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.

___/\___

—

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.

___/\___

—

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.

___/\___

[]

–

IF only – – –

Many years ago, when I was doing a photo-assignment for a big department store, I made an excuse of

a cause of inadequacy, or blaming the situation of my Court Case in the High Court.

( If not I could have done in different way —– kind)

The editor, who happen to be a seasoned  Zenist, shouted me at once ” There is no IF,  in the life”.

As if it was a hit of lightning, this words opened my eyes.  And it’s lightening went through my spine.

—–

Yes, this is it.  All the Buddhism knowledges or crèche went down to the depth of my subconscious where

the reality of the life lives.   ( We can have a dream, though only able to live in reality )

We got only one life.  What ever happened there, is either given by the Dharma, or the result of

my own Karma —— in either case they are unavoidable or inevitable.  There was no choice.

Its mean, any excuse or complaint is utterly waste of the time.    Since, no-one has the opportunity to

have his life Re-Do and tinker the past, and no time left to patch up anyway.

Only the way left is, anything for further on —— now on, has to do the best. Just Do It.

The Life I have done and the Life I’m doing is my only life.  No but, no excuse, since only

the person who judge it,  is myself.  There is no point to deceive myself or to dodge a word.

Anyhow the Dharma is inside of me —— there is no escape.

A convenient excuse of  “IF”  doesn’t work.  😀

( In this aspect,  the Buddhism is very harsh.

Unless otherwise Buddha wouldn’t have defined that “The Life is suffering” in his Four Noble Truth )

——– After many years, I heard the same words from two more person, one was even a young art student,

and realized, it was not Master Takeda’s invention, but more likely a popular phrase then,  still it didn’t

reduce the value of his teachings.

Simply because  ” There is no IF, in the life”  is absolutely true.

___/\___

—

Let it Go !

In somebody’s blog (apparently a follower of the Zen Buddhism)  I’ve stumbled an interesting  word

” Who stole my  Zafu ( small cushion for sitting)”

—– its mean, without Zafu he couldn’t meditate, hence he couldn’t get enlightenment = somebody is

obstructing him to get enlightened.  And saying, not let it go = not giving away the secret / keep it for

oneself is a greed and envy of others getting the truth.  It is the monopoly of the truth.

I couldn’t stop burst into laughing.  😀  😀   ( But he is a very honest man !)

The person is quoting some words of past Masters, so has read some books and saying ” not let it go—”

indicates he is not a beginner though —– ? ? ? —– I wonder isn’t he aware what he is saying, itself

contradict the logic ? —– If  “let it go”  is the matter,  why he is keep asking ?

Yes, Don’t bother any more “Just let it go” —– do it without Zafu.

—–

Looks funny though, the most crucial question is “let it go — of  What ?   ” Is there anything to let  go ?

A novice and even a (at least the years past) seasoned Buddhist having this misconception —– but the

meaning of let it go is,  Let go such notion itself.

In fact, in order to keep their “authority”, the establishment (and the so-called teachers) are pretending

to hold the Ark though, there is nothing in it, other than the Myth —– in its best, otherwise a deception.

That is why, the past Great Masters who found it, all  described it as a Dog Shit.

Simply because the Truth, only the Truth is the Dharma.  And the Dharma is here already.

But to see the Dharma  (in fact to see anything)  need to see it with clear eyes, without having any

preconception,  deluded idea, Ego,  even the Self itself —— hence need to be in Mushin.

Strangely you might feel, it include the notion of the Buddhism too.

If you having a belief that you are a Buddhist, you are not enlightened Buddhist but the one

only pretending or showing off.

(Don’t ask me, “If it is the case, why my blog is here”.  Please read the earliest post.—– It was my Karma)

—-

So, you may ask,  If it is the case,  What is the point to be a Buddhist ?

Well, the answer is only you can find it out.  It is not a  Sale Item nor fancy gadget.  There is no catalog.

It might come, might not come though, the one thing definitely certain is, as long as you expecting it,

it never come.  Because you hadn’t let such idea go.

