Ultra Proxer — Recycled from Old zoom lens

Proxer is an old name to call Close-up lens which attach on front of the lens.  

The lens I’m talking here is a front lens element  I’ve scavenged from an old zoom lens 85~210 mm F 3.8,  sold under many different names —– the photo was in the previous post (first photo, Front lens was near the left end).

Most of the close-up lens consist simple convex, single meniscus lens mounted on a filter frame.   Same idea to put a magnifier before camera lens and take close-up  photo.  It was convenient to have a small adapter lens to take closer picture, as in the old days there was no such things like a macro setting on the Primary lens (Standard lens).  

—– To make a high-performance Proxer,  I did some cut and bonding works with epoxy glue, which was worthwhile to create a treasure out of junk.  🙂 

Photo left :  Don’t hesitate to hack-saw a lens barrel.  Once disassembled and the glass was removed, even a precision optical device, is a piece of metal.   = What it used to be is only in your mind.  On this moment you are dealing the work to create something new.  What required here is a careful but very simple and boring push and pull work.  😀  

Center photo :  To the front lens, hack-sawed front barrel (which got 58mm  filter screw )  was screwed back and a filter ring was bonded to its rear side with epoxy glue.  

Photo right :  The finished close-up lend was attached on the front of the Canon EF 100 mm  Macro lens, which also has  58 mm filter size.

You might be wondering,  while having macro lens already, and having a skill to use the lens in reverse etc.  = all sorts of close-up trick, why do I need to have yet  another close-up lens. —– well, all of my Macro lenses were down to the life-size, in other words, they take a picture of  36mm x 24mm is the closest.  I simply wanted to close a bit more.  (My attention tend to go rather small things.  🙂 )

—– And a real intention was to have much more exaggerated out of focus Bokhe.  (I’m tired with clear images which is everywhere and too easy to come by today.)     

Photo left :   With this close-up lens, when the master lens,  100 mm Macro lens was set to the infinity,   a small dole (36 mm tall) looks like this. (taken F 2.8)

Center Photo :  With close-up lens, when the Master Macro lens was set to the life-size, it produces  x2 larger image (dole’s head is 10mm).   Have look the Bokhe in F 2.8 = max open).  (This Bokhe is quite close to the Olympus Zuiko 50 mm F 2 Macro lens ! )  

Photo right :  A small beetle who happen to came to my room (it’s too hot these days,  the window was fully open) this photo was taken with a bounced flash-light with F 11.

Unlike most of the Proxer, this home-made close-up lens has double lens chromatic structure,  and fully coated. = Think, a cost of common cheap Proxer, and a Front lens which is the most crucial part of the lens structure in a  zoom lens.  

= Difference of quality is obvious.     As you can see it in those sample photos.  

A photo of a moth parched on the wall in my room, taken by EF 100 mm Macro with the handmade Proxer. = With F 2.8 the depth of focus is really shallow still, in the focused area, the image is very sharp.

This is a test shot of the screen of a Tablet (a photo of my umbrella).  This close-up lens maintained very high quality of the image = Very even, corner to corner.  And this is at F 2.8 ! (See details, by click it, and again)

Left photo is Macro lens alone and about  1/2 size.   Right photo is, with close-up lens but Master lens was set to Infinity.   Hence this combination can take photo from infinity to  1/1  and with this Proxer to  x2.  (By the way, Canon 5D mk-III has dreadful red-color cast when ISO was set to 6400.   In AWB and in any setting.  Though, at  ISO 100 much better.  = See the photos below)

(Photo left :  5D but Mk-II.   Photo Right :  The ISO setting was  100  = Much better !)(Those are hand-held photos = only for Color reference.)  To be fair,  I show you the photos by Nikon D810’s color  in similar setting.

(Photo Left :  Nikon D810 — ISO 3600    Photo Right :  Same but ISO 100   Both with Micro Nikkor 55mm F3.5 — 1/2 )

Higher ISO setting mean, very low out-put of image sensor has to be amplified electronically to its limit.    While amplifying to such extent, still linearity has to be maintained, while the out-put of each BGR may not having exactly the same character.

= Can of warm is opened.  🙂   In the same time, higher amplification also amplify the noise as well.  

—– I admire and praise  the people who managed it and brought the benefit of very high ISO setting even if it was not (yet) perfect.

