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   😀  )

___/\___

—

BURDEN ???

When the Buddhism was introduced to the west, Buddhism  was seen as another alternative to

the bankrupting western philosophy, not as a religion. —– It was a novel, fancy, rather mythical idea to

the intellectuals then.

Anyhow, the Christianity is losing the attraction hence the philosophy based on it was loosing their

credibility as well.  People could see the trouble of the world, political, economical or anything

general are seemingly not caused or related to the God’s act. —— evil communism, capitalism,

dreadful germ etc  has to be dealt with nuclear defence, political movement or science etc etc.

Definitely not with the religion. The poverty etc, the personal trouble has been dealt with social

welfare and for even more personal mental problem, there is the psychiatrist etc etc.

Otherwise just buy Prozac. ( was that ?   I don’t remember, that kind 😀  )

So, the Buddhism was received by the people as yet another intellectual interest, rather like

a party talking piece.

Therefore to sell the product, the same capitalist’s popularism approach was needed.

It was the same market situation, like to sell a freezer to an Alaskan Eskimo. —– smooth tongue

and fancy dream, added value to the life = to be a superior noble existence.

Hence one of the fundamental condition,  a step of the  Self Denial became a burden to sell Buddhism.

—-

Only in one or two century, the life and the situation or environment of the mankind has been changed

so much. —- superficially to the good but fundamentally to the worse.

Until only a century or so ago, humankind was in the hand of element or in the hand of God.

Very few people had their life intact.  If not Dickensian, it might have dreadful grief stricken etc.

( These days, if anybody was lucky enough to have such experience, it would be well entitled to claim a

compensation on  No win No pay based proceedings —– Call now !  😀  )

So that, the people has been living their life embracing big void of grief, loss, failure, regret and quite

few are having even heavy guilty conscience  etc etc.  ( Having had Self Denial done )

—– so the rhetoric of ” It’s because of your original sin ”  did work, and people needed to have a God.

—-

When I wrote the previous post, the reason why I used a word Burden and wrote, it may not

appropriate was, for you to think about.

If you thought, it’s a Burden —– you don’t need a religion or Buddhism, other than an intellectual fancy.

If you felt, or no, no more please —– you haven’t faced your trouble in seriously deep enough.

If you found yourself, familiar with the subject.  Go for walk.  And see the sky, tree etc let the

scenery  passing in your peripheral vision.  And nothing on the street took your attention in

10 minutes.  Back home and do this tomorrow again.

( But don’t hit by a car —– I wouldn’t take responsibility  for your car accident  😀  —– State of Mushin is

not a Trance at all.  All the subconscious is fully receptive, hence automatic body movement as well )

Have a nice day.  Spring is coming.

___/\___

—

Hidden burden in BUDDHISM

Hidden is not necessary appropriate word.   To the people who is aware of it, it is nothing new but

because of it is not convenient or sound nice, it has been stashed away or intentionally ignored, hence

it was rarely talked about, —– YET, it is the most crucial element and the steps of which

a Buddhist had to take once in their pathway.

—–

Go back to the Kisa Gotami story, —– What was her Contemplation ?

Was that just an acceptance of the life’s reality and the surrender to a force of the Dharma ?.

What was the meaning “Surrender” to the Dharma ? —– obviously, it is silly to stand against the Dharma,

therefore, it is no point to talk about the general condition of human existence, as man’s

existence is a minute from the beginning.

Superficially the teaching in the story of Kisa Gotami is an acceptance of the life’s undeniable reality= Dharma.

Yet hidden in the story, was her Self Denial —– not just accept the Dharma, but there was much more

personal, strong feeling of the failure, as a mother and a wife.

In fact, it was a rigid patriarchal society where a wife’s role and the duty was to bear a son.

A woman can assert her status only as the mother of the heir. Having her son’s death, she was

facing not only the grief of her loved child but a crisis to be branded as a woman of failure.

—– To accept the emotional trauma of both grief and the feeling of failure in fully minded

depth was, in deed her contemplation.

Discovering the harsh reality and found no possibility to find the seeds to revive her dead child,

psychologically she was stripped naked, left alone in the void of blank space —– she became

a clean blank sheet of paper, well prepared to listen the teaching of Buddha.

And Buddha knew she will reach to this state of mind when she come back. ( That’s why he sent

her out for a journey ) So that, when Buddha saw her come back without carrying heavily deluded

expectation and clean calmed face, he gave her kind consolation and the words of wisdom.

—-

Often forgotten or rather intentionally ignored fact of the Buddha’s life is that,

once Buddha was a renegade of the ascetic holy man’s lank.