———- In my case, it seems the Dharma is keep watching me and keep giving me the sign,

in a form of the number (where ever I go, or do what so-ever — rather annoying) (Ref; 8150 Story)

So far, having quite peaceful life without getting ill —– might be thanks to the Dharma —– or

might be just a sheer coincidence. Who knows.  But what do I need to ask more ?   Neither I care.

( I suppose, I did let any expectation go long time ago —– may be.  I don’t remember  😀 )

The beauty in the Buddhism is its carefree life.  I even don’t need to remember that I’m a Buddhist  🙂

( The secret behind is, the life style itself has been simplified and it is carried out without need to think about,

other than something new and creatively challenging.  So, Just do it. —– I’m perfectly contented ! )

So, be relaxed, don’t bother Zafu.  You can sit in anywhere —– isn’t this, an enlightened freedom ?

___/\___

—-

Virture of DHARMA (2)

When I was a small boy, my brother showed me an electric trick

of a small light bulb connected to a battery with thin wire,  and light

it on and off, which he learned in the school on the day.

I learned the trick and improvised it further and made a model of

town (?) which having street with electric-poles carrying supply cable

and street-light,  a house with a light inside etc etc.

—

Then a question arose —– ? ? ?

Why electric power goes every where,  where ever the wire was

connected.  And regardless how many light bulbs or length of the wire connected.

( Well, anyhow they are only few bulbs and few meters of wire —– it was a kid’s play )

Why the power doesn’t refuse to go one place or why a bulb some meters away, light up in the same instant

with another bulb. —– If we are walking on the street, it takes longer to get far, and not necessary go all the

places.  That was a  COMMON SENSE  I have acquired so far until then.

So that, I had to learn  “Incredible, Invisible Phenomena” and its rules ! 

(It was my start for the unknown frontier 🙂 )

———- Strangely, even though I’m using pretty big IC etc, to build electronic circuits these days, still  I’m

not necessary sure, why electron has to go just because it is conductive, in more or less in the same speed ?

( Ultimately still there is no explanation Why a material such as lead gives positive voltage and lead oxide

gives negative voltage in a lead accumulator, and electron start to move when they are connected with wire ! )

The same can be said, why the light has to go even the end of the universe, just because it is an open space ?

———- Why they never refuse TO GO THERE saying I DON’T WANT.  😀

You may say, simply it is just an emission of energy —– ?   Really ?

Those seemingly imperative phenomena are still puzzles to me.  Why the light which got no fuel can travel

to infinity ? —– is it a kind of inertia ?  But a Photon which got no mass can have inertia ?  And why it bend

a course when it go through near heavy star while having no mass —– how gravity can affect it ?

—– Anyhow, it seems everything spread and try to get the state of even balance. (Light brighten the dark. :-))

So, it is safe to say, the basic tendency of the Dharma is to gain an equilibrium with its  perpetual

spreading dynamism, which keeps changing moment to moment.

In fact this is one of the fundamentals of the Physics called Entropy.

( Hence, even a culture, knowledge, technology spread  (so does the MacDonald  😀 )—– and applying

this view may explain the Democracy —– Dharma hate the concentration of the power,  Dictator  😀 )

—

Contrasting to this, the existence and its activities of the Life-form is having different principle.

As I wrote before, the Dharma also support the Life-form to exists.

To create the Life,  it is necessary to configure the selected atoms and molecules to combine

in specific order and create a pattern, as organic matter —— and ultimately the DNA.

So that the Dharma having two-way process, one is out-warding dispersing process, and the other is

centripetal combining process. —– Any Life-form has to go through those two-way process.

This is the Life’s fundamental Karma.  The Wheel of the Life. ——– Process of configuring

the matter and the structure, then its destruction / disintegration.

This is the reincarnation in the Buddha’s teachings. ( It is nothing to do with Vedic Atoman and their

idea of reincarnation of perpetual soul,—– which is the idea Buddha rejected )

—

Life’s centripetal process and its tendency is the self-replication of the pattern (DNA) and the self-preservation,

in another word, it is self-centered.  Though, Life-form is only a very peculiar small part of the Dharma,

naturally Dharma is dominated by the wider rules which is out-warding dynamism —– spread and

gain  the equilibrium.  So that, even the inside of our body, chemical exchange such as Oxygen and CO2 or

balance of Hormone etc or even the communication of Nerve signal are all following the dispersing principle.

