Three times BUDDHA
There is an interesting story in the Agama Sutra
(of Buddhism ! = there are many.) —– one day,
Lord Buddha met a horse trainer (other versin said Village Chief).
Then asked to the horse-trainer “How to teach a horse ?”
Horse-trainer replied that there are three ways to teach horse.
Gentle way, Hard way and Gentle / Hard mixed.
Lord Buddha asked him further “If all three ways failed,
what do you do with that horse ?”
The trainer answered “Kill the horse” and he asked back
“How you teach your follower ?”.
Lord Buddha answered him, “There are three ways to teach,
Gentle way, Hard way and Gentle / Hard mixed, but if all
those teachings failed, kill him”.
Hose-trainer was horrified and shouted “You been telling us Don’t kill,
how dear you kill the follower ?”
Lord Buddha smiled back “Well, I just stop talk to him.
Completely stop talk, is the same to deny his existence,
same as to kill him, isn’t it ?”
[]
This episode sound like just a casual funny story though,
this was the episode which gave the most important clue to the
so-called “Unanswered Questions” You must be realized that
Lord Buddha’s No-answer was not just a rack of word but it
was the massage as strong as to kill the person !
[]
There is an often used phrase in Japanese “Even Buddha tolerates till
three times” (Hotoke no kao mo sando made. 仏の顏も三度まで)
—– I didn’t know, this phrase was in deed, originated from the Scripture.
—– And this story showed rather realistic attitude of
Lord Buddha, contrary to the popular belief, he was not a
bottomlessly gentle and kind teacher. As once a hard-core
austere, he was not an optimistic person, as he defined what
the life is, such as in the Four Noble Truth.
From here, in a process to idealize and idolize him, even worse,
to fabricate many so-called Buddha in Mahayana Buddhism,
( in fact, it was the mix-up with Tantrism and Hinduism )
crux of the original teachings was lost.
[]
What Lord Buddha himself taught was, to have the Detached Eyes.
Detached Eyes mean, detached from the Mind / Emotion, hence there
was neither attachment to the subject or person. In other words,
there was no attachment even to his followers. Hence, as long as
Lord Buddha committed to give guidance to the person, he was in deed
committed it to 100% (and try to teach in three different ways) though
if it was failed, he literally ex-communicated the person.
Once excommunicated, the person became invisible.
Even visually saw the person, it wouldn’t connected to any
emotional memories, hence there were no anger or feeling of
disappointment etc. —– Because of there are nothing to cling
past Mind / Emotion, only the matter is what on front of eyes,
on its very Moment. (This IS the very Zen mind-set)
(After you practised long enough, and gained this condition / Mind-set
then you know what Detached Eyes and Detached Mind can help you.)
(And how to practice to gain Detachment, please read the post under a
category of [Lemon Zen] in the right column.
[]
You may feel, it’s sound very cruel and not-Buddhist like,
it’s because So-called monk or teacher is not really understood, or only
making diplomatic smile and pretending to be friendly, in order to
sell to the mass.
Because of this confusion, one of the greatest novelist, Soseki Natsume
described it in his book, [Mon (門) / Gate], when a priest of Zen temple
has told to him, “Mind of Zen is Hijo (非情) / No Emotion” he felt even
alienated. —– (To describe Mushin (無心) / Mind of No-Mind, this
priest used more realistic word Hijo in stead, because he knew the
Zen Buddhism deeper, and didn’t mind to sell it to the mass.)
[]
Load Buddha didn’t give his teachings to give false optimism,
or fancy dream but the Truth.
In this aspect, he was quite harsh. Telling the followers to get rid of
their possessions even their family (little consideration to an agony of
the family left behind, not mention to his own Royal lineage).
(This was the reason why
Lord Buddha bared the women to join his follower’s sanga.
Since, to a woman, to abandon the child is out of question in the
first place = woman may have conflict to follow his teachings.)
