Daily Job

” Your boring Job would lead you to the ZEN “

One of the exchange of the words with  Master Kogetsu ( Please refer to “Starting point—” ) and me

was  ” Zen is to fully become Who you are.   As you are a photographer, you got to become perfect

photographer, is the Zen ” —— so I returned,

” But, to find what is the Buddhism,  may need to look for somewhere else.  Look, Buddha himself

abandoned his roll to be the Royal Prince and became a Bikku to seek the truth “.

” What an  outrageous devil.   To compare yourself to Shakya-Muni Buddha is treacherous “.

———-

———-

As most of us think, to master the Zen we need to do a special practice ?

But as I explained before in ” Selflessness – Detachment ” the matter is the disconnection to the emotion

and to connect the signal to the Notion of the  ZEN.   Which  I explained  using a  word  [ Tag ] at

” Contradiction ” in reference to ” Lemon Zen “, practice itself can be anything. The matter is the end result.

———- The most boring, mundane practice which anyone can do to make your brain empty is

your daily job.  ( In my case, it was the photography then )

– – – – – – – ? ! – – – – – ! ! ! Isn’t it ?

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ( I’m giving you a time to think )

———- Non of the Mantra said so.  Still, as a story of ” Buddha asked to sweep the garden to Churi Pantac

(known as Shuri Bantoku in Japan ) which lead him to attain the Enlightenment ”  is telling, there is a

crucial clue there.  The Mahayana Buddhism gradually came closer to recognize this.

(At this point, if you read ” Perfect Circle ” and ” Lemon Zen ” again you can see the matter clearer ).

Then you might make a question here.

” If an ordinary daily task can lead the people to get selflessness, can ordinary people

achieve enlightenment by themselves ? “————The answer is yes.  Since the Enlightenment

is not the Buddhism’s monopoly, but in the same time  Karma affect non Buddhist too.

Unfortunately, some were born to suffer.  Therefore, need to take longer way.

On my life, I met many unforgettable person who has achieved astonishingly high level

of contemplation and able to make themselves almost a noble Holy Man.

( I’m telling about those people in next post )

Hot or Cold

” Hinayana  vs  Mahayana “

There are two completely contradicting Buddhist proverb and the words of a Zen Master in Japan.

One is an old proverb which says ” When you emancipate your head and the heart, even a fire feel cold”

( Shinto wo mekkyaku sure-ba Hi mo mata suzushi ).

And the another.  When a Master of Zen was asked ” What is the (best) way to stand under a summer heat ”

( Ika-naruka, shyo-ka hou ? “)  The Master answered ” Get sweat under the heat, and shiver in winter chill ”

( Atsu-sa no Natsu wa ase wo kaki, samu-sa no Fuyu wa chijimi-agaru ).   – – – – – 😀

They are the old says and I have no idea who said it in the first place, yet still interestingly, the former is

a typical Hinayana expression and the later is the typical Mahayana – Zen expression.

——————–

The former, denies the head and heart, in another word the Self and the emotion.

But the Mahayana extended the logic further, as to deny even the idea of emancipation of the self,

(though, it must be noted that the Self in the Mahayana is, the Self once denied Self = Selfless Self ) therefore,

the Mahayana doesn’t deny the emotion (but in certain extent / in the limit of middle way ) so, if it’s hot its Hot.

So, undeniably I feel (especially since yesterday)  Oh ! its a winter. Its cold. (I wouldn’t kill my head and heart)

Everybody, Take care, keep warm —— (save some of you in the southern hemisphere )  🙂

Selflessness – Detachment

” How to get selfless state of the Mind “

After reading the previous post ” Selflessness Demonstrated “,  you may convinced

that the selflessness is nothing special and it is everywhere in our life.

Then you may start a question ” If everybody has selflessness, can all of us make

good Buddhists ?  ——- Not quite.

To become a Buddhist, one has to cross over the first varier, which is to learn to brake

off from the Ego, by doing the repetitive practice, unconditionally.

To accept this Duty  unconditionally, and able to keep doing it indicates, you have gave up your Ego.

( May not necessary the proof of  non-Ego, but Not accept is definitely the sign of  Ego )

Keep doing its practice endless times, you become get used with it and able to do without

thinking, and it will became your mundane daily routine.