And  remarkably  the breeding, as its name Propagation suggests, is the activity to spread the species

as wide as possible, and to fertilize as many as possible.

Inevitably such as mankind’s existence is heavily entwined those conflicting principles / Dharma.

Therefore pushing one aspect too far always create fatal stress / unbalance with external wider world.

So that, to keep a good balance with the environment and the society is the crucial matter

for the survival.

Too much exploitation of the Nature, let alone destroying  the Nature, would lead to a heavy repercussion.

( Which we mankind is facing this very moment )

——- Interesting point is, as we are having the Operation System  which follows the principle of

the Dharma inside of us, and the sensing mechanism of those operation in our Feeling /

Subconsciousness as the Default, some of the very sensitive people can see or sens those balances.

— For instance, an inherent feeling of compassion and the drive for the Charity is one of its manifestation

of the internal Dharma —– to help or spread the  wealth to others, is a psychological  mechanism to lessen

the unevenness of the society.    If the wealth and the power is evenly spread, there wouldn’t be a conflict, and

it would be a Peace and a Harmony in its society and with the environment. — unless somebody with Ego and

Greed want to have all for him (her ?) self. ( Unfortunately this is the case too often )

—

If you know the Buddhism, you may found the description here is somewhat familiar.

As a matter of fact, I thought I was approaching from the scientific observation. —– then  realized,

it is nothing new. —– They are all what Buddha found and taught then.

But this fact indicates, this is not a fancy observation or theory of today.   They are the same findings and

the insight, by the man of 2500 years ago, who had no modern scientific knowledges.

Simply because the Dharma is the same Dharma.

—

Too much centripetal, selfish mind / Ego and Greed invites heavy repercussion and would lead to

the Self destruction. Therefore, be charitable and share the compassion with others.

Too extreme is also detrimental.  Better stay humble and in the Middle way.

And above all, as the Dharma is, open your eyes wide  and spread your view.  Don’t get stuck

with your narrow view and narrow thinking or cling to a fixed idea. —– Be flexible to the changes

as the world is changing with its dynamism and the flow, every moment to moment.

As our thinking is emanated from our centripetal mind or Ego, better be detached from it and

embrace the Dharma.  Stay in Mushin.  Spread and fuse your mind to the Nature / Dharma.

—-

You must be amazed, all those Virtue and Virtues wisdom are not deduced from the concept, but they are

the inherent Rules or tendency of the Dharma itself.  This is the Default settings you can see !

And this is the proof of the greatness of the Buddha’s teachings.

What Buddha did was,  just pointed the Dharma with his finger.  That all.

( But funnily enough, in 2500 years, so-called Buddhists have been gazing at his finger )

We need to see the Dharma with our own eyes.  Which is on front of us.

___/\___

—

My HEALTHY LIFE

Ha ha ha ,  I know it is utterly misleading. 00 Because I don’t have a notion of Healthy Life.

I am just living as I am. —– and just happen to be healthy   ( apparently  🙂  )

If I have to analyze any peculiar practice  which might be related to my health is ——

I’m keeping my hands, nose and throat as clean as possible —– or just wash them very often.

To keep the hands clean was especially essential to handle photographic films.

But to keep the nose clean was taught by a teacher in my junior school.  Which was to take water in

the hands and suck it in the nose, then blow it out three times ! —– All the pupils in the class were

horrified, saying it’s too dirty though I convinced at once —– it’s a good idea and very rational, why not. 🙂

So that, when ever I came back to my place, like take off shoes, to wash hand, nose and gurgle are

the automatic routine.  Though, it might be related to a sublimated Japanese Shinto Custom — keep clean.

And there is no such thinking which relate this practice to health matter exists.— Just doing it.

It is not possible to have objective comparative test of  IF-NOT.    We got only one life and I couldn’t

replicate my same life, but only having NOT washed hands, and see what would  happen.

