Mushin – Panya Paramita – Dharma (in [Z-band] )

Hidden between the line of funny Cat’s story, the paragraph ;

The stories of the Zen Buddhist communicating with other animal may have

the basis in this phenomenon = silencing the noise of thinking in the Brain

mean, it is to be in a state of  Mushin.

Not in thinking but having a deepest perception of  friendliness in the

primeval Limbic feeling = This feeling is the common language with any

living form.

= Here is a good insight to understand what the Panya Paramita and the Dharma is.

[]

To make the story easy to understand, let’s use a metaphor = assuming the [common language]

quoted above is a kind of signal in certain frequency, to say [Z-band].

Like Internet system, all the Spiritual communication and the information are exchanged through

this [Z-band] channel.

This channel is inherent to all the existences include the all the life form, it’s mean this is the

communication system of the Dharma.

All the life form mean it’s include us too.   Therefore everybody having born with

the Dharma with in (born with a Receiver and Transmitter) hence, the person

should able to receive the signal.

But, unfortunately, because of us, only us human got hugely out grown brain, thanks to the evolution,

our brain and its activity is creating too much noise, and this noise is

masking the [Z-band] signal.

[]

Since we evolved like an “add-on extension” on top, we still retain old system in the base.

The process how we were developed in the Mother’s womb, from a single-cell organism = egg to

fully grown human body, showing this fact.  = (Once, you were a fish —– remember ?)

In other words, we are retaining whole evolutionary history together with its DNA (and memory).

In our expanded brain / neural system, the old part is known as the Limbic system.

This Limbic system is common with another animal.   So that, we (our far ancestor) were

using this Limbic system with pretty small brain.  But, as there was no huge noisy brain then, all the

signal we were using for communication was in the [Z-band]. As all the existences are using

this [Z-band] too, we were able to communicate with other animal and the nature.

Life and the survival was relying on this system.

[]

You may feel strange though, this communication in [Z-band] is existing even in a photography.

In WordPress Blog, such as [draw and shoot] (link here) I noticed, the author, Karen is communicating

with nature in this [Z-band] as her photos are showing it.  Hence, I often commented saying her, her

eyes are the eyes of Zen. = No wonder, her Blog was selected as one of the great blog for Earth Day.

(Incidentally, Radio Communication is using X-band for Satellite channel but not Z-band yet.  So, I

made up a word Z-band = Z after Zen  😀 )

[]

Unlike so-called intelligence and our signal processing system in the current brain, which got only

few hundred thousand years history, this [Z-band] has been used and refined in the hundreds of

millions of years in the history since then the Universe was created.

Because of this, this is the channel, where the information of  Dharma, even the

activities of such as this Planet was broad casted.

(Hence animal can sense the coming Earthquake or foresee the weather).

[]

To listen this [Z-band], it is essential to silence the noise of the brain.

The Buddhist’s practice is a way to obtain this silence = Mushin.  Then, in Mushin,

what we are able to listen is, what Dharma is telling = This is the Panya Paramita.

But this signal is not an abstruct message such as the God’s words, but live broadcast of the

situation we are facing. = It’s like a latest Drive Information system. You can see all the

meter-readings and the SatNav information of trafic condition though, it wouldn’t tell you

the destination or Philosophy in driving.    Read it and what to do is up to you.

[]

Lord Buddha’s teachings are all about “How to get it” = the way and the Practice, not an

abstract answer.   The Answer has to be found by the person = [Think yourself], as it is different

in situation by situation, person to person, as each person has own Karma.

To see its situation and respond to it,  live in its moment is the matter.   It can only be found

by [mindful clear eyes] of the person, obtained through the learning. —– This was why

Lord Buddha didn’t answar “General view or belief” like what the Dharma is = Because

the Dharma is a moving mechanism, working in its rationality ( of which we only able

to analyze its small corner, not in its total dynamics, and WHY) = The important matter for us,

is to see the Fact in meter-reading, not a belief or a fancy illusion which exist only in the mind.

Lord Buddha didn’t teach anything supernatural.  But, this Panya Paramita in the [Z-band]

came to the edge of it.  For him, it is the FACT though in the same time, he knew it is audible

to only few people who can hear = no need to explain to them since they knew it, but impossible

to make sense of who couldn’t.  It’s like a pain of Kidney stone = only the people who got it knew.

