Tiny LIFE

( What I casually called Mayfly here was in fact  Green lacewing /  Chrisopidae )

Some days ago, short floss like thing standing on the edge of the book, caught my eyes ? ? ?

At second glance, I realized, it was an egg of the Mayfly.   Then I remembered a

Mayfly was flapping around the table lamp a night or two before. = so,  she laid an egg ! ?

While looking around —– I found four more  those eggs

here and there. —–  And I found a dead Mayfly too.

—– M m m m # ? # ?.  What a hell ! What should I do ? ? ?

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I don’t like it. Absolutely not welcome at all.

Even if those eggs hatched, there is no food for its larvae

—– simply I can’t take care of them.

—– and if I pick and throw them out, the eggs will be

eaten by other small creepy crawlies.

—– In any choice, those small life would be doomed —– isn’t there any alternative ? ? ?

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So that I decided to take picture of them = at least, Mayfly could contribute something to

the world —– ( really ? —– for what extent ? ) —– Don’t ask me,  it’s a sheer excuse.

But, to take picture of such minute subject is not easy. As my macro photo system has been

disappeared somewhere I decided to make it using cheap Chinese Micro-scope Lens.

( Using wide-angle lens with reverse adopter could make large magnification though its big

shoulder prevent to access small corner to take picture of this kind of fixed object )

So, I wound a wire around the screw mount of the microscope lens (and partly soldered / Photo above left )

then glued this ring on top of a splay can which happen to have suitable diameter ( Photo, middle ) and

put LED focus light —– here the Macro Photo Adopter for Canon EOS.

( can was mounted on a Canon body cap —– with a cut-out hole in the middle, of cause 🙂 )

What a hustle you might say. Yes it was a hustle in deed. To holding a wire ring in the dead centre

of a mouth of can while keeping it exactly parallel (well, sort of 🙂 ) and filling the 2.3 mm gap around

of it, using Araldite glue etc. etc,  a  lots of work.

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But don’t forget the life of a small Mayfly —– she unfortunately end-up her life in this room though,

at least she did her best,  surviving few days without drinking any water (may be — I know not) and

laid the eggs which was her duty in her life.

At least, I have to respond to the encounter with this life —– it is the duty to be a Buddhist.

Squeezing the brain and find the way to solve the technical difficulties and achieve ( at least in the

acceptable standard 🙂 ) the necessary objective —– is the Zen ( in action ).

This is what I’ve been saying “ Do It “ not wasting the time thinking.

—– Um m, the result seems not too bad. ( I think —– for an almost cost nothing hand-made device 😀 )

( Quality of the images is not as good as Zeiss apo-chromat lens I used to use, but think about the price 😀 )

___/\___

PS :  The stem or egg supporting rod (?) is nothing but a wonder of the nature.  How the secluded liquid

—– can instantly harden and able to hold the egg on top. —– If anybody know the scientific research of

—– this,  please let me know.  (Incidentally, the rainbow color on top photo was created by the optical

—– diffraction of the transparent membrane of the wing. —– it’s mean, the thickness of this film is as thin

—– as a wave length of the light ! — isn’t this incredible ?   Man’s technology is still behind of the nature )

PPS ;  After many years of  having had their visit here, this year I came to the resolution, how to deal with

—— them.  = When ever I saw them flying under the light, catch them and throw them out of window.

—— Watching them fly or take rest on somewhere —– might be amazing or interesting and giving a water

—— or piece of fruits etc. may seems to be an act of friendship or what so ever.  IT IS our arrogance

—— and on the end, it would do nothing good to them.  They don’t belong to this room and there is no

—— prospect for them to have their fruitful life here.   Throw them out where they belong = NATURE.

—— It is the most kind and friendly things we can do to them.

It is often the case, without giving a help and leave a person in their own device could be

the most kind things to do to the person’s life.  

—

Chrysanthemum and Sword

While ago I came across two peculiar quotations both from the same book

“ The Chrysanthemum and the Sword” written by an American Anthropologist Ruth Benedict.

One was made by the ousted Japanese PM Kan saying  [Culture of Shame] out of the book.

Other was,  in reference to my description somewhere [keep one’s place and to do the job which was given]

—- one of my friend asked me “Is that the same, what Ruth Benedict said in her book ?”

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—– What made me surprise was that this book is not yet dead and still read by the people 🙂

It seems this book is still a distinctive reference when people try to learn the Japanese culture though, shame,

it was hastily written on her misunderstanding of the culture and people’s psychology.

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As Ruth Benedict’s coined notion of  [Japanese Culture of Shame] against [Western Culture of Sin]

are both based on her miss-observations of both cultures —–

*  If  her observations had even a shred of truth, the fact such as [ 90% of the lost money totalling

£23 millions, found in the disaster zone of Japan, has returned to the rightful owner ] ! ! !

could ever happened.  While nobody was watching, why they bothered to take the money to the police  ?

