99th POST / Seal of Approval ?

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

if any tendency or peculiarity persists in this blog here ?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

———————————————

After I started this blog,  when the Broadband

malfunctioned,  the Dashboard failed to show

stats’ graph,  instead,  the space showed its

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

___/\___

PS: —————–

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

—-

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

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

___/\___

TalkTalk

Life as a Zenist is not a guaranty to be trouble-free.    To do anything we may stumble trouble.

As I’m making kinetic sculpture I needed to capture  moving image, video clip ( I’ve put them into Youtube /

Kinetorori, was just  byproduct )   So, I needed to edit or convert the video signal with new program or

downloaded  program etc, by which my PC was pushed into hyper clock speed etc etc.

Then the PC started to malfunction, converting unknown video signal behind the other task —— ? ? ?

In the same time my broadband connection  ( which has been getting poorer performance ) was stopped.

I thought my PC was corrupted.  So, I tried everything,  re-loaded program or restore the program by

setting to the back dated state, etc etc ——–.

On the end I bought a new laptop with hefty cost.  😀  ( This was much more a comedy than an angry situation

—— how miserable the life in the techno society is ) ——- Then I discovered the trouble of net connection is

still there, its mean it has been caused by the broadband provider TalkTalk.  ( They looks cheap though, with

hidden charge of paper billing,  it become nothing cheaper at all )

To solve the problem,  it took two days phone calls costed me £20,  while making strange access to the

program and administrative setting myself etc ( Why they can’t do this with their set-up CD-Rom ?   Wasn’t

this what I paid for them to set-up on the beginning  ? )

———————

I remember the words of adventure journalist  Katsuich Honda who made amazing reports in 60th, 70th from

remote corner of the earth, saying  ” People accusing us risking the accidents though, if anyone want

to have no accident,  stay in their bed.  The one who does nothing wouldn’t cause any accident “.

Yet, stay in the bed may causes bed-sore.  Do anything may invite the trouble though, this is what  the life is.

To deal with recent trouble,  I learned a lot.   To restore and recover the previous setting by going  back-dated

state and undo it ( back again to present date ),  unauthorized ( by Microsoft ) program also disappear etc.

—————- Still, on the end,  I got one more lap-top which I may use only for the image processing .

( to see and say bright side 😀  )

The beauty to be a Zenist is, we can see even ourselves with detached eyes and think

” Oh, poor Yoshizen, what a hustle you are having,  but why not try this way ?” ——-We can not be drowned

by a flush-flood but might be able to do surfing on its torrent. ——– Really ?   Ha ha ha  😀

SELFLESS (MUSHIN) in Daily Life

All about  Buddhism,  is the practice of Doing.  Not in the  Thinking.

On the time of  Buddha,  Buddha’s life style was the practice to follow and copy.

To copy how to handle the things,  what to do, from  Buddha’s own style  was of cause,  imperative.

In Buddha’s time  there was no Mantra of cause.   Therefore, other than listening his fascinating talking,

anything else was just repeating same practice =  Daily Life / without questioning or talking.

——————————-

This was the reason how the tradition of pilgrimage started.

Since Buddha was no longer with them, they wanted to feel real environment or back ground of the act, where

Buddha has found the truth or taught truth, as the truth comes through act, not from the knowledge alone.

———- And those traditions are still alive,  such as in a Zen Temple,  everything carried out

without a word or explanation but just copying senior monk’s doing. —— Do the Same.

And all the Zen originated Japanese art practice,  include Martial Art has been taught by just copying

and perfecting exactly the same movement of the Master,  which was regarded to be

the way  (Path way, Road = Dou) to reach Enlightenment  (Satori).

——————–

And this was  how  Buddha’s Teaching was kept 200 years after his Nirvana, without  written  Mantra.

( Hence, to believe the power of Mantra itself,  such as Dharani of Tantrism is not Buddhism )

Just carrying out same simple daily life  without talking,  lead to attain the practice

without thinking = Mushin ( and naturally without SELF),  hence it would lead to attain

Life ( in general ) in Mushin ——— hence to attain Enlightenment and  Nirvana.

( You see Buddhism is not complicated at all )

Complication only started to appear when professional monk try to theorize and glorifying the

Buddhism.  Though, to explain invisible subconsciousness and the Dharma was almost impossible task.

And end up 3000 Mantras.  As ancient Buddhists didn’t have single Mantra, yet managed to attain

Enlightenment was,  just by those simple practices ——- not by word or thinking.