This was the reason why he taught only the way to get it ( I mean not Kidney stone  😀 ). 

And this was what

Lord Buddha found and taught.

___/\___

[]

Humming a Song

While having a chats, how we feel about a particular sound,  a friend recalled one of my post

[Spiritual Sound] (click the Link) which he said pretty interesting.

“ Oh yeah,  high pitch tone instantly  take our attention,  and it gives a bit chilly feeling

doesn’t it.   But if it wasn’t a rapid warning sound but slowly moving continuous tone,

strangely it makes us a bit mesmerized and feel something spiritual, because high-tone

alerts our emotion “Be careful” and makes us highly perceptive,  it’s mean, silencing  the

thoughts and open the mind to listen its meaning.  

This completely open passive mind-set is what we feel “Spiritual”. 

Spiritualism is in fact, a matter of our mind-set, not the existence of the God. 

A mind-set which open the perception try to listen and awaits to see its meaning”

” Hum,  sound convincing”

” In fact any sound which gives no meaning or too repetitive and boring,  also makes our

brain to resign the data process and become blank or open-minded state. 

This open-minded state is the essential key to the all the religion”

“ Aha, isn’t it related to the continuous chanting of  Buddhist’s mantra ?”

“ That’s right”

“ It’s very funny isn’t it. Chanting Mantra is supposedly concentrates to their belief and

show their dedication, but in fact, it lead the Mind to fed-up and resign.   Ha ha ha.”

“ That’s a beauty of the Buddhism.   Buddhism is based on this paradox.

The end result to open the Mind is the matter,  regardless the approach”

“ Do you mean, fed-up is the Enlightenment ?”

“ Oh, you are almost Enlightened. Ha ha ha.

Fed-up to chase money-making, Fed-up women’s bottoms, Fed-up to fear the Death.

Then convinced [OK, never mind Life just goes on] is what all about the Enlightenment.”

“ Ha ha ha, it’s really a Dog Shit isn’t it”

“ Yes, Dog Shit are everywhere.  It’s called Universality of the Darma.  Ha ha ha”

[]

Then the other, mentioned “ Oh, there was a TV program.  A scientist  try to investigate

what our brain is configuring the information, he try to learn Tight-rope Walk, and found

a humming a song would help learning the body balance”.

“ Well spotted.  Whether the sound come from external source or from inside, it stimulate

our sensory. But, if it has no meaning, our brain resign to process its data, and became blank.

Still, if he was on the rope, body’s motor region have to control the body balance, but

without any disturbance of noise such as a fear to fall or a conscious of that the TV camera is

watching.   Humming signal chased off all the evil thoughts.  Ha ha ha”

“ Oh I see, was that’s the reason”

[]

“ Oh, do you remember the time, when you had a long walk or doing a boring manual work,

suddenly an old song came up to your mind, and it kept ringing in your mind, or you were

just keep humming it.   I remember when I was having long long walk in a mountain range,

the same song on a loop  all the day, and I walked like an automatic musical toy ”

“ Oh, yeah.  I remember it happened many times”

“ It must be the self protection or a remedy to deal with, otherwise intolerable situation”

“ Sounds not very happy isn’t it”

“ Yeah, but that’s why our brain filled our mind with the same repeating song, and avoided

us to fall into a mind crunch.   Blank mind can leave the body to just carry-on the task.

So that we could survive”

“ May be”

“ No, it’s not may be.   Blank Mind is the Key to deal with the situation best”

[]

In the public perception, the words [Blank Mind] sound not very promising.

So, the Zen Buddhists found better word [Mushin]  🙂

In fact, this [Mushin] can deal with everything better, because even the conscious mind became blank,

still all the necessary data processing are automatically carried out.

While the Scientist was on the rope, his conscious brain was occupied by a humming song and let the

subconscious motor region to control body movement, with no interference from the useless thoughts.

While walking in the mountain, a song in the mind eliminated any thoughts to blame the

situation,  still all the necessary knowledges and the control of the body kept functioning.

When you need to find a new tactics or to be creative, let the mind become blank, hence, no useless thoughts

still all the necessary data of which the subconscious has been storing are available to deal with the needs.

