Hygiene of MIND

It seems the explanation of the Self : True Self in the previous post was not enough or messy.

So, I need to clear the mess in the better metaphor. 🙂

Looking through the Buddha’s teachings, long since I’ve been thinking the Psychological profile

of Buddha and realized, to think Buddha as a Guru of religion will miss the point.

If we think his mind-set like  a scientist or physician, it would be

far easier to understand what he taught.

And it would explain more, why the Buddhism having such character, not like a religion nor philosophy.

Just see the very blunt words of his Four noble truths ” Life is suffering —-” are not a kind of words from

would be a savior trying to be very popular,  but more like a doctor diagnosed a cancer, telling the truth.

Why ? —– Because in his Enlightenment, Buddha saw the Dharma is the rational mechanism,

like the Science, not a mythical mambo-jumbo. —

And he was able to see even the invisible. (Say, Micro Karma inside of our subconscious and unconscious

physiological dynamics reacting to the given environment / stimruos, moment by moment.  So that, his

teachings of the Noble Eight fold Path are to curb the possible cause and environment in the first place ).

This was the reason Why Buddha ordered his disciples to see the things include the Self and

think by themselves, not blindly follow what others say (its mean even the word of Buddha,

teacher, scripts).   Buddha’s contemplation to settle middle way, away from the extreme, such as

extreme austerity was simply based on his experience.   It wouldn’t give any Enlightenment but

the illusion, bore out of tortured body and the mind   ( he didn’t take those illusion as a super

natural vision like his teacher ——- he was a cool headed man = like a scientist or surgeon).

(Though, the disciples and later followers  who couldn’t understand the invisible, just named it as the

” Pannya Paramita”  / Supreme Wisdom, and put it in the shelf without touching since,  and created

numerous fancy mumbo-jumbo story which took the idea of Hindu myth into the Buddhism. )  🙂

—–

Think, Buddha was talking about the hygiene of the MIND.

Talking about the cause of illness, and the germs, how to keep cleanness to avoid the infection.

His eyes are very analytical, and thinking based on the observed facts, in very rational way.

(This was the reason, why I even felt it was the psycho–engineering.)

We ordinary folks can’t see and couldn’t guess what lies behind and causing the pain from illness.

The medical scientist knows which germs infects where and how, but not us.

Buddha saw the cause of our sufferings are lay in the infection of our Mind / the infected Self.

Since we couldn’t see the germ,  it is very difficult to see how this Self was infected.

Buddha explained the cause of disorder of our Mind, like a system how the lung exchange the oxygen

and the carbon-dioxide, which we only know the superficial phenomena / breeding.

So, he explained the mechanism of Karma —– cause and the effect, which is constantly taking place

and never stop, affecting our Mind too.  Hence he saw, attempt to imagine it as the static entity is wrong.

—–

Without knowing it was the science, and without knowing the existence of germ which

we can’t see, the past monks tried to explain what the meaning of Buddha’s teachings are.

And messed up.

The Mind looks the same but it was infected, hence the patient is suffering without knowing the cause.

So, Buddha explained the cause and taught how to cure the infection and regain the clean and

sound Mind which we were born with it on the beginning.

—-

Mind is the center topics in our life and the Buddhism, hence, it is having so many implications.

In relation to the Karma “static Mind couldn’t exist” and in relation to the repeating practice ( practice

is the vessel to sublimate the teachings into subconsciousness) but subconsciousness is invisible,

“hence hard to know its existence”, and in the Epistemology and the Ontology front, what is really

existing —– is it only in our Mind / or Mind itself is reliable —— is a perpetual question.

Above all, as Buddha established his view against the Vedic idea of Atman, which says

that the soul exists and remained after death, he took the firm stance, the Atman / Mind is not exists.

In deed, the idea and effect of Mushin / No-mind and its power is the center of the Buddhism.

And the Self which was imagined by such Mind couldn’t be there neither.

What really exists is the pure Mind which is in fact the Dharma, and the true Self which is

in fact a part of the Dharma too ——— they are no longer called Mind nor Self,  that all.

Yet in the same time it is undeniable, whether it was deluded / infected or not,  without having

the Self and the Mind’s existence, the Self and the Mind couldn’t be enlightened. ——- so,

with pragmatic reason, they are just called Mind and the Self,  for convenience.  😀

——– We have to see, the Mind and the Self —— which looks the same though, what the Buddhists

talking about has the invisible difference, either it was germ infected one, or the clean one. 😀

( Trouble is, we can not see the Clean one —— because it is not existing / in theory.  Ha ha ha 😀 )

———-

It is the same Mind, same Self though, its change the state,  just like riding a bicycle,  the person

suddenly become able to ride and gain the freedom. No one can explain why but it just happen.

