PS :
Following the previous Post, there was some exchange of opinion in Emails.
And this is the extract in which, I found, it is highlighting the point of
” How to make a perfect music piece which will hit the guts of others “
————-
Though, important point is, —- What are the guts.
Everybody got more or less the same guts, having it
tens of thousands of years.
Its mean, what will hit it, has been tried and sorted out
spending thousands of years of time, by millions of people.
That is how most of the culture in the world came to
have pentatonic —– same conclusion.
The reason is, it was written in the Dharma. ( Ref; Harmony
in Dharma )
And the guts is ruled by the Dharma, not by one’s brain.
Deviate from the Dharma, yet make perfect one is hard,
if not impossible. ——–
—–
Equidistant Tonal system was perfected in the time of J.S. Bach, though it has been only utilized for
the convenience of key-tone change. And its use became universal, despite of the existence of some
discord (which has been simply avoided to occur as Taboo, by the composer.)
So that, Arnold Schoenberg is the first one to fully explore the musical possibility of its system.
But, big but, do you or anybody on the street, ever listen, let alone remember his music ?
Some (very rare person, may be a student / ex-student in classic music) may say
“How about his organ music [ The Ascension ] it is spiritually very striking isn’t it ?”.
I can agree, its sound very spiritual though, as I wrote in ” Blank Space ” it is because of slow-moving,
continuous high tone, which is vague and undefinable, hence our brain abandon to define its
meanings, then start to feel ” Something Unknown there”.
This very feeling, “abandon to impose own thinking, and leave the Mind open” is happen to be
the same to Buddhist’s Mushin —— we describe it Spiritual.——- All of us share more or less
the same perception and the same guts. Simple 😀
—– So, departing from the tradition, and explore complete freedom in sound making, is a good attempt,
though, better not forget, we and yourself are still within the Dharma’s rule.
Other’s guts is under this Dharma too, so that better chose the direction accordingly.
( The Expression —– which is also common with others, mean Communicable, has to be
emanated from own guts” Blank Space ” too —— not from the thinking or technical possibility )
Please read the Post ” Freedom in Restriction “. (Under a category [Music] )
___/\___
—
Life to be Artists
I’ve received a question from a keen reader of this blog / Jaganathan, who is
creating / developing fancy program of creating even fancier sound, out of computer.
————
anyway id like your thoughts or a blog post 🙂 Why do many artists end
up depressed, do drugs, kill themselves. And how to keep doing good
work irrespective of whether it is a success or failure. How do
continue doing sincere work even if nobody gives a sit.
—————–
In anyone’s life, to see what is the success, having many facets —— Financial ?, Social recognition ?,
Historical importance ?, Personal Pride and Confidence ?, Made people happy and became local Hero ?
All those may satisfy the ego. But in reality, before think about success, most acute needs are to survive.
—-
When I finished hi-school and chose the direction and Uni’, I hated to go to science and technology side
as I didn’t want to be enslaved by the technology —– I’ve applied to Art College. Though I was told by
the member of Alpine Club in that College “Want to become Sculptor ? Oh no, even studied in here,
its impossible to live on the sculpture. You may end-up an art teacher in a junior school or a craftsman
making dummy for the shop” —– What a hopeless situation. I gave up and next year I went to a Uni’
where we don’t need to fix the direction / Faculty / Major for the first year —– then end up to take
Sociology by accident. Before apply the Art College, an art teacher told me ” The success rate of
top Art College ( Where I wanted to go) is about 50%, and the other would be less than 10% ” here
success mean, able to live / survive on the skill or the art which was studied in the college.
This was the time, Art was the traditional Art, long before such as Conceptual Art became main stream.
Art is a very subjective commodity. Commodity mean, the objects which can be sold and owned.
Though, when the type of art, and the educational direction has changed to the Pure Art and a theory
of Conceptual Art, sellable art became the dirty word as it is Commercial / Crafty, to live on
the Art become even harder. Who want to buy a pile of dung / (said to be) conceptual art installation. 😀
——- So, the question of Jaganathan is a little bit out of time or not a kind of the matter to rise a question.