In order to survive this boring tread-mill, your mind become apathetic, and become

emotionally detached from what you are actuary doing.  ———–( In Neurological term, the

threshold of the signal  became higher, therefore incoming repetitive signal loose the significant impact )

——It may looks a contradiction, while doing it in full commitment ( so-called mindfulness / full hearted )

but disconnected from the emotion, in the same time able to carry out perfect practice.

——————–

The emotion is not an essential component to do the perfect business,  in most of the situation

it is more of the destruction, otherwise a  Gynecologist couldn’t do their business.

Another example appeared in the brain scan analysis of the

Alzheimar’s cases, the reason why a patient loose the ability to recognize a family face is,

its visual signal lost the connection to the emotional region of the brain, while visual cortex  is still intact.

It is the matter of the control of the signal connection or to make association.

Even without making connection, each faculties of the brain can  works perfect.

——————–

As the emotion is directly connected to the basic instincts, such as the feeling of hunger or

I want to have this, I want fuck this woman etc etc, its forms fundamental part of the Self and Ego.

————First, detached from the raw basic emotion, then connect the signal in the brain

to the Spiritually conceived Notion or Ethos and to the activity of the life , is the Zen and the Buddhism.

Even though observing the self doing something, without having the emotional connection, it wouldn’t

produce the conscious of being as the Self,   This is The Selflessness.

Once a person mastered this control, it can be applied to other practice and to the whole life.

( This is why Half Buddhist or Thinking Buddhist couldn’t see the Buddhism. —- need to cross the varier first)

——————–

(Some of the reader may not want to agree with  this, as this theory seems (as far as I found) the

first of its kind in the history——-Neuro-scientists would confirm this, soon or later.  But the fact of that the

Zen monk is not emotional is medically tested and established fact—— simply nobody ever thought why )

—–

Fortunately or unfortunately, I went through this first varier in my youth, in the mountain.

To climb the mountain, we just accept the situation, and keep walking, days even a month.

Most of the time, there was no margin to exercise Ego.  We just carry on walking without cry.

———————

(I’m going to discuss spiritual (or even super natural) aspects of the Zen in near future)

Contradictions

” Step by step process of the Buddhism “- – – – – You can’t Jump “

Anybody who is patient enough to read through all those posts which started  March 09,

may spotted the funny contradictions here and there, this and that.

For instance, at ” Lemon Zen ” I wrote ” While cutting lemon, you have to think

” I’m doing  Zen ” —— and much later post ” Forget the Buddhism “.

How come ?

——————–

Buddhism is the wisdom, how to live one’s life, and change it to achieve one’s

maximum potential to fulfill the roll ofwhich the one has born to be.

——————–

The process of change is in steps or stage by stage.

But the hard part of this change is, it has to be changed in the person’s subconscious

level, which is not visible and not easy to manipulate like a piece on the chess board.

So that, on the beginning, you have to start the practice under the tag of ” Buddhism ”

or ” Zen ” and imprint it deep into your subconscious.

Once the file was established and you got used with it as a routine, and on the end,

you have to get rid of even the file name, as it is no longer a part of you but whole of yourself.

——– Often it was described as a boat to cross the river, you need the boat only on

that stage which you don’t need to carry after crossing  ( boat is heavy isn’t it.  🙂  )

——————–

The process of this, is like a mathematics   -A x -B = +AB.   ( ! ! ! )

First you negate the existence, then apply the negation to its idea itself, so,

everything become + (positive !—–but they are not the same as before ).

The first negation was reflected in the Hinayana and the second process is Mahayana.

So that a beginner has to start to learn the denial of ego, greed, desire etc, while following

strict rules and the way of the life to achieve quiet subdued (peaceful) life as a good boy.

Then the Mahayana revolution put the eyes on the ordinary forks on the street, (not the

professional monks)  who has to carry ordinary daily life on, running business, making love

etc etc, as a man was naturally born as it is.  And shifted the emphasis from its appearance

of the life, to the way how the person’s mind inside works.  Do it in selfless way.

—— Therefore, the solution in  Mahayana can be utterly contradictive in Hinayana.

——————–

As the Buddhism had evolved in its own logics, a person’s steps follows in similar  way.

Micky couldn’t be in the Hinayana, but yes it can be in the Mahayana.

Enjoy to be a Micky.  All of your life ahead.

***

Jharte Jharte Para Jharte, Para sum Jharte Bodhi sowaka.

PS: I’ve been wondering  many years to find the meaning of this word  Jharte.