In deed,  thinking is completely opposite of  MUSHIN.    MUSHIN.is Just Do It.

CUPIDON by KINETORORI

Well,  KINETORORI is my Email name.  As  Youtube  is now own by  Google,  to have an account there I

needed to use the same User name.  (This is to avoid Spam and Fraud. —— it’s no use to defraud fake person)

———————

On the time of Rickshaw Gallery Exhibition,  I’ve shot video image of my work / Cupidon.  And I was going

to put it to this blog though met some technical complication.  I found it is easier to put it into Youtube first

and embed its URL into this blog.

But,  when I put it to Youtube,  the URL appeared as —– http://~~~_0518Q_AZ-o   (you can see this on top

of the screen,  and about this number,  please refer to a post  “ Is Dharma Directing Us ? “ )

I was shocked  ” Oh dear,  Buddha seemed to hate this ”

—— so,  instead,  I put still photo above which doesn’t blow-up condom. 😀

(If you click a link,  you may see the moving image and URL in there )

——————–

Then  next morning,  I saw some junk mails and one of them was from UNISEF asking  support to help

children in Africa.   And I noticed their phone number is  0800 158 3694.  And I felt again  ” Oh dear ”  but

this time I took this sign to  ” I should do the donation to them “.

How the same group of the number  8150 making Positive or Negative response ?

It is in the subconscious intuition.

It would be OK for the Cupidon to blow-up condom at an Art Exhibition as the visitors may not connect the

piece and maker to the Zen Buddhism  😀

Though this blog is about Zen Buddhism.   The same joke would seemed gone too far, therefore it was a halt.

If we were notified  ” I’m watching you ” it’s even herder to go against the common sense. (Be a good boy  🙂 )

———————–

The Exhibition at Rickshaw Gallery was happened just as a coincidence as I met the owner of Gallery at

the Royal British Sculptor’s Society.   Then at the Private View of Rickshaw Gallery,  I met the owner of

another Gallery / Unit-24, just round a corner of the Tate Modern , and she invited me to exhibit in her Gallery.

Everything has happened just as a sheer coincidence,  but what so ever,if I were invited,  I just accept and

deliver at my best  (Most of my works are pretty jokey,  so, they may not necessary an Art which I don’t care

—– still definitely they make the people to smile and they like good joke.)

May be Buddha likes me to make people smile,  it would be a cool breeze in this harsh Samsara,

hence he is making those coincidences.

So, just be here natural as we are.   And follow the natural flow of occurrence.

Don’t think too much and struggle.

Its good to be a Buddhist.  Don’t you agree ?  

___/\___

[]

CREATIVE MIND —- HELIX the ANGEL

My design or creative work used to be to make something useful especially in the photographic field.

But when I encounter a complication or intrigue in its commercial implication, I just fed up with them, and

started to make utterly useless things —– so-called kinetic sculpture. (Well, it is their classification

and the naming.  I don’t care what ever called.  I just made something  fun  for myself and  as I happen to

know electronics  they often moves,  flashing the light or makes sound.  It is a reflection of  Who I am )

In the same time, my interest to the human mind, especially its cognitive function and creativity led

me to make a kind of figurative piece to see how we can recognize it,  still as the figure even when it was

simplified to the limit.

——————–

To think about creativity through traditional art form and technique doesn’t have so much point, as the freedom

would be confined to the last stroke only.  After all, the creativity is the matter of how the brain

re-configure new  image or notion, better try it as wider as possible aspects.

Thanks to be an outsider of the art,  I don’t need to be confined in the traditional art form.

Above all, traditional technique cost more.  The reason why  traditional sculpture having established supply

and production systems are,  they are the money spinners,  hence it would cost more. (See who buy  Art ?)

Though with a Buddhist Bikku’s principle,  everything has to come from the skip, free of charge.

Therefore the material and the production technique has to follow accordingly to funny material —— its mean,

to invent whole process or technique. ( You may never imagine to create curvy nude figure out of drink can )

The photos here is the Helix the Angel.

The name came from its spiral structure.  Why spiral ?

——- To make a full figure,  we can do it with clay  and

take a die and cast it in metal or glass fiber plastic,

( If not the stone or wood carving —– its a heavy work)

But to make it from  metal panel, it will needs to use either

expensive press process or lots of heat and bang by hand.

Though I got an idea to make it easy and cheaper, using

the way to lap-up a mummy with strip of bandage.