Depressed, infested by Drug, kill oneself or even kill others —– may not be anything unusual. 😀
Even worse, as the art education is aiming to the concept, not the skill, actually no skilled useless persons
were flooded to the labour market ( it include the Media study as well).
Under such situation, if any artist want to have satisfying life should better take Buddhist’s paradox.
Forget success, forget recognition, forget financial reward and just make own art —– but perfect one.
Perfect Art would hit the guts feeling of the others. It impress the people and make their mouth shut.
——- so-called success will follow. ( But, as long as the one is hoping and expecting the day will come, with
ego and greed there will be no perfect art or success. —— in this aspects, Dharma is very harsh )
So that, so-called Positive thinking, or Keep your hope live etc etc are all but just the sweet words.
The Buddhist Mushin is the very strict term, if not perfect, it would be all in vain.
If Jaganathan is developing new program, if it is exciting enough, he could be absorbed into its work,
he couldn’t be disturbed by useless thought —— its mean, he needs to make his work interesting,
important enough —– here, crucial inspiration, key idea which he may get it in the Blank Space
may become decisive factor. So, to see its new idea, in complete open mind / Mushin holding the key.
( Here, chicken and the egg, Exciting project absorbs person’s mind and make him into Mushin, though
to get exciting idea need to have Mushin —– shut up, just start. Ha ha ha. 😀 )
——- So, how about, take a walk, —— Do a Walking Zen and get Mushin first 🙂
___/\___
___
Four-Leaf Clover
I know, everybody have a memory, once (or many times) looked for the four-leaf clover when we
saw the patch of ground covered by the clover. Of cause I have, and in deed I found few of them in my life.
Yet, I don’t think it brought me any better luck —— and I’m not talking about the good luck here.
( Still, this post deserve to have a title of Four-leave Clover —– you will find it 🙂 )
——
When you were looking for the clover, do you remember what you were thinking ? Kind of play to the God ?
“Oh my Load, please give me a Four-Leaf Clover” —— I don’t think so. 😀
(May be you were thinking of your girl friend or boy friend —- to present the precious findings. How sweet ! )
When you are scanning the field with your eyes, I don’t think any thought was in the brain.
Eyes were just scanning and just concentrating for the task. In fact any thought would be a distraction.
And, do you believe the concentrated effort, will power would help to find it ? I don’t think so neither 😀
And if you lucky to find one, was it in the center of your eyes ? —— it doesn’t necessary so.
Quite often we find the intended object somewhere periphery of our vision.
We read the small letters in the center of our eyes, other than the center, we can’t read and understand
what was written there. So that, when we need to find a file name in the list, we have to concentrate
and pick the pattern of the word in the file name. It need to have a will to read.
In comparison we can detect the pattern which we know already in the periphery of eye field.
But this vision were controlled by our subconscious, not by our conscious will. When noticed
it’s there, we move eye-ball and capture it in the center of vision, then confirm it, Gotcha !
___
When I was in my Uni’ I was asked to join the research expedition to the remote corner of Japan or pacific
islands, to help the botanist. ( As I was a member of Alpine Club, specialized in yet traced area or jungle
kind of terrain and doing botanical photography as well —– despite of I was a student of Sociology. 🙂 )
Strangely, in those occasions, many times I was the first or only one to find out the specific plant, while
going through the field or jungle. I have enough knowledge of botany but, professors knows a similar type
and so on far better, and the information I had, was only a line drawing of the plant from the botanical book,
encyclopedia etc otherwise 70-year-old dry specimen, of which the plant haven’t been seen 50 years,
kind of rare species. Everybody was amazed ” How you could see this. You must got very good eyes ”
( Though, I’m heavily short eye-sighted ) “No no, I just noticed, it looked different ” ” In 10m away ? ”
Of cause, the plant didn’t come on front of us. I had to catch it in my peripheral view.
——- In deed, our eyes or cognitive function of our brain is possessing remarkable ability.
Just learned from 2″ size line drawing to distinguish real plant ( which is not necessary having flower to
stand out ) might be akin to a Policeman to apprehend a suspect, from a vague photo-fit.
It must have a very intuitive creative work to fill a gap.