And why no police man put the money into his pocket,  even in the time of utter chaos  ?

*  And, there were so many excuse or justification of the Riot and the Looting happened in

this country,  expressed even in the comments to my Blog.    Why ? ??

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The notion of the [Shame] in the Japanese culture is not against other’s eyes but to

the Eyes of the Heaven —– therefore, no escape or excuse.

And this feeling has been so deeply sublimated, even Japanese themselves doesn’t know Why = it is almost

a chemical effect,  like a feeling of  loathe a filth. —– (This is the Ethos originated from the ancient Shinto )

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In the western culture, the Right or Wrong = Morality is based on the Commandment written and

given by their Judea Christian God —– therefore, how to read it (and how to interpret ) is

depend on the case.

As the God was designed like as a person,  he use the same language and may answer you and

the matter may be negotiable with a sacrificed offering.

So that, with an excuse there is no absolute Morality.   Wrong may be easily changed to Right.

Worse still,  when the influence of the religion evaporated,  there is no basis of  Morality left.

—– yet still, Ruth Benedict thought that the western Morality is absolute and Japanese one is relative   😀

( In the same shoddy eyes,  she couldn’t see the fundamental pattern of the Japanese Ethos is the Zen —– but

she mistook it as the Confucianism)

—

Why TALK, Why Blog ?

It is the most fundamental contradiction in Zen Blog.   Which I’m well aware.

Zen is after all, [in practice] how to live.   Not a system of thinking or idea.  Nor dubious magic at all.

Therefore, if any notion or thinking of even an idea of spirituality or any religious notion is there, it is

not the Zen but mere pretence.

In Zen, because of no preconceived idea or thinking is there (or no longer there) it is described as Mushin

and having the eyes to see the subjects without preconception, it is fully opened clear eyes by which

the one can see the object as it is, hence, there couldn’t be any barrier between

seeing and be seen = it is the Oneness / Ichijo.

Seeing and be seen are no longer there as the separate entity, hence no Self could exist

—– all those are not a logical conclusion or answer,  but just a state of the brain.

( Brain is not only for thinking   🙂 )

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State of the brain ( In fact, the balance of hormone,  Dopamine  and  Serotonin  etc)  will be

reflected to one’s feeling and the actual action,  so does to the results  ( hence to the one’s Karma)

not as a revealing words.   ( Because, Zen is not a word game but real dairy life )

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This is the Buddhism of which Buddha taught.

To learn this,  the followers literally followed

Buddha and copied what he does,  down to the minute details,  since

Buddha himself was the teachings itself.  And as

Buddha did practice his own dairy life according to the Dharma,

and himself was a part of the Dharma too,  his actions or practices were the Dharma.

( So that the recordings of those teachings were also called as Dharma,  and those practices has been reflected

into the Zen Buddhism,  such as in the Soto Zen,  there is no verbal communication but just follow the practice,

and through practice,  the learning could be achieved and even sudden realization could be occurred,

which was called Direct Transmission )

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—– this is the reason why I feel deeply paradoxical to talk about Zen,  let alone blogging.

In the so-called Buddha’s biography, there was the story of

Buddha’s hesitation to teach what he found in his Enlightenment, which was needed a persuasion of

the Brahman to start.

(So far I couldn’t find the origin of this story in the Scripture —– the author of the biography must have

really deep understanding of the Buddhism and had the insight )

Buddhism having inherent trouble refusing to be explained by the words.

Understanding or so-called enlightenment may just come while practising.

So that,  I can definitely say,  Just Do it.

___/\___

—

Mindfulness – Mushin – ICHIJO

In past ten days, there were quite a bit of talking with my friends and they gave me a suggestion, that

a part of the script in my last post seems to be the most simplest but crucial explanation

of the Zen Mind, and said, having those few lines of explanation, half of my blog would

become redundant.

Great ! Thank you very much —– should I feel grateful or sad ? ? ?

( Anyhow, this blog is the ongoing report of the DIY ZEN, try to figure it out and see its notion in

a perspective = its got to have a progress and the refinement )

—– so, the following is the notorious script;

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——————

In metaphor, Mindfulness is to eliminates all another thoughts —– say, when you got to

do [A],  to eliminates any thoughts other than about [A] is Mindfulness.

Then eliminates the very thought about [A] is the Mushin. ==> While doing [A], if no thought

is there at all, how the job [A] can be done = it is done by the Dharma.

Therefore, it is far better than “Done by yourSelf ”   ! ! !

( Quite convincing isn’t it ?    )

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—– It seems that instead to use two words,  it is better to use one word Ichijo.