In the same manner, suddenly the eyes open, and the conscious of Mind and the Self disappear,

or its become irrelevant —– effectively clear the infection  🙂

The task is in your hand, clean your Mind, and your Self germ free. (or Hinayana approach

would say, don’t bother the germ or Mind /  Self all together, just get on your life ! )

This is the very path way of the Buddhism.

___/\___

PS: This wouldn’t devalue the Buddha at all ( — may demystify him a bit though ).

——I only add a line, Buddha had the eyes and the Mind of the Scientist.

——Look, all through the human history, who else could see and explain the human life

——like Buddha.  He is the only Buddha.  Greatest teacher to the human being in the history.

—-

Time of Reflection

When we came to the END of something, season, road, a task or a project even a relation etc etc,

it is the time of reflection. —— WHY ?  on that moment ?

As the task had just completed, ( or the relation has ended ) there is nothing left to think ahead.

So that (as our mind is not necessary accustomed to have blank moment ) our mind was forced to go back

to somewhere we have passed.

We start to think the each moment which we couldn’t forget, not only we have actually done but also

the alternative —— ” It could have done, or If only ——- etc etc.”

As it is literally a hind sight, we can see better way to do it, and different outcome —— hence a

lots of regrets. ——- sound sad isn’t it ?

Why can’t we have the life with no ( well, nothing is perfect though  😀 ) regret.

So, why not to have a moment to sit back and think ——- in advance  🙂

—

We have only one life and only one chance.

We can not repeat the same moment in different way.

This is THE reason why we have to put the full effort to the very moment / each instant.

So that, leaving no regret. ( Well, ——- in theory  😀  )

Unlike the life itself, if it was a small project, such as designing small mechanism or electronic circuit,

if it was not perfect ( or not good enough ) I remake it often from the start. ( why not, this is a feed-back )

Though, the real life is not such simple.  Surrounded by so many factors and the occurrences affecting

the decision or others action of which we ourself has little control.

So, we Buddhists call it as the Karma / Fate, or even the providence of the Dharma.  And, we

accept it as it is and effectively wave the right to contest it.  Its mean, Buddhists have no regret.

Whether it was good or bad if it was given, there is no point to argue.  If it was bad, it’s because myself

didn’t do good enough work and the Karma to back fire ——- yet no point to have a  regret, but we have

to learn and do better next time. ( because, we can not change the past —— only look forward )

So, in my case, the time of reflection is not to have a  regret, but to face the music and laugh.  😀

( Oh, c’mon Yoshizen, what have you done ! ! ! —— Ha ha ha 😀  —— like this )

So, Don’t make your life even more miserable with regret, just laugh at it.

( So, life is Happy —— Honest, believe me.  Ha ha ha  😀  )

___/\___  😀

What is the POINT ?

Somebody who read  Spiritual Sound gave me a question saying

that I’m desecrating the holy spirituality.

On the surface, it may look true.  But it is the main purpose of this DIY  Zen Blogging.

I’m not Desecrating  Buddhism  or any holy belief.

To decipher the mechanism of our mind and invisible psyche in relation to the Zen is

the task what I’m doing and all about this Yoshizen Blog. —— May be I am demystifying the religion.

( I don’t need to indulge  Mythical Dream,  as I’ve been surrounded by too many spooky phenomena.  😀

My task is not pretend to be a kind of medium but to find out the mechanism how it is operating. )

As I wrote in the earliest posts,  the repeating Buddhist’s practice is, in fact, ware-out the mind

and make the practice routine hence make the person able to do it without thinking / in Mushin.

Mushin is a state of mind,  and it is nothing to do with any mythical, glorious religious belief.

To open the mind and the perception completely away from any thought,  we are able to see

and able to know the truth as it is —— is what all about the teaching of Buddha.

To complete his teachings,  Buddha ordered to his disciples  Not idolize him or worship himself ——its

mean, to follow the Buddhist’s teachings, even a notion of Buddha / Buddhism have to be removed.

Because,  Buddha knew it is the pitfall of the teachings —— even a conscious of  I’m a Buddhist or notion

of Buddha would utterly negate the effects of Mushin.