Strip of metal will not totally cover the body though it wouldn’t be a matter, as long as its shape showing

the essential contour,  it would be seen as a body and the gap would be filled by the brain with its function

of integration.  (Convert a flat panel to 3D figure,  lots of people may think  to make each body parts with

rounded pipe,  thinking of Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz,  but it is a stereotype,  mere  variation of existing idea.

A body made by metal needn’t to be a robot kind.——— Anyhow most of the robot looks awfully ugly.

If the task was to make a robot,  I  will make a robot which should function,  regardless if it looks ugly.  But to

make a beautiful Angel,  she got to be beautiful.   Creativity has a direction.   Its not just a wild imagination.

Imagination is A Part of creativity.  The matter is how to develop its image to a concrete object / 2D or 3D etc )

———————–

Intricacy of the miniaturization and its realistic representation would amazes the people,  but in the same time

when a simplified figure showed core essence of the subject,  it amazes the people too.

Art is an Artificial representation of the Natural Truth.  When the well known nature was realistically

represented in an Artificial form or invisible truth was well exposed by the Artificial means,  in either case

it would strike the people’s subconscious/ naked perception.  This is what people calls the ART.

Once before, to show  well known existing object such as a Urinary or Dead Shark in different context did

amaze the people as a twist of the context,  but since such idea became ubiquitous,  its no longer impress

the people.  Because, its no longer exposes the truth,  but ironically it exposed another kind of truth

” Money grubbing fraud ” and so-called  Conceptual Art  became the dirty word.

———————–

Once the created piece was seen by the others,  concept or imagination of the maker came into the field of

communication  (it is no longer the solo game of one’s expression ) ——- the very concept / massage has to

be understood by the others.

If the concept or imagination was originated from the depth of maker’s subconsciousness,  as all the human

share the basic feeling and instinct,  it would be understood by the others, more or less in the same context.

Though,  if the concept was manufactured in the higher region of the brain (by Thinking ),  as everybody got

different knowledges and ideas,  it wouldn’t be understood in the same context.

(That’s why,  so-called  Conceptual Art needs to have  pages of pages of  blah, blah, blah.)

Here the situation of ” What is The true SELF ” came into play.

————————

Incidentally,  this Helix the Angel was shown to the organizer of the so-called ” Angel of the South “

( Evesfleet Project) Design Competition as it happened soon after I’ve made this.  Though, they choose

out-dated conceptual piece ” White Horse ” for the project —— I wonder if it would ever be built.

———- With the design concept of the Helix,  its wings would flap by the wind and drive an electric generator

which would power the hi-power LEDs  in the eyes at night   ( in theory  😀 )    Though, I found the wind in

east England,  if it is east wind it would blow from the east, all day——- not conveniently changes the direction

to make the wings flap and generates electricity.   It was the design flop,  not made by the wing.  Ha ha ha  😀

The creativity in the imagination alone would not necessary works in practice.

In this case,  it is much more an engineering product design than  the Art.

Still it was a fun.

Sexual Instinct —– What ?

Quite number of years I spent time to watch  Male – Female interaction in the Club.

As I had free entry to the Clubs as a top dancer, up to four nights in a week,  I was on the floor.

Such as a Club called  Enigma  ( formerly  Manhattan Light ) in  Muswell Hill, London  was where

I spent four nights every week,  nearly three years,  as I was living in the aria.

( After this, I was in the  Fridge Club,  Brixton , every weekend,  nearly six years  with my flushing LED

dancing pants or sound reactive flushing pendant which I designed myself.)

———- But there was funny rules, ” Never mix with clouds ”  I was there only for my dancing not

socializing with people. Exception was a Manager,  Staffs and  DJs /  And the person introduced himself

in proper manner. ( So that, two guys among the cloud became good friends )

By watching the interaction between  young man and  girl, their body language  and  who chose who

and changed to who and so on,  I recorded those observation in my log-book in their nick names.

————- Even funnier story was, despite always there,  never speak to the cloud but to the Staffs

and never drink  alcohol,  many people mistook me such as the Real Owner of the Club or  Under-cover

Detective,  Special Security Person (since, my dance movement looks like Martial Art)

(Those were what the staffs told me, as the people asking them ” Who’s that guy ?  Isn’t he —- ? ” )   😀

———————-

The reason why I chose this topic was,  as  I thought the  Unconscious,  Subconsciousness (in another

word Instinct ) may hold the key to decipher the foundation of the SELF. ——– Sexual Instinct is

the easiest one to start and observe. ( In deed you can watch  lords of lords of activities there )

And, how my observation has reflected and resulted  was, what you are reading in this Blog.