(Oneness = a mind and a subject are fused together as one Dharma,  hence the Self and the

subject itself are no longer exists as the separate entity, or seen to be exist) —– therefore,

the matter of whether one’s mind is there or not (about Mushin) or the subject which needs

to be fully concentrated (So-called Mindfulness ) is there or not, all become irrelevant.

( May be the first person who translated the notion of Zen into English didn’t know what the Zen really mean

—– good in English doesn’t necessary mean having good understanding in Zen   )

non

It’s true, in the notion of ICHIJO,  all the teachings of Zen resolved into

an infinity of the DHARMA.

The best of all, it is cheaper to practice only one ICHIJO, instead of Mushin, Mindfulness and Meditation.

—– you can get all three in one practice of DOING anything. — Ha ha ha, it’s suits to a humble man  

—– And this is exactly what the Dharma mean.— Totality is the Dharma.

___/\___

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PS :  In the above script  [when you go to do [A], ] = this DO mean actual action not a meditation.

—– As I’ve been saying [ Just Do ] from the beginning,  Zen effect only comes with ACTION,  because

—– it is coincided with the seclusion of a neurohormone Selotonin which gives the contented feeling

—– and calm your mind down. —– This is the reason why, all the Buddhism practice is a simple

—– repeating action. —– Once anyone master this,  then the same technique can be applied to

—– any action or no-action alike = Being contended in calm while do nothing  😀     Peace !

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How Mindfulness and MUSHIN exists in the same time ?

This question seems to haunt a Zen novice for ever, as I’ve been asked again and again.

One of the reason, why it is hard to understand is —– because the person is trying to understand it

in the head, as one of the thinking process.

Zen is a very simple PRACTICE but not a kind of practice to be understood or comprehend.

(Think, riding a bicycle — you don’t need to understand the theory or to know the how to ride. You just need a practice on youe body.)

Understanding is the process in the higher legion of the brain / conscious thinking process,

but Zen is the state of the subconscious —– hence it can not be handled consciously.

Without your conscious control, to move forward right leg, then left leg, this is how you walk.

As it was all done in subconsciously, you don’t need to know, in order to move your right leg,

which muscle to contract or so on —– everything done in automatic. —– You walk in Mushin = Without thinking / awareness / conscious. 

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As the Zen is a PRACTICE, you got to practice and master it, or simply just do it. While doing it, you will

get used it and soon or later you master it = you don’t need to understand.

Once you mastered it, as it will be processed and carried out in your subconscious = you do it just as a

routine or a habit = you do it in MUSHIN.    (Very simple and clear isn’t it ?)

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And Zen is the state of the Mind behind of those action, in any or all sorts of the action —– hence

Walking Zen, Lemon Zen, anything can be the Zen — put all together, everything LIFE in Zen.

(When total Life became Zen, it is a step before the Enlightenment 😀 )

Because of the people misconceived that the Sitting is Zen, it made the matter confusing.

Sitting is a relaxed posture, taking a rest = have a break = do nothing hence most of the time even

the brain is in idle.   (but deep in your mind, some thing might come and go —– sometime new idea might come-up)

—– therefore, some say, it is the MEDITATION (deep thinking), others says its got to be

in Mushin = No-thinking.   But, sitting is only one of the action (or rack of it ?) and

the state of the Zen is not confined in this posture.

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When you are in action, —– if you have been doing it routinely, you are able to do it in Mushin, —– but

can you DO two things in the same time ?     I don’t think so.

When you DO, you do only one thing.   The brain can think many things in the same time or rapidly

scanning many thoughts, hence you feel, many thoughts are in busy traffic.

Not only many thoughts are running, the situation is rapidly changing = only a measure is, to deal

one thing at a time, in fact that is only we can do without making a mistake.

(Only a thing you can do in the same time is to do something while walking on a flat road as an exception.

You can test it.   Still, thinking can run parallel —– but, it would be a destruction, that is why it’s need to

have a concentration = eliminates any another thinking = this is what Mindfulness really mean)

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People thinking and imagining, try to figure it out —– by way of thinking.   That is the reason why it is hard

to imagine, the state of the mind / fully concentrating to the subject on front = (so-called Mindfulness ) and

the Mushin (Mind of No-Mind / not thinking) can exist in the same time.

It’s co-exists only in Practice,  or because of when it is Practice, it is co-exists.

(may be the use of two words made it complicated,  like an electrical phenomenon, Current and the Voltage

—– phenomenon itself is only one phenomenon = just a dynamism of the Electron.   In order to observe

its phenomenon, when we put a meter in series = meter shows the current.   And if the meter was connected

in parallel = meter shows the voltage.   But the electron has no intention to express anything.

They just move when it is possible to move —– man created two separate notion and made it looks complicated.)

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In metaphor, Mindfulness is to eliminates all another thoughts —– say, when you got to

do [A],  to eliminates any thoughts other than about [A] is Mindfulness.