One day, I noticed this word was spoken in an  Asian Radio.

So, I asked a man in a news-agency.  He replied ” Oh, its mean, Go Go Go ” ! ! !

( Its same as the call in the Flamenco Dance, Ohlle, Assa or Amajha.     Cool     🙂 )

Selflessness demonstated

” This is the Demonstration you can discover the Selflessness On The Spot “

In this post I’m going to demonstrate what is the Selflessness and

what is the Meditation should be in the simplest and clearest term.

—— m m m ?      Interested ?

Until here, to read those lines, did you noticed, your eyes has been reading this ?

I don’t think so.

Unless you got poor eye sight and struggling to read the screen, your eyes is

out of your scope, out of your mind. ————-(So, the Mantra says, Its exist as not exist)

When we read, we just read without noticing the existence of the eyes, let alone

a knowledge how visual signal running and processed in the brain etc etc.

——————-

Until you have read and get the meaning of what I am talking about,

your eyes is just taking the pattern of letters.  You are not thinking.

Neither you are noticing who is reading this.

———-As I asked you and you were alerted, then you start

to think ” I AM reading this, who else ”

(so there was a Zen Mondo ” Who was reading this, minute ago ? “)

——————–

Then, try reading a line of words alphabet by alphabet.

In this input your brain has to work harder to make sense of the word, what was written here.

As you try to think and process the word, it takes much longer time.

Here, you must be convinced, the automatic process of the Reading Routine is much quicker.

——————–

Now you must be convinced, how most of our activity was carried

out without we are noticing it. We are doing it unconsciously,

and because of the teachings of Buddhism is based on this subconscious activities,

the argument of ” Who did this without my conscious ” is

persistent all through the history. (And some are doing even today  😀 )

——————–

When you read those first few lines, YOU were just reading, nothing else,

otherwise you couldn’t concentrate to read—— its mean you were in the

Mindfull state.

As you been doing this without even noticing that the eyes are reading NOR

having the conscious of  ” I AM reading “.  This is the Selfless state.

———-Do you think is this too simplified and lost the glory of Holy Grail ?

Don’t over glorify.   It is your arrogance and the delusions.  Truth is always simple.

——————–

To apply this condition to the sitting, as sitting is supposed to be just sitting nothing else,

(in Theory  :-)), it must be the best practice to practice not thinking

or selflessness——– so the ancient Guru thought.

But we are here in such noisy destruction full world, it is very hard

to vacate the brain.  Even worse, we are accustomed to sit to think.

——– So, if you are struggling to attain selfless meditation, don’t worry, relax, sit on

a sofa, forget the Notion of meditation and play a non-vocal  slow music to just fill the atmosphere.

Keep you eyes open and fix it on something, insignificant object on front of you.

(As the visual signal of insignificant object stays the same, the brain start to ignore the signal all together)

But as your eyes has been fixed to the object, brain couldn’t visualize anything else, and soon

it become empty. (but don’t fallen asleep  😀 ) ——But ! getting sleepy is not necessary bad, it is

the sign of your brain found nothing to do, its mean its empty ——though, if you fallen asleep,

you lose the opportunity to see the Dharma of which you may only able to see it in this state.

It is the Paradoxical state, almost sleep but fully awake, without even knowing you are awake.

This is the reason why many of the primitive religion (?) resorted with hallucinogenic drug.

Any how, have the emptied brain  is more important than the posture.

——–Don’t torture your legs. It’s no good to your body which was given by the Dharma.

If you happen to live near the sea or river, go there and absorbed by

the atmosphere and the sound of water which is persistent but not

in the exact pattern. (So, the Brain wouldn’t bother to decipher the meaning—–its just the noise)

Or the woods is also good to be there in the same effect.

The Nature is where we came from.  So, just relax.

——————–

Don’t struggle to attain something in the Buddhism. Intention itself is bad.

Don’t worry , there is nothing there.   So that you don’t need to even

boast that you are The Buddhist, just be it.  Never think you are anything special.

If you are born to go to the Hell, go to the Hell.

Once you accept this, you don’t need to worry anymore while you are still alive.

The matters in the Buddhism is to live now in peace and with confidence.

So that, struggle to find something in the Buddhism is the silliest thing.

Since, as long as you  want to do intentionally, its mean you are THINKING.

When you sit, without noticing even you are sitting, this is THE sitting without thought.

