Mulberry

Every year, in the middle of August, there will be my annual event to go to see the Mulberry tree

and eat its berry, as one of my special ritual. ( After this, it will be the Blackberry’s season  🙂  )

—

There is a Japanese song called ” Aka-Tonbo ” ( Red Dragonfly, and its appearance heralding the coming

Autumn  /  end of the summer) —— it was dubbed as the second Japanese National Anthem.

Some Japanese expatriate would tear when they sung this, even though they may not necessary ever

eaten this berry in their life.

Song is about a childhood memory,  when he (she) was piggy-backed and  saw  the red evening sky,

the flying  Aka-Tonbo,  and the memory of picking the Mulberry. ——– (sob  sob)

My childhood memory itself was nothing like in the song,  still when ever I saw this Mulberry tree

my thought just goes to this song.   ” This is the Mulberry of  Aka-Tonbo song ” ——– still,  it is

almost a mystery, why this Mulberry having such significance and  Aka-Tonbo song  makes the

Japanese cry ——- though, it is a touchy subject I never dare to ask others ” Why you cry ? ”

—-

I can describe,  the size and how its berry looks like (it looks similar to Blackberry —– if  you click

the photo and enlarge it twice, it will be about 80% of the life-size) though I can’t tell what is the taste

and how it is distinctive.  Unlike the light or sound, there is no chart to plot or even measure its

distinctiveness.  (We only able to measure the strength of each taste,  very strong to very weak.

But we even don’t know what sort of difference or similarity  between the taste of apple and the grape)

So that, we can not objectively describe or think about the taste— Only able to detect, it’s there or not.

—-

Among the sensory stimuli, the visual signal is the most indirect stimulus.  It detects the light

reflected on the surface of the object and the signal has to be reconfigured as a pattern in the brain

—– otherwise its  signal / stimulus wouldn’t have any effect as a stimulus,  as if it is not existing.

In comparison, sound signal stimulates  the hearing nerve direct.  As long as it’s there you can not escape.

But the sound is a by-product of something vibrating, and transmitted through the air, if we block

the air path we can annihilate its existence.

Though, taste and the smell is the direct chemical effects created by the particular monocle of

the material or ingredient, so the monocle itself needs to touches the nerve.

Second direct sensory are the touch feeling.   It will be detected by the direct touch but needs to feel

and assess.  So that the same stimuli of such as touching a wire-brush —— very slight ticklish feeling

to itchy feeling and if it was pressed too hard it is painful —— its dependent to the interpretation.

Some people feel even pleasure by piecing the skin by needle. (I wonder what sort of process there ?)

—

The more direct the stimulus,  its effect goes deep straight, even hit one’s physiology straight, since it

by-passing the process of the brain,  and evoke the subconscious reaction, revive the latent

memory and hit the emotion direct, we can not control —— sob !

When a monocular of chemical which is unique to the Mulberry, touches our taste-bud, specific

signal was transmitted from there (scientists still don’t know the mechanism, is it the pattern of pulses ?

if it was the case, can computer mimic the pattern and recreate the same sensation of taste ?

or even create the similar but slightly different pattern hence new taste ? ? ? ) we perceive specific

sensation and  as its sensation is unique, it will be strongly associated with its particular

situation —— hence, its revive the strong memory and the associated emotion.

—

Yet, me to go and pick Mulberry is not only for indulging child memory,  but I rather feel a kind of duty

to remember  our humble origin.  We human being came from the savannah  as the hunter gatherer.

We survived while picking fruits, plant roots, sea-shell etc etc —– thanks to the nature and

ultimately the energy-source, the Sun. ——- (Fruits comes from the tree, not from  Tesco 😀  )

We never created foods.  We are just a sucker of the nature and a part of the food chain.

Especially to be a Buddhist, we shouldn’t forget that fundamentally  we are the  bikku (beggar ).

So, thanks to a tree in a park, I can pick this Mulberry, free of charge.

( Though, I’m not alone.  It seems I’m competing with another picker and the Birds —— early Birds got

better chance and upper hand / upper wing  to reach top of branch.  I got only few left over.  Sob  😀  )

——

Zero = Infinity

Watch this Space.

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

This is the Space supposed to accommodates whole Universe end to end.  Therefore if you type here, the

space would be enough to have the whole Buddhist’s mantras scripts trillions of trillion times,  though

WordPress is a small provider in the cyber space and myself is an ever minute blogger,  hence the

appearance of the space is just this small.

Yet,  you can see the infinite spread of the space ——- since this is the expanse of the Dharma.

Did you see it ?   You convinced ? ——– Well done.  Then, watch the inside of the circle —– zero.