[]

Drawing with Invisible Force

[]

This is a wonderful watercolour drawing by Elene Caravela, which I found in her blog:

elenacaravela.wordpress.com      (Quality sake,  please see her Original Drawing there)

Elena has been one of the most prolific artist and the blogger who showed Watercolors, Oil paintings,

Photographs = very wide coverage of genre in very high quality work.

In the past year or so, I always impressed, even amazed by her drawings,

how her almost whimsical free blush strokes able to capture such vivid and also

realistic human figure. —– What is the secret of her creation ?

[]

To my comment and a notice that I want to re-blog —– she gave me her reply ;

[]

I’d be flattered Yoshi. I guess, I plan in my head a bit to make sure the figure will fit on the page

(mentally count out head size both vertically and horizontally, but really loosely).

Then see the movement on the spine and extremities. The force takes over.

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t   🙂

[]

—– As she said, she might have given some consideration to the size of the

head etc. = here the thinking stops, then “the Force takes over”

To see her blush work, there is no hesitation, its quick movement some times creates even

the paint splash or drip. (in another piece) = blush and the hand moves perfectly spontaneous.

So, —— in such spontaneous blush stroke, look again the drawing above, = one blush stroke

perfectly depicted the body-line to the round bottom. — I guess, here not only the

direction of the blush movement, also it involved certain control of the pressure to the blush

and its twists, which determine the width of the line. (though, only a guess — I know the way how

to use curving chisels but not necessary the drawing blush 🙂 ) — all in the moment of one stroke!

This phenomenal control was done by the invisible Force, not possible by a human thinking.

[]

Spontaneity mean, there is no intentional control or thinking. —– This is nothing other than what

Lord Buddha taught = the state of Selfless / Mushin, therefore “The Force takes over”

= this Force is what Buddhists call the Dharma ! (or the Rules of the Universe)

The moment when the blush and the subject meet, the tension and the heat created

on that moment, drives the blush wild. = and creates dynamic impressive piece.

(consideration or useless thinking such as what others or market may think etc. spoil the tension

and the heat, hence makes the piece dull)

But Elena got perfect freedom not bothered by useless thinking, and I guess, when her blush was

driven by the Force, even she, herself may not able to control = blush got its own mind and move

almost automatically.    That is how she creates such impressive work = It’s wild, as it was driven

by the Force of artistic nature. 🙂     That is what the art of Elena stands out.

[]

By the way, don’t get me wrong, I’m not implying Elena’s work is anything to do with Buddhism.

Far from it, the state of Selflessness is one of the inherent human psychological nature.

Buddhism applied it to more general aspects of the life.   Not only the superb blush work, we can

achieve the superb life with it.  = Quite similar to that Love is not because of the Christianity, but

they applied it to much deeper spiritual level.

Zen Buddhism pushed the potential of Selflessness to its extremities.  

—– That is what the Zen Buddhism is. 

[]

Elena has acquired this state of mind while drawing / practicing again and again,

probably  tens of the thousands of  times.  Hence, the Buddhism using the same way of

the approach = practice it again and again until the hand started to move automatically.

= Hand moves automatic = without thinking = without self conscious = Selflessness.

In the  Selflessness, invisible force takes over.  This force is the Dharma. = Under

the control of the Dharma, phenomenal freedom and the result can be achieved.

This is how the  Selflessness in the  Zen Buddhism works.

[]

Don’t Think -vs- Think yourself

Almost crèche like joke among the Zennist is this contradiction.

Think yourself yet still Don’t think. Well, here is a typical sample.

This is an Electronic multi-meter, and the matter here is its cables. Some of you might think

“What the matter to fuss about such trivial things” and you may say “Anyhow, when we use next time,

we need to loose the cables anyway. Why bother to tidying up each time ?” —– still in the same time,

you may remember the past trouble of entangled cables with other wire. And when the cable was left

loose on the work bench, you may needed to un-entangle them while wasting the time which was

always in the busiest moment.    And in the worst situation, try to pull the cable out, then it was broken,

and in such moment you don’t have a spare. In any account, it is better to keep the cable tidy.

No one can argue or think otherwise.

Not told by others, what you thought and convinced by yourself,

its understanding stays for ever.

[]

This is the end of argument and the THINKING process.     Once you were convinced,

just DO IT in practice.   (—– only an obstacle is your laziness. 🙂

But, if you a person, aiming better, you will DO IT.   Why not.   This is THE ZEN.)