In order to soften the blow, this story was changed to rather positive description of that

Buddha found the better way to reach the truth, other than torturing the body and the mind —– though,

the eyes of the society then and to the mind of himself,  he knew he was a renegade until

Buddha found his own answer —– real truth and the way to reach there.

In the man’s life, anything has happened was, in fact placed there to be happened.

Same apply to the Buddha’s life as well. —–  If he didn’t join the holy man’s lank and learned among them

and then abandon its practice, the Buddhism today is not exists.

In other words, the elements and the experiences Buddha gained while he spent a time among

the ascetics, and  above all, the contemplation he got when he became a renegade was a key

to reach the Buddhism.

When Buddha abandon and let such practice go, he was literally a broke. no margin to retain

any ego or arrogance left, and having the deep blank space in his mind —– the mind was

completely open. Buddha was ready to configure his understanding from the deep depth of

his subconsciousness. ——————->  (read again and have enough time to visualize those words)

And Buddha’s blank space in his mind,  completely open subconscious inspiration was

able to see the invisible rules of the Dharma which we call  Panya Paramita.

Here the Buddhism was born.

—–

It must be clear, it sound not very pretty though, a defeated completely lost mind, or utterly

desperate feeling of failure, —– utterly denied and hopeless ego, utterly powerless feeling

and so on, —– is the key to gain a blank space or completely open humble mind.

Which can be bracketed as a Self Denial.

May be not, not pretty, but sound rather dreadful   😀

But this is the key step to start to receive the teachings. —– hidden and yet another unfortunate

aspect of the Buddhism.

Yet, even The Great Teacher Buddha went through this, how can we avoid to take this step ?

Sound too much ? —– OK, I leave the analysis to the next post   🙂

___/\___

—

Unfortunate History of BUDDHISM

In most of the case, study deep into the Buddhism,  quest to the core of the Buddhism mean

read more books, another Sutra and then sitting 😀

Natural consequence, here, sitting mean, thinking about what was found in the book.

Strangely,  you might have found  a fine print saying  ” Sitting has to be without thinking “ 😀

And somewhere,  ” —– but most crucial teaching can not be taught by the word “.

———- What a hell, where to find the answer ?   —– rightly you might say  😀

Unfortunately, ( especially in the west ) a so-called teacher or a master of a sect or group, did come

through same process. Simply he did it longer than you, hence read a bit more books, met another

master ( who studied in the same way ) and so on —– that’s all.  In fact, non the  wiser than you.

—–

Unfortunately Buddhism is not the matter of the knowledge nor what you learned.

But don’t become desperate and shout  What a Hell, since you are not alone.

This is the inherent trouble of the Paradox in the Buddhism.

When Buddha was in this world and teaching his immediate followers, he showed the way how to live

how to see the things etc etc —– those were the practice,  then time to time he took the rest —– rest mean

rest, hence give a break to the brain.  Naturally, he was not thinking while sitting.

It looked like a meditation, or later people thought and called, it was a meditation.

When the brain was left completely blank, time to time suddenly new idea or

understanding comes out. ( Ref : Blank space —– somewhere in the another post )

Then, Buddha might have told something new understanding, even a joke to such as  Shariputra —–. So that

the followers thought,  Buddha, in his deep meditation he has been in touch with the unknown

truth / Panya Paramita —– though,  Buddha was taking a rest and having a time of no thinking.

Of cause, even Buddha couldn’t show what’s going on in his brain nor disciples could seen it.

We only see the apparent outcome when it came out.  Only the person with very good insight, who had

the same experience, could guess the process in the brain or in the mind.

So, the situation even among the immediate followers was like this ( —– how do I know ?  Ok, tell me any

another possibility you can conceive )—– since, without having the proper understanding of the

Buddha’s teachings, Buddhism spent hundreds of years in the argument of such as  AbiDharma.

And the superficial posture of ” Meditation ”  became idiosyncratic synonym of the Buddhism.

Hence gave a misconception, With deep thinking process, you can get supreme wisdom.

Further trouble in the western Buddhism was emanated from the word  MEDITATION which meaning

imply  deep  thinking ! — even though Buddha was just having a rest.—– It was a Kitkat time  😀

In practice, to practice ” To Do without Thinking ”  the sitting is the hardest sample to try —– it’s mean

only few people who already reached to the advanced level could do it, still how do we know he could ?

Can the person sitting ( without thinking  ) tell ” I’m not thinking ”   —– How funny.  😀

It is the same to a man sitting, supposedly be in silence, declare  ” Yes, I’m not speaking “.

Anyone can pretend and say, I can —– but those impostor tend to preach others, with his glorious story.

This was the history in its reality.  The more glorious, needs to listen with the more sackful salt.