— ——————————————————— ——o

Do you still see the same expanse, whole Universe ? ——– Since,  this is the same Dharma.

——-  Now you know that  with Dharma,  you can be whole span of the Universe,  in the same time

you can fit inside of the space zero.

Once you free your mind,  you can be in anywhere,  you can live anywhere in any shape.

With its blank space of the mind ( Mushin ) and the complete open perception,

you can embrace Infinity and the Zero in the same time.

This freedom is the Enlightenment.  There would be no limit or any hindrance in your life..

___/\___

Nature = Dharma

–

—————————————–It’s a summer, have a brake, have a kitcat.

—-Photo by :  Canon 5D Mk-II  ( It’s a good Camera)  /  Nikon Fish-eye 16mm  ( It’s a good lens ) 😀

Talking blah blha, typing tick tick —– is a tiring business.  It’s nice to be in the nature.  Its teaches us more.  🙂

Please click the image to enlarge, and click again even larger.  Nature is not necessary posing us in orderly

esthetically pleasing alignment —– they can be just wild —– yet this is still their equilibrium / harmony.

Try to see them in esthetically orderly frame is our Ego.  Mahayana accept its disorder as it is.

This is the Dharma.   ___/\___—-

God — Who ?

The trouble of the personified western God is, —–  (there are too many 😀  ) as he was personified,

he came under the logic and the rationality of the human being.   So, he can be questioned.

Who is the Mother of God ?   Or was he suddenly created out of nothing ?

If it was the case, who created him ?  Was there another God somewhere ?

And in that case, he doesn’t have a belly button ?  ( Therefore the first man created by him / Adam didn’t

have neither. )    If he didn’t have mother, thus without knowing how the conception occur and it is

essential to have male and female to copulate etc,  —– How he managed to create all the animals in pair

but forgot to create female human in the first place ?

——— so,  it remains in the myth,  and beyond the logic.

Then, poor Adam and Eve went out the Eden and raised a family ——–

The son of Adam and Eve married to each wives ——- What ?

Where those women came from ? ——– Or, are they actually the sisters ?   Married to sister ?

When fuck a sister is not a sin,  why bother eating apple ?

————————

It is better to leave  mythical existence as an abstruct myth.   Man made story all ways break down.

Yet still,  such story was forced to believe  (hence it is the Dogma) and anyone contested it has been

severely surpressed,  such as Garileo (of cause he didn’t argue about the belly button,

it is the children’s joke)  his question was the slight wobble of the planets and why.

God is the power and the order of the universe and it is invisible.   Attempt to describe it by

a manmade words is the sign of disrespect.  We human can not see everything or able to know.

___/\___

Go GREEN ( Do you ? )

Fundamental flaw of green issue is, —— to sustain any green alternative system

we still need to maintain highly toxic, environmentally utterly unfriendly high-tech industry.

Even a most promising fuel cell electric generating system, to give a precise control of flow of the gasses,

it’s need to have sophisticated sensor using radio-active element and computer controled machine.

Any electronic system needs to have the components using  rare-metal, such as tantalum  for a small

capacitor of which the metal ore  was dug up while depleting the rain forest of  Congo etc ——–

Or ever ubiquitous lithium  battery —— how many people knows how it is toxic, dangerous material.

Manufacturer of the LED light shouting their product is mercury free ( against Fluorescent light ) so that

it is safer and Eco-friendly though they never mention  it using even more toxic arsenic.

Just design and manufacture a wind blade, what sort and size of industry and the technology we need ?

To wear greenish cotton,—— to grow and harvest the cotton how much chemical was spread ?

And behind of its chemical what size of industry is operating ?

Just maintain and replacing the worn out components, we still need the whole industry.

——– We just pick up the nice words / Buzz-word  to pretend to be a conscientious person though,

in most of the case it is nothing but the superficial window dressing and the Delusion ” I’m doing good “

( I rather like to be a bady than a self-deceived hypocrite,  and gaze the world going down  gutter,

standing on front of the situation.   We can’t keep ourself immune to the diseases of this society )

We are just postponing  to face the catastrophe  ( while making the situation even worse ) since

the fundamental issue is too fundamental and politically too sensitive.

No body want to touch critical matter.  Only nice words sells. ——– In such situation, this must

be the Buddhist’s duty,  in stead of jump onto band-wagon,  we need to see through the

Karma of the society with our clear eyes,  which we are trained for.  And we have to shout.

___/\___ , ___/\___ , ___/\___

Creative Mind (2)

In my life I might have seen billions of images,  I’ve seen hundreds of thousand of Art images include

the artistically well designed commercial products.  And I met hundreds of artists. With a curiosity of

how those artists create their art,  how they conceived the original image or idea. ( Secret of Creation)

It seems there are some distinctive types of creative mind and its mechanism and the tendency.