—– in practice, once you made it as a habit = after use, always just put the cable back to round

the meter and tie it up with the tape. (to make it like in the photo ! )

It is a simple practice hence, no-one need to think or use the brain to do it.

—– the hand will do it automatically as a habit. = When everything are tidy, there

wouldn’t be any havoc on the work. —– This is how “Peace of mind” comes from. 🙂

[]

Lord Buddha’s teachings are all for gaining the NO SELF, and MUSHIN state of mind.

To be in this state, everything has to be left to the subconscious hence NO conscious thinking there.

Because of this, he showed how he does it and made the followers to copy, or gave an instruction

what to DO.    But never explained why, or what was the intention. Simply because, if it was

explained, the person remember the word, then an action become “an action according to the word”

= stuck to its notion / Thinking.

This is the reason why, if you think, Sitting is for a practice of Mushin, you are wrong.

If you sit, just sit. = If you settle your bottom on the floor, that is what sitting is. You don’t need any

thinking. —– In fact, it doesn’t matter, whether you are standing or walking.

= Just let the body to DO, stand or walk.

Without your thinking, your body knows everything how to keep balance while sitting or walking

whatsoever.   This automatic, inherent perfect control was seen as the Dharma.

(Hence, the Dharma is in you !)

[]

Then, what you can see or find in the state of absolute Selfless, Mushin —– So far,

NO clear description was ever elucidated by anyone.

Just say, the state of Panya Paramita. —– there might be NOTING.

Or, this Nothing may be the ultimate wisdom what human being can ever get.

So to say, the Dharma is everything, in the same time it is nothing = VOID.

(If you think, it is a matter for you.—– But, if you don’t think, there is no issue here. 😀 😀 )

How great, Zen is. — don’t you agree ? Ha ha ha. 😀

___/\___

[]

ヨシ禅縁起

（これは友人に送った手紙の拔粋で，まァ日本霊異記，仏教説話の現代版ですな）

———————————————————–

昔母親が僕の手相を読みながら　｢お前は下らない事ばかりやっているが，曲った事だけはやらない。それに使命を負って生れていますからそれを果すまでは絶対に犬死にする事はないし，そもそも不動様が付いているので全く心配していません」と言い放ってくれた事があった。　   しかし，なんで俺ごときに，わざわざ不動様の番が付かねばならぬのか？　

この意味が把めたのは実に厄年も過ぎてからで　ーーー　ハタ！そう言えばえらくヤバい所を歩き回っていた割にマムシ、ハブはおろかサソリ、毒グモの類に出合った事も無い。　考えてみるとそもそも病気にかからない。　岩場で二度も転落しながら全くの無傷。　大転倒してスキーを二本も折りながら何の怪我も無し。　一方、背後から刺してくれた者、裏切ってくれた者が突然癌にかかってコロッと死んだり、もっとひどいのは死ぬ事もならず苦しみ続けている。　山で嫌がらせのしごきをやってくれた男は即、雪盲で動きもとれなくなって痛みでひいひい泣いていた。(因みにこの男、しばらく前に山に登ったものの徹底して暴風雨にたたられたとか＝神サマ後々までかなりしつこいらしい。笑）　　偉そうに命令はするが自分では薪切りも荷上げもやらなかった小屋番の五人は還暦を迎える事もなく他界して当時のメンバーはあとー人しか生残っていない。（ずっと後になって知った訳だが全く異った状況と死因ながら五人が次々に、というのには流石に目をむいた）　ーーー　小生が常連になると店や団体は大繫盛，逆に行くのを止めるとそこは倒産する。—–（ディスコ四軒，カフェ二軒，三団体, 山小屋二軒） 遇然にしてはちょっとタイミングが重なり過ぎている。（全て知らないうちにそうなっていたので，小生が呪いをかけた訳ではない－－－念の為）（例外的にBrixtonのクラブスタッフには予め警告を与え次の仕事捜しを勧めておいたのだが、六ヶ月後現実につぶれるまでは誰も本気にしなかったようだ。）