[]
—– Still, with detached eyes and the mind, there wouldn’t be
any matter left to worry about, because the psychological
source of worry = emotion itself had been already detached.
The mechanism to feel any suffering has no longer exists.
= Peace of mind ! 😀
—– though, I’m not an enlightened man, hence mixed with
failed person and teasing them or teased by them are fun.
This is what the Life is. Ha ha ha 😀
___/\___
[]
Huineng vs Shenxui — Poetry Contest
Provably the most well known Zen story was a contest to became
6th Patriarch of the Zen.
For the contest, the most respected top monk in the monastery,
Shenxui wrote a poem as the answer to the 5th Patriarch, Hongren
who request to show the Zen mind,
“Mind is like a mirror, I polish the mirror diligently for
no dust to settle on it”
When an illiterate low-rank monk Huineng who has been working
in the kitchen of the temple heard this, he asked friend monk to
write his poem contesting Shenxui’s,
“Since Mirror is not exists in the first place,
where dust could settle”
Hongren saw Huineng has much deeper understanding of Zen,
he chose Huineng for his successor.
[]
This story showed what all about the Zen and its pathway
in amazing clarity.
Shenxui was a well educated, well learned monk, hence he must
have read hundreds of scriptures and understood the attitude to be
a good Buddhist. (in this extent, his answer / poem was quite
appropriate and correct though, it was more like a posture of
Theravada monk, still on the way to the enlightenment, in other
words, he hadn’t broken the barrier, or gone to the other side yet. )
In contrast, Huineng had showed exactly what the notion
of Void in Zen Buddhism.
— How Huineng could get this, while working in the kitchen.
[]
As a son of peasant, Huineng had no education and illiterate hence,
he had no chance to read and study Buddhism other than just pick
up the words, what other monks were talking about.
Anyway, he had to work every day as a casual labourer in the temple,
still, those every day’s continuous repeating work gave him to gain
the essential mind-set to be a Zen Buddhist = Unconditionally
accepting (humble) to be a lowest working monk, hence there
couldn’t be any possibility left to have desire or even an Ego.
And as day by day, the same work continues, the mind
became empty = just the hand repeating the work.
Yet still, by keeping eyes clear, he could see the crux of human
existence = how the Life exists = what the World and the Dharma is.
And he was able to make the straight connection of his state of mind
and the observation, to each notion. In effect, he had mastered the
Zen in DIY. Zen doesn’t need to be literate but to have clear eyes to
see inside and outside, with the direction of few key-word.
(This straight connection is behind of
“Sudden Enlightenment” and the “Direct Transmission” )
[]
And this observation lead me to see an amazing parallel in
the history of Buddhism.
Founder of Zen, Master Bodhi Dharma had to establish the way
of Zen in DIY, as there was no text book exist then, even worse in
foreign country. And the situation was more or less the same, when
Lord Buddha started his own teachings = NO Buddhism
textbook at all, of cause, let alone whether even Vada was
available to the public in written form. 😀
Shen[]
But this is what the Buddhism is.
Since, it is the matter of one’s mind-set and the programming of
one’s subconscious = the one has to do it by oneself.
It is literally Do It Yourself / DIY = A book might give a hint, still
the one has to DO the work (practice with good insight) =
Book wouldn’t do the work on behalf. 😀
(Put Buddhist book in a memory of “Automatic Voice Generator”
and make voice out-put of script, wouldn’t make
the Machine enlightened — very fancy though. 😀 )
[]
—– Whether the stories (given in the Platform Sutra) has true
historical fact or not, to make the story in this way itself, was the
reflection of their understanding then = and expressing
supremacy over other sect of “Just reading scripture and sitting”
Illiterate Huineng was THE very typical sample in Zen.
___/\___
[]
PS : Still, there are many questions left. Zen understanding could
be gained without words, since it is not knowledge based intellectual
understanding but to customising the perception and behavioural
pattern in the subconscious level though, whether to compose
a stanza without having enough knowledge of lexical pattern is
possible or not ? And the script telling the story, “Platform Sutra”
was written long after with a lots of diviating history.