Then eliminates the very thought about [A] is the Mushin. ==> While doing [A], if no thought

is there at all, how the job [A] can be done = it is done by the Dharma.

Therefore, it is far better than “Done by yourSelf ”   ! ! !

( Quite convincing isn’t it ?    😀 )

non

—– It seems that instead to use two words,  it is better to use one word Ichijo.

(Oneness = a mind and a subject are fused together as one Dharma,  hence the Self and the

subject itself are no longer exists as the separate entity, or seen to be exist) —– therefore,

the matter of whether one’s mind is there or not (about Mushin) or the subject which needs

to be fully concentrated (So-called Mindfulness ) is there or not, all become irrelevant.

( May be the first person who translated the notion of Zen into English didn’t know what the Zen really mean

—– good in English doesn’t necessary mean having good understanding in Zen   😀 )

non

It’s true, in the notion of ICHIJO,  all the teachings of Zen resolved into

an infinity of the DHARMA.

The best of all, it is cheaper to practice only one ICHIJO, instead of Mushin, Mindfulness and Meditation.

—– you can get all three in one practice of DOING anything. — Ha ha ha, it’s suits to a humble man   😀

—– And this is exactly what the Dharma mean.— Totality is the Dharma.

___/\___

non

When you ride a bicycle, you don’t carry a banner of “Thinking how to rid” “Riding in MUSHIN” “Full concentration in riding” “I’m the man of riding” —– in fact, all those Notions were created by “Somebody else who observed the Matter in riding”. = The situation was the same in ZEN = “Mindfulness” “Mushin” “Awareness” “Consciousness” “Thinking” “Meditating” etc etc, all those notions or idea were the debris of the useless thinking (about ZEN) —– ZEN is only a ZEN = it may not even be a notion or name = It is a kind of state of the mind (?). A person was just riding a bicycle while being a state, nothing else of riding = was observed / analysed by the others, and “Its state was categorised / named” as “In the mindful state” —– but other saw it in different angle and named “In MUSHIN” and the other said “Without the consciousness” and “Without a thinking” —– in the same way, [This ZEN master saw it in this way, and started to say in that way then taught in this way = which was called “*** school / sect” etc, etc.

The funny things were, the ZEN is only one and it may not be anything different from just a life. (It seemed, somebody trid to be looks clever by saying in different way.)

Detailed attention to the LIFE

I came across a kind of Japanese book review —– about a book talking about a small knack,

which would make your life more fulfilling. What a gospel. 🙂

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Contents itself is nothing new or anything eye-opening.

Such as the way how you staple the papers = the best way to do it, is in angle, so that it would not tear the

paper when a page was flipped —– in every small knack to do each dairy practices, in total, it would

smoothing your dairy life, hence the end of a day, you can achieve the life in happier satisfaction.

—– m m m ? Sound familiar ! ?

Familiar yes, thousand of religious, lecturing the life’s wisdom books are saying the same kind, but this

author has nothing to do with religion. Purely talking about how to do each dairy chore.

In fact, everybody knows something this kind, and even I may able to put some more this and that too.

Such as after cut anything, wash the cooking knife in order not to transfer the smell —– think, if your apple

smell onion you’ve cut a moment ago, or you may not like to use the same knife for salad vegetable which

has been used for cutting a meat.   There might be a possible contamination of germ ?

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—– A man (and a woman) said, “ I don’t care because I’m using different knife”

In fact, I’m not going to talk about each knack here.   Here, I noticed the mind-set —– how people react to

those small advise in general. —– Something I found very peculiar among the western people is,

—– regardless, if it is good and useful or not, many people just don’t like to be told.

May be the reason is, it is too simple common-sense = no need to be told by others. And another reason is,

“ I know but may be I don’t do it because I don’t care. So, don’t repeat it to me again”

—– laziness is the fundamental Evil here 😀

Though, those kind of small practice is the foundation of the Buddhism. — you believe or not.

(For instance, the Japanese Tea Making which was originated from Zen Temple as a

way of the Buddhism study, is a continuous process of small practice )

Non

Whether it is good or bad, the way which is making most stark contrast in the children’s up-bringing

in the west and east is, —– in the west, the children are grown up hearing the words “ Superb !

You are marvellous. You are doing very good ! “ (regardless whether the child is doing utter crap

and hopeless, as the parents think, they need to have an encouragement )

In the east, the children are nurtured and taught “ No good, you are idiot. Study more “. 😀

This would make fundamentally different mind-set —– in the west, it would give pretty strong

ego and the arrogance “ I’m a lord of my life “ (—– though, it is not the case in the most of the person, later

they may depressed and couldn’t figure out the direction —– but it’s too late to do it again)

In the east, as the children were forced to learn the curriculum regardless he or she is good in it or not —–

but, at least they learn their place and learn to pay attention to what they are facing,

therefore they become good to do what they have learned but not much creativity, still they know how to

follow others (provided, somebody lead them).

