SOCIETY

In the media reports of Japanese Disasters, a peculiarity of Japanese society was shocked the world.

“Why Japanese can keep calm and not express their grief ? “

I explained a back-ground —– their deep embedded Ethos / Fatalism originated from the

Buddhism —– in the previous post.

—–

But there is the another aspect which is even deeper and common to all the human-being.

We human-being is a social animal , we live, and have to live as a member of a society.

We are definitely a descendant of the packed animal like monkey, chimpanzee, not a lone panther.

Hence it is written in our gene, and so-called instincts are programmed accordingly such as the

gripping hand of a baby is to cringe to a mother.

To be a social animal, there is the order of the society and its rules. Any member who couldn’t

comply the rules, will be excluded from its society —– and slow death is the fate.

Where those rules were posted ? Ethos and those social code are not written but kept by the

member, the member themselves are the role-model / manifestation of the rules.

As society is operated by their member who possess the same Ethos and the Rules, and it is

almost the same even generation after generation, all the social activity, social systems are coherent

with the same Ethos. Everything shows the same manifestation and follow the same rules.

This exact coherency can be observed by even a small baby and learned by them and written

down into their subconscious memory. In fact this is the so-called Collective Unconscious.

But this is the case when the society is having universal, coherent system and the Ethos.

Among the member, some might become rebel though, the person is only temporally rebelling

or just behaving the reverse of existing rule —– nothing new just a reverse.

But when the population who is possessing fundamentally different Ethos, moved into other society,

it start to show completely different situation.

In metaphor, when non-thieving society received considerable size of thieving group, the Ethos of

both societies break down. ( Even thieving society and their way of life having their own strict rules,

taboo, who to steal or who is the senior thieves and the violent punishment who break its rules )

A kids of Non-thieving society learn the thieving, and a kids of Thieving society learn to

escape a punishment claiming his Human right 😀

Everything break down and only Ego exposed.

A baby start to see two conflicting systems and the rules, hence unable to figure out what is the Ethos of

the Society —– there couldn’t be a Collective Unconscious but just an attitude of

convenient cherry picking of excuse and the knowledge of “How to avoid “ —– it’s mean avoid

to be a member of the society. In fact there is no longer a society and its integrity exists.

—–

Fortunately ( or unfortunately ? ) Japanese society still maintain themselves as a society,

as foreign element is still negligible, even an outcast group Yakuza responded to the disaster, with

hundreds of truck load of relief supply delivered to the evacuated people.

Even though Yakuza were branded as the criminal organization, they are undoubtedly nobody else of

Japanese, and a part of the same society, hence share the same compassion and the sense of duty.

—– simply because, they grown up in the same society ( Even Yakuza was once an innocent

small boy,as you know 😀 ) hence build up the same Ethos as a Japanese.

—-

In reality, to make a baby to a Japanese, other than the teachings in a school and the family and the

circulating popular culture, such as everybody should have the same gadget and ware same kind (well

some pre-classified types) of fashion, there is a hidden secret of social pressure to a person

to conform the social code.

It is more akin to the chorus of the hen in the Animal Farm. When this chorus starts, even a person

who has been saying different opinion suddenly changes the colour and join a chorus, the louder the better.

This is a moment to a person to assess what is the majority and join them.

When the majority is behaving in a certain way, just do the same. To remain within the same group

and the society is the imperative in Japan. Whether it is true or not, right or wrong, just go with them.

So that, when nobody is crying –its mean, no-one should cry. The unwritten code says “Mittomonai

( It looks disorderly, and embarrassing ) “ Anybody brake-off from here, there is a danger to be ostracised.

As a result, everybody looks calm on the TV.

—

Funny side-effect of this conformative society is, as the expectation and the imaginary eligibility

of a man is fixed, such as socially acceptable income and the status etc, under the stagnated

Japanese economy, most of the ordinary man is no longer regarded to fit to marry —– hence

so many people are forced to stay single. ( A research found that among the eligible age-group,

only 6 % of men were regarded to fit the expectation of the woman, its mean, if a woman marry

other than rare 6 % , she will face a humiliation, a chorus of “Mittomonai”.)

—

When no dominant voice led the chorus, hens couldn’t know what to do.