—– Yet the fact is, the mummified body of Huineng has been kept
in the monastery till today and still sitting there !
(you can see the photo by Googling it) —– If he was not such a
great Master in real life, no such things could ever have happened.
[]
Zen is DO — NOT sitting Idol
Life was not made by what the one (wishfully) think (most of the thinkings
are to find a justification, excuse) but by the deed, what the one did and
do on the moment.
It is the matter of how to deal with the situation. The situation shows what to DO.
We only need actually DO. When the situation forced us to respond, in most of the case
it is not our choice but the MUST = hence we have to DO unconditionally = and very
little chance to indulge with own EGO = in other words, be in SELFLESS.
We become almost a machine to carry-out the task. —– This is in fact,
what the Zen is. Zen is not a fancy mind-game.
It is the systematized clarification and the direction of what and how
we have to DO, and to live.
So that, to follow the way how to make a tea could be a Zen. How to fight with a sword
could be a Zen too. —– Found a Cherry blossom, and to try a “Why not” kind of
approach to shoot, and struggle to DO it, is also a Zen. Ha ha ha 😀
[]
— Who said, Zen is to sitting and meditate = meditate in Mushin ? Joking.
All the Indian religion takes Meditation as a traditional practice though, do nothing and
sitting is not a Zen. (Such as Yoga Meditation is said to be aiming to have a harmony
with the soul of the universe = to fuse one’s Atman to Brahman. Though
Lord Buddha himself denied very existence of such Atman.)
So, the idea of Zen Meditation must be invented by very lazy monk to excuse his work.
—– “Don’t be lazy, do something” “Yes, I’m busy sitting” ! 😀
[]
—– Do something in Mushin will increase the efficiency of the work,
therefore able to achieve more productive life.
In contrast, Do nothing and in Mushin mean Body is idol, the Brain is empty,
it’s just a rug-doll isn’t it ? Still the Mind is wishfully believing, such practice
could make the person “noble” and reaching to higher consciousness (Really?)
Isn’t it strange ? If it was Buddhism, the Mind supposed to be empty, yet still
having such wishful thinking is a self contradiction.
It is nothing but a delusion. 😀 😀 )
[]
Zen is to grasp the situation and clearly see what the task on front.
And carry-out its task without any quibble or hindrance
as if nothing else is on the table.
With a clear awareness, that no-one-else would do on my behalf, and no-one
but myself can do, kind of confidence and the determination.
And DO it as if it is the only and the last chance to DO in the whole life —–
to a task, even if it is yet another daily chore.
—– Sound very heavy isn’t it ? Though, there is a knack, to make it so easy,
just DO it in Mushin.
[]
= When you face its task straight, there is nothing else you can conceive,
because there is no thinking of alternative, or escape, hope of help from
others, even a notion of next-time, because of Mushin.
Since, the task was carried-out almost machine like accuracy and the efficiency, it will be
cleared without having even a time to have a complaint, therefore, what you feel is
only a sense of achievement and a satisfaction. =
Having a sense of fulfilment and relaxed peace.
This is the Zen. Having the life all through with this sense of fulfillment
and the satisfaction, on the very end, what can you complain ? =
There only be a peaceful Nirvana.
—– This is the Buddhism of what
Lord Buddha taught.
___/\___
[]
Buddhism = Science
—————————————————————- ( Buddha 2009 )
While giving a thought to the well known established notions in the Buddhism, after
Lord Buddha’s teachings, such as “See the things in Clear eyes” “Detachment”
even “Selfless mind” then “Don’t believe, but Think yourself” and the fact that
Lord Buddha did ignore the question which was beyond our scope (unknowable),
such as what about the after-life or what is the structure of the universe.
(Stark contrast to other so-called Guru who pretend to know by telling the made-up stories.
—– Who does ever know about the next life or heaven or hell, not mention perpetual soul.)