Forget Buddhism, forget Enlightenment, forget the notion of Meditation. Just sit.

——– Use the words from Michael  ” Let it go ”

When you let it go, you will get whole of your life.(strangely ! )

This is the Paradox in the Buddhism.

Photography / Zappa Photo

” What a Hell,  Frank Zappa is doing in a  ZEN  blog ? “

It was rather unexpected turn of the situation.

Since one of my great  friend artist, Wayne Chisnall mentioned this blog and me as a photographer in his

blog spot,  it became necessary to explain about my photography. (—–of strange kind  :-))

Frank Zappa and me on the live stage (Copyright reserved/ 2009/ Yoshi Imamura )

The photo above was taken by my hand made camera called Yoshi-handy,  with

17mm fish-eye lens attached on the 6 x 6 film format, hence it create whole circular image.

(On this photo above, the lens attached was Nikon Fish-eye 16mm of which the Lens-hood was removed)

——As Zappa was so intrigued by this camera and its effect, he asked me to produce as

strange as possible photos.  —– And this is it.

When I was young, my interest was the nature. Close-up

photography was the essential tool and to do it I needed

to improvise or modify the equipments.—- If I got

to do, do it.   If I didn’t know how, learn it or try it.

If not successful try again and again.

The camera here left, the body was hack-sawed and

made the lens to tilt, enabling a focus from lens front

to infinity in one picture.—— When I modified EOS, the boss of R & D in the Canon asked me,

How I could make the camera working again ?   I answered ” If Canon can, I can do too, as

we are the same human being “.

Why not.    Ha ha ha   😀

( If you are the person who expected to see lots of photos—— Have a break, and see ” Zen in  Action”

It would be a fun ! )

Wayne’s Blog        < http://waynechisnall.blogspot.com >  or click / Associates / Wayne Chisnall

Who is the Self ?

” Did Buddha kill his own SELF ?”

I’ve visited a site called < Contoveros > run by Michael J who gave

a good observation of his Zen life to my blog. (@ Mindfullness / comment )

I can see he has cultivated nice friendly community around his

relaxed heart warming blog spot.

——- And I found very interesting words in his spot which says

” Needn’t kill yourself to be like Buddha ” ——m m m ? ! ! !

Waite a moment matey, did Buddha killed his Self ?

According to the so-called Buddha’s biography (along side some historical facts)

Buddha had abandoned his status to be the Royal Prince and became a bikku

which gave a serious havoc to the linage of the Magada Kingdom etc——.

Even though it was for a quest to find the truth to save the human being,

Wasn’t that by his crazy ego ? especially to the eyes of  Shakya Royals.

——————–

Here is the very interesting issue of What is the self, ego ——What is

the person’s role to be born under the Dharma.

In the Buddha’s eyes, clinging the position to be the Royal Prince while

indulging exclusive prosperity was the greed  and ego infested by the

delusions, therefore it has to be get rid of it.

——–In my view, Buddha didn’t kill his self ofwhich he was born with.

He only needed to expose it which had been stashed away under the

cover of Royal robe.

The same apply to anybody as you are born to be the self by the Dharma,

but to live as the true  yourself (some time called  Inner-self ) you only

need to get rid of the life of unnecessary and excess ofwhich most of them

are artificial and unnatural (This is so-called Middle way ).

——————–

From the tiny thumbnail of Michael’s photo, I can see his really nice character.

Look his child like twinkling eyes and the round smiley cheeks.  The shape of

ears shows his rather well-off happy life.

A man born like him wouldn’t be killed even under the bombardment of Vietcon.

Dhrma protect him to fulfill his life.

(As a family tradition, I’m pretty good to read the face and the line on the palm)

Congratulation to Michael.

Mindfullness

” Understanding the Buddhism by the translated word carries the burden “

The most fundamental difficulty in the approach or to seek

Buddhism is lie in its English translated word.

From the word such as Fully minded or Mindfullness the people start to

think  ” What is the Mind ? ” and end up in the endless puzzles.

The trouble is, the mind has hundreds of layers like an onion. We only see

its outer skin.

Especially if the one thinks  ” The mind is where the thought is being processed ”

it would end up against the wall.

The mind in the Buddhism is  not exist or not noticeable.

It is deep inside of the onion. (To see it you have to shed a tear or two.  🙂 )

Or in human term, it is in the subconsciousness.