Strangely, they still knows when somebody start to show up with unconformative opinion, they

overwhelm the opinion with their noisy chorus and suppress it. Therefore no fresh innovative idea

(other than imaginative Manga story) nor strong decisive idea coming out of Japan.

This is the situation in Japanese politics too.

Therefore, when they faced a crisis of Nuclear accident, they only try to avoid the Japanese public

fallen into a “Mittomonai” panic, by pretending nothing serious happened, thus do-nothing —-take

an emergency measure itself looks “Mittomonai”—– until it’s actually exploded.

Then everything got too late to take any measure. —– though, a criticism like this will be seen by a Japanese

as an act to expose “Mittomonai”Japan, hence has to be suppressed —-> So that , there wouldn’t be any

“Mittomonai”situation, therefore, able to keep calm face. Face is more important than the safety.

Beautiful isn’t it ?

—-

DISASTER in Japan

 

–

–

–

–

——————————————————– Here Everything was lost

—————————————————–anything remains is the HOPE

————————————————–and the WILL to Re-build the LIFE.

–

–

–

–

Seeing the Earth Quake and the Tsunami report from Japan is nothing but a heart-braking to me.

To see a photo of a flatten muddy field which caption says, There used be a town, its empty span of

nothingness shocked and made me wordless. Emptiness of almost perfectly flushed-out field.

—

It seemed, the western reporter, photographer prefer to pick up dramatically or even funnily

piled-up devastation. An orgy of destruction. ——— but to Japanese, as I am, it is not funny at all

nor the object to be amazed.

—

Another cultural differences appeared in the western media is, all the report found it is even strange,

the reporters unanimously says ” how Japanese can keep emotion in check and stays calm ?”

The emotion is the default feeling of the human-being, hence it is more or less the same to any

culture. Though, emotional expression is not instinctive, in other words, it is cultural.

Whether it is emotional or not, expression is a way of the communication, therefore even

an emotional expression is dependent on the situation.

—– there was an interesting psychological study and the video images of the small children.

When a small child stumbled and fallen, having a pain the child started to cry. —– You will think it is

a natural emotional reaction.

Though when the same child stumbled and fallen on the empty street where nobody else is in sight

( except a hidden video camera ), child didn’t cry, and stand up by herself.

This is the true nature of the human-being. —– communication is to appeal to others.

Having emotion is one thing. To express is other.

If there is no other person to help, no need to express. —– even small child knows this

and behave accordingly.

AAAAA

In the western culture, where the Ethos and the psyche was shaped in the cast of Judia-Christian religion.

In there, the God is a humanized image or notion. And the relation of the believer to

the God is one-by-one base. You have to stand before the God in person. Hence you have to talk or express

to him — otherwise you can’t to be heard.

Therefore, unless you express and assert your Self, you are not exist. And under this understanding

even a word expressed by a person may not necessary enough. Hence, a written contract became essential.

So that, express and express and make a claim is the basis of the psyche.

And as the relation to the God is one-by-one, when something happened, shout “ Why me “

AAAAA

In comparison, the Eastern God or the place of the mighty power is the Heaven,

or Buddhist’s  explanation is the Dharma. The rules of the Universe.

Regardless, whether you face it or not, believe or express yourself or not, you are under the Dharma.

As all the occurrences and the existences are in this Dharma or under this Dharma, hence even a huge

natural disaster may produced by this same Dharma, hence you can’t argue with it.

Nor there is no use to complain or express your emotion. —–  Shout and cry is no use. The matter is

just think what you can react to the situation. What you have to do the next.

And in the case of huge natural disaster, as the same fate has come to everybody, and as everybody

was created by the same Dharma, everybody has the same feeling and facing the same situation,

one crying wouldn’t make situation any better.

Thanks to Japan has very little foreign element in their psyche, everybody is sharing the same psyche

—– even to the people who was not affected by the disaster, they share the same pain,

hence the help started almost instantly. And no looting at all.

—

In the Buddhist’s explanation, this is the moment when the Dharma prevailed.

As everybody having the Dharma in them, when they sees the situation far beyond the human

comprehension, lost the word, hence lost any thinking, therefore the mind became

blank = blank open space = Mushin —> The Dharma, hence its nature of Charity and compassion prevailed.