= I realized, isn’t this, What the Science is ? Or the attitude to be a Scientist.
When Enlightened man told the truth, he dare to tell groundless story.
[]
“Right thinking” meant to be nothing other than a Rational thinking.
See the things with Clear Eyes meant to be “See the FACT”, and “Think
YOURSELF” meant, it shouldn’t be any enigmatic special belief but the
Truth which can be comprehensible in anyone’s rational thinking.
As all the factual phenomenon follows the rationalism, anybody knows,
Nothing appeared from nothing. Nothing happens without cause.
—– Based on the facts, and with the way to observe and analyse it in
strictly objective and rational way, then deduce the truth, is THE Science.
In this process, there shouldn’t be ANY bias of personal thinking, judgement,
preference or special belief = it got to be absolutely Detached from the SELF.
[]
Truth is independent from any person, let alone anyone’s Fantasy. =
Whether you believe or not, it’s there. —– This is the Science and what
Lord Buddha taught. (Yet still he was aware of notoriously unreliable our
perception, he spent great deal of his teachings to deal with this matter and
found a technique to eliminates the cause by way of the practice which lead
a person’s mind to a state of Mushin.) =(This is the core of the Buddhism)
Therefore, if there is so-called Buddhist’s teaching which say anything other than a fact
and beyond the rational comprehension, it is not his original teaching. (Only a problem was,
in this world (in the Dharma) there still be the Unknowable exists. There is a sect called
Tantra has been trying to deal with it without any tangible answer —– If they could give
any reliable result, they could have been employed by the Pentagon or Russian KGB though,
on the history, deeply spiritual noble “Third eye” which said to be in contact with the Dharma,
still not able to predict such as Earthquake even a single occasion. = If science can’t handle nor
Buddhism can.) So that, any fancy stories were later invention only to glorify Buddhism.
Buddhism is to Enlighten a person, beyond the personal Life and one’s Mind is out of scope.
What Lord Buddha taught was, how to get clear eyes to see the truth in the life
by get rid of the dubious belief and the delusion, by emptying the mind
(get Mushin), not to trap into yet another dogma. Dogma is not a Science.
Truth is like a dry skeleton, it has no decoration. —– and needn’t to be. 😀
(This is why my Buddha 2009 is bare minimal skeleton and the head is a clear
void which reflects the Wheel of the Life. And the heat keep moves its pattern
continuously = never stay the same = This shows what the Dharma is.)
___/\___
[]
Is Science, Belief System ? / Is Zen, Belief System ?
Lord Buddha ordered his disciples, [Don’t believe, think Yourself].
It’s mean if anyone thinks, the answer will be found by themselves.
And it’s mean, it doesn’t need to be any special person or special brain = Answer is within
a reach of anyone’s common-sense and comprehension.
[]
There is no fancy mambo-jumbo in the
Lord Buddha’s teachings. Everything is obvious fact. Like The Four Noble Truth, who
can deny it is not true. Life’s sufferings, illness, get old and die, are the hard facts.
And his observation, there are cause of those troubles, is nothing strange view at all.
If anything happened there must be a cause. Then, there is the way to overcome those
sufferings —– could be true, because that is exactly what
Lord Buddha found and taught which is applicable and effective to to anyone.
The most crucial matter is, that the way to overcome sufferings is not by a
fancy belief and its placebo effect, but an actual change of the mind-set
through practice, which is not a trick but an extension of existing mechanism
of the brain activity, such as to extend our unconscious action of the body.
[]
Like a physical phenomenon, such as Gravity, whether you know the theory, or understand
its mechanism or not, at least you know the effect which you can easily observe.
Whether you imagining (and believe) small green man pulling invisible string, or resorting
with hypothetical particle Graviton causing Gravity, the phenomenon itself exists as a fact,
hence, the science has been accepted as the truth and it is not in a belief system.
