Fantasy WORLD

In my life, I was asked to give the technical advice or help to build a Perpetual Motion Mechanism or

the device to create an energy out of nothing ( or that kind  😀  ) three times.

The person who asked me were not an idiot or uneducated at all,  they are well aware of

the Fundamental Principle of Preservation of Energy —— yet still, strangely they  were convinced,

their invention can defy the popular belief and able to create or achieve ultra efficiency hence

able to harvests far grater energy which would benefits the human being.( is what they said, not me  😀  )

The first one which I encountered 30 years or so ago, was a design of Ultra Efficient Bicycle Mechanism

which can produce more power than a rider’s muscle-power, utilizing the earth’s gravity,  by

” Cleverly positioned the center of gravity of the rider and synchronizing its movement to an oval-shaped

pedal gear etc brah, brah ——- “.

Second invention was (yet another) ,Anti-Gravity Device of which the person got the idea from Internet.

A man himself was a qualified architect and got enough knowledge of the engineering, and many

knowledgable friends and having a taste of posh life —— .

I guess, it is a (Masonic) belief of some architects,  which is a certain kind of mythical numerology such as,

what mathematical proportion was used for the Old Temple’s design etc, which connect to the cosmic power.

It was not my business to argue with his belief,  I was asked to deal with electronic control of the motor etc.

The third invention was an idea to extract 3.5 times more power from a battery using fancy transformer.

I explained many fundamental rules and physical, electrical limitations, not only the Principle of Energy

Preservation but the limitation of efficiency in an electro-magnetic device etc. ( Even with best designed

electric generator, the efficiency to convert force to electric energy is less than 30 % )

A guy’s explanation was, “Because of those FREE ENERGY idea is a threat to this Oil based

Socio-Economical System of the establishment, the development has been hindered and kept the people

ignorant” —— m m m ?—- Kind of tongue, sound familiar. I’ve heard many times !

A guy who was expecting to become millionaire with his invention, was very secretive on the beginning

though, in order to argue with my explanation  “This is based on the respectable scientific research,

published in the Internet” and revealed the Net-site ——- It was an Anarchist’s propaganda site.

( So, the site was successfully brain washed a man to become anti-establishment  😀  )

Idea itself was based on 10 years old experiment and done by not a scientist ( I’m even dubious whether

an inventor used decent electronic measuring instrument) and I could not believe any of its data. Bollocks.

Just take a common sense, —— in past 10 years, thousand of the people may have seen the article and

some of them must have built the device and tested —— If the claim has any shred of truth, why it didn’t

make a news, or fancy Chinese device didn’t appear on the market — or iPod with 1/3 battery size.? ? ?

To make and sell highly crowded competitive market, such as ATX computer power supply, many

manufacturers spending so much money and effort to develop more efficient design or higher power

from the same size of foot-print,  therefore if any good idea is there, they are the first people to test

the theory, as they got all the necessary materials and the expertise, not an amateur on the street.

——

Yet still, even in Japan,  there said to be about 1,000 new Patent application of Perpetual Movement in year.

It may be an exercise of creativity and to make (at least on the paper) beautiful drawing and description,

it needs a dedication and mindful attention —— though, what went wrong ? ? ?

Not all the applicant were blinded by their greed, some enthusiasts are having fun with their joke.

One of the very famous comedian  Kingorou Yanagiya  had 3,000 patents granted, and one of the best idea

was actually made to a commercial product called  Laughing Head-band  which has tail-dropped eyebrows

printed on it, and make the people to laugh, while singing comic song  for Karaoke  😀

—— Instead of clinging own obsession and blaming the company, other people who didn’t believe and

take their idea, look into a mirror, pull the eyes-tail drop, make a smile —– and make a joke, may make

one’s life much easier and happier.  😀

___/\___

___

Obsession – Mindfulness – Middle way

Anybody who try to learn / practice Buddhism by oneself, to find the measure of Middle way

while committing so-called  Mindfulness, but not in obsessive extreme,  is not easy.

To biggin with Mindfulness, to learn what is the Mindfulness is hard enough, —— in fact, to understand

what is Mindfulness —— is already somewhere middle of the way reaching to the Enlightenment !

