw them out where they belong = NATURE.
—— It is the most kind and friendly things we can do to them.
It is often the case, without giving a help and leave a person in their own device could be
the most kind things to do to the person’s life.
—
TOUCHING the VOID
Yesterday I was invited to see a dress rehearsal of an Art Performance at the Holland Park.
It was titled [ Common sounds : Touching the Void ] ( Flyer is in the end of this post )
In fact it was in the building of the former Commonwealth Institute.
The building has been closed for more than decade —– what a shame. I used to go there to see many ethnic,
cultural exhibition, art performances.
And as the building has been bought by the Design Museum, they are under the refurbishment.
It is a kind of trend to use a disused empty space, some time pretty strange place, to utilize
them for an exhibition, art events. —– naturally, the space itself was unusual, the almost
crèche “Site specific installations, performances” are the regular program.
Though, this particular space is nothing like any another space.
Under the first ever built type of column-less huge roof, it is the burst empty space —– having
a round centre stage and the surrounding multi-storey corridor —– you got to be there
to see and feel the space.
The event has been directed by Harry Ross, and designed by Helen O’Neill who is my friend though I haven’t dig
deep enough to know how they organized the event to use here yet —– may be a kind of trade secrets there 😀
—
The actual performances are the conceptual play and the dances, therefore impressive but a kind, often
described as “mind boggling” — not only the space is out of comprehension, hence we feel out
of space ( pan 🙂 ) giving a feeling of being in the time trip —– Where am I ? What’s going on ?
Then the audiences were bound together and taken to the ride —— or to the darkness of the limbo !
At there I met another photographer who introduced himself as Jim the dance photographer.
While he shoot, he moves with dancer anticipating their movements and click, no fancy angle or strange
foot works, always facing straight, very authentic —– I noticed, this guy really knows the subject, in
many years experiences —– to capture the moment of dance. (Good for the dancer’s own portfolio)
( His link =http://www.perfectlandscape.com/touching_the_void/#)
non
My photography is more to participate, or even invade the situation —– interaction with the situation.
That’s why I like to use ultra-wide or even fish-eye lens to close the core of subject.
Like the Theory of Relativity, there can not be a pure observation.
Observation itself affects the Phenomenon —– therefore, to be a part
of Phenomenon is more logical —– That’s what I think 😀
—– Believe or not, this is my understanding of the Zen Buddhism.
Once we were born, we can not exist outside of the world.
The interaction with the other existences, moment to moment,
is the life.
Otherwise, why do we need to be here in this moment ?
And why the Dharma placed us to be here and now ?
—– So that, why the art event like in the Commonwealth
Institute was happened and WHY I was there ?
This is the understanding of “What Karma meant ” and totally embrace the
situation is “What Mindfulness mean “. —– This is the Conviction to the LIFE.
Hence, this IS the ZEN. ( ZEN in action, not sitting away from the situation 😀 )
___/\___
—-
|
Sheer JOKE
Some years ago, I was asked by a friend, stage designer Francesco to produce some stage set and props.
In fact, I also took a part acting as a Mad Doctor ? ! (If I were asked, I just join —– because its
occurrence was in the Karma. Hence I don’t think too much or no use to think. It’s a reaction in Mushin )
It was titled [O-project] which the story was based on the Hoffman’s Tale, but in the ultra modern settings 😀
—– instead to create a doll to whom a guy fallen in love, a Mad Doctor created a life in a vitro and so on.
( So, I created Oparlin’s Life Bottle of which lightning spark to the primeval sea water said to have
created first element of the life on the earth.
And the Laser Harp, on top of the Virtual Woman / rotating Wire torso )
non
While working it, on a desk of a Sent Martin’s art student, I found a photo of Dalai Lama. —– I made
a joke “Hey, don’t you know, He is my first cousin” and Francesco took picture of me
holding Dalai Lama’s photo.