［］で，もっと奇妙なのが［８１５０の怪］といふ奴で，こちらの関係先，立回り先，それこそ電話番号から

銀行口座，

ブログの統計ページ，

ユーチューブの整理番号に至るまで，

将に「張番中］とばかりにこの数字が現れる。　－－－数字学の人によるとこれは語呂合せ通りに［ハイゴレイ，背後霊］の告知なんだそうな。－－－思い込みにしては，本人が選んでいる番号ではないし，それが勝手に現れて来るのは止めようもなく，現に個人向けの物に出て来る事実は動かし難い。－－－しかし、どんなメカニズムで現れて来るのかね？

［］と言うのを逆から考えてみて，ハタと思い当ったのは，実は小生は元々坊主になる為の修業をさせられていたのではと。　虫や花の自然観察から始まって科学一般，一方では詩人逹の人間学，次に社会学で視野を広げる一方，山登りの有無を言わせぬ荒行と，小屋番の只働き ＝ そりゃ無私無心の達人にもなるさ。 （永平寺の香月師はそれを一目で見拔いた訳だ）

で，幸か不幸か裁判沙汰で仕事を離れ，改めて禅なるものを考えるうちに無私無心と神経生理との関係に気が付き，禅と仏教の謎が一気に解けた。

［　　　　で，これも何故か遇然，ブログを始める事になり，書始めてから気付いたのは，どうやらこれは

釈尊以来，２５００年間で初めての解釈，ひょっとしてこれはえらい大役で，これが母親の言っていた使命なるものではなかろうか？　もしそうであるなら，そりゃ不動明王の加護，背後霊の加護が付くと言うのも納得が行く。－－－逆に見れば，これが必要であったからこそ，全てがここに集束すべく物事が生起して来た，生起すべく配置されていたという事だろう。　

遇然のように見えているが実は全て起るべく定まっていた訳です。（これを運命と呼ぶ）

［］唯一困るのは，小生のブログでは元々の仏教に怪し気なナンジャモンジャは（あれはヒンズーや土俗タントラの混交）存在しないし

釈尊もそれに対する質問は無視して黙っていたとされている（無記）－－－それではこの不動明王と言うのは何者で，そもそも小生の運命を規定するダルマに意志や意図が有るのかと言う難問が出てしまう。

ダルマは単に縁起が網のように連鎖した［空］で意図を持たない無私である筈。（まァそれは不可知と逃げるのですが）　（しかし，これも逆説で，もし小生のやっている事，書いている事がダルマや

釈尊の意図に反しているならそれこそ大逆罪で，とっくの昔にコロッと死んでいた筈だし，嫌がらせやハッカー攻撃を受けてブログもつぶれていた筈。）ーーー結果として何故か小生が禅仏教の基になった脳生理について語る事になった。　小生自身は悟りを得ようとも教祖になる気もさらさら無く単に迷信に侵された仏教者，研究者に［これが本来の教えというもの］を証したいだけで，２５００年の間に一人ぐらいは，これをやる奴が居ても良かろうと言う事です。

［］　これを整理，組識化し，宗教化するも哲学化するもそれは誰かの仕事で，それも因果の生起として起るものなら起り，仏教も元々の形に戻るでしょう。あるいは，鼻クソとして消えるものなら消えて行く。　 それがダルマの意志,と言うものでありそれが己れに付いたカルマです。　

合掌　良禅拝

［］

Zen Sound of Fuke Shakuhach

There was a funny chain of connections.  It was started a word “Kuwa-no-mi” 

(桑の実 / Mulberry) in a post by a prolific blogger Tokyobling, in which he talked about it

with the photo of tree in Tokyo. —– I’ve put a comment  “80% of Japanese may not 

know what the Mulberry tree is, still 99% of them knows the Word

 “Kuwa-no-mi” because of a song “Aka-tombo” ( 赤とんぼ/ Red-Dragonfly) which

was dubbed as the Second National Anthem of Japan.

[]

May be with my emotional attachment to this song which strikes Japanese psyche and

my associated memory, (—– Aka-tombo only appears on the end of summer which

meant us the end chapter of all the sweet and bitter memory in that summer

(and our youth) —– (you must remember, when you were young and small, how one

summer was long and eventful which was engraved deep into your subconsciousness =

You know, we only had 10 or so summers in the whole life to grow into an adulthood !)

And I’m very conscious about this Mulberry tree and the distinct taste of its berry.

So that, since when I accidentally found this tree in a town called Hitchin, I made my

annual ritual to visit there every year and eat the berry, until I found the another tree

in south London.       (I talked about this tree in one of my post.)