As a matter of fact, they automatically do far better job than ourselves.

[]

So, to resign thinking and put the Mind into the Blank Space,  would bring better judgement and the

better way to live. —– (Time to time, it’s better to hum a song than occupied by worries = humming a

song, may work better than Zen sitting, as it brings [Mushin] straight   🙂 )

And this is the reason why the Musicians are often having very close understanding of the spirituality.

( Except  the case, some times they got the feeling of spirituality mixed-up with the trance by a drug)

___/\___

[]

Principle and Reality

Oh, holy Mackerel.     Is it Palm Sunday ? ! —– It must be April-Fool.

In principle, I don’t buy a calender. —— May be not such a principle but I just don’t buy.

Regardless whether a calender says it or not, the days come.  Next of 31^st March is definitely 1^st

of April.  In that case, why DO I need to have a calender.   It is a waste of money isn’t it.   😀 😀

In a principle to be a Buddhist, I should be a humble, poor man, hence not spend a money for non essentials.

A calender comes in this category. —– Therefore, I hardly know when is the Easter.  Ha ha ha 😀

[]

Without having a calender, how do I know, this is the Palm Sunday = because the Radio said so.

(I don’t have TV) And I’ve been wondering, why BBC Radio 3 plays such as J S Bach Mathieu Passion. ? ? ?

Then blimey, the so-called Easter said to be coming soon.

Unlike Xmas, the exact date of Easter is always drifting = it’s a headache, especially before, suddenly, all the

shops were closed, as they say it’s Easter —– What a hell, I don’t care Easter, I need to buy a bread. 😀

—– So, for a wise precaution, I have to make sure, in my fridge, at least something to eat is there.

[]

Principle or just a mean man’s habit, it often cause a conflict with the reality of the world.    He he he.

—– I don’t care Easter, is a principle though, in the same time I got so used to listen Baroque music,

especially J S Bach’s.   In my view (or should I say, my ear ? ) Bach’s Mathieu Passion is one of the

zenith of the human musical culture = just a combination of the sounds in a sequence, how such

purely sound stimuli can make a person to tear. ? ? ?

I don’t care and not necessary believe the whole story of the Passion, and unlike Dr. Albert Schweitzer’s

view of him, Bach may not necessary wholly committed Christian ( such as a fact in reality, he composed

Mass C miner, in order to seek a position in Roman Catholic ) —– still, (regardless Protestant or Catholic )

he knew what is the Spirituality in the human mind and in the ear = Sound of the God is

beyond the argument of the Christian sects.

[]

From the principle, or a posture to be a Buddhist, I should find something Buddhists Music though,

there are virtually non.  (the President of Mitsutoyo Co. Japan is a profound Buddhist, and organizing

International Buddhist’s Music Competition though, I haven’t heard any music from its event)

Virtually non mean, of cause there are some, such as Nen-Butsu Wasan (念仏和讃) or

Tendai Shomyo (天台声明), name but few though, sorry to say they are in musical term, not listenable.

May be only the exception is the one composed by Takemitsu (武満徹), using Tendai-Shomyo in very

powerful contemporary music style —– yet, I have heard its broadcast only twice in my life.

[]

Leave the Moslem, as they prohibits religious music (still, their secular, so-called Arabic music has

literally Arabesque universe of rich music culture —– their rhythm automatically drives my body).

The Hindu has such great tradition of religious music which gave an influence and flourishing in the

Indonesian Gamlan music too (incidentally some Gamlan tune were even imported to the Okinawa (沖縄)

music = some use of chromatic tune are unmistakably Gamlan !)

Whether they are religious music or not, Jewish music is one of a basis of the western music.

—– yet still, where the influence of the Buddhism, of its music tradition has gone in China

and in Japan. —– was there any prohibition, or repentance of music in the early Buddhism ?

To keep the music kind away, —– was it in the teachings and in their principle ?

Didn’t Lord Buddha sang a song with followers ?

(Imagine, Pope singing popular song. Doesn’t he?  Didn’t he ever ? — I’m sure he got his real life as a human.

Enjoying a wine and singing loud   😀 )

[]

Historical facts showed, at least the musical instrument from India had reached to China and to Japan though,

it seemed it was only as a fancy goods = not accompanied by a musician, hence no music came together.