When Francesco compiled the O-project DVD, he put the photo-images to show the episode in the production
process —— ? ? ? What ! —– In the DVD, a photo-image of me holding
Dalai Lama’s photo has been Photoshoped to [Me holding Star-war’s Yodo]
So, the story has changed to “ Hey, I’m a cousin of Yodo” —– ! —– Very very funny 😀
( Francesco expected me to get angry —– later he said though, for me it was more of an amazement
than a kind of matter to get angry. What a fun ! ! ! I like this kind of fearless, blatant idea.)
When it came to a joke, a western wit is far more naked (often quite bad tasted) which makes a big
difference to the Japanese. Some said, it because of the carnivorous nature of the European against
the vegetarian Buddhist though, it seems it’s a too simplified view. ( Simplly Itariano is noughty 😀 )
Non
I always fascinated by the artistic creativity of the Latin psyche. Yet, unlike other Italian or Spanish artists,
this designer’s thinking remains always within the feasibility —– never impossible fantasy —- and amazingly
able to find the best suitable material or structure which is good to convert for the purpose etc, in another
words quite technically minded —– that why he is a designer not a pure fine artist —– still
his novel ideas are always there and fascinated me.
non
After all, any creative perception, unless it was materialised, it couldn’t be displayed, unless it
was displayed, it couldn’t be noticed by others —– this is what the communication meant.
Otherwise, its perception remained inside of an autistic mind.
Stage design must be one of the hardest task which is facing this dilemma —–it has to be materialised.
(while complying all the safety regulation etc, and reliably working in one-piece 😀 )
non
Artistic creativity live in the same terrain where the good joke came from.
non
Hydrangea Otaksa
Early summer or before a summer starts, Japan has a rainy season
(middle of June to middle of July) somewhat akin to the monsoon.
Every day is a rainy day. And under the rain, it is the time to appreciate
pale blue Hydrangea flowers = 紫陽花 アジサイ.
There are many famous Hydrangea Garden arround Tokyo, especially
in Kamakura city (one hour from Tokyo), Meigetsu-in Temple, Hase-dera
Temple, Jyoju-in Temple are only name but few.
Why Hydrangea in the Temple is because of its meditative blue color.
Buddhist monks are the sombre people. 😀 — I’m just kidding. 😀
non
You might have heard that the Hydrangea flower originated from
Japan. It was brought back to the Netherlands and spread to the
Europe in late 19th century and since then many horticultural
varieties were created especially in England.
The person who introduced it to the west was a German Doctor working
in the Dutch mercantile, in Nagasaki, Philip Franz von Siebold.
( In fact, he came Japan twice, and for the second time he acted as a
foreign affair adviser for the Shogun )
While he was in Japan, along side working as a doctor and teaching
western medicine, he studied Japanese Flora and Fauna, and collected
vast amount of botanical specimen as well. From this study and the
research, worked together with a Botanist J.G. Zuccarini, a book
[Japanese Flora] was published. In this book, one of the native plant
was named as Hydrangea Otaksa. ( though, it has been renamed to
Hydrangea macropylla (Thunb) seringe f. macropylla )
Shy Siebold himself made an excuse that the name Otakusa came
from local name though, a Japanese Botanist, Tomitaro Makino
later traced back its origin to his Japanese wife Otaki-san.
The name he put, Otaksa came from non other than his Japanese wife
Otaki-san in deed. (Incidentally, a daughter he made to Otaki-san,
the Oine = 楠本イネ, became the first female doctor, gynecologist in the
Japanese Medical history.)
He must loved her so much, as he even taught his Parrot to repeat her
name “Otaki-san” —– and a funny story was that since then it became
a custom to teach a Parrot to call the name ”Otake-san” in Japan.
( Similar to a custom in Japan, a lots of dog has their name “Pochi”
—– originally it was copied from the call for a dog “Pooch” in
English or American.) 😀
nonBotanical research institutes in the world exchanges their collection
each other. When I was in my Uni’, my part-time work was taking
botanical photos and making the specimen in the Makino Herbarium＝
牧野植物標本館 (a part of the Science Dept’ )
One day, the Herbarium received a parcel from the Science Dept’ of
the Leiden University, Netherlands.
It was the very botanical specimen which Siebold had taken to
the Netherlands. And 110 years later, they were returned to Japan.