And the Dharma is inside,  whether the police is there or not, no looting occure.  Since Dharma knows it.

—-

I only hope the people who had this disaster to recover and able to re-build their life.

( And in this given opportunity, Japanese can root out their rotten government and rotten policy in their

nuclear generating system )

___/\___

—

Self Denial — Self Sacrifice — Duty of Charity — MUSHIN ???

Self Denial – Self Sacrifice – Duty of Charity – MUSHIN ???

This is one of the most misconceived area in the Buddhist’s practice, hence I’ve been asked a

question again and again about the distinction.

Such as like a practice of one of the Buddhist’s sect in Japan, Ittou-en which I had mentioned some post ago,

which member is going around the town, asking household to let them clean their toilet.

This is the practice to learn Self Denial and the Self Sacrifice, and make people’s toilet clean may

seemed it is an act for other’s benefit hence it must be a charity. ( Though it seems quite patronizing )

I can see their point though, in the same time I would rather feel the intention with a pinch of salt.

If a practice to clean somebody else’s faeces could make a person humble and enlightened, the

people in India where particular job has been assigned to one particular cast ( or former cast ) should

have created thousands of enlightened holy man there. ( Never heard of it 😀 )

I’m sure, to clean somebody else’s faeces could destroy the person’s dignity still, not necessary it

destroys the person’s Ego. ( Ego is not dependent on the profession. Arrogance may be )

The more the required practice was dreadful, the more strong will and the determination is needed.

Unfortunately, this strong will, a belief of “ This practice should make ME higher noble person “

and “ I WANT to achieve it, I WANT TO ACHIEVE IT “ is nothing but an obsessive thinking.

Far from it, what Buddha taught was to DO the things without thinking, i.e; in Mushin.

The so-called practice is its formalized form of each sect.—– As everybody has unique grown-up and own

life history, even in the way of learning the same Buddhism, everybody takes different pathway and

as I described, there are three distinctive aspects how people related to the Buddhism, hence to learn

the Mushin, each person would take different approach and the steps.

Hence different expression, explanation were come up, such as Self Denial.

As a matter of fact, Buddha didn’t teach such things at all. What he taught was “ Self is not exist

from the beginning “ ( Since he took a stance against the Vedic idea of Atoman —– he saw it is the cause

of the trouble, as  it is the delusion.   That is why, he taught the MUSHIN / Mind of No-mind) —– though,

this is one of the hardest part in the Buddhism to understand. ( If anybody has able to achieve

the MUSHIN, it is almost the completion of the enlightenment. )

—–

History of the Buddhism clearly showed this fact, that even Buddha’s immediate disciples are not

necessary understood this. Hence the first few hundreds years, Buddhism have had the time

of Hinayana to Suppress the Self = Denial of the Self = Superficial mimicry of the MUSHIN.

To be in MUSHIN, of cause there is no SELF hence no EGO or Arrogance, Greed.

But try to achieve it from other way round, suppress the SELF first, not necessary works, because of 

a thinking of “Deny the self, deny the ego” is there.

———- As you are reading this, only your visual cortex and the brain to configure the word and

their meanings are working = you are not aware the existence of your eyes and

the conscious “I am READING this”. ——- You are reading this in your MUSHIN ! ! !

Buddha also against the practice to torture the mind and the body, therefore the Self Sacrifice is

not in his teachings. It was not the Self Sacrifice but as the ( Enlightened ) person doesn’t have

the Self, the person just react to the situation in the best way or necessary way —– it only happen to

be seen “ the person has sacrificed himself “—– but the person himself was Just Doing It, that’s all.

Same applies to a Charitable act —– “If the one is doing it with a conscious of I’m doing the

Charity, it is not the Charity “ —– so as the Enlightenment. Which occur only in Mushin.

This is the reason why, in the Mahayana Sutras, there are typical expression like “ Exists as not exist “

“Do as not do” hence, do the charity (or help others) without having the conscious of helpingothers.

Without conscious mean, without thinking, without having the

conscious of the Self = DO IT SUBCONSCIOUSLY / SPONTANEOUSLY.