Such as a string instrument called Piipa (琵琶) in China, Biwa in Japan is the same Veena in India

(incidentally, it is the origin of Lute in the west)

In China and in Japanese traditional performance, a story teller use this as an accompanying instrument.

( In Japan Hei-kyoku (平曲) or Heike biwa (平家琵琶) and Chikuzen biwa (築前琵琶) is an old tradition,

but now kept by only handful players —– how sad )

How sad is my principle.  Though, in reality, I play its tape only as an sample sound when I have a

conversations with friends.

And in reality = regardless whether I’m Japanese Zennist or not, I listen and deeply appreciate

J S Bach’s Mathieu Passion = in this very moment it was played by the radio. (come from Amsterdam)

( The sound of Mathiew Passion, but in Miku Hatsune version is in this post (in enbeded YouTube ) )

If it is a good music just listen it.   There is no Dogma in Zen.

If anybody having fixed view, the mind has just stacked ===> free your mind.

If the song and dance is such bad, Dharma wouldn’t have created the musical tone

in the first place.  Don’t you agree ?    Ha ha ha 😀

___/\___

[]

Geo-Stats of the Blog

I just found the WordPress’ new feature of  Geo-Stats of the Blog which amazed me !

I did know the number of access, but had no idea  Who is reading my Blog.

—— So that, actuary see the worldwide distribution of the readers was nothing but the surprise.

[]

My view may not be felt comfortable to some another people of persuasion, still

receiving a lots of access from such as the India is really the encouragement to me. 

Of cause, the India is where  the Vedic Philosophy, Buddhism, Hinduism came from and naturally

there must be a lots of quite knowledgeable people there.  ( I feel a bit of tension 🙂  )

And of cause, it may not necessary mean a seal of approval, still if I’m talking rubbish, they

wouldn’t keep coming and reading.

[]

And to see the access came from literally all over the world, is telling me where ever the people lives

and what ever their culture or religion, the human being is the same human being and the truth will be

accepted universally  = is, nothing but the encouragement to continue this Blog.

Thank you very much to everybody visiting here and reading   🙂

___/\___

[]

Yoshizen’s Blog (Dashboard)

Stats for March 12, 2012, 6:52 pm

Top Views by Country for 7 days ending 2012-03-12 (Summarized)

2012-03-05 to Today

Country	Views
United States	309
United Kingdom	291
Canada	67
India	51
Malaysia	32
Netherlands	30
Germany	23
Japan	16
France	13
Sweden	12
Australia	12
Philippines	12
Spain	9
Argentina	9
Greece	9
Indonesia	8
Norway	8
Finland	8
Switzerland	8
Brazil	7
Thailand	7
Republic of Korea	7
Mexico	6
Viet Nam	5
Taiwan	5
Chile	4
Ireland	4
Colombia	4
South Africa	4
Serbia	4
Bulgaria	3
Italy	3
Hong Kong	3
Turkey	3
Singapore	3
United Arab Emirates	3
Macao	2
New Zealand	2
Poland	2
Puerto Rico	2
Kuwait	2
Ukraine	2
Venezuela	2
Slovakia	2
Macedonia	1
Pakistan	1
Mozambique	1
Sri Lanka	1
Malta	1
Croatia	1
Cayman Islands	1
Jamaica	1
Lebanon	1
Mongolia	1
Iceland	1
Latvia	1
Portugal	1
Czech Republic	1

Sitting in Mindfulness — What ???

Just imagine a situation [ Boss shouted to the staffs. “ Don’t just sitting there. Do something” ]

Can anybody imagine, a staff shouting back “ Yes boss,  I’m  DOING  sitting” —— 😀

[]

Just sitting is an iconic symbol of Doing Nothing, and in deed, doing nothing.

So, how come [ Mindfulness while sitting ] —— ? ? ?

Can anybody explain what it is ?

( I found hundreds of the people in the cyber space saying in their profile = Mindfulness Practitioner /

Instructor —– there must be someone to come up and explain )

[]

Lord Buddha taught the people, who even not able to speak standard language then, let alone write and read.

All of his teaching got to be based on the common-sense.