Most obvious and common mistake to learn Mindfulness is, to mix-up it with the concentration.

Concentration with passion and enthusiasm.( in another word, with Emotion )

Far from it, it is the result / even a by-product of the Mushin ——Once the Mind has gone, so nothing to

think about though, something left in the hand or very front of you—— so, just do it.

Mindfulness is not the concentration of the mind, but simply nothing else is there.

It may look utterly strange though, to learn Mindfulness, first, start to do a boring useless

practice, repeat and repeat again until your mind become insensitive and able to do it without

thinking —–> and able to see the task with completely emptied brain / Blank Space ——-

The task may seem something foreign or looks even first time to see  ( by the newly acquired

Open–eyes / Dispassionate eyes ) —–> as nothing else is in your mind,so

just deal with  ” this, only the Task.”

Hence, nothing else there, the eyes, attention everything  goes into it, down to the minute details.

( Eyes sees what you want to see, but Dispassionate eyes sees everything on front, as it is )

To somebody-else’s eyes, it may seem too much.    To clean the kitchen down to a minute water-mark

may seem to be a  Compulsive cleanness Obsession / Mental Disorder though, never mind, as long

as it wouldn’t take more than 10 minutes after a cooking or eating,  it is just a normal practice.

If it goes hours everyday —— m m m ?

What is extreme, where is the Middle way is just an arbitrary view. Often, the cleanness obsession

of Japanese frighten the westerners, (you may not know, they carry a wet tissue with disinfectant to clean

their hand after shake hand with unknown person.  They are only the people using disposal toilet seat cover)

but it is normal, among the Japanese.  This is the reason why they are even reluctant to shake hand, or

share the bottle and drink direct from it (touch somebody-else’s saliva ) let alone kissing to other person !

( It is originated from deep sublimated  Japanese Shinto ” Avoid the foreign dirt and keep you clean “)

—–

Where to draw the line and stay in Middle way, is not rigidly fixed.  Since, the fundamentals of the Buddhism

is not torment you  with complicated rules, but to liberate your mind.  Try extreme will definitely taxing your

body and mind, but obviously dirty kitchen would cause your ill-health.  So, here is clear Middle ground.

Do what you think appropriate. Observe who you are, and if it is acceptable for you, do your best.

( So, to a Japanese, Clean it when it was soiled may be a Middle way,  and to a Hippie guy clean the

kitchen once in a week may be his Middle way —- though it’s a huge leap to clean it first time ever.   🙂  )

—-

While observing your own tasks, re-arrange the order, or a  way to sort the memos, even the position

to stick those memo, or the way to respond the Emails etc, and making it easier and  smoother  to

deal,  —— if the situation is getting better,  its mean your Mindful approach is working.

And when you established a system to deal with those tasks, and able to sort them quite business-like,

almost automatic way, in fact you are processing it, in the Mushin manner. —Why not it is efficient.

Difference of the Mushin to machine is, as the eyes is completely open, it is possible to spot

anything peculiar or the point to pay attention.  This is what makes the human different from a machine.

—– So, keep you busy.   🙂

___/\___

—–

Observation of FACT

( In the context following previous Post /   Hygiene of  MIND )

Over the years, some questions I was asked about the cleanness are :

One occasion a woman asked me ” Do you wash the outside of cooking pan in the same time or occasionally

polishing it ? ” ( Despite I have mountain of junk,  my kitchen is spakling clean.  Work-top is as clean as

edible standard —— a food dropped on there should be still safe to eat  🙂  )

My answer was  ” Of cause, when I wash, I also wash its out side every time “.

In another occasion,  ” How many times you rinse the cups and dishes ? ” —— ” How many times ? —– It is

not the matter of number, but until it become perfectly clean ”  ( Unlike western people,

We Japanese don’t put the cups into bowl  / sink of water to rinse but rinse them under running water,

because stagnant water accumulate dart.  It may takes a minute longer for washing-up though what this

one minute mean for you ? ).

From those words, you may feel strange though, I don’t use so much washing-up liquid.  Since I moved

to this flat 9 years ago, I consumed  3 (yes three) bottles of washing liquid.  I’m sure as I’ve used the emptied

bottles to another purpose and still have them. —— How is it possible ?