Simple fact is I rarely get ill, nor catching Cold, Flu.  Still, I don’t know whether washing hands are anything

to do with my health.  —– very funny you may think though, I rarely use soap ! —– same as, I don’t

use washing-up liquid.   I have one in the bath-room and another in the kitchen though they last—-may be

six months or more ?   My view of the soap is —– mankind is using soap not more than one or two hundred

years.  Removing our own natural oil, then applying pig-oil with artificial fragrance, is not a good

idea and the waste of the money. —– If I were ever smelly soapless person, still  it’s not a problem at all,

since I wouldn’t come closer to others less than an arm’s length  😀

So is a shampoo, I just shower the hair removing a salt in the sweat and use a shampoo less than once in

a month.  The shampoo is notoriously bad to the head,  the reason why I still have full head of hair, in more

than three feet long  pony-tale might be because of  not using shampoo. (So, one bottle of it last years  😀  )

—-

I eat anything though, the amount has been reduced in comparison to when I was young.

( I still have the same body weight 60 Kg / 9.5 stone,since when I was 15 years old ! —– When I was

physically very active, such as climbing the mountain , eat twice amount was no wonder though, sitting on

front of key-board  blogging or making electronic circuit needs to eat less —– and I never eat chips)

For my cooking, generally I use one carrot, one onion, a grab of green or green pepper etc and 150g~ 200g

of protein, meat, chicken, fish or egg etc everything from fresh ingredients, except  fish-tin (tinned fish has

no artificial preservatives) and smoked fish or bacon (to make bacon soup ) tofu or fried tofu are the rare

processed food.  And cooking them in many different way (by the way, I don’t buy cooking oil —– oil comes

from ingredients such as chicken naturally) and eat them with rice, pasta, noodle  etc.

So, I’m eating more or less the same food every day with my own cooking —– in past 25 years ?

Buying fresh ingredients is the cheapest, but I buy a lots of not cheap fruits as well.

And cooking from the fresh ingredient may take a bit longer cooking time still, my electricity bill

for a quarter is only £40~£50  (I don’t have gas —- I knew it become expensive ) 1/3 of other people.

——

This is literally, humble life —– or some said almost a life in poverty  😀

And I don’t take any drag, never do gamble, stopped to drink alcohol , never eat junk-food nor buy

fizzy drink but drink 1.5 ~ 2 litter of the tea —– hence there may not be any cause to get ill.

( Arh, no chocolate !  😀  )

In addition,  I gave-up woman 25 years ago.  So, no psychological up and down. —– Peace ! ! !

On top of this life style,  I used to have very vigorous exercise  (which looks like dancing  😀  )

once in every week, and these days I’m still doing it, may be once twice a month.

—-

It is hard to define a reason  why  I live  without getting ill — was it thanks to my  food life, exercise regime?

But, one thing I can definitely sure is, not to ever think or worrying about it.

If there is no crime, there is no criminal law or such concept at all.  Once if somebody start to think about it

then the notion of such activity teaches the possibility or another menu to the mind.  Shall I try ?

In a same way, a notion of illness trigger the imaginal symptoms and it become noticeable.

(Noticing ? Feeling ? —– isn’t it just in the Mind ? )

Even an intellectual medical information, once it caught your attention, it remains in your mind.  And as

often you think it,  it become your long-term memory and the memory / mind deepen and goes into your

subconscious —– as subconscious is in the old cortex in the brain, with its close proximity, it start to give

an influence to hippocampus / limbic system of the brain,  where the physiological control of the body

is taking place —–> hence stress and imbalance of the hormones —–> real illness !

Mind makes people becoming ill. —– It is a vicious circle and the domino-effects.

Here the Paradox of the Buddhism again, as long as the one is bothering with the notion of Health

or Illness, no healthy life ever come.  Here require the teaching of Mishin again.

So, better start Healthy Life when you are healthy and having full of vigor, and make it routine.

To keep the same healthy routine is far easier than to change a bad habit or regime.

___/\___

—

Virtue of DHARMA — What ?

Deep in the bottom of Dharma, there is the Physics.  And the basis of Physics, there are Atoms

which behaves or having its tendency according to their structure such as the number of

Electrons they got.  And the Atoms are made by the Nuclear particles, which were made by

the Sub-particles —– and those Sub-particles seemed consist even smaller Sub-particles —– and so on.

( According to the theories. —– Yet, nobody knows the truth, or it seems to be the unknowable.   🙂  )

I don’t think I need to listing-up the names of those and pretend to know anything about it.