As I happened to have best dexterity, I was asked to stick those old
fragile specimen onto the card paper, then labelling them.
It was an extremely delicate work. Not only the specimen were
completely dry old plants, but the paper base is not solid board.
Any bending force to the base paper would crumble the specimen.
Hence the binding tape need to have some margin of gap to allow
the specimen to move, while securely holding it.
The specimen itself were nothing special —– they are quite
common (to Japanese eyes) plants, such as cherry blossoms etc.
(though, Hydrangea wasn’t included) but the matter was its
association with historical figure Siebold who taught the Japanese
herbalists to sort the plants in real scientific way first time.
Non
While making those specimen I’ve put a plank — I wrote my name
under the label with thin pencil. It is not visible though, if anybody
see through the label against the light, the name may be seen.
( This is the first time I revealed such mischief to the others.) 😀
Few years ago, I heard from a retired Professor of Makino Herbarium,
the portable specimen dryers powered by mobile electric generator
which I designed and made for the Ogasawara expedition ( I made its
metal work in the Technology Dept’s work shop) were still there and
nearly 40 years later they are still working !
— its funny to think the staff of the herbarium might be wondering
to see the name on the dryer’s label “Who the hell, this guy ?”
(A facility in a big institute show no personal name as a manufacturer)
And in the Japanese practice, the photos taken by the staff doesn’t
show the photographer’s name. So, my name only remains on member
list of the expedition and behind the labels of Siebold collection.
—– it’s a hidden joke. 😀
PS: The Hydrangea in the Photo above is rather primitive type
( I couldn’t find the exact name of it though) unlike the common
types, this flower showed the real flower in the centre of sepal.
The common horticultural variety has atrophied flower (in fact,
it is not a flower but just the sepals)
I rather like to see the flowers in its natural form than in
an artificially created “gorgeous” style.
*****
Hydrangea Otakusa / Makino / Ogasawara Expedition
Pok’s ZEN
Ten days ago I received an invitation to a private view of an art exhibition from a man whom I don’t know at all.
I was quite puzzled, how come ? ? ? (since my Email address is not public)
Exhibition was a contemporary art in context of dairy practice in Zen Buddhist’s culture —- What ?
Before go down to the puzzle of Zen art, I guessed that somebody my friend who knows of my Zen blog
might have suggested him to send an Email to me.
Any how, it’s best to see a man and ask.
Non
So, I took a journey to the exhibition and met a young artist, Chong-Boon Pok.
Obviously he is a Chinese but turned out to be from Malaysia and living in here about 10 years.
And he is a kind of [native] Zen Buddhist, who doesn’t need to know what the Zen is or its
history etc, but as he was grown up in its environment he is naturally doing it.
(even unaware of why —– it’s in his subconscious)
—– As he was saying in his Press release;
“ My studio practice operates within subjects, time and space using the everyday and engages
aspects of mindfulness,self, memories, social, cultural and symbolic form. My cultural upbringing and
life experiences are often revisited, examined and evidenced in my work.
The work embraces ideas of as-it-is-ness, nothingness, the impermanent nature of things, and the
interconnectedness of objects and people, all of which are relevant to Zen Buddhist discourses of everyday.”
non
And what he is showing are — in his words;
“ Devoting attentiveness to and contemplating the everyday is central to my art practice.
The everyday that I refer to is the trivial, ordinary and inconsequential objects and activities that
people tend to take for granted such as the cutlery we use for eating, something we are so familiar
with that we are less likely to give a second thought when we encountered them. Besides
assembling everyday objects into sculptural forms and installations, part of my work involves
using food and cooking to perform and interact with people visiting my exhibition.”
non
Like a round piece in the photo above ( can be enlarged with click on the photo) it was made out of
drink-can’s pull-ring —– thousand of them. So as the other pieces, they are made out of really
ordinary objects —– but with the thousands of repeated works.
Some may think, it might have done by dreadful swet-shop like endless work or even it might have done by
the hired worker —– wrong. It was all done by the artist himself.
And some may think, it is a kind of play devoting to the God —– wrong again.