[]

As an answer to my comment, Tokyobling sent me a link for a song-video of

“Aka-tombo” in Youtube.

—–> while listening a song, I found another Japanese old folk-song as well, which was

accompanied by a traditional Japanese bamboo wind-instrument called Shakuhach (尺八).

—–> as usual in Youtube, many related or similar kind are listed next by next.

—–> and I stumbled this viz, which plays “Fuke Shakuhachi” (普化尺八)

[]

Fuke-shu (普化宗) is in fact, one of the Zen sect unique to Japan, and

there is a temple called “Fuke-dera” (普化寺) in south of Kyoto.

(I hope it still exist though, many years ago, it was said only 9 monks left

but in this viz the monk was from Mukai-ji temple, there might be more monks in

another temple —– incidentally, why he is hiding his face is a symbol of  No-Self )

(Composer Toru Takemitsu’s “November Steps” is the most famous adaptation of

this sound to Contemporary music.  It’s worthwhile to listen ! )

—– This sect is using the sound of Shakuhach to teach what the

Dharma, and the Enlightenment is.

[]

But in practice, just to make a sound out of this instrument is hard enough because,

there is not much structure to make sound = one end of bamboo was just cut in angle

and having small notch to blow (that all 🙂 )= it is the matter of the way to blow in

certain angle.  —– ( for me it wasn’t too difficult as I had an experience to blow sound

out of Peruvian Quena Flute which got somewhat similar structure)    Still to play

good sound, let alone to master Kaza-iki etc. must takes 10,20 years of practice.

And THE result is —– just as it is = the sound you can hear but just the sounds,

nothing more than the sound neither Bamboo changed to the Gold.  😀

= still, if it is good, it’s good and in deed, it shows (or sounds) the Dharma, 

—– or you may hear it, as a sound of the nature or its reflections.

[]

This is in deed, touches the hardest part of the Zen teachings and the deepest

human psyche which could interact or communicate with the Dharma.

(I wouldn’t imply, Dharma would talk to you though —– we might only feel, passively. 🙂 )

For this, please read those posts;   [Harmony in Dharma] / [Aaaaaa~~~~~]

[]

Still some of you might say, So what ? —–

Nice tone which sound no apparent pattern or rhythm, hence it refuses

our mediocre comprehension, and its high tone makes our perception

sunk deep into the spiritual state (or totally open minded blank state).

[]

I met quite few professional Shakuhach players as most of Japanese traditional music

regularly needs to have them.  Of cause, a player, able to play and able to make

beautiful sound doesn’t needed to be an enlightened Zen Buddhist, let alone Fuke monk.

And not necessary beautiful sound makes the people to get enlightenment.

[]

Yet still, to a person who actively seek an enlightenment, start from making

Shakuhach out of raw bamboo by himself, and try to achieve the best sound,

is the typical (endless, repeated) Zen practice.

—–> on the end, no wonder, the one could achieve and reaches to the state

of Ichijo = player, bamboo pipe, the air, the sound, all become one = as what

the Dharma is.    Still, this is nothing but the state of blankness, Mushin

= the mind was sublimated into infinite Void.

[]

—– Because it is blank or Void, there isn’t much of use, hence it is a Dog shit.

And only there is a blank, what left in your life is, Just carry on, be who you are.

(expecting anything else is nothing but one’s Greed and Pretentious Ego and it is nothing but

a Delusion.   Since, Void will not hold anything in it —– though, Mahayana

understanding is, because of it is Void, everything is in, since it would make no difference

at all = So, your life is your only life.)

Never mind, as long as the sound is good, it’s good.   

___/\___

[]

Hand-made Bag

This not a museum piece from the Captain Scot’s camp.  

This is a bag I made about 1976 and used over 10 years since.

Unless I was on a Shooting assignment to carry full gear,

I only needed to carry A5 size Duplicate Notebook and,

may be just one Nikon with wide angle lens. — Only to carry

little things, ordinary bag on the market was too big.

Then I found a leather-goods shop selling  off-cut leather,

I decided to make one, fit to my use.

[]

 —– To make a bag out of off-cut pieces need to have just

a cut and stitch work though, being off-cut, the leather

pieces are  irregular shaped mixed sizes,

I needed to do a jig-saw puzzle first, to make required, workable

flat piece of leather.  And how to design such as closing fitting

on the top flap was the another fun.  🙂  

(I used the same key system for the small coin-purse too.)