[]
In the same context, Zen is a system to utilize a mechanism of the brain
carrying out the action without having a thinking process, and such action
is ubiquitous observable fact. (Zen calls this [Mushin] )
Whether you are aware or not, we are walking without noticing which muscle is contracting,
or reading this blog without aware of your eyes are capturing the pattern of the letters,
even without having a conscious of that you are reading this = Until you start to think and
become conscious, consciousness of the self is not exists. = (Self is our invention by thinking)
Those function of neurological mechanism is the fact and far beyond the belief system.
And a mechanism of our brain, which tend to ignore the repeating signal,
hence we can be apathetic to the signal, is an existing phenomenon,
therefore it is not in our imagination. Fact exists long before the belief.
And the practice which enhancing those mechanism to deal with a cause of
the problem was what uniquely proposed and taught by
Lord Buddha.
[]
Lord Buddha’s view that we could live on those unconscious mechanism
in the brain, and as those unconsciousness has no self-conscious, we could
live selflessly, was his theory.
As the water is running down because of the Gravity is an observed fact. Hence, this
running water can be used as a power source is a theory. As everybody knows, this theory
has been successfully implemented in a water mill or electric power generator. Likewise,
Lord Buddha’s theory has been implemented as the Buddhist’s practice and
actually it works. This practice and its effect is not relying on the placebo effects or belief.
It actually trains and changes the way of the person processing the signal,
hence changes the perception towards such as a cause of fear, even a death.
[]
Therefore, the effect of Zen practice is a real fact.
Not in a belief or in an imagination.
This is the reason how Zen practice has been used even in the sports training.
Zen is not imaginary fancy story but a practice which brings a tangible effects.
Key is Just try, Just DO, and see What happens in your Mind and on your Life.
___/\___
[]
Chichibu yo-matsuri / Zen Ethos
Those are the Photos I found in a photo blog Tokyobling.
Tokyobling is reporting from Japan very actively with quite vivid nice photos
and those are from Chichibu yo-matsuri (秩父夜祭) of Saitama (埼玉) =
next north to Tokyo.
Virtually all the traditional festival in Japan is for the local Shinto God.
Hence, Chichibu Yo-matsri is for the Guardian God / Chichibu Daimyojin (秩父大明神) who
said to be the abater of the wolf in Chichibu mountain.
Because of the Wolf God, the festival held in the night, hence Yo-matsuri
( yo or yoru mean night)
Being as a Mountain God, Chichibu Daimyojin is the guardian of the mountain people /
Matagi (またぎ) and Sanka (山窩) all over Japan, who’s occupation was hunting and
wood-crafts, and their descendants too. (Matagi and Sanka remained only in the legend now
still, all the shoe makers and leather crafts men said to be originated from the Yoshino (吉野)
mountain, behind the Nara city. As they’ve been the supplier of the foot-ware and the parts
of armories to the Nobles and Samurai alike thousand of years as a tradition.
When I did (or helped) a research of the Industrial Sociology study, I met a group of the
construction workers who was the Sanka from Chichibu mountain. In the site, they live
according to their religion, wearing their own white uniform and praying their God everyday
= they had their own shrine of the Chichibu Daimyojin brought with them ! )
In this stone-age, I have no idea how many people is worshiping
Chichibu Daimyojin now, still in the photographs, I found pretty strong Ethos
is clearly remaining and prevailing.
See the head band of the grandfather holding a baby in the photo.
Head-band was extremely neatly tied. —–Then, see the other’s. Not as neat as the
grandfather, still, all of them tied their band in the same style. = All the people sharing the
same Ethos therefore even a cheeky computer-gamer start to behave in a discipline of a
traditional young man without him even noticing it. (It’s a spirit of the Matsuri. 🙂 )
(Hence, Carl Jung called it Collective Unconsciousness)
[]
To tie a head-band in THE occasion, is a strong Japanese tradition.
It is not only tie a hair or stop the sweat getting to eyes, it is to tie the MIND.
For a determination or concentration of the SELF, but also to declare or display it to others.