—-
But before work out to reconstruct the image, we need to catch it in the first place.
So, how our eyes can catch the Four Leaf Clover in distance, even by the peripheral vision.
In fact, the answer lies in this peripheral vision, and its subconscious process.
It’s all came down to the same paradox ” When you want to see, you can’t. When you abandon to
search, you start to see”. And here, the same Blanc Space in the Mind is playing the role. (Refer the Post)
If you don’t know about the Zen, you might think this is contradictive though, this is how our brain works.
Expose the perception in open-minded way, which Zenist call Mushin (Mind of no mind), the brain can
receive far more information / visual signal, and able to process them far more efficient way.
( Many years ago, I met a man who is working as a railway station staff told me “How to find a railway pass
cheat” saying ” Standing and checking the passes one by one by reading the date on the pass is impossible.
So, we just standing watching the incoming passengers. Then anyone caught eyes, we look at his / her
pass and read the date. We are reading the behavior and the mind of the passengers. Standing and just
seeing the flow of the people, still we can distinguish who is cheating, far more accurate” —– Well said :-))
——- This is why I wrote in the earliest post, ” Just walking the street. Just looking forward without focusing
any point or taking any notice of street scene, open and spread your vision from the side to side.
This is the Zen ” ( in easiest way —- called Walking Zen 😀 —– The advantage in Walking Zen is, you
can observe your state of mind from your Peripheral Vision (able to notice, both end of images are keep
moving while you walk) —– though, tricky part is, you only have to feel them without the conscious mind.
Still it is easier than to observe the state of mind of Sitting / Meditating without Thinking —–
Thinking the state of Not Thinking is pretty hard to achieve —— Make your subconscious to observe
your conscious mind which supposed to be not thinking = This is the nut-shell of Zen training —- Training
because the aim is to achieve Let the subconscious to think and deal with the life —– Because of the
subconscious is thinking but you do not notice it = Hence you are not consciously Thinking.
—– Most important point to remember is, All the thinking process was actually done
subconsciously, then, conscious consideration such as tactical maneuver, social pretence etc
intervene and mess-up the decision-making and push the life into unnecessary trouble.
Buddha’s suggestion was simple, Be straight and simple, don’t make a life complicated by
being messed up by unnecessary thought. This is what the Buddhism all about.)
So, why not try your Zenist eyes by looking for the four-leaved Clover. (Provided, if it’s there at all. 😀
Zen can not create something out of nothing. Zen can only help you to see it ) Good luck !
___/\___
—-
State of Zen = Dharma
Through email, Jaganathan asked me pretty significant question.
” It would be helpful to know, by doing what a person in Zen can fall back into NOT being in Zen ”
In fact there was a popular misconception behind of this.
Zen or ultimate state of the mind in the Buddhism is not a newly acquired fancy addition of
the Mind. Far from it, it is just the default state (if I may use a computer term) of the mind.
( Hence, it is the a crucial marker to distinguish out a sham Zen instructor —– if he says ” You will get
something new” it is the indication of that he doesn’t know the Buddhism )
This is Why everybody has it and born with it.
This is Why all the Zen masters in the past, when he realized it, described ” It’s a dog sit ”
And this is Why a small children often shows it, even a small animal, the Nature itself shows it.
And this is Why, the Buddhism asking and asking ” Get lid of your thought (which is the products
of the complicated brain activities)” —— so, it was described as, be in the Mushin / Selfless.
Of cause, Buddha was fully aware of this. That is why he showed it by doing, not by the words.
And this was Why the followers had to follow him and mimic (and repeat as the practice) what
Buddha was doing. (so the tradition was created )
——- being in the Default state, even the perception of ” I’m seeing or listening etc ” are not
there ( hence, later description of the sense itself are not existing were appeared in the Mantras )
( You have to remember that the all the Mantras were written more than 200 years afterward by
the memories and the guess-work —— since, often with misunderstandings)
All the conversion to the categorized notions or ideas are done by the additional Thinking process.
Still, without all those conversions, our eyes are seeing. And to see it, as what we have seen in the
first moment, without conversion or additional process is what we call as the Clear view or Clear eyes.