[]

—– Whether you convinced or not, this is a Zen practice.  

When making it, there wouldn’t be any other thoughts.  (Mindfulness)

And while stitching it, just fingers were working.  (Mushin)

Considering the time spent, it wouldn’t make much financial gain nor

as it is not a kind of Master piece to show-off, it’s far from any Arrogance.

Still it was a fully absorbed commitment to deal with the material and the work.  

So, it was, I would say in Ichijo. ( Oneness = Non Duality )

[]

—– Forget the brah brah, anyway the bag worked well, for its purpose

and it was my good companion for rather long time on my life.

___/\___

[] 

Test of Selflessness

While looking for a hint to see what was the mind-set of

Lord Buddha, here and there such as in

the Agama Sutra, I stumbled that

Lord Buddha had intentionally not revealing

his intention preventing the followers become

“head big brah brah person”.

[]

An episode in the Argama, which was — In a rainy night

Lord Buddha told a disciple, Ananda that he is going for

a walk. (without telling where or what for.)

To follow him, Ananda came out carrying umbrella and

torch-fire.  Everybody in the sangha followed as well,

each carrying umbrella and a torch, as they have been

accustomed to follow their teacher. —– After a while

walking up a hill, and saw all of his followers were there,

Lord Buddha smiled.   Then Ananda asked him,

“Great Teacher never smiled without a reason. So,why

this time ?” but he received no answer why.

[]

Lord Buddha has, in fact, tested

the followers reaction and their progress.

Even under a condition, not nice for a walk, still all

the followers actually followed him.  Which was an

indication of that, everybody had sublimated his

teachings and able to do it in practice.

—– What was the crux of teaching ?

= Without asking why or what for, despite in a rainy

night, just follow unconditionally, was a proof of that

everybody has reached to the Selfless state of the mind,

hence able to respond the situation as it’s happened.  

(As he saw the sign, that the teachings has

worked perfect, so, smiled.)

[]

Lord Buddha had such a good insight of human mind.

That was why he never explained the intention why,

or the logic behind of it. —– Once he explained and gave

a verbal key, the followers remember it as a buzz-word

and become head-big, then the thinking start to

control their behaviour which is nothing but a

sham or superficial pretence.

Buddhism is not a religion of Dogma of which followers

have to read and remember and recite the words, but the

Buddhism changes one’s psyche down to the subconscious

level through the practice. (= not behave what was told by

the Dogma or Rules, but naturally do it unconsciously)

If followers knew that it is a test to check whether the one

can respond at once without questioning and to follow

in the state of Selflessness. —– it can be mimicked and

easily pretended while competing with others.

(Look at me, I can do this. I’m better than you —–

this arrogance is the most remote from the Buddhist’s mind.)

[]

This episode clearly showed the essence of the Buddhism,

hence it become clear, how unfortunate the followers

of especially Zen Buddhism today.  = Knowing that

the Zen is to get Mushin etc. brah brah, it is 

completely opposite to get Mushin, let alone Zen.

If the one has a conscious of “I’m in Mushin”, it is not

Mushin at all.   It is the same to tell “I’m doing the sitting

in silence” (—– If so, shut up.   Just sit ! :-D)

[]

To master the Zen, you may need to be thrown into a

situation, where you were forced to do something utterly

boring repeating work (as a volunteer ?)

—– after you became able to do the work almost like an

automatic machine (while knowing, it’s useless to complain)

—– then need to realize “Aha, this the Selfless state

of Mushin” ! = So, it is even better if it looks most unlikely

set-up to do Zen, which would prevent to hold any pretence.

(In my case, it has happened while I was working in a

mountain shelter, cutting log, and in Disco dancing. 😀

= I was lucky, similar to Huineng who was placed to work

in the kitchen of the Monastery.)

[]

—– In fact, sitting in a temple to learn Zen is the worst

setting to learn, since such conscious of

“I‘m doing Zen” prevent the person to get rid of

such notion and the thinking.

It’s exactly the same irony = try to get cured in a hospital

where all sorts of infectious germs, viruses has been

brought in and more concentrated than anywhere else.  😀

[]

—– And in the same context, what I’m writing here

could be quite harmful to a novice, as I’m revealing the

trade secret,  while analysing mechanism of

the psyche in the Zen, utterly contrary to

Lord Buddha’s silent smile, aforesaid —– still, this

may be help the people who is studying psychology.