—–

To re-discover the Buddha’s original teachings, Buddhists spent another five hundreds years until

the Mahayana was introduced. And with its new ( or original ) understandings, sacrifice the life

to get Enlightenment as an Arakan ( Arahat ) was rejected, since the matter is not a posture but to

be in MUSHIN, and to be in MUSHIN, anyone and any life-form can get enlightenment as the

Dharma itself is, in its nature. —– But the reason why Buddha remained as a Bhikku ( begger) was

very simple. He was not trained to be a farmer nor any profession, there was no way else to get food.

To have a simple humble life go round the town begging the food was enough for him (and to his followers

together ). It was his simple easiest life style. To live as a Bhikku he didn’t need to think neither. He just lived.

Therefore, to be a Bhikku is not a precondition to get enlightenment, it was just happened to be.

Buddha never accused to be wealthy and had no hesitation to receive their giving of good food and

he ate any food. A funny description in the Vimalakirti Sutra “ You have to mind to receive it from

the poor people as well, in order to give the same opportunity for them to offer the food ( Hence

let them to practice good deed —– for them to attain their Nirvana ) show the situation well. 😀

Buddha’s teaching to those wealthy people to stay modest ( Middle Way ) and the way of giving

in Mushin would lead them to have Nirvana without any danger to reborn to be animal ( Since no such things

of perpetual soul exist ) must be well received by them.

As it was the historical fact, the Buddhism spread and did grow having with the wide support of

the ordinary people. It is impossible to imagine that Buddha asked those people to endure a kind

of practice to sacrifice their life, let alone to clean the faeces in order for them to reach Nirvana,

as Buddha himself rejected the practice to torture the mind and the body.

Simply because Buddha knew, anything can be done in Mushin, and the Mushin has no Ego.

Anything can be done mean, the practice can be anything, hence it doesn’t need to be torturing practice nor

heavy self-denying act. Mushin can be achieved Not What the Practice IS or how to understand it,

but by the Mind-Set = Mind of Just Do It.

—

It is the easy practice, as easy as some late Masters described it as Dog Shit. And as difficult as

non of Buddha’s disciple could understand .

It seemed that Buddha did know the situation, hence he needed to order his disciples “Think yourself,

not just believe what you were taught” in his death-bed.

Its meaning of thinking is, not what the answer they would get, but the process and the effects of

thinking (and effort to figure out in practice) —– “Mushin has no Self, no Ego” was what they had

been taught. And they must have shown well copied practice what they learned from

Buddha.  But it was just a copy of the movement, not necessary in Mushin.  Buddha must be aware of this.

That was why he needed to give an order to his disciples. —–  It was an inherent short-coming of

having the master near you. You can get the explanation easily from him, then you satisfied as you

could understand it (intellectually). The trouble of Mushin is —– you can’t get it with an

understandings or any thinkings. You have to DO it to discover.

—– therefore, many hundreds of years Buddhists monks just argued the definition of Dharma or try to prove

whether the Self is exists or not.

But the situation like this provoked the mind of free-thinker. “What a hell, what are they talking

about ?” which made them aware, that the matter is not whether the Self is exists or not, but it lies

in the phenomenon, that we can do the things without the conscious of the Self, and it can be

done by anybody. ( hence Mahayana )  ! ! ! ” This must be the core, what Buddha had taught.”

This kind of observations never came from the monks who is just sitting and thinking, but from the monks who

are under-taking the chores  in the monastery or low-ranking monks walking and begging the food by himself.

That was the reason why, such observation became a noted idea and written-down to the Sutra took long time.

Yet still, they couldn’t go further than the description

of “Do the Charity without having the conscious of Charity” or “Do as not Do”.

Mahayana Buddhists only thought about the DOING side, not knowing how DO changes the mind.

And how this DO came out of one’s brain was completely out of their sight.

—–

To decipher what was the mechanism in the brain / to see the roles of the subconsciousness, took

another 2000 years. ( Until here )

I am well aware and confident, for you to read this post, this 10 minutes opened your eyes to

reach your enlightenment. ( You only need to open your eyes and the mind  🙂   )

___/\___

—–

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   😀  )

___/\___

—

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.

___/\___

—

Let it Go !