And without the complicated brain process, which mean without any masking of the thoughts, we can
see the Dharma —– or one might say even without seeing the Dharma, but Just be with Dharma.
So, be with it —— its mean forget what you have just read here — blah blah blah, Just Do It.
—-
Therefore (back to Jaganathan’s question) as the Default is the basis, one can not remove it, though it
would be easily masked by any setting of thought, pretension, borrowed buzz-word, fashionable
popular idea, useless Ego, Greed etc etc, but with the price of the Karma.
That is why, stay humble, without any masking or dress-up would be better, as it will lose nothing
——- so, peace in simple life is what the Buddhist’s choice. ( Though, paying some price to the Karma
and have small pleasure may not to be too bad. —— If it was not forgiven, we human being had been
eliminated long ago.) Still, choice is yours. Don’t blame me if its happened. Ha ha ha 😀
___/\___
—
Peace in a Battle field
There was a funny conversation in Email exchange ——–
” Hey Yoshizen, could you pay the cost through Paypal please”
” Sorry, I’ve been black listed by the debt recovery company,
so that, I can’t use money transfer. I only can give you in cash.”
” Oooooh, you are such a trouble maker 🙂 “
(Among the Anarchist group, Trouble-maker is the honourable title 😀 )
” Oh yah, so far I’ve made the enemies, whole Judiciary here, Japanese Embassy,
Police, Local Council, British Telecom, Virgin Media, Three G, T-Mobile and
barely having a truce with Talktalk.
So that, the Motto of the Zen is the PEACE,—— how to find a Peace / Calm Mind
while shooting 😀 “
—
——– When we are in the battle field, we need to have unmoved, focused mind
and the clear eyes —- therefore the Zen is the most effective way to deal with the situation.
Dealing with the photography / how to capture the subjects, or even dancing on the rhythm, it is
the battle facing with the situation while sensing all the signals, then instant judgement and the response.
Because of the gushing torrent of the information is coming in, to put them in the clear space
in order to give detached bird’s-eye view and make instant intuitive judgement
with appropriate priority, become crucial.
—–
This is the reason why, the sword-masters, martial-artists even the throat-cutting share-dealers
needed to learn the Zen —– they are not chasing Nirvana or Enlightenment (too late any way 🙂 )
but needed to have ultimate efficiency managing their mind,
hence able to maximize their achievement in the life.
Do nothing, just sitting peacefully —— needs no more.
—
Mulberry
Every year, in the middle of August, there will be my annual event to go to see the Mulberry tree
and eat its berry, as one of my special ritual. ( After this, it will be the Blackberry’s season 🙂 )
—
There is a Japanese song called ” Aka-Tonbo ” ( Red Dragonfly, and its appearance heralding the coming
Autumn / end of the summer) —— it was dubbed as the second Japanese National Anthem.
Some Japanese expatriate would tear when they sung this, even though they may not necessary ever
eaten this berry in their life.
Song is about a childhood memory, when he (she) was piggy-backed and saw the red evening sky,
the flying Aka-Tonbo, and the memory of picking the Mulberry. ——– (sob sob)
My childhood memory itself was nothing like in the song, still when ever I saw this Mulberry tree
my thought just goes to this song. ” This is the Mulberry of Aka-Tonbo song ” ——– still, it is
almost a mystery, why this Mulberry having such significance and Aka-Tonbo song makes the
Japanese cry ——- though, it is a touchy subject I never dare to ask others ” Why you cry ? ”
—-
I can describe, the size and how its berry looks like (it looks similar to Blackberry —– if you click
the photo and enlarge it twice, it will be about 80% of the life-size) though I can’t tell what is the taste
and how it is distinctive. Unlike the light or sound, there is no chart to plot or even measure its
distinctiveness. (We only able to measure the strength of each taste, very strong to very weak.
But we even don’t know what sort of difference or similarity between the taste of apple and the grape)
So that, we can not objectively describe or think about the taste— Only able to detect, it’s there or not.