—-

When the crucial matter of the Buddhism is  NOT THINKING / MUSHIN,  cringing stereotypical posture

and its idea of sitting ( in fact it is very bad to the leg —– resulting wheel-chair in the later age —– all

the high priest in the Zen sect had end up in a wheel-chair ) because of it looks authentic,  is

nothing but a vanity.

Throw away all those POSTURE.   Throw away the IDEA of  Buddhism.  Let it go.

Take a break, relax —– in the deep breath, you may find yourself in the blank moment.

Then you are in the void of this mess of the life.

This VOID is the MUSHIN.  You are in the true pathway of the Buddhism.

( When you let it go.  Then you get it as the whole —— What a paradox ! ! ! )

___/\___

—

FACT and the Belief or a Delusion

In my posts about the story of Kisa Gotami,  I’ve written, 

” it showed the core of the Buddhism teachings”.

Kisa Gotami story has been accepted by all the Buddhist’s sects, simply it’s just a simple story

and showed no complicated mambo-jumbo,  which was telling most likely happening situation

and a quite likely possible Buddha’s advise and its logical out-come. 

Whether this was a historical fact or not, nobody dear to start such argument. 

Simply because there is no point to argue.  It must be the true FACT.

And why I wrote  ” It is the core of the Buddhism” is, without any glorious mumbo-jumbo,

no part of the story needed your belief or elaborated deep understanding of the Buddhism, yet

anybody can see the logic, how Kisa Gotami reached to her contemplation as a FACT.

( Of cause, I can make a fun out of this story  ” If there happen to be a house of which new comer

just settled in, hence so far having no funeral had taken place, and  Kisa Gotami was able to bring

back the seeds —— what Lord Buddha could have done ? ? ?   Forgive me

Lord Buddha,  I’m just kidding   😀 )

[]

As it is clear, there is no need to have elaborated mambo-jumbo, no complicated

belief, just as she did, get lid of a delusion  ” The dead child can be revived ” and

open the eyes to see the reality which is on front of her which is

no other than the Dharma.

If anybody still couldn’t see such simple fact is, In fact, it is a sign of having a delusion.

Such as arrogantly believing  ” My Buddhism is more elaborated and better than other’s”

If there is such things in the Buddhism, the story could have been changed to such as

” Kisa Gotami met Brahman on the way, who told her to go back to Buddha, brah  brah ” —–.

Simply it didn’t happened.  Simply because the past masters who even got the authority to

rewrite the story saw, this is the true Fact  and this is what the Buddha’s teachings.

___/\___

_—-

PS:   Of cause, you can say that,  it was just the beginning of her pathway, thus

she still needed to practice many more years to get enlightened.

( Hence she became a bhikkuni and joined the Sangya though, —– the question is,

what she could find beyond of that.

What is, what she found then ? —– What lies beyond the Dharma.

Spirituality means,  to believe and follow invisible phenomena or to believe it is exist though,

Lord Buddha himself refused to elucidate what they are.  No one can reach to the hight of what

Lord Buddha did able to see.  To imagining you can, is nothing but an arrogance and

the contempt of Lord Buddha.

Yet ironically, when the past great Masters got enlightenment,  all of them

described it as Dog Shit. —– Why ?   Simply because,

it is just the Dharma, only one but ubiquitous ( because, everything exist is The Dharma )

—– only the obstacle is, to see it as it is. —–> Need to have clear eyes and a

state of the mind / Mind of No-Mind / Mushin.

Non of the teachings of Lord Buddha having any enigma, everything is clearly comprehensible

and logical ( to reasonably intelligent person ) —– All the Eight Fold Right Pathway contain

nothing but the good common sense.  Only the obstacle is actuary Do it.

Right vision, Right thinking etc = everything is Right, in the understanding in the brain.

To know and understand it is one thing,  actuary able to do,  is the other animal.

So, What makes Lord Buddha’s teachings so unique is, he was the only one to find

the way to make people able to DO it  by means of  Repeating Practice.

Reading the stories in the Sutra or Reciting the words of Eight Fold Right Path are

just a process to familiarize with them.

But to Do the obligatory Practice everyday customize you to follow

the Duty unconditionally. (it’s mean you surrender your Ego )

And as you do it everyday, can be years long, your body learn to

Do it without conscious,  in other word automatic. 

This is nothing but the state of Mushin.

State of Mushin is in fact Dispassionate state of the mind hence it doesn’t have any

specially intended mind,  such as do something evil to someone (or fucking around)

In this state of Mushin, you can see the Dharma as it is. 

And the Mushin is ( strangely  😀 ) same to embrace the Void. 

And this Void contains the Whole. —– Dharma is whole but void.

( To reach to this Mushin, some may need to do the practice many years, but to

the others, it occurred in instant by the direct transmission )

The holy Ark, the establishment said to have, may be containing  just the empty void.