We tie a head-band with the Determination to go with the fate.
In this reason, even the Sward Master Musashi Miyamoto (said to be) tied
a head-band when he fought with his arch rival Kojiro Sasaki. (and Musashi won)
Because of its Samurai and Military connotation, western people has a kind of fear toward
Japanese tie their head-band though, it is not so far from a Hindu people tie a string on
their wrist. —– Normally, a head-band was tied on one’s back to prevent its loose-end
sagging down to block eyes. So that, tie it up on front may be a Shinto tradition
( in a Matsuri, it is always on front) though, what grandfather’s head-band impressed me
was, its neatness. Functionally, it may be the same though, as it got to be tied in anyway,
do the better. It wouldn’t take more than extra one minute yet the difference is clear.
This is the mind set of the Zen. (Zen is a Mind-set to concentrate and DO the
task better, what ever it may occur in the Life, its mean any body’s any Life,
regardless whether it was a Shinto practice or Christian’s job.
DO the things better and achieve better Life is the Universal Aim of the man.
This is the reason why Zen was often regarded to be Atheist or Non-religion.)
(And this is the reason why Japanese products were often over quality and hard to
compete with cheap copy in its price. 😀 )
[]
What so ever the life, you live and die. In anyway, it would be more or
less the same. STILL, aiming the better and do the best, regardless whether
it makes any difference or not, is the way of the Zen. DO it and DO the BEST.
(down to the minute details, keep DOING its best, this Mind-set is the matter,
not necessary the result, since it is a Pathway to aim the goal =
but not the goal itself — goal / Nirvana would BE given by the Fate or Dharma)
By doing so, you wouldn’t loose a bit. Since, you couldn’t possibly loose anything because,
you yourself is not exists in the first place. Hence, you don’t need to afraid of ANYTHING,
even a death. The person lives here isn’t you but the Darma (Rule of the Universe),
hence you can live with full confidence to be the Dharma or a part of it.
This is what [Selfless] really mean (not sacrifice the self by own idea) and What
Lord Buddha taught. —– or What he revealed, What the Dharma is.
___/\___
[]
ZEN Practice ?
Following the discovery of my old climbing boots, I found something amazing (to you)
out of packed up boxes I’ve stashed, may be 25 years ago. 🙂
Some of readers, even a keen Zen practitioner may be horrified to see this 😀
Then, some might ask, What this to do with Zen. Or, to be a Zennist, does it necessary to do it
in this extent ? —– There is no rules or requirement. All up to the person. —– Some might
be taking easy to sitting or could be walking, even cutting a lemon. Why not stitching. 🙂
But, I didn’t do this thinking of Zen. (It was long before I even become aware of
the meaning and the effects of repeating practice in the Buddhism) = I just did it
as I got too much time in a winter mountain shelter or in a tent while imprisoned by the snow
blizzard. What else to do then ? (Other than this, I curved fire log into such as a spoon.)
Still, it was only me doing like this and I never seen anybody else
did the same, then and ever since.
(And many years later, I realized that it WAS effectively a Zen practice.)
[] []
Mountain woolly socks couldn’t last for ever, of cause. Soon or later, thread would be getting
thinner and break. But if we threading it with another woolen thread to reinforce
the part, it extend the life = pretty obvious = So, I did. 😀
(The socks photographed here had been worn, I think more than 8 years or more while using
it about 100 days a year. The heel part seemed to have 3rd ~ 4th generation of the
thread, and 40 years later, it is still usable !)
—– If you don’t know how to do the same, just look at how knitted thread runs.
Then just follow the existing thread, go through the loop alongside. And keep doing it to cover
all the part necessary to reinforce. (Use the thread partly doubled to make it even stronger.)
(My mother was very good making Kimono (of cause by hand stitching) hence by watching
her to do the work, I learned some sewing technique though, when my mother and sister saw
my re-threaded socks, it frightened them = so, it was not a common practice, and out of
imagination even to the Zen monk’s family. 🙂 )
[]
If this is a practice for Zen, provably this is the most humble yet easy to do
practice you ever heard of, still not such a labour than to sweep the street.