Remove the conscious to be a Buddhist or the name of the Buddha,  is not desecration of the Buddhism.

Since it is the very core of the Buddha’s teachings.

Simply, this is how our mind works.   And this is what the Buddha’s teachings.

——

Buddha taught to remove the own thinkings to attain Mushin, in his explanation, since the basis of

own thoughts = the self is not existing.

To fully understand what Buddha meant took 500 years.  Hinayana Buddhists took this to negate

the self, especially filthy part of it, smelly guts or uncontrollable genitals shouldn’t be there.

Then Mahayana Buddhists realized,  if they shouldn’t be there, why the Dharma gave us in the first place.

(Not to be obsessed with it / Middle way , is a commonsense)

The function and its mechanism of our mind / psyche (dynamics of our subconscious) was designed

or given by the Dharma, and it has been refined and refined (evolved) in past billions of years.

Exactly in the same context to see the effects of the repeating practice,  I described the effects of

the incomprehensible hi-pitched tone —— it makes our mind puzzle and open the mind.

I didn’t ask anybody to listen Hi-pitched tone or Mozart Miserere.  I’ve just shown what is the effect of

us to open the mind and the perception. —– then you might able to touch spiritual world.

Whether this spiritual world is sacred or holy mythical world, is in your belief / Mind —– but

as the paradox of Buddhism is here, as long as you cling its idea, you can not see it.

___/\___

—

Spiritual Sounds

While ago I talked about the sounds which gave us a spiritual feeling.

In there, I wrote ” Something slowly moving continuous rather hi-pitch tone make us feel spiritual.”

And long time ago, when I talked about J.S.Bach and Baroque music —– not melodic but continuously

changing polyphonic sound makes our brain to stop thinking / abandon the thinking process =

attempt to figure out what this sounds mean ——- is good for the Zenist to empty the mind.  😀

——–

Unlike a visual signal, sound signal is a basic stimulus, goes directly into the subconscious.

If you encountered a scene in a huge Buddhist Temple, hundreds of monks chanting a Mantra in unison,

( I’ve listened it at Eihei-ji and Daitoku-ji.  You may find a recordings of Tendai-shormyo of  Enryaku-ji )

you might have felt its low voice is more of a demonic and gave awesome impact to your perception.

The Gregorian Chant in a monastery gives similar feelings but the sound is less demonic.

Then somebody suggested, how about the Gospel Song ? ——- Those musics are surely Religious but

not necessary sound spiritual as its use of normal voices range and the meanings of words’ limit the mind

to be open. One of rare exception might be the back-ground hi-pitch humming of a Gospel group Take6.

(In  purely sound term, not the connotation of the songs).

————————

When we hear roar or beating drone like low sound, it resemble the sound of earth before an eruption

of volcano or a big predator / lion, tiger etc,  we feel a fear ( instinctively ). ( Huge fearsome body

never chirp, as the resonance of big body cavity is pretty low / earth’s magma chamber is huge  😀 )

So that the lower sound is the sign of larger and more powerful body,  hence used to appeal to the female

who is seeking stronger gene —— from flog to golilla.  (and some human as well  😀  )

Since the lower roaring sound gives the feeling of awe and  hi-pitch slow-moving tone gives

spiritual feeling, the religious organ music utilising those effect very effectively in its three-part

polyphonic composition.

So,  why hi-pitch tone (when its sound slowly moves but not too melodic way) gave us spiritual feelings ?

Try this by yourself now. —– Make high-tone on your mouth, pieeeee —– then, booooo —– you must be

noticed, high-tone resonate in your head / nose cavity,  but low sound resonate in your lung cavity.

Lower base sound shake your body,  but hi-tone hit your head / brain though, if the sound is not

comprehensible —– not a whistle of train or alarm sound, nor soprano song —— something unknown

but as it keep hitting the brain,  we just open the perception and we were nailed down just to listen.

As we couldn’t figure it out, our confidence in our ego melt away, and the mind evaporate into air.

With completely open mind and the naked perception, we started to feel, something is there.

You are standing on the edge of spiritual world.

—

Just open the perception / mind, and become totally passive without attempting to give

any own thought / thinking,  is nothing but the state of Mushin in the Buddhism.

Of cause, Hi-pitched tone itself has no spirituality, it was just happened to be a typical sample

to make us feel the uncertainty which forced to open our mind / key to see the function of our mind.