= So, it may need to put a health warning.

“Experienced Adult only” 😀 )

But this is what this Blog is, using my own mind as

a guinea-pig to figure-out what the Zen is. !

(Try to see Zen, objectively is not in Ichijo in Zen,

therefore the most remote from own Enlightenment.)

[]

(And that was why master Kogetsu damned me, that I

can get no Enlightenment ! — but, What’s wrong ? 😀

Get an enlightenment may help mere one person,

but to those millions of the people, who has been

mislead by a mixed-up-Buddhism, to open their eyes

could be a crucial matter.

and that must be the will of

Lord Buddha and the Dharma.)

___/\___

[]

PS :  Friend asked me at once “So, is it useless and

hopeless to attempt to learn ZEN at all now ?”  

“Not at all. Don’t try ZEN but just clean your

room or kitchen.  🙂

Make it perfectly clean and do it everyday”

And read this post.(link)

[]

Reverse Engineering of ZEN

As I often wrote before, my approach to Zen Buddhism is a

way of reverse-engineering = disassembling a product to

analyse the structure and components etc. to find the reason

why it was designed in such a way, for what purpose and for

what advantage.

Then able to see even a philosophy behind of it.

[]

In a case of Zen, to see what sort of practice in such as

Tea-making or Martial-art etc. which were well known to be

a part of Zen culture, and see what is the common factor and

common philosophy, how they are related to Zen teachings.

—– from those observation, it was

easy to see that the key-word was the [Mushin], and

to attain, it was achieved by the years of repeated practice.

—– But, what repeated practice to do with [Mushin] ?

[]

For me, it took many years of search until I connected it to

the neurological phenomenon, which is the threshold of the

perception rose against the same repeated signal, and

become immune to it.

It was almost an Eureka moment to me. —– With this,

how the emotional tension decay after while, or how we get

used and overcome a fear, even become apathetic, all became

clear and able to make straight connection to the Zen.

Then, I realized that this is the reason why all the Buddhism

sects are using the endless repeating practice as a part of their

teachings.  (whether chanting the same or banging the drum,

walking round and round etc etc —–

Lord Buddha said to have used the way of breathing as a practice)

—– All for getting the state of [Mushin]. —– And I realized

that the continuous action such as cutting the log in a mountain

shelter, or even Disco-dancing which automatically reflect to each

element of music I did, had in deed having had the same effects.

[]

Mushin is not only to abandon the thinking process

but more importantly, it disconnects perception 

(coming signal) to the emotion. = This is exactly what

Buddhism says [Detachment] which is behind the

[8 Right path]. (I wouldn’t presume that, it included a

Disco-dancing though. 😀 )

And as a neurological fact, detached emotion cause a

detachment even from a conscious of Self and the own belongings.

= Detachment from primordial Instincts, Ego and

Greed, is exactly the State of [Selflessness] and not 

attached to any fixed tendency is the [Middle-way] = 

Hence, all the peculiar phenomena in the Buddhism became clear.

(In fact, all those [Mushin], [Selflessness], [Middle-way] even

[Mindfulness] are all created by the [Detachment] of the nerve

signal from the Emotion = actually they are the same one

phenomenon, but named it seeing from different angles.)

[]

As all those phenomena was the core of

the Buddhism teachings, it’s mean,

Lord Buddha did know all those mechanism in our mind

though, to trace back all those to his teachings in the scripture

is not straight forward, such as metaphor and his real wording

may not been correctly recorded and translated.

—– A description in the Vimalakirti Sutra “If you have a mind

that you are giving, it is not true giving” or in a typical

Mahayana expression “Giving as not-giving is the giving” are

in fact all meant “Giving in Mushin or in Selflessness”

(without conscious of action).

—– All the religion require the active mind-set, “Complete

attachment to the Belief which was written” but only the

Buddhism teaches [Detachment] = this is the very

distinctive point though, to describe something

which is not there = [Empty mind] is very difficult.

[]

The trouble of the Buddhism is, virtually no reliable written

record exists.   It’s a pile of hearsay after 10^th, 100^th of Chinese

whisper.  🙂   And seemingly, the person, good in writing may

not be the person who actually reached Mushin or Selflessness

— otherwise such as Abidharma-kosa was never been written.