———— In addition, I came to the conclusion

” The mankind is the only animal born without the complete program of the Sexual Instinct “

( I know, at first you wouldn’t agree with this  though,  think deep,  remember when you were small,

when you were first ever encounter the sexual knowledge such as where the baby come from

( did you believe,  a stork brought them  ? ) you must be shocked.    And the first time you try to do it,

how awkward you were  ——- (Obviously, only the Instinct, the mankind got is a vague urge  to release the

physiological pressure / tension —– by any means —– hence, there such wide variety of means and fashions )

In comparison,  other animals having amazingly complexed yet perfected instinctive behavioral pattern,

not only the elaborated courtship rituals but associated breeding activities which works only to own species.

We mankind knows virtually nothing of what and how to do and everything has to be learned.

Because of this inadequacy of the instinctive (ie; IMPERATIVE ) program, human sexual activities having

so much wide variation,  dependent to the culture and early orientation ——- once a person caught up to

certain direction, its tendency getting heavier and heavier.  Though, this is not Instinct but the Obsession.

Because of this phenomena,  early orientation or occurence affect the person’s behavior in unconscious,

subconscious level ——- by which, such as so-called  Psycho-analysis  works.

You must be amazed to hear,  even the most basic part of the sexual reaction,  the timing of  ejaculation

is in fact Cultural.   ( M m m m  ? ? ? )

In the west,  a man ejaculate when the insertion was completed with imprinted stereotypical psyche

” I conquered “.   —— But in the east,  a man has a duty to make a woman to come,  so that he ejaculate

when he felt the contraction,  since he grown up hearing, reading   ” Otherwise you are not  The Man ” and

this subconsciously imprinted obsession controls the timing. ( You can ask around the people, if you dear.

—– so, you do your research ) —– So-called  Tantra-Sex and its naming originated from here. ( Though,

it seems, it was utterly mis represented by the so-called guru  who couldn’t even control  himself )

——————————–

This observation gave me the insight, even such basic, ( looks like ) instinctive reaction is

cultural / programable,  so-called instinct or unconscious behavior is in deed Re-programable.

——— isn’t this, the very function behind the  ZEN ?     Yes, it is.

Middle Way

Most of the explanation and understanding of the Buddhism are based on Buddha’s life style.

Buddha himself was the very living sample and the text-book.

Not only what and how he does the things but also how he sees and perceives,  feels and thinks the world.

Since it was the way of the life,  it is not the abstract system of the philosophy,  and as he is the living sample

it is not the religion to believe.   ( The reason why the Buddhism became a  religion later was,  as he has gone

to his Nirvana and  only the legend to believe left.  Once the facts is no longer on front, the story changes.)

———————————

Since the matter is the state of the mind,  harder still, almost invisible subconsciousness,  not all the details,

what it is, why so,  were necessary elucidated. ——– May be because he had explained it in enigmatic

metaphor or left it without verbal explanation and let the people to learn through practice.

So that, even the disciples of  Buddha himself,  to attain certain mental state needed to have lots of guess-work.

————————-

To deny one’s ego and attain the negation of attachment,  then broaden it to the general emotional detachment

is hard enough  ( I’m rather skeptical,  how many monks has ever  reached even to this stage)

Then from there ( in the state of Mushin ) to realize  ” If the self is not exist,  how the same self can impose

the denial to other existences ?”  (Which is what I’ve described before using a metaphor,  -1 x -1 = +1 )

This is the core of the Notion of Middle Way ( We often make a joke ” Somewhere in the middle ” but

it is not such simple matter of quantity / Half Measure.)

Unless the person standing in the state of Mushin, this  Middle Way has no meaning as it is a part of Mushin.

———— There is a good sample in the previous post  ” Ikkyu-san ” /

” It’s good to have human hot water bottle “—— Ikkyu didn’t reject her in the same bed,  far from it, he

appreciated her accompany and the warmth.  But just took asleep.

This is the MIDDLE WAY.  How it is  HINAYANA !

( If you felt a discord when you read this passage in Ikkyu,

you are not Hinayana enough, not liberated enough.)

——— As it is not the matter of quantity or intensity,  as there is no such things like  ” Little bit less Mushin ”

It is next door beyond the Mushin.