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Buddhism is based on the eastern psyche = hence accepting and follow the Dharma and

its Teachings, is the starting point.

Dharma is not a human invention therefore it has no human-like attitude or speak in human language.

—– because of this, to accept and follow mean, we have to observe first and learn from it.   Then do,

what we found necessary to do.   There is no [ I want to do ] or [ This is what I want ] —–

we are not the dominant Force in the Life.

Do, what was allowed for us to do, in its best. —– down to the minute detail.

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When you are cutting an onion, you ARE the man cutting an onion = It is your whole life of

the man cutting onion, on the moment. (this is what Buddhism calls [ Mindfulness] and [ Ichijo] )

When you got used to observe the life in your open-eyes (not the eyes to project your idea / Ego)

you start to see what is a better way to do.   And keep doing it, it would become your routine, soon

you are able to do it without thinking = in Mushin = You are right path to the Enlightenment.

( It is simple, when you do every thing in better way down to the detail, of cause the result would be

far better = naturally you succeed in your life / fulfilment of the life)

—– So, to start, wash your knife every time after use. 🙂

( If you can’t keep even your knife in the best condition, how you can expect

to achieve anything better in your life)

___/\___

—

Is MUSHIN same as Thoughtless ?

Well, it is not about a Justice / Punishment from the heaven but about the mind-set.

Non

These days our topics were often related to the Riot, and there was an interesting question.

“Wasn’t the mind-set of [senseless] [thoughtless] behaviour, same to the Zen

Buddhist’s [Mushin]. —– What makes the difference between them ? ? ? “

—– in fact, someone who put a comment to the previous post had the same thinking.

And this question has so many implication and the facets.

—– Once, Pablo Picasso said “ Keep drawing like a child is the hardest things in the Art”

—– Then, “what is the difference between [Innocence] or [Ignorance] to the [Mushin] ?  “

May be the easiest answer to this question is, just whack the person shouting “Idiot” —– really ?

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There was an interesting story among the legend of the Sword Masters.

In the Samurai era, top sword-man was roving around the country seeking the contest-match

against each other, in order to achieve the record / reputation. ( And the winner was invited to

give a lesson to the local Lord receiving good reward)

Then, someone got an idea of plank, dressed up an ignorant peasant as a respectable

samurai, claiming that this is the supreme sword-master, and challenging top local

sword-master.

On the match, the peasant was just standing facing real master just having his sword down.

As the peasant had a slightest idea of what the sword-mastery is, he was just standing still.

The challenged was the master who knows everything —– but as the opponent seemed to

standing utterly defenceless —– almost like an idiot (in fact he was an idiot) it made the master

utterly confused.  —– no such things could happen here.   Otherwise it must be a ploy to make

the master wrong-foot = this man must be a real sword-master and able to kill him instant.

—– it was what the master felt.  (To his eyes, the peasant’s utter ignorant appearance, not even

recognize him was seen as the ultimate Mushin only possessed by a supream sword-master  😀 )

Then, the master throw his sword away, and kneel down for begging his life.

—————

The pair prankster succeeded all the contest-match in the same way.

But, after a while, the peasant started to wonder why those famous masters just give up and

kneel down to him.   And interested in to use the sword, as he mistook that he is in deed a

strong sword-master and able to kill the opponent.

So that, on the next match, peasant break a stillness and showed a slight sign of intention.

Then, the challenged sword-master instantly reacted to this sign, sway the body to other

direction and cut the peasant into two pieces.    (The End   😀  )

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It is true, even a Zen Master has used a metaphor of the mind of small child

to describe the Mushin and a state of mind of Jizai.

And in the Buddhist’s arguments about the universality / inclusiveness of the Mahayana stance,

this matter —– What is the distinction between [Innocence, Ignorance, Senseless,

Thoughtless] to the [Mushin] is some time mixed-up.

As a matter of fact, when it is convenient, this kind of metaphor has been often used though,

[The Mushin] is a very specific, peculiar state of the mind, nothing similar to any of

those mind.  Not just the matter of inclusiveness of the Mahayana, but also the confusion of the

[ What is the Buddhist’s mind] ( before this, What is the Buddhist ? —– there are all sorts of the

Buddhist exists —– Such as to enjoy the life having the eyes to appreciate peaceful nature which

gave a feeling of the liberated mind = could be perfectly the life and the mind of a Buddhist)

—– it has been left out of strict argument.

Non

But in strict term, the Mushin is the state of the mind, which only occurs when our

brain ceased to operate to categorising and reconfiguring the notion. —– yet

able to react to incoming stimulant.