And this key is showing us, No-thinking/No-mind/Mushin is the pathway toward the spirituality.

Buddha, in his ultimate wisdom, decipher this phenomenon and gave the explanation. 

What beyond there is, the Dharma. —— As everybody can be hit by this spiritual sound,

its indicates the fact, everybody has its perception, and the Dharma is not beyond the sky, but

in front of us.  In fact we ourself is a part of it, that’s why everybody got this perception.

Unlike the Gregorian Chant of Gospel Song which needs to know beforehand and learn what it is,

the perception toward the spirituality is inherent to all the human,  Buddhism is teaching how to open

the perception/mind, and see the Dharma through its practice. ( without listening a hi-pitch tone  😀  )

—— still, one of the Zen sect Fuke-shu use the sound of Shakuhach / Bamboo pipe  to reach  Mushin.

—— ( though, to master this instrument is as hard as to get enlightenment ). ( Still, sound is good  😀 )

In fact, to some people, it is not necessary a hi-pitch tone, but it can be a sound of the running water,

wave sound of the sea, wind through the tree  though, those sound sources are surrounded by too many

visual signals too.  We may not able to just listen the sound of wave —— mind might be destructed

by a passing nice Bikini Bottom.    ( Ha ha ha  😀  —– In fact, Bottom is a part of the Dharma, so, nothing

wrong with it though, if the mind was stuck with it, it break off the  Mushin and stray away.

You can deal with it in Mushin,  but on a bed,  not on the beach.   Ha ha ha   😀 )

—— Still, once got know how, it can be done in any way.

Just open the mind and perceive the Dharma.  ( People describes this as Meditation )

___/\___

—-

Poor Nature (2)

Last night, something was creeping up on my leg, inside

of trouser.—- M m m ?

I slapped it over the trouser. —— What came out and

dropped on the floor was a wasp. (By the way,  I didn’t

know, the wasp here is so hairly. —– Click photo to see )

I realized, I’ve just killed a queen wasp who seemed to seek

a place to hide and wait the next spring.

I can guess, inside of my trouser must be warm and good

place to hibernate —— though —— ? , its not very

convenient place for me at all.

——— Still, it could have created a beautiful story

” A  Zen Buddhist kept sitting, in order not to disturb a wasp sleeping inside of his trouser,

and waited the next spring “ —— how heart warming nice story.  😀

Don’t be jokey,  I’m a convicted notorious potato killer and terminating the life potential of 40~50 Kg of

onion etc every year.  I’m not such generous warm-hearted existence.  I’m living on the sacrifices of

millions of another lives,  not mention the billions of germs came into my body and encountered

the T-cell in my white blood.—— I wouldn’t pretend to be any special noble creature with sweet words.

I’m just an another life in the food chain and the minute part of the Dharma in this world.

——————–

Long time ago I read a story ” A Jain holy man offered himself to a tiger and eaten by the tiger”—– ? ? ?

Was he intentionally walked into a forest to meet a tiger on purpose ? —— I quite doubt of it.

And when he was attacked,  was there any another choice, otherwise not be eaten ?

I don’t think so neither.  Even holy man was just a part of the Dharma.  To the eyes of tiger he was just

another play —— yet as a story, we can make up anything sound nice.

——

Anyhow, see the season (as the rest of wasps are dead already) and her body size, it must be a queen.

Its mean, not just a wasp, I’ve terminated her potential whole family. (and her ancestors as well)

But the question is, —— why she choose to sneak into my trouser ?   There must be somewhere

another warm corner in my flat.  She should know, such place was the last place to choose ?

Or am I smelly —— smell of flower ?    I don’t think so.  😀

Unlike blood sucking female mosquito, most insects avoid to encounter animals —— so, was she

thought I’m a kind of furniture ?  Am I  😀

Anyhow, to an unfortunate queen wasp, peaceful Nirvana for her. (I hope, she didn’t leave

a marker to branding me as a public enemy of wasp and make them to attack me next season  🙂  )

—— While I was editing this, on the other side of the world in Chilean desert, last one of 33 miners

came out from the 2000 feet deep mine. —— one small life ended here, yet 33 men were survived.

Congratulation. Viva Chile. 🙂  ( It was an extraordinary story but not just a story.  It was the fact )

___/\___

____

Blank Space in the Mind / CREATIVITY / SPIRITUALITY

This is a speculation and in metaphor, since the mind even my own  is so elusive and impossible to see it

direct though, it seems in the edge of conscious and unconsciousness,  there is a Blank Space

where a seed of thought or image is first appearing.