Yet still, against the common-sense, there was a wide spread delusion among those uneducated people,

[ A person could be reincarnated into awful animal ]

—– to brake this useless vulgar belief and associated fear, was one of the aim of the

Lord Buddha’s teachings by saying “ There can not be Perpetual Soul ( solid existence of the

Self ) such as in the Vedic belief —– because of the everything exists in relation to the other

existences.

Therefore when the body dies, the soul also cease to exists ”   “ One’s death is the Nirvana”

[]

When Lord Buddha finished a talking, he just had a break = just sitting and took a rest.

So, sitting is just do nothing and take a rest = doesn’t need to even think anything.

When we need to DO something, we may need to use the brain though, if we do nothing

the brain takes a break as well.  You don’t need to put so-called mindfulness to take a rest.

Just empty your brain and the body to relax.

[]

While doing something, we may conceive new idea, new way of doing or another approach by way of

analytical observation. = This is a logical thinking.

But we often, suddenly conceive new idea while do nothing or doing a thing which doesn’t need to think

such as sitting in a toilet or doing simple routine work. = This is a creative conception.

( In Zen term, this state of the Brain and the Mind was called Mushin / Mind of No-Mind )

[]

So that, Lord Buddha, while having a rest or after that, might have told “ Hey, Shariputra, that must be

such and such ” —– which made them to mistake that he must have been in deep thinking.

This was how a misconception and a myth of so-called [ Meditation ] had been created. But,

Lord Buddha was just sitting, having a rest, and of cause, his brain was blank or in Mushin.

[]

Hence, the most fundamental misunderstanding of the Buddhism = [ have to sit in Mushin,

yet still Think something deep and concentrating to this, in Mindfulness ] was created.

Ha ha ha 😀 😀

It is the clearest indication of that the so-called Academics and the Monks who introduced

Buddhism to the west didn’t know what the Mushin is.

[]

So, when you sit, just sit. = It is to have a break and to rest.

Never even think “ I’m doing something holy Buddhist’s practice ” —– while sitting like that, you may tired

to even think about Buddhism = your brain become blank = this is the Mushin = of which you really need.

And never expect, by sitting in Mushin, suddenly should the Glorious door of the Dharma open for you

and show beautiful rose-coloured room.  ( Historically say, you most likely find a Dog Shit )  Ha ha ha 😀

————-

You may realized, —– you can’t see the Dharma in your brain.

But they are right front of your eyes.

Congratulation = this is your Enlightenment.

___/\___

[]

Tree of the Life

————————————————  ( Kailash Mountain  /  Photo = Wikimedia)

This is the roots of a tree said to be brought from the Holy Kailash Mountain of Tibet.

It is a dwarf birch tree < Bitula Kailash Kailasee > only

a tree grow in that high and cold area.

—– as the soil is very thin on the rock, roots can grow

only side way in the shallow soil, and strangely, it said

to be always grow same anti-clock spiral direction

as you can see in the photo.

The ancient legend says that this tree has the

mythical power of the life, hence able to grow

even in such harsh condition.

And the pattern of this roots was said to be the origin of the Swastika／卍 = as

its graphical representation. —– M m m ?

[]

Though, unfortunate to the tree, since this tree was too highly sought after, they are said to be almost

extinct in its original location now. —– How shame.

Yet still, the nature is always the source of the inspiration to the man. —– and to me.

___/\___

[]

PS: It’s a nice story though, do remember, it is a mythical legend.

—

First Sun-Rise over quake-stricken Miyagi, Japan

————————————————————- (Photo from Mainich News Paper )

This is a photograph, I found less than an hour ago, which has been taken only few hours ago in Japan.

The first Sun-rise seen from the hill-top (Hiyori-yama) in Natori City, Miyagi Prf’ which

is over looking a mountain of rubble, left by the earthquake and the tsunami.

[]

To see the First Sun-rise of  New Year is the tradition in Japan.

First day of January, many part of Japan has been covered with snow though, lots of people

goes out cold, some are even climb the high mountain only to see this Sun-rise. (I did it before too).

Of cause, to reach high advantage point before Sun-rise needs to start the journey in the

middle of the night, the temperature could be well bellow Zero.

—– Don’t ask  “what for”,  because the answer is just  ” To see the first Sun-rise”  (初日の出)

 If you see it yourself, you can’t stop to feel owe. —- Why ?   This is what Spirituality mean.