—– In practice, this state of mind can be reached only through the long long repeated

practice which wear out those active, intentional activities of the brain

= thinking process.

And very similar to the treatment of an allergy, those practice also wear out the basic

desire and the emotional reaction = So that, the state of the Mind [ Mind of No-Mind]

= [Mushin] is only strict to [Purely the state of No-Thinking and No-Emotion]

= Dispassionate.

(but not akin to senseless or thoughtless —– because in those cases,  senseless / thoughtless

mind is, in fact occupied by another sorts of mind = such as an anger, greed or

overwhelming fanaticism = ideology or madness)

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=== this definition must have cleared the confusion.

=== the mind of childish, senseless, thoughtless Rioters were definitely, utterly

no way near to the Buddhist’s Mushin.

[ If it was done in Mushin,  it got to bring the GOOD outcome.  This is what the

Karma mean. And if it brought bad outcome — because,  it has done not in Mushin]

—– You may say this is out of rational logic and say ” Why”,  but this is what I found and true.

And this must be the reason why the Buddhism is existing.   🙂

___/\___

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MORAL DECAY ! ?

Being faced with the Riot situation, PM David Cameron hastily came back from his holiday —–

and today shouted “Moral decay of the Nation”.

With some cynicism, it may not too far to say, the fundamental mind-set of the Tory is  “ This is my country

and we are in charge with it” —– and the Labour’s is  “We are the victim of THEIR suppression. Hence we are

entitled to rob THEM”   😀

Therefore,  when Tory saw the disorder,  they feel their treasured possessions and the peaceful life were

threatened = Crisis of the Nation !  ( Labour says ” It’s their expression.  Blame only yourself.  Not us ”  😀  )

( In fact, with their mind-set,  Labour devoided the Britannia and its collective Ethos with a pretext of

Political correctness such as Multi-culturism, superficial ethnic equality, human right etc —- only resulted

with fragmentation of the society, and made this country easiest place for a [non-person] to live.)

Non

There has been thousands of talking analysing the situation —– poverty, under-class, unemployment,

frustration of young people, lack of role-model = lack of father figure etc etc —– !

I noticed yet everybody is missing the point. —– may be as they are living in THIS society,

they don’t have eyes to see it from the distance / objectively.   (and a consideration and a precaution not to

go against the voters psyche,  they can’t speak out the truth.  And, all the words of politicians are

preloaded, to make life of opposition party hard —– not necessary good or bad to the Nations = politics)

( That’s why politician often says completely opposite when they are in the power or not)

}}}

So, what was the POINT  I found ?

The root of evil is the virtualization of the society.

—– I’m not just talking about the Computer Game — it is only an iconic symbol of phenomena.

You may say I’m too anachronistic though, think, the situation is only around single century or so.

Only less than hundred years ago many people were the farmers and did know, the food is not coming

from Tesco.   Not only the industrial system,  whole socio-economic system is now beyond the anybody’s

imagination.   No body understand how the financial system is working.

And to the many rioters who is receiving the benefit —– the money is just coming.  There is no

reality such as “HARD EARNED MONEY” —– they don’t know who is working hard  paying tax.

And almost all of us don’t know how a shiny gadget was made or who is making it.

Thanks to the Information revolution, you may find a company website and a photo of the factory

producing iPad in China though,  how anyone can have real feeling, toil of work there, from an

image of Computer screen. —- We can see zillions of information but no reality.

—– without any reality, nobody care, how the Shiny Gadget was happened to be there —– rioter would

easily think “WHY NOT in my hand”—– anyhow shop will claim the insurance = no damage.

As the socio-economic system became beyond the comprehension, in the same time law and order

the judicial system is in hay-wire.   Somebody can get huge pay-out from the compensation claim which claim

is not in line with social sentiment or common-sense, especially when it is related to a racial issue,

human right issue —– the feeling of  ” somebody else is cunningly exploiting the system = Why not me ?

I can dodge the system as well.   Even MPs are defrauding public money, and the Banks, Multinationals got

enough money for exuberant payout = pinching small amount wouldn’t harm them = any how their money is in

the tax-heaven.   They are not in our world.  And I AM not with them ”  ====> How they can feel

that they belong to the same society, same community and shar the same pain, and Moral ?

}}}

The ETHOS and MORALITY is not came from a preaching or written knowledge.

But its comes from practice. A process of Doing. Doing through own practice and seeing others’ doing.

That’s why thousands words of nice talking of politician evaporated when their fraud was exposed.

( Why more Labour Politician was caught ?  Because of their fundamental psyche to see themselves fighting

the establishment —” it was an enemy’s money = why not appropriate for myself  in this good opportunity” )

If those supposed to be a role model is corrupt, how they can expect other’s morality.