In somebody’s blog (apparently a follower of the Zen Buddhism)  I’ve stumbled an interesting  word

” Who stole my  Zafu ( small cushion for sitting)”

—– its mean, without Zafu he couldn’t meditate, hence he couldn’t get enlightenment = somebody is

obstructing him to get enlightened.  And saying, not let it go = not giving away the secret / keep it for

oneself is a greed and envy of others getting the truth.  It is the monopoly of the truth.

I couldn’t stop burst into laughing.  😀  😀   ( But he is a very honest man !)

The person is quoting some words of past Masters, so has read some books and saying ” not let it go—”

indicates he is not a beginner though —– ? ? ? —– I wonder isn’t he aware what he is saying, itself

contradict the logic ? —– If  “let it go”  is the matter,  why he is keep asking ?

Yes, Don’t bother any more “Just let it go” —– do it without Zafu.

—–

Looks funny though, the most crucial question is “let it go — of  What ?   ” Is there anything to let  go ?

A novice and even a (at least the years past) seasoned Buddhist having this misconception —– but the

meaning of let it go is,  Let go such notion itself.

In fact, in order to keep their “authority”, the establishment (and the so-called teachers) are pretending

to hold the Ark though, there is nothing in it, other than the Myth —– in its best, otherwise a deception.

That is why, the past Great Masters who found it, all  described it as a Dog Shit.

Simply because the Truth, only the Truth is the Dharma.  And the Dharma is here already.

But to see the Dharma  (in fact to see anything)  need to see it with clear eyes, without having any

preconception,  deluded idea, Ego,  even the Self itself —— hence need to be in Mushin.

Strangely you might feel, it include the notion of the Buddhism too.

If you having a belief that you are a Buddhist, you are not enlightened Buddhist but the one

only pretending or showing off.

(Don’t ask me, “If it is the case, why my blog is here”.  Please read the earliest post.—– It was my Karma)

—-

So, you may ask,  If it is the case,  What is the point to be a Buddhist ?

Well, the answer is only you can find it out.  It is not a  Sale Item nor fancy gadget.  There is no catalog.

It might come, might not come though, the one thing definitely certain is, as long as you expecting it,

it never come.  Because you hadn’t let such idea go.

———- In my case, it seems the Dharma is keep watching me and keep giving me the sign,

in a form of the number (where ever I go, or do what so-ever — rather annoying) (Ref; 8150 Story)

So far, having quite peaceful life without getting ill —– might be thanks to the Dharma —– or

might be just a sheer coincidence. Who knows.  But what do I need to ask more ?   Neither I care.

( I suppose, I did let any expectation go long time ago —– may be.  I don’t remember  😀 )

The beauty in the Buddhism is its carefree life.  I even don’t need to remember that I’m a Buddhist  🙂

( The secret behind is, the life style itself has been simplified and it is carried out without need to think about,

other than something new and creatively challenging.  So, Just do it. —– I’m perfectly contented ! )

So, be relaxed, don’t bother Zafu.  You can sit in anywhere —– isn’t this, an enlightened freedom ?

___/\___

—-

Mistake in Philosophy — Answer in ZEN

You might heard a story to extract latent memory from a witness or surviving  victim, by way of hypnotism,

such as a profile of assailant or even from pass-by, the car number parked on the street then.

The car number may be utterly trivial and useless to a pass-by, still we may remember surprising detail.

They are the Subconscious Memory or our Hidden Data bank.

When we consciously watch the scene, we only pick up the information which we got interest.

And this selection is not consistent.  It will be biased by the preceding event, experience or a suggestion.

If you are interested in fashion, you may pay great deal of attention to the shop windows and

somebody’s style, but remember nothing else, as the mind was just stuck there.

But when our mind is free and open we can see the scene as it is, and able to memorize everything.

Of cause those data are not just visual, but also the information from other sensors, and the internal feeling,

subconscious thoughts as well, which has been accumulated since you are born.

From those immense amount of data, only minute part of them, which  matches to the precast category or

notion, it become conscious memory and it can be transferred to higher legion of the brain (New Cortex)

to be used for the conscious thinking process.

—– Hence, the data available to such as the linguistic, logical thinking process, are only a miniscule part of

the whole data bank, the answer or conclusion we make is always inadequate and ” Not the exact Truth ”

which we knew it. —–  So. we always say ” Don’t think in your head. Find the answer in your heart”.