The Space has no size, hence it can accommodate the notion of universe to the structure of sub-atomic

particle —– first in a vague form under dim light.

As this Space was surrounded by all library of knowledges and memories  include the subconscious

memory which is deep in the brain, therefore all sorts of connection can be made,  in order to make sense

of what is this seed meant,  in a fraction of second.

The direction of this connecting process can be logical but it is not necessary.

So that a  dream can be created in utterly illogical direction and  with completely  free connection.

In the same time this is the process where creativity works. Whether it is a flat image or a 3D

structure, or an idea  which would be then converted into a meaningful notion by the linguistic semantics.

In the case of image, some person can gradually clarify its vague image into more solid image,

some people has very clear spatial imagination and can do it in 3D structure, others may

only able to see vague 2D image.  The person who can see clear 3D image is also good to see

the object objectively. (And I noticed those people are also able to see the self objectively)

From those images, some of the people can convert it to a concrete drawings (with a skill to

coordinate with the hand) —- as an art or a design for the purpose.  It can also be an invention.

But those new connections are not the result of logical thinking and there is no formula,

or methodology, they are more like a result of chance.    It always comes unexpectedly  🙂

( Like a production of T-cell in our  White blood, the design or the combination of DNA pattern is random

—– no designated pattern against the targeted virus.  Just make a lot, some may match to the virus and

able to kill them, though the rest would be wasted and die.)

Our body is relying on random chance —– knowingly control the direction is done in much

higher region of the brain, with less creativity or fancy novelty. ( Logical but boring.  And

this is why  so-called Conceptual art is boring.   😀 )

—-

So, the field of creativity, new idea or art / design, even a dream are all born in this Blank Space.

It can be described even the limbo in our mind / brain.  Between conscious and unconsciousness.

Starting with very vague feeling, as if it is exist or not exist —— like what  Buddhist describes.

In this field, as the first seed has no defined direction,  chance / accidental connection could be

occurred,  and as the brain scanning all the file and  information, something very remote but possible

new connection can be made.——–> Eureka ! ! !

If it is something useful, we call it invention, if not —– can be an art. (—– Why not  😀  )

—-

To see the seed as it is,  in the clear eyes,  is what the Buddhists are working for.

Since it could be the sign from the Dharma or it could be the direct transmission.

Or it could be an ingenious new idea in physics. (Ask Einstein, how he did it.  😀  )

To see it as it is (before converting it to a known category / notion) need to have an  open mind,

and best to be done in Mushin without any idiosyncratic view imposed on it.

( Interesting aspect of this  Open Mind / Blank Space is, some people can put even clear easily

distinguishable object / idea  into this space, and able to make totally new connection free from any

crèche, idiosyncratic notion,——- it is THE creative brain, creative person. And strangely you might

think, the practice of Zen ( not just a twisted leg formality or patterned Koan ) is nothing but the way to

create this Blank Space in the brain and handle all the coming signal with totally open-minded

manner and purest perception)

And this  Blank Space is where we can communicate with our Spiritual World.

As a seed appeared to this Twilight Blank Space, it is not yet the form of legible word,

some people call this  Transcendental (if it was arrived to the unconscious region,

we couldn’t notice it,  and if it was a clear legible message or clear visible image, we don’t

call it Transcendental) in which we feel, something beyond of our understanding,

deep meaning must be there ——- this is what we call  Spirituality.

—————–

When we receive something very vague signal,  we feel it  Transcendental or  Spiritual.

Like a sound which doesn’t have a clear rhythm nor distinctive melody  but slowly moving rather high

tone (2~4kHz), especially if its got some echo ( think, such as  Mozart’s Requiem which was recorded

in a church acoustics, or some slow synthesizer musics), as it is not narrative or descriptive,

and as the echo gives a feeling of the space, we start to feel as if we were absorbed in the infinite

space and gazing into deep unknown world —— we describe the feeling “Spiritual”.

In this reason, sacred music use this effect —- most typically Mozart / Vatican’s  Miserere.

( This Allegri’s sacred music was smuggled out of Vatican, stashed in the memory of Mozart.  🙂  )

Even the Adagio of Albinoni or Samuel Barber makes our skin creep.