Just leave the matter to the Nuclear Physicists —– as I’m not.  I’m only an outsider and merely qualified

to ask a question to the superficial phenomena.

Yet this question must be the ghastly fundamental serious one.

” Is DHARMA virtuous ? ”

M m m ———— So far what I found, the answer is Yes.

But if we take a  Humanitarian stance,  it is not necessary benign.

This was the reason why Buddha bluntly defined it in his Four Noble Truth, The life is suffering,

getting ill and get old and die, even though we are covered under the Dharma.

——

Long since a question of where the notion of Virtue in the Buddhism come from, was a conundrum to me.

The general morality is a necessity to keep the society’s unity and the peace, in other words it is the

obvious commonsense though, when it comes to a critical tricky situation, such as who should survive

when they faced to a crisis, blink of mass extinction, demise of the tribe such as a famine etc,

the compassion to others etc —– where those human virtue came from ?

To make it as a human duty to be compassionate, which appeared in the Buddha’s teachings from  its

earliest period, together with Four Noble Truth —– Its suggest, Buddha was fully aware that Dharma

is not necessarily kind to the man, hence need to take our own measure of helping each other.

Otherwise, Buddha would have said  “Ask your God to help you”  like all other religion.

But Buddha did know, No such convenient things in this world.  Buddha’s eyes were seeing

much larger picture ( Not having the man in the center, but the Harmony of the Universe in total)

—–

To see the nature and its evolutionary history, I can see the Dharma’s incredible kindness towards

the extremely rare existence —– the LIFE.

What sort of coincidence combined the some Atoms and created basic structural element like

amino-acid, and then simple virus / bacteria kind of Life form.

Far beyond the mathematical probability, while against the Principle of Entropy, yet congregated selected

Atoms and Molecules and to create Life, could not occurred in accident. ( —– If it was an easy occurrence

in chemistry, with today’s technology, artificial Lives could have been created already. )

Any moment in the history, in any global event, this process could have been halted and the Life could be

extinct long ago. —– But amazingly this history on the Earth continued till now —- billion of years,

as if there was a will to make it continue.

—

To make it continue, it is necessary the system of the existences has to be balanced,

ie; sustainable in today’s buzz word —– in other words intricate equilibrium has to be met.

This is What Dharma mean, and Buddha meant —– as only a part of the Dharma, man’s life

couldn’t be alone and trouble–free —– In fact, the man’s greed and the arrogance to expect and

imagine  ” It should be trouble–free”  is the cause of trouble in its own.

The balance is for the total system, not for the man’s convenience, since human is only a minute part of it.

Among the all the existences ( Dharma ), only but  the human, is having their own mind and the mean

to go against the Dharma’s Rule.

And this arrogant mind, greed is expecting more than the fair share of  which  Dharma allocated to man.

That is why the Buddha’s teachings says, to be humble and abandon the Ego / Self, in order to

achieve manifestation of the Dharma within —– Abandon the Self = Mushin ( Mind of No-Mind )

which mean let the Subconscious ( the reflection of the Dharma —> Please Refer to previous post )

to rule your life.

Like a compassion is in one’s Emotion / Subconscious (reflection of the Dharma ) inherently Virtuous. So, the

Virtue in the Buddhism teachings is not from the God or convention of the society,  but it is the Dharma itself. 

Hence, the teachings of Buddha is ” Not against, or struggle with Dharma, but live with it,

live in accordance to the Dharma.  It’s mean, observe it by yourself, and aware and listen the

Dharma deep inside of you.   And to live with the Dharma in Mushin, prevails the Virtue in you.

This is the Enlightenment, which lead you to the Nirvana”

—

When man-kind violated the Rules and destroy the balance of the Earth’s Climate Equilibrium,

the sea stream changed its course, and caused the heavy rain here and there.

Simply, the Dharma is adjusting new Equilibrium —– and, it happened to be in the Australia or Brazil.

It looks as if the Earth is intentionally giving a revenge. —– No it is not, it just happen to be there, where

no human used to live —– human is the one invaded the land.

Don’t exercise your Ego and Greed, and impose your own Idea. 