Western people asked ” Why Japanese brought a cash found in the mud to the Police” (and 90% of the

money — £23M all together — has been returned to the rightful owner by the Police) or  ” Why Japanese

didn’t loot” —– the answer is all same.  Such kind of morality is in their fundamental ethos = Spirituality.

(It is nothing strange, when people talk or behave according to what they have read in a book or Bible, as

it was simply in their memory.    But when people behave without such knowledge, against their instincts

such as greed or selfish gain,  and even without the other’s watchful eyes = This is the Spirituality.)

[]

People saw the Sun-rise there, might have played (don’t ask “to whom ?”.  Spirituality doesn’t

need a figure or name of the God )  for the Soul of who lost the life in  Tsunami or

wished the well recovery of the surviver.

To share the same play, I put this photo here.

Peace to the people who has been suffering.

___/\___

—

Direct TRANSMISSION — a tiny Thought

A piece of cloth here has been with me in the past 37 years since I was given this from the Eihei-ji temple.

I have washed it may be 10 times or so —– and when ever I did, its color faded farther, so that I became

even more reluctant to wash.

I wrote about this in my old post [Life’s Domain] saying that it could be an intended teaching of

“Nothing stays the same,  nothing is Permanent”. —– ? ? ?    Was such big issue here ?

It’s just an old cotton cloth isn’t it, and it is nothing strange the color dye is fading.   ( Dye will be dissolved

and washed away by the water, and it degraded by the UV light as well)

—– Isn’t it thinking too much ?    Isn’t it a pointless delusion —– or the Truth ?

[]

To explain and prove a fact in the life = “Nothing stays the same” may need to have lot more than a word, yet

just a piece of cloth shows its truth far clearer.   This is what a Direct Transmission is.

—– Then, how about  “Should I wash more often” or,  in order to preserve its original state, I shouldn’t

have used it in the dairy life, let alone washing.

But, what’s the original state mean ?   Is that the color on the cloth and the name of the temple printed on ?

—– isn’t this, just a sentimental reminiscence ?   Clinging the past ?

There may not be such a value in its original state.   It may only be in the mind.

So, without having such THINKING,  just wash it = “Having no useless thinking and just do it”

might be more like the Mushin of Zen Buddhism. = and when the cloth become completely

white, it would be the enlightenment —– WHAT a beautiful metaphor ! ! !

Though, no such things could happen.

In reality, if you keep washing cotton cloth 30, 50 years, the cotton fiber would be disintegrated.

And, when we wash, intending to make the color disappear, ironically, color never disappear.

It is just like our DNA,  it would never disappear.

—– Does it mean, no white cloth, neither see the Enlightenment ?

[]

It was a good exercise of thinking = this is a practice of what

Lord Buddha said “ Think it by yourself”.  🙂

Just a small piece of cloth teach us all about the Buddhism.   This is very “Direct Transmission”.

—– strangely, some people having an illusion “There would be a mythical communication of the

Cosmic Wisdom (Panya Paramita) which suddenly come into the mind and enlighten the person” is what

the Direct Transmission meant. —– Ha ha ha, Don’t make me laugh.  😀

It is a worst delusion than a pretty picture of a spin-doctor’s medicine bottle.

If such magic could ever existed in this world, one of the highest enlightened man like

Dalai Lama could have received such wisdom, and the trouble of the Tibet could be solved long ago.

Though, there is no magic solution or escape,  hence this is the Samsara,

as Lord Buddha said.  —– We only able to become aware of the Truth by the observation with the clear eyes.

And the Truth is not our wishful thinking but the reality = face of the Dharma.

Direct Transmission is a trigger to make us to actually see it = it is not a mythical magic.

In the famous [Flower Summon], the flower was the trigger to realize “What the Dharma is”=

Dharma is not in the special place, but even in a mere small flower = that’s why even small

flower can broom beautifully.

So, why not us. = This is what the Enlightenment is.

___/\___

—

How KARMA Works

When Buddha explained the mechanism of the Dharma which is the system of the existences

and the relations between each existence and the rational of the occurrences, each action and

the consequence which shows the rules.