( There could be a neurological effects between the cyclic stimuli / such as sound vibration and

resonating nerve signal —– can be a  residue or left over of  far ancient sensory,  such as Pineal Grand

was suspected to have —– sensing Earth’s Magnetic Field, Cosmic Wave kind of fancy staff —- which

might explain even  Why harmonic sound is more comfortable to listen, or  tone of music affect our mood )

Those phenomena gave a clue —— undefinable signal, a seed of very vague feeling or idea / image is

coming to this Blank Space and making the mind to explore unknown field —– Dream, Creative Idea

—–> Art, Invention, New Theory.

In comparison, if the signal is clear and distinctive, it will be instantly linked to the specific data, category

or notion by the cognitive function of the brain, then it will be converted to the literal notion.

But to define the vague signal, whether it was internally conceived or externally received —- it first comes

to the Blank Space.  So, this Blank Space is functioning like the sorting room for the lost letters  😀

——————-

A scientist said, this function is in our Right Brain  though  I’m not sure as a person who got right brain

damaged still has some creativity,  free mind is functioning —– and I haven’t seen my brain cut open yet.

(Observation through latest brain scanner is telling, that the Nobel Prized Right Brain theory

seemed to be a myth ——- our brain is much more complicated)

—–

Big Brother

No no, it is not meant to be THE Dharma.  The size of  Dharma  is immeasurable.

This Big Brother is in fact small guys who is sneaking everywhere,  where ever you go.

——- If you clicked my humble Youtube channel,  and clicked  Virtual Woman,  you may see

a thumbnail of Space Hijackers title appearing  right-hand column.    And click that one to see a

video image —– then loads of  Space Hijackers’ thumbnails appears.    In one of them,  Plan C

happen to have some scene of me dancing —— strangely or inevitably,  what so-ever.

( I rather like to have a scene of me dancing in  Kung-fu style with my  fists flying an inch before

a nose of riot police, since as it was a day time, it could be a rare footage, if anyone shot it 🙂 )

Any how,  I  wonder the way of editing or the choice of thumbnails to appear next to each video clip.

Lots of dinosaur images appears next to my Wire Dragon,  is straight forward as the title relates.

Though,  what is the link of my kinetic sculpture to Space Hijackers ?

Was that just a seer coincidence or because of my link —-> yoshizen’s blog —-> Space Hijackers ?

( By the way, I’ve joined them not because of their anti-establishment activity, I was just asked to help

repairing their Tank, then I found the dance parties they are organizing are so hilarious and funny —–

” Could such decent grownups can have such crazy imaginations ? ! ! ! ”  😀 )

But, if those links has been traced by the Youtube automatic search system ——- m m m ?

I feel rather uneasy.

Google is watching all of our cyber activity word by word,  hence the choice of AD appearing  next

to our Email pages etc etc. —— and the Youtube are doing the same now ?

If you Tweet a word something-nitrate,  you could be listed in the MI5’s potential list. ? ? ?

——— Even more disturbing development is, if you use ( or forced to use as the new system

adopted by the service provider )  RFID system, which ever it is for shopping etc,  you are going

to be remotely watched.

RFID is a small radio wave responder.  It react and transmit the specific code of the user, hence

it can distinguish the person.   Not only for a door entry or supermarket shopping,  this system is

going to be used to control the information (AD) where ever you go.

So,  if you are a regular shopper of the item and the connoisseur of it,  video AD in a station could be

changed and display  Durex AD for you. —— How nice —— is the future is Orange ?

As the fancy devices like iPhone, iPad spread, the function of their radio wave connectivity

could be utilized yet more fancy purpose ( or malicious purpose ? ) —— who knows.

So,  stay humble (or others say poor ) not to have fancy staff ( my Mob’phone is 15 years old —–

still working ) and use only small cash (no credit card)  is a knack to have a peaceful life.  🙂

___/\___

DorkBoat

Yesterday there was a marvelous boat journey called  Dorkboat organized by the Dorkbot London.

Dorkbot is a group of the people ” Doing strange things with electricity “ —— as their motto

suggests, it is the gathering of the people who is doing with electronics, electricity what so-ever

to show off or discuss what so-ever about their free-minded creation.

Naturally, some are purely digital electronics /

computer programmed graphics or music.

And some are involving kinetic mechanism with

electronic control.

As the group is completely open to anybody

some are doing it alongside of his or her profession

with profound expertise, but some time

utterly an outsider of electronics came up

with very witty approach of an invention.

—

Me to join the group was, again a sheer coincidence.