Except the first few line of the work where the artist needed to find the best adjustment, following work
all through up to the finishing line, it was done almost automatic = just the repeating movement of the fingers.
There was nothing else in his mind = so-called Mindfulness, though, in fact, there was nothing.
Hence Mind of No-Mind = the true reflection of the Nothingness of the existence.
—– in deed, those repeating work is the Buddhist’s practice = by which the one can reach to
the state of Mushin (Mind of No-Mind ).
non
But we shouldn’t forget, that the Practice is just the practice to get the state of the mind, Mushin.
Mushin itself is not a goal. It is just a state of the mind. What is the goal ? —– Life, that’s all.
But the Life without unnecessary worries or useless delusions hence without pitfall.
What else anyone needs to have ?
More than handful of gold ? Or surrounded by 100 of virgins ? —— ? ? ? What to do with those virgins ?
Do you want to be a rapist or dirty old man ? —– in fact, all those dirty idea negates the goodness or virtue of
the Mushine, since it against the Rules of the Dharma.
One’s life is to make other life happier. This is what all about the meaning of the Life.
( Running big company employing thousands of staffs and selling the products all over the world
—– in effects, supporting those who working for him, and appreciated by the people who bought the products,
in the same time, making money and able to supports his own family —– this is the Life.
(well, billions of variations there)
non
So, unmistakably, the artist, Pok succeeded in this task —– by his work in Mushin, made
the people smile and made their eyes open “ A, Ha ~ ~ ~” and making people feel Happy.
He should be rewarded by the Dharma.
Non
His exhibition [ Contemplating the Everyday ] continues until 8th July, 11am~5pm
@ Central House Building / Metropolitan University —– Near Oldgate East Station , London
(it is opposite of the Whitechapel Gallery / Habib Bank on the corner / entrance is over the Bank office)
—– < www.thegroundweshare.co.uk.blogspot.com >
It’s worthwhile to pay a visit 🙂
—–
Bodhi-Tree / Bodai-ju
You believe or not, this is the tree what Japanese believes as the Boddhi-Tree.
My parents believed and explained to me, “This is the tree which Buddha said to have enlightened while sitting under this tree. Therefore it got the name BODAI-Ju. Since, a flower blooms as if it is standing in a palm.”
Yes, it looks uniquely strange flower. So, I believed its story. Anyhow, I was a small boy —– no argument 🙂
non
Not only a boy, everybody in Japan believed that this is the Boddhi Tree, hence a German song composed by Franz Schubert about this particular tree and its title [Der Lindenbaum] was translated into Japanese as [ BODAI-Ju ] — of cause, in this case, the tree was a tree known as a Lime tree in the west.
—– (Strangely, this [Bodai-ju] has another name which has Ainu tribe origin [Shina-no-ki] and from its shape of the false leaf under a flower, the another name was [Hera-no-ki] —– so, the name [Bodai-ju] was only after the time when Japanese got Buddhism)
Non
When the Buddhism was brought to Japan, the India [Tenjiku] was in the another planet, even to the Chinese monks who travelled over there and studied Buddhism, it was a distance needed to take years of journey.
Hence, to read the scriptures was just a guess work, let alone to distinguish what was the historical truth or even chronological order among the jumbled scriptures.
Therefore, to have mistaken Lime tree as to the Boddhi tree was not a big crime 🙂
(I haven’t found what Chinese people were understanding about Boddhi Tree, yet. So, any Chinese reader who knows about it, please leave a comment herein after)
In comparison, we now can have amazing amount of informations and even a photo of a real Boddhi Tree ( Ficus religiosa ) while sitting in a room thousands of miles away from India —– still, we are not sure,
whether we are any wiser than a monk thousand years ago. —– yet still, the reason why we can get the same understanding of the teachings is, Buddhism is not based on the knowledges but on its practice. Like riding a bicycle —– no one can explain how to ride it, but by the practice you can get to know how by yourself.
( So, there is no problem whether it was [Boddhi tree] or [Bodai-ju] to get enlightenment 😀 )
___/\___
non
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