From Room A you go to next Room B,  then go up the stair and open the next door to go into

another Room A’ which looks identical  to the Room A,  though this Room is situated above Room A.

You may think,  you were come back to tha same Room though, this one is in different dimension.

Not only Room A’  is situated above Room A,  from there you can see Room A, Room B like bird’s eye view,

since Room A’ has no floor or wall to block the view.   This is the place of absolute freedom.

Since Buddha was  in deed the resident of this Room A’  he had the freedom of the view,  and there

was even no silly restriction such as what to eat.  He ate anything offered.  (Hence he died with food poisoning

of a fish which he was grateful as it gave him the Nirvana )

As  Buddha had no stereotypical view or idea toward the death, he could just accept it,  hence it was  Nirvana.

———————–

Yet still, even the disciples were not necessary able to learn everything from the living text-book / Buddha

they needed to argue another 1000 years to find the door way to the Room A’.

And the  Room A’  looks almost identical to the Room A,  the old masters  who actually reached to this Room,

all of them just shouted  ” What a hell.  It’s a Dog Shit ”  —– ( But mind you, this Dog Shit is the same Dog Shit

Buddha stepped on. —– It is the Holy Dog Shit. So you know, it’s even smell nice. /  Internet information

says, at the Shaolin Temple in China you can buy a gold replica of this dog shit.   Ha ha ha  I’m kidding.  😀  )

Ikkyu-san

One of the most famous  Zen monk,  Ikkyu  Sojun  is the literally most talked about Buddhist in Japan.

I don’t know how many books tribute to him and even cartoon comics featuring him for the children has been kept coming  to the book shelf, not mention  TV anime. Though, as he got so many legendary stories,  it is hard to tell which story has historical fact behind or it was an invention of novelist.  Yet still, I especially like this story which is so typical in Zen mind.

—————————-

When Ikkyu was exiled to a remote corner of northern Japan by the Shogun,  as he was an out-spoken critics and a pain on the neck,  the local  War-Load who was made responsible to keep him, put a woman to cook and take care of his daily life,  expecting  Ikkyu to have a relation with this woman,  which would give a convenient pretext to kill him.   Which was a hidden intention to isolate and exile him away from the Buddhist’s center of Kyoto.  Though, even a year past, no such relation had ever taken place.

The woman wondered if she is sexy enough to attract him or not.  So that, woman took a drastic action one night,  waited him in his bed  (well, it was a Futon)  naked. When Ikkyu saw her in his bed,  he didn’t show any surprise and get into the bed saying  ” I knew this would happen soon or later.  It’s nice to have human hot water bottle.  Oh good, its warm”  and within few minutes he started snoring. ——– Woman was utterly devastated.

——– Most of  women are having strange belief almost like a religion.

A man will do the business when he saw a woman laying naked.  But it doesn’t apply to a Zenist. 😀     (It exclude sham Zenist ! )

Unless its business is his task,  a naked body is just a naked body,  nothing to do with him and his body doesn’t react with so-called instinct.   Naked body is there just as it is.  Its sexual connotation is in one’s mind.  Without sexual connotation, it’s still beautiful, soft and warm to touch.   No problem to be there.

Unlike popular belief,  being as a monk Ikkyu had a mistress and he was more than capable to do the business until his old age, though unless the woman was the one he committed,  anybody else was the no existence.

In Mushin, if it is the task to take,  commit to it 100 % down to the level of subconscious.  If not, it is 0 % to the level of subconscious,  in deed to the instinct level.

(As the Emotion was detached,  sexual object wouldn’t cause the seclusion of adrenalin or testosterone,  hence so-called instinctive reflection doesn’t occur.)       (There said to be an extreme training to become a Tantra High Priest (Adjari) = While attending an all night sitting, the monk has to keep his penis elected continuously. = keep his mind totally concentrated to sexual arose. —– it’s a hard act for an amateur to try. )

Zen has only 100 % all, or nothing 0 %. ( Incidentally, this would explain Why Japanese tend to go to extreme. As there is nothing between, when it came to the situation of fight such as in war,  it would be either kill or be killed.   Somewhere between,  beaten yet still alive and become Prisoner of War was not acceptable.   It was regarded to be in half minded / coward.

All those psyche were originated from the Zen ethos. ——-  To reconcile with this extremity with Middle Way needs to have a real understanding of the Middle Way. = not a kind of “Somewhere between”. )

___/\___

.