Somebody a friend, happened to know the member

introduced me to the Dorkbot London as I’ve been

making a lots of funny kinetic sculptures and designing lots of electronic devices.

I liked their motto and my approach —– making the things which are utterly useless but fun,

was exactly matched and found a common ground.

Since then, virtually all of my public exposure such as to French TV, news paper or BBC

were happened with the Dorkbot.  ( Gathering can be seen only for the members, which mean strict

Health and Safety Regulation which is always our headache, can be avoided )

—-

On the boat from Westminster Pier to Kew, we saw the presentation of many funny devices ——

” Mocking bird can be seen as a  recording device (since they can repeat human words ! )” or

ever hilarious  J.Rarson’s game controller, and some music performances  etc etc.

It’s funny to think, the people who follow rigid and rational Physics and Electronics rules

still able to conceive such utterly useless nutty idea 😀   —–  This is THE creativity.

—-

Event was coincided with the farewell award giving for the departure of one of the founder

Alex McLean / formidable  experimental Programmer, as his family is moving out London.

I wish his family’s ever happier life in new location

and his creative projects to ever more flourish.

—

Short POEM ( but not HAIKU )

( may be titled as ) [秋]———————– Aki / Autumn

————————ある————————–aru / one

————————雨の————————-ame no / rainy

————————朝—————————–asa / morning

————————アスファルトに————asphalt ni / on the asphalt ( pavement )

————————アシナガバチの———-Ashinaga-bachi no / a Wasp’s

————————死骸————————–shigai / dead body

————-  Well, this poem was composed in my twenties when I was having evening class of

an   Advertising Copy-writer’s training.  ( Since, I didn’t expect Industrial Sociology BA may not enough

to go into  Advertising or Publishing industry)   I wanted to have a skill to compliment my photography

and  I was writing lots of poems.  ( Preceding to this,  I was a  fanatic of  Jean Arthur Rimbaud )

————– In one glance you may noticed there is no subjective word / Who is watching a dead wasp.

This is a deep and long tradition of the Japanese language —– not clarify the subject word.

This is a part of the Buddhist’s culture combined with Confucians ethos.

Name Me is arrogant.   Self shouldn’t be there.   And name You is disrespect —— it should be only

implied by the proper use of honorific expressions. —— hence, all the HAIKU is missing subject word.

More importantly, without seen by anybody, the pavement and the wasp is still there. We were not the

designer of the world or control it —- How, Self can be there.  Why we need to assert I am watching.

( Hence, lots of old Haiku is based on a  man’s vulnerability,  a powerless observer’s sentiment, Wabi )

Japanese has been using the same language all through the history ( well, classic style is a headache

even for me 😀 ) and having such thousands of years history with Buddhism culture in the bottom,

translate it must be a daunting task, much harder than a Japanese to read Chinese Buddhist’s Mantras.

(So, it is no wonder to find lots of misunderstanding of Japanese Buddhism and wrong translations there)

In comparison, when I read an English translation of  Heart Mantra, translated from

the Sanskrit, I was rather amazed ( and disappointed ) with its clarity as there wasn’t enigmatic

[ Mysticism ] left there.  🙂    There was no mysticism in the Buddha’s teachings.

It was our own creation with over jealous expectation. (save my 8150 story.   It’s not my creation.  😀 )

In the Paradox of Buddhism, mysticism  never appeared where expected.  Because the expectation

is a thought emanated from one’s ego —— which against the Mushin / No-Mind.

—-

Here another poem which I wrote when I left Japan. ( No need to have a title )

( In hind sight, this was the moment I became a Bhikku )

—

美しい手紙を書こうと思った—–Utsukushii  tegami wo kakou to omotta / I wanted to write beautiful letter

私は詩を勉強した——————Watashi wa Shi wo benkyo shita / I studied Poetry

* * *

手紙ー通——————————Tegami, ittsu  / A letter

母へ—————————-———Haha e / to my Mother

—-

ありがとう——————–———Arigatow / Thank you

ごめんなさい———————-Gomen nasai / Forgive me

さようなら————————–Sayou-nara / Farewell

—

( This could be the shortest poem as it using only three most ubiquitous mundane words yet to describe

a man’s whole life.    As after 35 years I still couldn’t find any shorter, fewer word could do the same.

The space inside of  Zero could have whole life history and all the thought —– yet no need to talk

or discuss.  Just shut a mouth and a thought. ——– it is almost like the Zen,  isn’t it )

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99th POST / Seal of Approval ?