In most of the cases,  there is the original image or real existence which inspired the artist.

The great artist, Pablo Picasso created many ( too many  😀 ) mind-boggling extraordinarily images,

yet he never created any new image.  He only created new style to show the same subject.

Even heavily decomposed, deformed cubist paintings still maintain the image of the original subjects.

Same apply to Salvador Dali.  Unless the clock with needle hands exist, his melted clock never appeared

in this world. ( Think if it was a digital clock with LCD face, the image couldn’t be so striking as we are

much familiar with  funny shaped plastic products )

So, only pure abstract art deals with totally new image, still, what inspired Mondrian was the Japanese

house interior design which Bruno Taut brought to the attention of the west.  And even looks like abstract

expression of Henry Moor’s sculptures still shows the woman as woman, unmistakably.

Yet still, some artist create utterly incomprehensible image which is not a result of random chance.

Some people are able to conceive pure image which seems to have no origin.

( Here I’m not talking about the twist of ordinary idea such as ” If the bloom handle is straight stick,

why not an useless twisted metal ” or ” If the public display has to be decent and acceptable, why not

smelly animal dung ”  kind of idea ——- it’s still in the logic, only a negative process.  Nothing  new.)

I had chances to talk with those artists who create utterly incomprehensible images and found

they are not necessary aware creating strange image  ” Ah,  I just like it.  It’s  who I am ” —–  ! ! !

It seems there is a completely different type of brain exists.  Naturally they seemed to have very

different perception and the handling of their life style too. —— not necessary street-wise or

smart to sell their art, since they are neither a good communicator. ( often talks incomprehensible

though, the line on the palm indicating, the person got well developed brain )

___

They are the person of  True-Self as the one born to be = as the Dharma created. ——– So, would they

make an Enlightened person or at least good Buddhist ?

Good question, and this question signify the clear distinction What is the Buddhist.

——— Once, Master Dogen questioned  ” If everybody born to have the Dharma within, why the past

Great Masters needed to have practice to get it ? ”

The small children are the angels, as they are so natural and innocent ——- as they are in their True Self.

So, the cliché was created.   Of cause, it is only a nice flirtation and the myth. If it has even a shred of

viable significance, 99% of world population is the great artists and the Enlightened people, —— and

the Child Parliament with Child PM governing the country. ( Why not  😀  )

—-

True Self in the Buddhist term is not simply the self as a person happened to be born with.

It is the Self once denied Self.  ( So, the process is much more important than the result —– in the first

denial,  Selfish Ego and the Emotion would be eliminated.  Hence, in the second denial when the Self was

revived, the Ego and Emotions are missing —– or came under the control.  Self itself looks the same though )

T—

In the zoology, to define whether the particular animal can recognize the self / if the conscious

of SELF exist in them, scientist use a mirror to observe their behaviour. (If the animal can see a   reflection

of him as him or the other animal —– and become aggressive or see behind of mirror etc )

Just to be the Self as he was born, is easy as all the animal is living in this way.  But able to have the

conscious of Self and able to differentiate behavior ( control ) needs to have much evolved brain.

Control  what ?   Control, mainly the instincts, and suppress the emotion. Then able to do something

more complicated projects / preconceived plan with observation feed-back and judgments.

To control the behavior in order to have a harmony with environment,  the observation of outer world is

of cause essential,  and in the same time observation of  the Self too.  This is the Self-conscious.

So that the matter is  if the one can detach the view-point and watch the Self from a distance, objectively.

But, this is nothing but a  Self alienation.   This Self alienation is the trade-off, necessary compromise to

survive in the social environment.  Hence, we social animal / human being was forced to live with the watchful

eyes of the Self.  Then, where is the estranged True Self, became a perpetual conundrum.

—

In the Buddhism, the matter of Self and the  Selflessness seemed to be a bit over emphasized  because of

Buddha denied its existence in the first place,  in order to differentiate with the popular Vedic teachings.

But, as I explained afore, the restrain of the raw Self / Ego is the basic rule to live in the society.

( So, we often use the expression ” Play a roll ”  ( Away from  being in the Self )

Even in a pack of the animal, pecking order (control of the greed ) or breeding right of the alpha-male

(control of the sexual desire) etc —— the denial of one’s Ego is the essential rules of the survival.

Buddhism is not asking the follower to do anything special —— just be a sensible member of the society.

Same apply to the Ten Commandments, it didn’t need to be given by the God. It exist long before the Myth

was invented.  Otherwise the primitive society could be fallen into disarray and couldn’t be survived.