Funny you may think,  but this void, great emptiness is the Enlightenment and the

Dharma. —– But to see this Void,  you don’t need to have mysticism. 

It’s there everywhere and in fact everything IS. —– This is why, it’s a Dog Shit.

And this is the Buddhism.

[]

My personal view is,  if  Kisa Gotami didn’t became bhikkuni and made another

child, it was more in line with Mahayana.  (To take care of the child needs to have

unconditional endless work.  It can be a good practice to gain the Mushin. 

And on the end, Kisa Gotami could have had both, good grown up child and

the Enlightenment as well  🙂 )

—– To cringing the idea of Pathway and following the idea of Arahatship was

not Mahayana at all.

Crucially,  Lord Buddha established his teachings, away from the idea of ascetic

monks, in order to save the suffering of ordinary people on the street,

Lord Buddha would not have given the unachievable incomprehensible tasks to

those people then. 

And this is the fundamental base of the Mahayana Buddhism.

___/\___

—

JOURNEY

There are some nice exchange of Emails  with one of my friend , keen reader of this Blog,

Jagannathern-ji, who happen to have the birthday showing 8150 number and in his bank account etc, even

a serial number of a camera he bought for his mother as a present. ( In fact, he was horrified of its tenacity )

Hi  Jaga-ji
Thanks to put comment.
Have a nice journey and nice holiday.
___/\___ Yoshizen

—-

I am now in India.
Flight was beautiful as full moon’s reflection on the waters…
–^– Jagan

—

Sound very beautiful.
Mum might cook for you too much, as it had happened in my case.
So, don’t over eat —- 😀
( You can convince her with 8150 story as you are joined
holy man, hence stay humble and eat little )  Ha ha ha  😀
___/\___ Yoshizen

PS:  I thought, you went into a life without computer. 😀

—

Many years ago,  When ever I went back to see my family,  my mother cooked for me always too much.

As I used to climbing the mountain, we climber got used, one day on the rock face carrying as little as

possible hence eat just small amount of high-calorie food, then after came back eat two day’s portion.

Therefore I can eat really a lot too.  Though, stay in Tokyo just meeting friends, photo job clients etc needn’t

to eat a lot, in fact eating with them —– then come back home and eat again what my mother expected me

to eat —– was too much.

It was a mother’s love.   No one can make your mother disappointed.

( So, to fulfill its requirement, occasionally  we may need to have a big stomach.   🙂 )

—-

Even for the mankind, genetically implanted program or so-called instinct,  a mother’s duty is to nurture

the child —– generally, when a child grown up, he takes his journey to seek his own territory and

rarely seen his mother again.

Now the life expectancy of mankind is twice, three times more than originally designed, and seeing her child

but as 30, 40 years old grown-up is the norm though, still  mother sees her child as her baby.

Since, there is no program to deal with a child but as another grown up individual.

This is a peculiar situation, unique to the mankind, hence it created quite a unique complication to the

human being. —– Retain an emotional umbilical cord and yet having an urge to take a journey

to unknown horizon seeking his independent territory.

This might be an interesting point to give a thought. —– Who are we  ? ? ?

___/\___

—

PSYCHE of Kisa Gotami

—– ( Before, it may better read the previous post [ Word — or  Run ] first, for continuity sake ) —–

A Buddhist who is practicing many years, asked me about a direct transmission to Kisa Gotami.

Wasn’t that, a kind of spiritual revelation, inspiration did hit her ?

He is always inclines to a spiritual mysticism as he came to the Buddhism from New Age fascination.

Though,  I don’t take a stance in Mystical Spiritualism. It got to be clearly logical and scientific,

save the last remaining unknowable in the extreme front.  ( And unexplainable 8150 story  🙂  )

” I think, it was rather common psychological process. Her grief got worn-out, while finding out

the facts that everybody is having the bereavement of loved one,  yet this is what the life is ”

” If you see hundreds of facts which telling you only one truth, on the end you got to accept it as the truth.

And  if you try to know with your effort again and again, your body and your subconscious learns

that It is the inescapable Truth. Once you came to this state, the fresh grief and its feelings gone.

A fresh emotion never stays fresh for ever.  As its says, the time is the best consolation.

In the case of Kisa Gotami, this process of time had accelerated into one day.

Since running around whole village all day, she must be physically exhausted, and when she came back

and sat down before Buddha, she must felt real brake and a rest.  Child had gone but a grief too.

Buddha didn’t do any magic.  It was a very effective spot on advice and the Practical Solution.

—–

Later she became a bhikkuni ( nun ) and joined the followers of Buddha —– its mean, her husband lost

not only a child but a wife as well.  Poor man.

I’m sympathetic to her husband as well” 😀

___/\___

—

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.

___/\___

—