—

It is obvious, our Hidden Memory, Subconscious Data bank retain the whole information of our environment,

and ourself.  In other words, the faithful picture of the world and the information of ourself / True Self.

And they are not just a static images but their dynamism, tendency and the Rules,how the things

work, and how this True Self has been behaving and prefer what etc.

Its mean, The Dharma / The whole existence and its Rules within, are all mirrored  here.

This is the very meaning of ” Everybody possess the Dharma inside”.

And literally the Self is a part of it, the Dharma, and as everything in there are without any

partition, no separate awareness watching the Self or Subject, there is no feeling of alienation.

———- Many years ago, somebody asked me whether a mad-man can have The Dharma in him as well.

I said, yes.  Because, even a mad-man got the same body and its function, feel the same pain,feel the

same hunger, see the same, hear the same, and may have more or less the same emotion — the process

of those information may be different, so that from the same image of black cat,  he may interpret it as

a Devil —– still, his Data bank having much more accurate picture of the world than his twisted thinking.

In the same context, even an idiot who lack the higher process in the brain, still having more or less

the same Data in his subconscious, it is nothing but the Dharma.

—

When we think, quite often we use a notion which we have imported ( in other words not emanated from our

own Data bank, but intellectually learned ), since it didn’t have the original source and the process to

deduce, it couldn’t have an accord to the person.  As a matter of fact, even a notion the person knew well

still,as its using the notion of the words, it is no more than a proxy.  The complexed idea having the situation

even worse.  Even an idea constructed from the own Data bank (which came from own experiences and the

observation) when it was  imposed to the phenomenon, it doubles the uncertainty. —— Observer and

be Observed.—– The word (a notion) HAPPINESS is just a name of category, so that, its realities has

millions of variations, and an observer is just one of 40 billions.

The certainty is only the statistical probability. There can not be any absoluteness exist.  Despite this,

Philosopher often impose his own idea to interpret a phenomenon.  Hoping, his words can covey

what he conceived. (and expecting others can guess the same )

Against this fundamental jeopardy, Zen abandons the conversion to the notion and the words.

( Hence, relying on the Direct Transmission)

And abandons the stance to be an observer, or more precisely, abandon to be an observer as an Ego.—

When facing a phenomenon or others,

Zenist just open his mind in Mushin. (without Ego without Thinking—– hence no conversion)

And leave the matter to the perception in his Subconscious = Dharma’s judgement or reaction.

(As the Observer and be Observed are both naked, both of the Dharma fuse together.

And the equilibrium will be spontaneously prevailed in the accordance of the Dharma)

This is the Ichijo (Oneness) in Zen —— the answer to the jeopardy of the Dualism.

___/\___

—-

Wao ! — Jaw Dropping ?

When we encounter something  utterly new or strange, there are two distinctive reaction.

Wao, and  Jaw Dropping.—- You may think they are the same.  No they are not.

Wao is a part of the thinking process,  intellectual activity.  When it was somewhat new but still within

the anticipation,  such as a technological advancement,  we express Wao ! with some admiration.

In contrast,  when we encounter utterly unexpected and beyond the comprehension —– since, we

can’t find any related notion or idea,  we lose a word.

So,  only a reaction was to drop the jaw. —– ! ? ? ? —– as the jaw dropped, only a sound

came out of the mouth is, — Haaaaa.  🙂

This is the moment our mind / thinking  become completely blanc.

—-

Why I started to talk about this is, I met a person stubbornly

refuse to accept the mental state of Mushin ever existed.

His stance was,  as we have a self-conscious and the awareness of our state, which is independent

to our thinking therefore it is persistently there,  so that it exists even a moment when the one is

in the mental state of so-called Mushin.

So,  I asked him,  when he was damn struck,  completely taken aback in a Jaw dropping situation,  how long

it took him to came back his own sense ?  And at the very moment he was Dropping the Jaw, had he got

awareness  ” I’m dropping my jaw ” ?  —– m m m —– —– after long silence,  he seemed to have

convinced that  ” the complete blanc moment of self-conscious is exists “.—- You see ?  The Mushin is

not a fancy invention of the Zen Buddhists,  it is the one of a definite state of the human mind.