Virtue is not in one’s mind, but in the DHARMA.

Here a Paradox again, you can’t deliberately exercise Virtue, it’s appears in your Mushin.

___/\___

—

Mistake in Philosophy — Answer in ZEN

You might heard a story to extract latent memory from a witness or surviving  victim, by way of hypnotism,

such as a profile of assailant or even from pass-by, the car number parked on the street then.

The car number may be utterly trivial and useless to a pass-by, still we may remember surprising detail.

They are the Subconscious Memory or our Hidden Data bank.

When we consciously watch the scene, we only pick up the information which we got interest.

And this selection is not consistent.  It will be biased by the preceding event, experience or a suggestion.

If you are interested in fashion, you may pay great deal of attention to the shop windows and

somebody’s style, but remember nothing else, as the mind was just stuck there.

But when our mind is free and open we can see the scene as it is, and able to memorize everything.

Of cause those data are not just visual, but also the information from other sensors, and the internal feeling,

subconscious thoughts as well, which has been accumulated since you are born.

From those immense amount of data, only minute part of them, which  matches to the precast category or

notion, it become conscious memory and it can be transferred to higher legion of the brain (New Cortex)

to be used for the conscious thinking process.

—– Hence, the data available to such as the linguistic, logical thinking process, are only a miniscule part of

the whole data bank, the answer or conclusion we make is always inadequate and ” Not the exact Truth ”

which we knew it. —–  So. we always say ” Don’t think in your head. Find the answer in your heart”.

—

It is obvious, our Hidden Memory, Subconscious Data bank retain the whole information of our environment,

and ourself.  In other words, the faithful picture of the world and the information of ourself / True Self.

And they are not just a static images but their dynamism, tendency and the Rules,how the things

work, and how this True Self has been behaving and prefer what etc.

Its mean, The Dharma / The whole existence and its Rules within, are all mirrored  here.

This is the very meaning of ” Everybody possess the Dharma inside”.

And literally the Self is a part of it, the Dharma, and as everything in there are without any

partition, no separate awareness watching the Self or Subject, there is no feeling of alienation.

———- Many years ago, somebody asked me whether a mad-man can have The Dharma in him as well.

I said, yes.  Because, even a mad-man got the same body and its function, feel the same pain,feel the

same hunger, see the same, hear the same, and may have more or less the same emotion — the process

of those information may be different, so that from the same image of black cat,  he may interpret it as

a Devil —– still, his Data bank having much more accurate picture of the world than his twisted thinking.

In the same context, even an idiot who lack the higher process in the brain, still having more or less

the same Data in his subconscious, it is nothing but the Dharma.

—

When we think, quite often we use a notion which we have imported ( in other words not emanated from our

own Data bank, but intellectually learned ), since it didn’t have the original source and the process to

deduce, it couldn’t have an accord to the person.  As a matter of fact, even a notion the person knew well

still,as its using the notion of the words, it is no more than a proxy.  The complexed idea having the situation

even worse.  Even an idea constructed from the own Data bank (which came from own experiences and the

observation) when it was  imposed to the phenomenon, it doubles the uncertainty. —— Observer and

be Observed.—– The word (a notion) HAPPINESS is just a name of category, so that, its realities has

millions of variations, and an observer is just one of 40 billions.

The certainty is only the statistical probability. There can not be any absoluteness exist.  Despite this,

Philosopher often impose his own idea to interpret a phenomenon.  Hoping, his words can covey

what he conceived. (and expecting others can guess the same )

Against this fundamental jeopardy, Zen abandons the conversion to the notion and the words.

( Hence, relying on the Direct Transmission)

And abandons the stance to be an observer, or more precisely, abandon to be an observer as an Ego.—

When facing a phenomenon or others,

Zenist just open his mind in Mushin. (without Ego without Thinking—– hence no conversion)

And leave the matter to the perception in his Subconscious = Dharma’s judgement or reaction.

(As the Observer and be Observed are both naked, both of the Dharma fuse together.

And the equilibrium will be spontaneously prevailed in the accordance of the Dharma)

This is the Ichijo (Oneness) in Zen —— the answer to the jeopardy of the Dualism.

___/\___

—-