SELF and PHOTO II

There was rather interesting story behind of previous post “Find the SELF by your Camera”.

Many years ago,  I gave the photographic training to a young photographer to become professional.

After staying this country while taking my tuition he went back Japan  and  came back with 6 months worth

of photos which he piled up for various subjects.

While reviewing those photos,  I made them into 4 groups according to his mental state then, to show

without conscious how our eyes and the way to photograph change. He was horrified with its accuracy.

How do I know and how the photo shows such differences.

———————

As we have a sense to sniff out the atmosphere, we can see it even in a photograph in one grance.

It is the matter of how we can open the mind and able to expose the sensory of subconscious,

which is  what people calls sixth sense.

Atmosphere of the place change moment to moment, and at what moment the photographer click,

makes the difference. The professionals can, not only able to capture its moment, but also know the

way to enhance or exaggerate it.  This is how they can stay in  business while derivering a requirement.

Yet still the result may be influenced by the mental state of him as well.

When photographer hunting around something interesting image,  his interest, knowledge or taste would

be exactly appeared in the photos. ———– One occasion, I and a female editor of a Japanese magazine

went to a famous antique market  (after the assignment had completed).

While seeing and photographing mountain of curious objects and people I noticed, this middle-aged

editor got strange taste, not only photographing old or looks somewhat miserable person, but always

stop the eyes onto peculiar metal object such as tools or surgical instruments or funny shaped Victorian

ceramic toilet utensils.—— ? ? ? —– I asked her   “You got quite peculiar taste,  is it related to SM (Sado-

Masochistic) practice or fantasy ?”  She blushed red and said “How did you know”  “Its bloody obvious”.

———- When aforesaid young photographer faced this analysis he said  “Oh, no, I became too

conscious, I can’t take picture any more”  ” What ?  Waite a moment,  Photography was your

self-expression, wasn’t  it ?   So, whats wrong to show your  SELF ?”

To express a part of  SELF which he want to show off is OK, but without his conscious, something

leaking out is not well come ———– Human being is a very  self-conscious egoistic animal. 😀

Even if the person is well aware, ” I’m doing shady” yet still captured by CCTV and face the evidential

photo ” This is you in a shade”  is hard to swallow.

So, to be a good Buddhist, first of all, either clean the act or accept “I’m not clean person” and make up

the mind to accept the consequence.

———– Though, live in the dirt is not necessary too bad,  you know.  😀

Find the SELF—- by your Camera

Internet Photo site / Frickr  has interesting functions.

It can be someone’s exhibiting space, even though nobody know actually how many people ever seen them.

Some of them are technically very advanced impressive photos, or

literally  “The moment was captured” kind.  It is the show off of the trophy to the world wide viewers.

Yet still, lots of people just uploading their own photos for no specific intention and the photos are just

an image as the sake of image.  The person who took photos may say, this is my expression, as I felt

it is beautiful, or interesting ———- in fact, what so ever the excuse.

———————

The reason why I’m interested in those photo stream are, not necessary only the contents, but also

the whole activities. When anybody aim a camera and take photo, the person is in one’s fully minded

state of the mind, and the photos are the result of one’s concentration.(even without a breath)

And as nobody directed the person, the photos are the result of their personal choice—– which they says

their unique View-point ——— its mean, the series of photos are the reflection of their SELF, of which

in most of the case, the reflection of person’s deep subconscious. (some times sheer  Ego  😀 )

If anybody watch the series of photos, soon certain tendency, specific interest or taste will emerge.

It is the person’s unconscious aim and the choice.——— in another words, hidden SELF.

In effect this is the very effective way to find the inner SELF.   The best things here is, it is displayed as

a collection of objective images. (Only need to have a bit analytical objective eyes to see the tendency, but

as it is visual, it is far easier than to think in the head)

————- Convinced  ?    Well, Try it. Its a fun in the same time.

HEALTH WARNING :

This is an approach more akin to the Psycho Analysis.  Therefore, important point is,

Don’t show the result to others unless you are prepared to show you inside out.

( Other than some Photographically good photos   😀 )

Taking photo of lots of Holy relics’ doesn’t mean ” You are the Holy spiritual person” but

more likely you are intellectually pretentious.  Seeking the SELF is the matter of personal quest.

Of cause, this observation works in its best to the photos taken casually in open minded and

its hard see the personality of the photographer in academic  or sports kind.