—-
Among the sensory stimuli, the visual signal is the most indirect stimulus. It detects the light
reflected on the surface of the object and the signal has to be reconfigured as a pattern in the brain
—– otherwise its signal / stimulus wouldn’t have any effect as a stimulus, as if it is not existing.
In comparison, sound signal stimulates the hearing nerve direct. As long as it’s there you can not escape.
But the sound is a by-product of something vibrating, and transmitted through the air, if we block
the air path we can annihilate its existence.
Though, taste and the smell is the direct chemical effects created by the particular monocle of
the material or ingredient, so the monocle itself needs to touches the nerve.
Second direct sensory are the touch feeling. It will be detected by the direct touch but needs to feel
and assess. So that the same stimuli of such as touching a wire-brush —— very slight ticklish feeling
to itchy feeling and if it was pressed too hard it is painful —— its dependent to the interpretation.
Some people feel even pleasure by piecing the skin by needle. (I wonder what sort of process there ?)
—
The more direct the stimulus, its effect goes deep straight, even hit one’s physiology straight, since it
by-passing the process of the brain, and evoke the subconscious reaction, revive the latent
memory and hit the emotion direct, we can not control —— sob !
When a monocular of chemical which is unique to the Mulberry, touches our taste-bud, specific
signal was transmitted from there (scientists still don’t know the mechanism, is it the pattern of pulses ?
if it was the case, can computer mimic the pattern and recreate the same sensation of taste ?
or even create the similar but slightly different pattern hence new taste ? ? ? ) we perceive specific
sensation and as its sensation is unique, it will be strongly associated with its particular
situation —— hence, its revive the strong memory and the associated emotion.
—
Yet, me to go and pick Mulberry is not only for indulging child memory, but I rather feel a kind of duty
to remember our humble origin. We human being came from the savannah as the hunter gatherer.
We survived while picking fruits, plant roots, sea-shell etc etc —– thanks to the nature and
ultimately the energy-source, the Sun. ——- (Fruits comes from the tree, not from Tesco 😀 )
We never created foods. We are just a sucker of the nature and a part of the food chain.
Especially to be a Buddhist, we shouldn’t forget that fundamentally we are the bikku (beggar ).
So, thanks to a tree in a park, I can pick this Mulberry, free of charge.
( Though, I’m not alone. It seems I’m competing with another picker and the Birds —— early Birds got
better chance and upper hand / upper wing to reach top of branch. I got only few left over. Sob 😀 )
——
Science of Mantra
Unlike what I wrote somewhere “Buddhism never contradict Science” if anybody read the Mantras
everybody can see it just as a piles of piles of bullshit. One description contradict to other or utterly
absurd logic etc etc (such as devils chasing wondering dead soul in the hell “therefore blah blah —-” 😀
Oh, C’mon it’s not a logic —– So, what is this metaphor meant for ? ? ? )
So, Why I saw them ” Scientific” was, ——– the matter is not the contents in the Mantra but the
effects it causes and evoke the mind ——- instead of blindly accept a Dogma.
If anybody read Abidharma cosa Mantra (provided not fallen into asleep. 😀 ) it will definitely
wear out the one’s mind, exactly same effect to chant the name of Mantra thousand times.
Analyzing the existences and the perception and categorizing them into thousand of classification
——- and to read them through ( What a hell ) definitely make the person to abandon the thinking
words and words will become just the patterns passing through the eye field.
Exactly same as a typist. Just type the chain of words. Just let them go. Don’t think.
This, well thought-out psychological effects are amazingly scientific. —– Akin to the process of
blow heat the malachite with charcoal and to get the copper metal. Long (in deed) before the
mankind knows the carbon in the charcoal reduct the oxygen from copper-oxide —– from
the observation then try and test and establish the method is nothing but the rational science.
—— So, unmistakably on the time of it was written ” To study this Abhidharma is the way to attain nirvana”
( in hard way —— and not very good to the eyes 😀 )
( PS : Earley version of Buddhist Mantras such as Pali Canon is far shorter though always having repeating
——- phrase, which was meant to be recited ( It’s in the poetry form) —— by reciting them repeatedly
——- its goes down deep into a person’s subconscious, hence it will become automatic to recite (without
——-thinking) thus able to attain state of Mushin (Selflessness) —– So, some described it ” Purify the Soul “.