And on top of it, it would save some expense on your pocket too.
= You must be very grateful. So, have a try, when you are not too busy. 😀
[]
The kernel of the Buddhism is to do and to live unconditionally.
(So, if there is a thinning hole appeared on a heel of socks, just mend it.
= simple and straight. No need to think at all. 🙂 )
Therefore, Buddhism is not to search or ask something but just live.
Anyway there isn’t any answer. —– Hence,
Lord Buddha ignored the question, on this reason.
Since living and doing unconditionally in the first place, there couldn’t be
any hindrance or doubt. (Doubt was CREATED in the mind)
Hence, even going through the sufferings, it will be passing away without
causing any mind to buckle, even without taking notice. Therefore, even
when the death is arriving, there couldn’t be any stir in the mind.
This is the Nirvana. And this is what
Lord Buddha has taught.
___/\___
[]
Hut Albireo in YASHIGA-MINE
Gosh, I found the Web-site and a photo of the Hut Albireo （八子ヶ峰ヒュッテ，アルビレオ）
(When I searched in English before, I couldn’t find —– I got Japanese typing program only few years ago )
Hut Albireo (its name from a star in the Cygnus ) was a sister Hut of a mountain shelter Takami-ishi Goya (高見石小屋) in Kita-Yatsu-ga-take（北八ヶ岳）, in japan.
—– (Until now I didn’t reveal the name of the mountain shelter I talked, because of my stories often goes too far, I thought, unless the people can verify it with the first-hand independent source, I didn’t like to do name-dropping).
[]Both Takami-ishi Goya and Hut Albireo were originally built by Mr. Satta but later they were taken over by the another hotel, Honzawa-Onsen. And the Hut Albireo was bought by one of keeper, Mr.Kaji who was the chief volunteer of us. In fact it was in a financial mess we keepers were involved in a nightmare as Mr.Satta lost a lots of money in betting. (Not very mountain like peaceful stories 🙂 )
( So, I learned a man’s life’s up and down entwined with a silly money affair, rather early stages of my life, fortunately or unfortunately. —– Since I hate money and gamble :-D)
[] To build the Hut Albireo, we keepers were also worked hard from digging the ground works, to carry-up the building materials (all worked for free though 😀 ) —– coming to the age of stock takings of the life, and looking back to those life I spent in the mountain (from 15 years to 27 years), I convinced that it formed my base of Zen Buddhism.
In fact, I’ve learned the Buddhism in hardest way in the harshest condition 😀 After all, the matter is just do the work regardless even if it is for others. = No Ego required. So, I’m very grateful I did it. Ha ha ha 😀 —– (Such as a work in a building site in Okinawa while I was a drifter, the work in 30 m high was not too high for a rock climber, and the work was paid ! = In comparison to the unpaid work, such as carrying the 50 kg of fire log 20 times everyday (its mean one ton everyday and continued one week ) any other work is easier = who complains =only thankful to be alive = this must be the best lesson and the contemplation for one’s life. Ha ha ha 😀 )
[] So that, to find the Hut Albireo is still there, and the same owner Mr.Kaji is still alive, was the greatest news to me. (He was the keeper who carried 15 ton of log together every year. — the question is whether he became a Zen Buddhist or not ? ) = I need to phone him ! —– Since then, what I found through phone was a bit spooky story that the volunteers, worked together with us (me and Mr.Kaji) around the same time, me and Mr.Kaji are the only surviving member now = rest of 5 were all dead. What ? ? ? —– (I don’t miss them. Any how they didn’t work for cutting log, or carrying up the food staff = all the heavy work. — They did just disappeared. 😀 )
( Incidentally, when I had my wedding, the Ceremony was conducted in the Shinto Shirline Suwa-taisha (諏訪大社) and we had wedding party in this very Hut = it was my biggest folly of my whole life. 😀 )
［］
Being Natural or Be Artful Perfection — Which is Zen ?