And on top of this, even though the matter is all in the depth

of murky subconsciousness, there was no understanding of

psychology neither a notion or word to describe was existed then.

[]

In such an environment, to pretend to be a Master and boast,

creating yet another Mantras was very easy, but to disprove

it was difficult. = all came down to the political power game of

the sects. Winner takes all and justify their righteousness,

regardless of its authenticity —– hence, created utter

mixed-up-Buddhism (in fact, it was a Tantra mixed Hinduism

with some idea from the Buddhism)

for a sake of populism and a commercial success. =

(It’s easier to sell, “This God would save you” than “Need to

know, Suffering is not exists” —– after a death nobody ever

came back to complain “God wasn’t there”= So, its sale’s point

has never been disproved and able to keep assume that the

dead are in Heaven. 😀 )

[]

Obviously, it is necessary to re-examine and to see what was

the original teachings, even though it might be yet another

guess work. —– Still, my approach, which is based on the

neurological mechanism, can explain all the Buddhism

phenomena. —– If not what else could explain it ?

(Leaving the matter to mythical unknown power and

its blessing ? —– Joking !  We are in the 21^st century ! )

[]

This neurological, psychological response is common to

all human being (hence it was described that everybody

born with it) it is applicable to anybody and many area of

human activities. (In fact it has been used a lot.)

And it will prove that the Buddhism has a tangible substance.

(unlike any other religion, which is based on a fantasy which

is only exists if it was believed) —– As the Buddhism is based

on the tangible substance, not on the imagination or belief,

it was often classified as a philosophy not a religion.

___/\___

[]

Dog mourns the loss of Friend Beaver

This is a Youtube clip ” Vella (dog) mourns the loss of Beaves (beaver)”

I was told to watch.   And I found myself I can add anything to say.  

So, just watch and give a tear or two for them.

[]

When I was living with cats (mind you, with up to 9 of them) I even

bemused how they can read my mind.  

And able to know when I was coming  back, all together waiting

behind of front door.  (looked like a gathering of tadpoles.  🙂 )

[]

The video clip seemed to be uploaded today, and it said to be

when the friend beaver,  Beaves was suddenly found dead,

the mate Vella came into really deep mourn.  

___/\___

___/\___

[]

Hacking Business

There was an interesting incident targeted to this Yoshizen Blog.

Soon after I’ve put my last post [Three times BUDDHA] somebody

hacked into my account and try to tamper my text.

As always  🙂 when I found a miss-spelling and try to edit my text,

WordPress’ Auto-save told me that there was an auto-saved

another version exists.

Looking into the script, I noticed that somebody had attempted

to delete a part of my text as you can see on the screen shot.

The target was a paragraph “to fabricate so many so-called Buddha

in Mahayana Buddhism”

Lord Buddha has used the words such as [Land Deity] [Moon Deity]

kind of name (may be for a convenience in the conversation) though,

never used such as a Sanskrit Deity, Brahman, because of the only

who, who rules whole universe is the Dharma, nothing else.

And the Dharma was not personified. = It is invisible yet spread

whole universe, down to the inside of ourselves.

That was what he believed and taught. — So, he got angry when a

Disciple couldn’t get correct understanding of the Dharma, saying

“It’s a disgrace to the Dharma” = he was quite serious.

Therefore, under the name of Buddhism, to creates another object

of worship other than the Dharma, especially importing its

figure from Hinduism is nothing but a contempt of

Lord Buddha and the Dharma.

[]

Hacking into well protected WordPress Blog is a serious business.

I wouldn’t assume it was done by a whim of silly individual = got

to be a professional, hired by the organization.

So, who was the one came through a gap of floor board like a

cockroach, instead to put a counter opinion through the front door ?

Is this a mind-set of the organisation or the sect ? — Blime !

[]

My blog is open for anybody to put a comment or two (though, any

spam which is other than a genuine comment has been completely

rejected —– except few exception, who got an interesting family

business to advertise. 🙂 ) hence, if anybody got different view,

to express its view as a comment is welcome, but don’t use

dirty hacking. —– It doesn’t work as the original was

composed on Word, re-load the same can be done in 10 min’.  🙂

And it’s counter productive to the hacker, because it would only create

another funny post like this, and that’s why my blog got 127,000 hits.

—– though, I know, quite few of hits were mislead by a search term

“xxx nude figure” kind, and end-up to see wire sculpture here. 😀

___/\___

[]