First, I dilute the liquid twice and put it into another ( for hair conditioner ? ) bottle

which spit only one small drop in one push.  And I only use it if the dish or pan is oily.

Second, I don’t waste even a single grain of rice and eat all the food I’ve cooked, literally completely.

Hence it isn’t much to wash.  🙂

Third, I don’t buy cooking oil, hence my cooking leaves little oil residue —– oil comes from the ingredients

such as chicken.  Though, I buy batter to make toast and prefer cream to put into a tea. (not just lemon  🙂 )

—–

——- Some people may feel ” Isn’t this paranoia ? ”  or  ” Why fuss about so much ? ”

I’m not fussing about at all.  They are just a life style and accustomed and refined practice,

over the years. Buddhism is not pretentious abstract brah-brah talking.

It is literally the practice.—– Do the practice / life in general, in Mushin —— hence achieving

maximum efficiency and having smooth life, is what all about the Buddhism.

Abstract talking may make one feel somewhat noble and satisfy snobbery though it is exactly

the arrogance and the ignorance what Buddha despised.

Observe cups and dishes and if not perfect, feed–back and refine the practice —– is what Mindfullness

mean.  And able to do it without thinking almost like a machine —— is what Mushin mean.

And apply this principle to all aspects of the life.

Only the Fact and the end–result count.  This is the Buddhism.

If not Happy still —– it is not Buddhism yet   😀

Do you know, the Enlightenment is in a nice cup of tea which is perfectly clean —– Ha ha ha 😀

___/\___

—

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.

—-

Flow

An ologist described the 20 century is the first time ever the Buddhism was discovered as its entirety.

In certain extent I can see the point and agree with this.

All the ancient mantras were written as ” Buddha said “ —— and each sect read the certain selection of

mantras as their holy books without questioning or knowing what is the origin or relation to others.

But now, the scholars and researchers who are studying Buddhism, can see all the Buddhism scriptures

in Pali, Tibetan, Sanskrit, Chinese and modern English, German etc  while reading them

in comparison or chronological order.

I’ve read may be only fraction of total volume still, when I read another translation, I realized the more

likely meaning or understanding —— and I went back to the original idea —— if it is common

to all the sect’s, it must be closer to the original teachings, and if it was far-fetched idea it couldn’t be

the Buddha’s own teachings since Buddha didn’t teach educated people but to the ordinary folks on the

street or in the field, it should be based on the common sense.

—— Buddha wanted to save the suffering people not the well off educated.

Regardless whether rich or poor, still human mind and its mechanism is common to everybody and that is

where Buddha started, and gave the deepest insight. 

And those insight is what we can re–discover today as Buddha taught ” Observe it by yourself “.

And it made us even amateurs able to study by ourself in our own way, based on our own life.

( ” Follow the facts you experienced, not the scriptures ”  is also Buddha’s teaching, since

everybody got their own Karma which is unique to the person, hence one’s Nirvana too )

Hence the explosion of the Buddhism / Zen blogging.     And the creation of  Zen blog sphere.

——-

——— I found in the Blog sphere, somebody try to explain the mind in creative front, using the word Flow.

When our mind freely flow without stuck to an idea or things we can be most creative.

Thanks to comprehensive coverage of the observation of human mind and the phenomena, by  Buddhists

it is not difficult to relate this to the Flow of mind and the changing phenomena / nothing stays the same ——

hence a mind, stuck to a moment couldn’t see the truth, it needs the mind of  Mushin / No-mind / Anatman.

——— And in the other spot, somebody explaining the understanding or true meaning of this  No-mind.

As I wrote somewhere in the earliest post, the Buddhism is a way of the Psycho–engineering.

Not just a belief system or religion who is saying ” it might come as the God is there, if you believe” or

a Philosophy which saying ” look in this way —– so,you might able to see it in this way”

BUT  ” As you can actually change your perception / mind to see this, then you will see this”

Buddhism can change you / your life, since it will change your perception / eyes and the mind.

( This is the reason why the same technique has been used for a brain wash ——- but it wouldn’t be too bad

to wash your brain clean and see the world afresh  😀 ——- it looks nicer and more peaceful. 😀

Brain wash implant yet another crocked idea though,  Buddhism leave the cleaned brain to the person

enabling the person to see the world and himself by his clear eyes and make him to decide the way of life)

No-mind / Mushin is the core of the Buddhism teachings, hence it is the hardest part to understand

——– when you understand its meaning in real life, your perception has already changed.