—— Left Mug is the one I’m using now. Right is the one I brought from Japan 33 years ago
and served me till 1992 and since it got hole on the bottom, it became a pen stand 🙂
Once, my tea drinking was a kind of Art = as I’ve been drinking 1.5 ~ 2 liters
(3 ~ 4 pints) of tea everyday, to make it, was not just a daily routine, it was
a refined flow of the action.
To begin with, the way to put a water into a kettle ~ ~ ~ to pour the tea into a cup then
drop one or two slices of the lemon etc etc.
As all the actions has been repeated everyday (I don’t know how many thousands times
I did ) naturally each action has been rationalized to the most efficient smooth manner.
So that, once a person who observed this process summed up, “It’s formalized to the
almost tea ceremony like process isn’t it”. Of cause, it was not intended to be a ceremony
but just doing it in quickest and smoothest way. As it is always the same action, it has
no dither or need any thinking, let alone any emotion.
May be this is the way what Master Dogen (道元 / Founder of the Soto-Zen)
has taught = to become perfect to be “who I am and what I’m doing”.
(= Nobody else. Nothing else = this is what Mindfulness meant !)
[]
Sound so far so good isn’t it ? But wait a moment —– ?
To be “WHO I am” = the very one who has been born under own Karma, hence grown-up
according to the occurrences given next by next.
The result is the only one, “me” = To be my own is nothing but to be Natural
(but not necessary perfect), still, “to be perfect” mean the person has to be
refined to be pure = eliminate all the imperfection and the foreign substance
(imported idea or pretense).
This is quite an artful existence isn’t it ? ? ?
[]
Making and drinking my tea, I’ve refined its process to the art level though, one-day in
the last Summer, I couldn’t bother to make a tea as I was too thirsty, instead
I just filled my cup with a tap-water and a slice of lemon. ————
Since then, I stop to make a tea but just drink a tap-water. (I don’t buy any bottled drink).
—- Am I lost an art and the mindfulness, while becoming lazy ?
OR, was that an Enlightenment ? —– Good, good question 🙂
To drink a water instead of tea —– It is obvious, which is simpler and natural.
[]
Tea-making started in the Rinzai Zen temple as Master Yousai (栄西) brought it from China.
Hence, Tea-making is a part of Zen teachings. In comparison, Soto Zen tend to remain much
humble and simple. ( = So that, I’m a simple poor man 😀 )
Therefore, isn’t it to drink water instead of Tea, is more Soto Zen ?
Not lazy isn’t it ?
[]
My answer is = I don’t care. As long as something to sip in the cup, it’s enough.
(with its consequence to drink 2 litres of water and going to a toilet every 2 hours =
flushing out any toxins in the body = no need to have doctor or any medicine
—– it may be true :-))
As I don’t need to bother buying tea any more, this is even more peaceful Life and the Mind.
(and cost less 😀 ) —– After all, I don’t think I was born for tea making.
This is my Zen as I’m nobody else of simple yoshizen 😀
[]
In fact, here lies very interesting question.
The ideal early Buddhists were the one who forsaken all the ordinary life to
pursuit Enlightenment, namely Bhikku and Arakhan though, the Buddhism
took the direction to more inclusive Mahayana = while living in the ordinary
life, still maintaining the Mind-set to be a Buddhist = more Natural life style.
My position is, the matter is not a superficial life style but the Mind-set since
the Mind-set such as Mushin, Ichijo, Mindfulness , Selflessness are naturally
in our subconsciousness, in other words Natural Life-style is not a hindrance
to achieve its refinement, ultimately to reach Enlightenment.
(By the way, me doing something utterly useless, is for fun = Do something on
the hand and creating something new with good laugh is better than just
being passive, such as watching TV or Inter-netting. 😀 )
___/\___
[]
Yoshizen's Blog 
13 comments