The rule and the reason why a wood burns = wood was made of a compound of the matters.

The matters such as C, H, O,N, Mg, Ca, K, S, P, Fe —–. And each matter such as H, Hydrogen was made of

subatomic particle, Proton, Neutron, Electron —–.

The number of Electrons define which matters are tend to combine, such as  H, C  with  O,  in order to

gain the more stable / balanced / harmonized state to a molecular like  H2O or CO2.

With the existence of those matters preconditions an occurrence of Fire, which occurs when

somebody or something put a fire = by a match or lightning etc —–.

All those observations are the basis of his understanding of the Karma, cause and the result.

Existence of  Hydrogen, Carbon, Oxygen etc are the cause, somebody light it up is the cause too.

The fire is the result.  Still, there is far more ramification such as the produced CO2 —– with huge scale

burning of the jungle, contributes even the change of climate and on the end, small island may disappear

with rising sea level, causing the misery to the people living there, and so on.   All those links are the Karma.

This is, in fact, the approach with the science ( whatever it was  primitive on the time ).

To see the Karma need to have the detached clear eyes, open mind, and the deep insight.

The reason why Buddha approached in this way was, nothing other than to eliminate the

uncertainty caused by the idea of the Atman which said to carry effects of  former life.

To deny the imaginary existence of the perpetual soul, so-called Atman was the starting

point of his philosophy to elucidate the truth of the Dharma.

non

In today’s approach in science, the attitude is the same.

To eliminate uncertainty, make the variables to the clearly defined minimum.

Such as in the clinical medical science,  make the condition the same as much as possible.

And to eliminate the bias caused by the most unreliable factor of human eyes and the mind,

use the double-blind test and so on.   The so-called Clinical Detachment = Selfless eyes is the must.

The Buddha’s approach with [Selflessness] was not a coincidence.   It was the must to deal

with the Truth,  not only for the sake of promoting the idea to deny Atman.

non

Even in a today’s clinical trials, such as try to establish the effect of a medicine, use double-blind test involving

as many as possible number of guinea-pig in two groups, one for a counter test with placebo —– still, there

could be a funny coincidence.

Looks almost the same and complying the same condition in the pre-examination, yet still one of the group

may consist the people who got certain tendency.  Hence, there could be a certain bias toward the result.

Nobody could predict such coincidence. —– Still, it could happen.

This is still the Karma. —– invisible part of it.

non

Somewhat invisible hand acted to cause this bias, as the part of the Dharma is invisible.

Sometimes it acts toward the better direction but sometimes not. Yet strangely, to

somebody toward one direction and to others opposite direction.

To pay attention to this fact and contemplates the existences of this invisible hand is the

spiritualism.

This spiritualism was called as the Panya Paramita in the Buddhism which was not clearly

explained even by Buddha himself. —– In fact he said to have kept silence.

As Buddha kept silence,  this is the part of the Dharma,  human-being shouldn’t

touch = leave as unknowable.  ( Still, strangely it is noticeable to somebody)

An attempt to decipher this unknown was the Tantrism.  Though, as it is unknowable,  it wouldn’t work.

Otherwise thousands of Tantra Superman could have been ruling the world —– but didn’t happened.

non

What I’ve observed so far is,  it seems as long as we live in mushin away from greed and ego,

the Karma is kind to us.   This is the reason why the millionaire become philanthropist in their later life.

(at least avoid to have a premature miserable death) —– Late is still better than nothing.

They buy a time.    Good on them. 😀

___/\___

non

Bowl of Water Zen

When I was talking about Zen practice with others, someone mentioned a BBC news which

showed a group of Chinese Zen monks are walking while carrying a bowl of water

as their Zen practice. —– “ Oh, what a good idea. It’s a good practice to learn Zen Mind “

—

( It’s easy to try this.  Fill the water to the top of bowl about 8″  big and holding it to your chest high and walk.

By doing this,  you can observe your state of the mind,  how steady and calm your mind is.