It is a bad habit of an ex-sociologist.  Just watching the ongoing phenomenon and analyzing, try to see

if any tendency or peculiarity persists in this blog here ?

Stumble to my blog, the people type search terms then it may link up to my blog, end up here.

( Wittingly or unwittingly.  😀 ) —— Lots of people were misled by the Googled  list  “xxxxxDo”  which

was intended to represent  Ken-dou, Aiki-dou, Sa-dou  kind of practice,  but seemed to be mistaken as

a hard-core porn site ——- must made them hugely disappointed.  😀

The most peculiar search term and a person end up here was ” Trespassing  Buddhism ”   How interesting !

This suggests, either the Google’s automatic key-word linking program defined me as a trespasser or

somewhere in the Net, there is someone’s description talking about this blog as a trespasser.

———- In certain extent it may be true.

After I left the gate of  Eihei-Ji Temple,  I never asked any monk to lead me through the path-way.

( Even though in many occasions,  I questioned them of their teachings Why ?  But I found no Master.)

So, I had taken practices to attain  Mushin myself  while observing how the brain works with it.

So that, I might have parachuted to the sanctuary of the Zen, without coming through the traditional

path-way or  front gate.  Thus any monk found me standing in the sanctuary wearing flashing LED

Disco Pants, must thought I’m an intruder. 😀   Though, it was just an arrogance of them who is thinking

they are ” The establishment, monopolizer of the Buddhism “.

But ( I use a metaphorical words I’ve used somewhere else before ) Room A’ is not a monopolized

sanctuary, it is the open space as the Mahayana Buddhism stands.  —— Any how  Room A’ has no wall

or roof, easy to come with parachute.    Ha ha ha  😀

From the state of Mushin, I started to walk the path-way back ward, like a  Reverse Engineering

to see how the system works and why the engineer has designed it in this way.

So, why  Buddha and  the past  Master had to teach in this way ? — Luckily the hard ware / the Human is still

the same Human as in the time of  Buddha, having same nerve system, brain structure and same physiology,

therefore the phenomenon  which  Buddha had observed, could be reproduced and analyzed  today.

And of cause, those observation in the 21st century have to be explained in the knowledge of 21st century,

otherwise it wouldn’t convince the people today. —— Buddhism is not just an ancient wisdom and

can not stay like an ancient wisdom. In deed, Buddhism is not an ancient mystery, but it is a

finely tuned technique to re-program the human subconsciousness and its perception.

As Buddha ordered to his disciples, we too have to think ourself, but as a man in the 21st century.

———————————————

After I started this blog,  when the Broadband

malfunctioned,  the Dashboard failed to show

stats’ graph,  instead,  the space showed its

Flash Player’s  plug-in  URL ( Photo  left ).

Seeing  this URL,  I was shocked like hit by a lightning.

” Good Heavens, 8150 again.  Buddha is watching this blog.  There is no escape” ——-Since then,

I’m still alive, didn’t get cancer like others who betrayed me and  able to keep blogging in the same way,

and here, a significant mile-stone 99th post.—— its mean, it was not a  warning shot or a  halt.

( I wouldn’t go to ” It is a seal of Approval ” though —- it might be. Otherwise why Dharma  bothered  this ? )

Please read a post  ” Confidence to be Here “. This 21st Century  interpretation of  Zen is right.

Hence Dharma and Buddha is watching us. ( Me and you, who is reading this as well)

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PS: —————–

( Unfortunately, this 8150 is my last conundrum, this is the last mystery which I couldn’t find  21st Century

explanation —— it’s just following me / yet still, other than Dharma, who else could do this ——- ? ? ?

As a matter of fact, until I saw this 8150 sign appeared in my URL in Youtube and here, I was a bit skeptic

about the implication, as it could be just a coincidence though,  Youtube and this Blog URL are not random

occurence, but specifically belongs to me.  I was convinced that they are the intentionally targeted sign.

Around the Buddhism, there are hundreds of recorded mysterious stories, though there was no convincing

explanation ever given, and non in any mantra, even Buddha gave no answer —— still everybody

knows, it is exist ——- it is nothing but a  headache though, have to accept if its comes and this might

be the sign of my Karma and the duty which  was assigned to me to do,  and why I was born. )

—-

PPS: I haven’t explained here,  what 8150 mean.  If you are interested, please click a category above,

8150 Story and scroll down to ” Is Dharma communicating us ? ”

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