—

In old days, the life had to learn and the money had to earn —– with actual hard doing of work.

In the process, everybody learn the relation and effect of working with others and the outer community

= lesson of the cause and the effect.   And what would boomerang.   What is good or Bad.

Everything were directly connected —– there was no virtual world other than the dream.

—-

And this is the reason why Buddhism employ the practice in their teachings.

Because, the practice and its nerve signals is connected to the one’s subconsciousness, hence it will

be burnt into the bottom of the mind.   It is invisible but bound the man’s life = Ethos.

But the abstract notion and the words in the higher legion of brain does fade away before long.

—

LOOTING in MUSHIN ???

Following my post [Wet Mid —] I’ve received amazing comments which said,

the young people live in the MOMENT and LOOTING is ZEN.

It seemed this man has read a book about the Zen Buddhism and picked up few buzz words, and as he is

pretty tenacious —– he might be believing what he is understanding is the Zen or believing he

had understood the Zen !

Fortunately, I haven’t read the same book therefore I can’t tell whether the book was crap or his reading was.

( ZEN for DUMB written by a dumb ?   for the dumb ?   😀 )

non

Often people mistook, just pick-up a buzz-word or two is [got it] even worse [understood].

Even more worse is, especially this kind of people tend to talk a lot    😀

( In my Uni’ there was a woman nicknamed “ Three fold BESHI “ who got a reputation of, when she read

one book, she talked about three times more amount —– a book inspired her and her creative interpretation

sky-rocketed —– only a trouble was her idea was utterly bull-sit   😀 )

non

Later, I gave another thought, —– in hypothesis, if the man was actually in the line of rioters, and

actually did looting —– then he realized, he has been completely absorbed in the situation, in the rapidly

changing chaotic situation, he just reacted moment to moment —– there couldn’t be a

time to give a thought, —– when he saw a gadget on a shelf = just grubbed and run.

—– then, he become aware ? ? ?    Where am I ?   Why this gadget is in my hand ? ? ?

Boila ! ! !   I got Zen, it was an act in Mushin.

Non

When he was arrested and sent to a Court,  it could make a very interesting case. —– as far as I

know,  it will create an unprecedented test case in the regal history.

If a man accused for a theft,  but pleaded not guilty on the ground of diminished responsibility

since, he was acted in Mushin,  and in the fundamentals of Buddhist’s belief, there is no Self,

therefore an allegedly accused / the man himself was not really in the crime scene = since

the body which has been captured in a CCTV is effectively empty or illusion.

( Don’t laugh  😀 —– this is quite a feasible scenario !  )

non

This case would give a   nightmare  as big as public disorder itself to the Judiciary.

As it is concerns to the fundamental belief of the Buddhism,  it can not be denied or criticized, therefore

a civil-right organization such as Liberty ought to defend the case,  as they did to Sikh and Moslem, otherwise

they will be accused of their discrimination against the Buddhists.

As long as  he is not having any mental disorder,  to throw the case out in this ground wouldn’t succeed.

There wouldn’t be any difficulty to have Expert Evidences from  Zen Master,  Martial-art Master,  Sports man—–

as it compels them to testify that the teaching of Zen is not  mumbo-jumbo = Mushin is a real phenomenon.

And, Prosecutor has to prove that the [Self] of accused was existing and the proclaimed [Mushin] is not exists.

( But how to prove it ?  It is exactly the same problematic  issue like whether the God exists )

—– It is the direct confrontation over the Buddhism. ( You see how tricky this case is    😀 )

non

Then, Council may address “My Load,  if the prosecutor is right,  it is the fundamental denial of the

Buddhist’s belief,  but on the other hand if the court find that the Defendant is right,  it is the seal of approval that

the Dharma exists and in the case of Buddhists,  responsibility of the Self may not exists.

Hence, creating yet another loop-hole to escape  Justice.   This would bring the serious problem to the future of

the law and order and to whole Judiciary.   Therefore only the remedy would be, an out of court settlement to

sort the difference out “

—– so, an awkward case will be swept under the carpet without leaving any precedence   😀

Ha ha ha   😀   😀

—

PS:  I will explain  What is real Buddhist’s Mushin on the next post.

___/\___

—

What a situation, what BUDDHIST can do ?

Having more than 2,600 years history, Buddhism acquired very wide-spread of diversity and its facets.

From almost purely religious belief to the way to control one’s mind-set, on top of its local variations.

Like, Pure-land sect might be its extreme and the Zen is the other.

And the Tibetan Buddhism is one of the most uniquely evolved type in its land.

Some are adopted and fused with the fashion of popular belief then, such as the Tantrism.

Still all derived from the teachings of Buddha. Which is,

how peacefully live the life of impermanent life.

[ Don’t worry regardless how the situation in THIS life is dire, there is a heaven waiting for you.]