——————–

So that, the word  ” Mindfullness ” is, in fact, has to be exercised  subconsciously.

This is the fundamental trouble to think about the Buddhism and this is why the

study or aproach to the Buddhism by way of thinking or try to understand it,

is utterly wrong.

And this is the reason why all the Buddhism sects employ the practice.

The practice is there to teach or lead the people to learn to do it

without thinking or empty the mind.

——————–

The another trouble or misunderstanding lie in the word  ” Meditation “.

The word Meditation is almost a synonym of the Buddhism though,

the popular understanding of its meaning  ” Think deep ” mislead the people too.

As one of the practice in the Buddhism, the Meditation is also the way to lean

to do it without thinking.  This is why even the Master Dogen said ” Just sit “.

And this is why the Buddhist has to get rid of even the notion of the Enlightenment.

When you forget to reach to the Enlightenment and get on your life, You are Enlightened.

This is the biggest Paradox in the Buddhism.

Fuurin / Wind Bell

There is a very memorable ZEN story;

When a Zen master and a novice were sitting in the Temple,

a wind bell out side tinkled with very beautiful sound.

As both master and the novice were so deeply struck by

its sound,the Master asked novice Why.

The novice answered ” Since, both of hearts are calmed still ”

(Nishin sizuka nareba nari) / (The heart of the listener and the

heart of the bell are both in the dead calm state, hence both are

in harmony with the Dharma )

———– By this answer, the novice was ordained. ———-(Read this story tens or hundreds of times again )

This must be the most beautiful Zen episode among the rather harsh vigorous stories of them.

———– But in the same time, this story imposed me really awkward questions.

As all the Mahayana Mantras repeating, all the senses include hearing are the false.

And the self who is supposed to listening, is also false.  ——- Even if we take the explanation,which is,

the selflessness is in fact detached mind, —-? ? ?, in any view, this story is the contradiction.

————————

But, I definitely take and believe this story than 1000 of the words in the Mantras. This is the Zen.

How do you think ?

( Photo / From Frickr /  By Kamomebird /  Fuurin in Mino-town )

Zen in Action

” With the ZEN you can still live and kick, like Micky”

There was an opening of an exhibition called  ” Sign of Revolt ” in east end of London.

It showed wide spectrum of the artistic  by-product of the Protest Campaign, such as posters, fliers,

props, appeal installations, video images etc etc.

So that, this exhibition can be seen as from the Art with Social issue to the sample of Applied Art;

ie Graphic Design and in the same time it was the appeal of its issue like Eco to Police brutality.

———-One of my friend, War Boutique, exhibited an Armoured Vest of British Army standard, but

with Arabic script printed on it.——- m m m ?   ” Is it an instruction to the enemy,

how to dispose this dead body ?”  ” Oh, that is the script of the Coca Cola can “ —— ! ! !

I like this man’s twisted humor.

——————-

In fact, I got a Police bullet proof vest made by him which got [Metropolitan Peace] tag on the chest.

One opening night of my another friend’s exhibition, I was standing on front of the gallery wearing

this Police vest, walky-talky on the shoulder and huge black dildo instead of a truncheon hanged

from the belt.  Then, out of blue, a real Police car came and stopped on the front.

Two officers in the car seemed puzzled (of cause my attire looked genuine / save some details)

and watched over me 10 minutes, may be wondering ” Is he one of us ?—- If not should we arrest him

for the false impersonation ?—– No  no, it might be an art-performance to take mickey out of us”

When they leave an officer rose a hand and gave me a salute, and I gave salute back.   Ha Ha Ha  🙂

(back to the main story)

This Revolt exhibition has much more relevance to our life today than in pure art exhibition.

( More information ——- Click right column / Associates / Spacehijackers )

Incidentally,

I’ve joined Spacehijackers  ” Training Camp 09 ” (scroll down the page in their website and /Read more )

It was the extremely funny enjoyable few days as you can see in the photos.

—————————-

” What a hell, Zenist doing in the Anarchist’s camp ” you might say. 😀

Yes, this is the Zen in Action.

Buddhism is not to become vegetated state of the life.  It is for focused, selfless state of the mind

and live in full with empowered action.   Don’t afraid to be a Micky.   Live as a Top Micky.

(Hesitation came from one’s self preservating ego. Micky may need to be there to stimulate the society )

😀

_____