And it is inherently exists in the mind or brain function.  As the higher brain function is a later addition

in the evolution process,  there is a state without self-conscious —– it is the default state of the mind.

Most important key is even one’s MIND is in its blank state, all the physiological body function,

and the activities which is under the control of subconscious are fully functioning ——– in

other words, anything sublimated into the subconsciousness can act in its maximum potential

since it having no interference of the thoughts / hindrance. ——- This is the ZEN.

—-

Buddhism is a teaching which utilizing this state of the mind,  and the practice to gain the

control of the mind to get this mental state by will.

( Without waiting a Jaw Dropping moment to come  🙂  )

—-

Flow

An ologist described the 20 century is the first time ever the Buddhism was discovered as its entirety.

In certain extent I can see the point and agree with this.

All the ancient mantras were written as ” Buddha said “ —— and each sect read the certain selection of

mantras as their holy books without questioning or knowing what is the origin or relation to others.

But now, the scholars and researchers who are studying Buddhism, can see all the Buddhism scriptures

in Pali, Tibetan, Sanskrit, Chinese and modern English, German etc  while reading them

in comparison or chronological order.

I’ve read may be only fraction of total volume still, when I read another translation, I realized the more

likely meaning or understanding —— and I went back to the original idea —— if it is common

to all the sect’s, it must be closer to the original teachings, and if it was far-fetched idea it couldn’t be

the Buddha’s own teachings since Buddha didn’t teach educated people but to the ordinary folks on the

street or in the field, it should be based on the common sense.

—— Buddha wanted to save the suffering people not the well off educated.

Regardless whether rich or poor, still human mind and its mechanism is common to everybody and that is

where Buddha started, and gave the deepest insight. 

And those insight is what we can re–discover today as Buddha taught ” Observe it by yourself “.

And it made us even amateurs able to study by ourself in our own way, based on our own life.

( ” Follow the facts you experienced, not the scriptures ”  is also Buddha’s teaching, since

everybody got their own Karma which is unique to the person, hence one’s Nirvana too )

Hence the explosion of the Buddhism / Zen blogging.     And the creation of  Zen blog sphere.

——-

——— I found in the Blog sphere, somebody try to explain the mind in creative front, using the word Flow.

When our mind freely flow without stuck to an idea or things we can be most creative.

Thanks to comprehensive coverage of the observation of human mind and the phenomena, by  Buddhists

it is not difficult to relate this to the Flow of mind and the changing phenomena / nothing stays the same ——

hence a mind, stuck to a moment couldn’t see the truth, it needs the mind of  Mushin / No-mind / Anatman.

——— And in the other spot, somebody explaining the understanding or true meaning of this  No-mind.

As I wrote somewhere in the earliest post, the Buddhism is a way of the Psycho–engineering.

Not just a belief system or religion who is saying ” it might come as the God is there, if you believe” or

a Philosophy which saying ” look in this way —– so,you might able to see it in this way”

BUT  ” As you can actually change your perception / mind to see this, then you will see this”

Buddhism can change you / your life, since it will change your perception / eyes and the mind.

( This is the reason why the same technique has been used for a brain wash ——- but it wouldn’t be too bad

to wash your brain clean and see the world afresh  😀 ——- it looks nicer and more peaceful. 😀

Brain wash implant yet another crocked idea though,  Buddhism leave the cleaned brain to the person

enabling the person to see the world and himself by his clear eyes and make him to decide the way of life)

No-mind / Mushin is the core of the Buddhism teachings, hence it is the hardest part to understand

——– when you understand its meaning in real life, your perception has already changed.

( Your brain has washed ! ! ! )

It may sound strange though, this is the magic of the Buddha’s teaching.

And you may feel even more strange is, it is not to put or learn anything new or fancy idea

but just remove the occupying idea or view from your mind / brain ( hence no–mind or default

state of mind) and create a free blank space which enable you to see or perceive your own idea,

creation,way of life, what-so-ever  in natural  FLOW.

So that, strangely,  it is the most easiest things to do —– as a small child is doing.  🙂

Try it your self —– safe to try it in your home  😀

___/\___

—–