( Your brain has washed ! ! ! )

It may sound strange though, this is the magic of the Buddha’s teaching.

And you may feel even more strange is, it is not to put or learn anything new or fancy idea

but just remove the occupying idea or view from your mind / brain ( hence no–mind or default

state of mind) and create a free blank space which enable you to see or perceive your own idea,

creation,way of life, what-so-ever  in natural  FLOW.

So that, strangely,  it is the most easiest things to do —– as a small child is doing.  🙂

Try it your self —– safe to try it in your home  😀

___/\___

—–

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  😀  )

___/\___  😀

Life of ONION

I have used a half of this onion few days ago and kept

the rest wrapped in cling-film, left in the fridge.

Then, when I try to use for cooking, the onion has already

started to shoot.  —— m m m ? ? ?

Should I kill her, boiled alive and eat ?

When an organization of conscientious ” Green Piece ”

appealed the conservation of endangered species,

there were thousand of obviously endangered species

in the world, such as White Rhinoceros or Tasmanian Devil

which was really facing real danger of extinction. —— though,

Tasmanian Devil looks really like a devil, far from photogenic.

——–  So, Seal  was selected for a campaign idle. They looks so cute !

Thus able to sell the posters in millions and created huge profit.  Green Peace’s tactics, just exploit the emotion

was a huge success.  The people mobilized and protested, less than half of them did read the factual figure.

Yet still under the pressure of the campaign,  British and Canadian Government banned  Seal hunting which

cost “Green Peace” nothing.  Only the hunter lost their Job.  But the trouble is, those hunter was not the

sports hunter but the native Inuit,  who has been traditionally hunting and eating, surviving on Seal hunting.

And those native people were forced to abandon their way of life and to buy frozen beef from a super market.

Exactly the same way to convert the barbaric natives into “civilized” people — done by the Conquistador,

but this time not by the Christianity but the another ideology or the pretext of so-called  Animal right.

Still this is the main purpose of the campaign, eye-catching, appearing,  BUT  for quick-money soft target.

———-

Now, only  four  Northern White Rhino were left in the whole world.  Literally one stop before total extinction.

What pushed them to face such situation ? — Its their horn.  Rhino horn is the most prestigious ornament to

make a handle for the Arabic ceremonial dagger, and most sought after Chinese medicine.(after Tiger bone)

As the price of one horn is such high, hence able to make so much profit, now the poacher, dealer,

the gang network is even using their own helicopter to chase the Rhino.

Though, unlike poor Inuit hunter,  Arabic or Chinese dealers, their gang networks are very difficult to

deal, even dangerous —– any obstacle for their lucrative business could be even killed.  Its mean for

the conservationist,  it is a bad business. —– Still, the front line conservationists who is acting almost

their own, with their own money are doing incredibly courageous work.

But, big organization is for money —– the matter is “Money rising potential of the topics” not the seriousness,

or a plight of the last remaining few animals.

—-

So, the value of each life is not the same at all. We are drawing very convenient line between each cases.

And we are changing our own stance / principle case by case.  The same person, happen to be a

farther of a baby boy, pay so much attention to the welfare of the baby, and happen to be an active

member of an animal conservationists group, talking about the preservation of such as Wheal  though

putting blind eyes to the Wheal hunting by the fisherman in the Faroe Island, yet campaigning against

the Japanese hunting.  As he needs to rise the fund in the western society, it is easier to bash Japanese.

People putting blind eyes to such as Korean, Chinese are eating the Dog, other than making a joke.

During the Hindu Diwali Festival, many Awls are sacrificed as the offering to their God, (how many Awl left in

this country ?) though nobody ever talked about it. ( the pitfall of cultural / religious alienation / don’t touch)

Even a human life, before 20 weeks of pregnancy, foetus is not regarded to be a human, hence it will be

lawful to operate an abortion.  Yet still, if the pregnant woman was killed, even if it was only few weeks in

pregnancy, the Court see it as a double murder.