Without shouting the Dogma, still able to convert one’s mind by observing the psychological effect is
nothing but the scientific approach.
—
How BUDDHISM deals with TROUBLE
( This is the shortest summary of what I have explained in the past hundred posts )
Half of the troubles in one’s life are caused by external situations or factors, which is beyond the one’s
control —– the one was in the wrong place in the wrong time.
Though rest of half were caused by oneself which are largely attributed by one’s emotion, including
one’s greed, sexual instinct and emotionally biased wrong thinking —– in another word, Delusion.
–
What BUDDHA taught was the way to deal with those troubles by gaining the clear eyes to
see the situation AND the way to control one’s mind (include the Emotion and Instincts ).
——– so, it was the two-way approach, hence the complete package of the solution.
To see the world in the clear eyes with the understanding of its existences ( include the Self ) which are
constantly changing by the chain of cause and result, is fundamentally rational and factual —— hence,
Buddhism never has a conflict with the science. ( And the common sense. 😀 )
——-
And to deal with one’s mind which is riddled with Ego, Greed, Emotion and Delusion, Buddha had
adopted remarkably effective way of practice which can Re-program one’s Subconscious,
therefore able to eliminate all the effect of those awkward Ego, Emotion etc.
This uniquely Buddhist’s way of practice is, to repeat the same action or thinking for the tens of thousands
of times thence worn-out the Thinking and makes the action independent and immune from any Emotion.
By doing so, human mind and the body learns to do it without involving thinking and the emotion
therefore, the action became almost automatic (since emotion is detached) and extremely refined.
And able to achieve the selfless state ( Mushin ) of the one’s mind.
———- As the result, the Person wouldn’t be shaken by the troublesome event, and the Mind can handle
the situation without the interference of the Emotion or Subconscious blockage, even awkward trouble
can be solved in the very rational and calm manner.
—-
–
True SELF
While ago I’ve stumbled an interesting blog site of a Japanese artist.
Her site ” ciharukaido. wordpress.com ” showing not only her art
but in fact everything, from poetry to food ——-.
And when I put a comment to an amazing sculpture
” La geometrie du coq” 2007 ( Photo left ) she replied
” Sometimes your hand would tell you what you
want, rather than thinking ”
——– this is the remarkable words from such young artist.
Among the so-called artists, not all of them reached to the level,
able to conceive the idea in the depth of subconsciousness.
( Lots of them just manufacture it in the process of thinking ——–what is new, what is in fashion,
how to make it looks sensational etc, choosing, improvising from the existing knowledges )
Yet still, some of them are able to do it almost unconsciously with their intuitive imagination, and some are
aware of the difference between the conscious and unconscious process of creation, such as Ciharu here.
——————–
Amazingly, but not surprisingly, this is the same situation of the Mushin ( Selflessness ) and
awareness of the True Self in the Buddhism.
( Incidentally, this is also the same thing to the Wu-wei ( Mu-i in Japanese ) in the Taoism, which
was remarkably adopted as the name of new theme in the WordPress Blog design.)
It is no doubt, in many philosophies and the religions, the matter of True Self is the main subject, yet to
some people it is not a subject to seek or debate, but naturally being there.
So, it is no wonder, the art created by this Chiharu Kaido has strange indescribable impact as if it was
a long forgotten memory or genetic vague memory of far far ancestor. ( So, we say ” I lost word ” )
( Since it was expressed direct from her subconscious without involving linguistic notion / thinking, neither
the viewer can catch clear notion but strange impact of what she felt——eroticism out of word and the time )
This is the sample of the artistic communication between the two subconsciousness.
( If you can see and feel, this is it. ———- If not, forget it 😀 )
So, to be an artist, to be in the true self is an advantage, though whether its Self is compatible with
society is the totally different matter. They may not aware social convention or responsibilities etc.
The artist I’ve talked about, has just disappeared without delivering the piece, even though it was
paid in advance. (Some said, never trust artist, only give a money in exchange with the piece 😀 )
Seems it is true.
——

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