—– is a typical religious approach, such as the Pure-land sect.

[ See only the subject which IS on front of you ( its mean, Don’t be deflected by a matter which is

irrelevant )] —– is the Zen approach.

Non

Most of the Buddhist’s site says [Be grateful to have a joy of the life and have a peaceful life ] —– how sweet !

Yet seeing too many disturbing news, too gloomy aspects of the social, political, economical situations, and

seeing loads of destructive reports ( such as in a website < Extinction. Protocol > —– which is giving

an impression [ the world is end tomorrow ] ) —– how can I keep my peace ?

Non

Facing the devastation of the world such as happened in Japan [could we still stay calm ? ]

As a Zen Buddhist, I might have made an explanation “ As a Buddhist, I gave some donation to Japanese

Disaster Fund etc, which I thought my duty, though further than that, I can’t do much as it is too far away”

—– but, wasn’t it, bought small peace of mind, then buried the head in the sand with convenient excuse ?

And making excuse “ What I can do is, transmit nice stories to make a reader to feel a joy of the life —– and

put photos of flowers and blue sky “ ( though, i’m not necessary doing this  🙂  )

Other Buddhists might have thought “ This is what the Samsara meant, this is what the life is, so, I need

to chant the Mantra more ( to go to heaven) “

—– but in reality, the situations are not such benign, nor Buddhist’s thought is simple.

Non

There could be some thoughts, from quite meta-physical view such as, we human being is facing an

awful repercussion, as we have been odd with the Dharma too long ( so-called Punishment ) to

much talked about break down of ecosystem / global natural balance, devastation of environment

—– driven by the man’s greed (Capitalism) —-> hence we are having so many freak weather, climate

change and its chain reaction etc. etc, the list of implication is endless.

———- then, what can we do, and should do as a Buddhist ?

In fact, when I faced this question on the time of Japanese disaster, I was deeply affected, or simply

depressed. —– what AM I doing here.   just reading the news ?

Just an ordinary man who went there with bare hand and shifted the mud, would have done much more

good to help the situation.  Or, should I keep stay calm, as if nothing happened in the world, while stop

reading the news —– and making nice lemon tea ?

Was that a kind of peace what a Buddhist should enjoy ?

Nothing other than on front of me, exists in the world ? ? ?    Other than that, are all irrelevant to

the one’s life and they are the delusions ?

non

Where is the realm of one’s life — while everything are inter-connected to each other.

The air I have inhaled now could contain an oxygen atom which has been exhaled by a man in the other side

of the world a month ago, or from a plant leaf of Amazon jungle.

What actuary Dharma affecting one’s life ?

—– Or, was that only manifested as a flow of the occurrences ?

The answer seems to be, there is no fixed answer to what is right or wrong as a notion,

such as [go to disaster area and help clearing the mud] or [stay here].  They are just man’s Thinking.

As, there was no way to go there and I happened to stay here and worried about the situation

—–  happened as it was, it was right = the natural flow of the Dharma. ( if it was wrong, I shall

pick up the consequence soon or later = if it’s comes, it comes )  ( In this extent,  Buddhists are passive

= unless we were attacked, we don’t fight, we don’t attack —– ? ? ?  Does it mean, to research defence against

tsunami is wrong ?  No, the danger is already there, and soon or later it will come = preparation is a defence.

non

While after the Atomic Bomb, the ground of Hiroshima and Nagasaki started to have regrowth of

the plants, flora and fauna, and the People started to rebuilt the houses.

People couldn’t wait 25 years like Chernobyl.  (Incredible though, it’s just a historical fact )

People lived there might have shorter life and some baby might have died prematurely —– still, we haven’t

found any mutant man, or super cockroach from Hiroshima or Nagasaki —– simply defective GENE has been

died and disappeared —– and survived are just lived on as normal existence.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki are the same bustling Cities like all another Cities in Japan now, other

than their horrendous memories. —– Life continues and the cities and towns in Japan will be recovered with

wiser adaptations in their building design.

Living far away from Japan, I’ve shed a tear or two with the emotions of  powerlessness.

—– that was my deed,  this is what happened. That’s it.  Not my word or thinking but only the fact count.

( Regardless, what ever the theory, planning, talking, we don’t know what actually happen —— and when

it happened, we have to follow and find the measure —– only the reality, the fact and the deed count. )

There wouldn’t be any escape and in the same time, no use to dream any hypothetical

possibility or have an illusion to be a Superman.   ( Unless you were born to be a Superman  😀  )

Yes, this is what the Dharma is.  We have no way else but accept and follow.

___/\___

( PS :  By the way,  I like Bob Geldof —– He was a young man with passion as a young man is,  but

don’t like Bono —– he is just a bully, who found a mechanism to satisfy his ego)

—