——- So, we are having double, treble, multiple standards.  We are the hypocrite in reality.  Therefore,

Don’t pretend to have a Higher Moral Ground.     Don’t preach others, but just do your best.

And never forget, we are in the system of hideous exploitation of other life, which we never able to justify

or wash off the blood stained hand.

——- After few minutes dithering, I chopped poor onion and made a noodle soup for me to survive.

With thanks to the life of onion, not mention the hundreds of wheat grain who has been ground

alive and made to be the noodle.

___/\___

Lost and Found

In many occasions,  we suddenly realized,  Wait a moment where that Thing has gone ?

In my life style, it wouldn’t happen if it is for the daily use.  The item, the thing goes back to exactly

the same position whether it may not necessary be the most ideal place.

Away from the ordinary tool box, strangely a glue-gun and a hair dryer is hanging next to the kitchen

utensils under my kitchen shelf. ——- When I moved in this unfurnished flat, it was before I moved my

possessions from a warehouse storage, I needed to fix something.  So, I brought some tools from the

tool box in the storage.  Unlike hammer or pliers those glue-gun and hair dryer (by the way, this one is not

for my hair but to heat-up or drying the material, and those ladles are to bend the aluminium with its carve

—– they are the  tools for me  🙂 )  having an electric cable,  hence it is easy to hang —– so, they found

a place to hang, and it became their permanent place.

Since, same hardware / tools or materials are in the same

place, the way to do the things, is more or less identical

—— hence it became a routine. —– Its mean I don’t

need to think about each action and only need to

pay attention to a part which is new or different.

You may see on the photo, the cable of the glue-gun or

hair dryer is twisted round its own body —— and the

way to twist round the cable was though out for its

best way round ( —- in fully minded manner  🙂 ),

therefore it is always the same and the plug will come to the most secure exact position.

This practice, place the item always exactly the same position said to be started in the Zen temple

and kept as a Samurai tradition.    Hence a  Samurai was able to respond to a sudden attack, able to

grubb his sward instantly in the total darkness.—— So, it was the iron rules in my family as well.

I was allowed to use my father’s tool, provided me to put it back exactly  the same place, same condition,

and it trained me to memorize where the original position and the conditions were, down to

the minute detail. ( —– Otherwise the teaching would come with a fist  😀  )

——– My photographic memory might have originated from here.

——————–

You may realized now, what I’m talking about is.  This is the Zen.  And the Buddhism. —– in real life.

Zen is not only for a fancy movement of the sword master or incomprehensible  Mondo —– but

in every minute details of the daily life —– to maximize the efficiency and ease of the life.

Then, — Zen ? —– the trouble is not the item in the same place.

Quite often, I buy something strange or fancy, —– might be useful-one-day kind of, such as cheap

Chinese things, toy etc.  As it is not very important and not necessary having  well-defined place ( that is

why it is strange ) I just stashed away somewhere. —— then year later, something bright idea came up,

” Aha, I got That Chinese Toy —– I can use that part of mechanism for this idea ” —— but, where is it ?

Since it didn’t belong to the defined category, it is not in the likely place of its function —– but it might

be placed in the similarity of the shape —– ? ? ?

When we try to think / seek the answer or to find a strange toy (in this case) —– our mind are caught up

to “Likely” direction,  where so-called logical ( but own logic ) thinking is leading.

But in real life, not everything follow the logic.    And not necessary having in the same guise which

I remembered or so-I believed.

The toy might have just dropped behind the box, from where I left it.

Or it may be in a bag, half disassembled.

When we look for something, our eyes (or mind ) is chasing the pattern as our cognitive function works.

The harder we try, we are even deeper caught up with same pattern. —— this is the moment we need

to have open mind.—– NOT concentrate, stop gazing at but take aback, and just to be passive.

Here the paradox again.  The more you looking into, you can not see —– because what you are

looking is what you want to see / your imagined pattern. —– (But how do you know You know it.)

——- Then what I found was, on the corner of my desk, something poking out of a milk-cartoon  was

that Chinese toy upside-down.  Only I didn’t know,  what it looks like the bottom of it upside-down  😀

We need to open our eyes with open mind.  Detached mind can see the world better.   😀

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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 )

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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] )

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