Strangely you may find,  the more you concentrate and gaze the water the more it shakes  😀

—– when your mind is almost detouched from the water or whole action,  then the water become still and

make no drip while you are walking —- then you can fill even more water reaching to the edge.  It’s a fun !)

non

In this blog, I’ve been talking that any action could be a Zen practice, hence in one post I talked about

[Lemon Zen] and the other post, [Walking Zen] in fact I also mentioned about the effects of even riding

a bicycle or typing —– any repeating action could have the same effect to reach

a state of the Mind of No-Mind or Mushin.

non

In fact everybody is doing the action of walking in Mushin = nobody is thinking when and how to move

the right leg after left leg has moved. —– It’s all done unconsciously.

So that, the practice of Mushin ( and the Mindfulness of cause — if a part of the brain is not fully engaged

for the walking, we can not automatically adjust the leg movement following the slight change of a condition

of the road surface) is not necessary an exotic funny action.

non

Then inevitable question arose —– if the walking is the practice of Mushin which everybody is doing,

why not everybody is an accomplished  Zen Master.

Here is a funny but fundamental paradox of the Zen Buddhism.   When the Mushin in walking is the

Zen, it is the Zen. —– but otherwise it is just an unconscious action of walking.

non

Buddha didn’t perform any fancy or peculiar action. It was just a simple ordinary daily life, yet

as it was repeated every day, each action was almost identical every time.

This simplified and fixed way of each practice is the requisite condition of [the Life in Mushin].

Buddha’s life style was the text-book and the disciples were learned and copied those action, and in the process,

disciples learned the Mushin ( or the state of the No-Mind  was developed  in them).

non

Because of the state of the mind can not be learned by the word, but only by the practice ( like any

emotion,  unless a person has experienced it,  the description of feeling couldn’t make any sense )

and this is the reason why non of the ancient scripture was actually talking about No-Mind, but only No-Self.

( No-Self = No-Mind —– still able to live as a person is because there is the enough program in our

Subconsciousness which is invisible —– like what I am talking here, is a new interpretation after Freud invented

a notion of  Subconscious = which was not exists in the ancient time )

non

And there is yet another paradox in the Buddhism.

To live the Life in Mushin is what all about the Buddhism though, no-mind, no thinking, BUT unless it

was  understood as the Buddhism,  it wouldn’t become the Buddhism.

Anybody can carry a full of water in a bowl, and time to time the one may need to do it.   Just carry a cup of tea

happen to be full to the edge, from kitchen to a table —– some may succeed it while making no single drip, yet

some may make a mess.  What makes a difference ?

Calm mind, hence a steady hand is the crucial point here = a kind of thought “ Oh, I’ve put

too much. I’m silly. I would spill a mess on the floor. etc. “ would make a hand even more

wobbly and the tea would drip here and there   😀

non

A person can practice this and acquire better coordination on the hand, so that it will be programmed into

the motor legion of the brain and may become a routine movement.   But, that all.

BUT, if a person practised this, under a file name of the Zen Buddhism, the file become

accessible in any moment when it need to have a calm mind in your life.

Carrying a full of water as Zen, it become the Zen with its effects.

Once a person acquired this file with the attachment of the notion of Zen and its spiritual implication,

the file would be applied to any action and any situation in the Life, hence, walking is the Zen, cutting a lemon

is the Zen, and even facing Tsunami Wave could be handled in a calm mind and able to act in the best way

or see the fate with calm clear eyes.   (Sorry to the victims of Tsunami)

With this Paradox ( has to live without thoughts, preconception etc, still needs to organize its notion of

Mushin as the practice of Zen Buddhism) Buddha has asserted “ There is the way, which is to be

pursued as the way of Buddhism “ since in his earliest teachings as one of the Four Noble Truth.

non

This notion makes the difference between Mushin to just to be an ignorant thoughtless.

Though, the notion itself is nothing complicated = just to be aware [to carry a bowl of water is for Zen]

—– with this awareness, just Do It and keep doing it —– then suddenly you will find that you can do it without

spilling a single drip of water, and realized while doing it you didn’t need to think anything = Just Did It !

———-

Then observe yourself, while doing even other things, are you just doing it as well, without having any

useless thought ? (You may achieve this in few weeks or may be taking few years. Just carry on. —– then you

might be noticed, you have been having no upheaval in your life and strangely, quite unexpected

or too good to be true kind of coincidences has been happening, yet no one can tell why

—– Just carry on with your LIFE without questioning. ) —–This is a Zen Buddhist’s LIFE.

___/\___

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