—

Japanese language having one of the most complicated honorific expression system.

How polite,  has to be exactly matched  to the social scale —- too polite to a junior person mean blunt despise.

( Even a man of respectable position in his forties could lose the trust in just one word . —— I still regret

a word to my professor when I was 25 —— even if it was meant to be a joke )

So that, it is very easy to assess the quality of the person (and their up bringing / family ) just see the wording

in a letter or listen the tongue. —- trouble is, the person  may not aware the situation and what he is speaking.

Here, the clear eyes to see the Self and the reference data to judge the situation is essential.

Yet True Self is ever more reclusive.

___

Rules in Helping Others

Be kind to others, help someone in need. ——- What a nice words —— as the Words.

Though, when its came to the practice, there are loads of question arise.

If you are a Buddhist, there must be the fundamental understanding to pay a respect to the Dharma.

Therefore has to accept the manifestation of the Karma.

Everybody got their own Karma. ( Not only the Buddhists.   🙂  )

——– So, when something happened or you encountered and see somebody in difficulty and obviously

needs a help.  If it is a very simple matter, it may not very complicated —— just give a hand.

Though, if the matter was very serious and the help may affect the person’s life or fate. ——– M m m  ?

How do we know,  if it does not interfere the person’s Karma ?

To live on their own pathway according to their own Karma is their individual birthright.

In the same time, we shouldn’t be obsessed by the idea of   ” I’m helping others ” —— just help without

having any notion of help.   If you do, you have to do it in Mushin.

Why encounter such situation, there was our own Karma  working as well —— It was not just an accident.

———- So, where a Buddhist draw a  line IN the Middle way ?

For such situation or even for the general rules to deal with others, I’m following a hose Rule.   Give a  help

automatically but  ONLY once. ( Buddha said to have offered three times  though  I’m just a small man  I can

afford only once.  Any how we got only one life and only one chance, never able to try the same again ——

—- have you ever seen or heard the same person born again and did the same attempt and succeeded ?

No such things like reincarnation exists. —– yes, decomposed my body, the element must be re-used to

constitute another life form, well may be a plant —– what so ever —– like a hydrogen atom in my body

has been recycled, recycled billions of times since it was created in the Big-Bang (allegedly) though,

no same person had ever created or same mind / soul ever exists, since even the soul is the result of

own Karma and the Karma of this moment is never the same in second later. No moment stays the same )

If my help didn’t work, it is the sign, I’m doing wrong  AND / OR it is the person’s Karma.

Struggling my way of help, believing this should work is the delusion.  It may make situation even worse.

Observe everything include the self, in the completely detached eyes.  So that never exited or panicked.

Other than technical difficulty, a sudden occurrence of blockage or short coming such as suddenly

mob-phone broken or train service halted etc is the sign of halt from the Dharma = stop it at once.

If the help is essential and when you are doing it in your Mushin, Fully Minded, strangely all  other

factors work together as well.  Others give a hand, conveniently specialist appeared etc etc.

So-called  Devine Intervention really happen.

After the event,  never contact the person unless the person gave me a contact.

( If the person is a stranger, never exchange contact unless the follow-up is the essential part of advice

——- avoid to touch personal matter as much as possible and limit only to the issue or problem itself)

It is the arrogance to see the result of the help. (such as ” Have look I’ve successfully helped this person “)

As the matter of fact only the person knows whether the help was really helpful or not.

If the person is not grateful and contact to say thanks, it was a sign of inadequacy.

Then, erase the memory of event other than the data of the experience (practical technique etc).

Above all, I myself have  One Week Rule which is, even when I’ve offered a help for the project etc,

if it was not started or the person did not make a move within one week, its file is deleted —– so, I

will not retain the memory.  If it is not urgent to the person, why do I need to take initiative and if the

person got yet another problem occurred, it is the sign, Dharma is not keen to its project.

Me to help a project lie on front wouldn’t have any problem though I wouldn’t undertake the person’s worry.

This is my way to live as a Zen Buddhist and live the life with  light luggage.

___/\___

Help = be Helped

Yesterday, when I popped out, my neighbour was struggling to disassemble a kind of machine saying

he doesn’t need the mechanism but just want to use the frame as a furniture.

It was a well made German machine though having strange construction and looks almost impossible to open.

M m m,—— ? ? ?  Interesting.—  Any machine constructed by a man should be disassembled by other man

since we share more or less same brain. (So, the theory says —– yet practically not necessary true —– some

latest electronic gear is not designed to be repaired or serviced —— very thin outer shell couldn’t be opened

without clacking the plastic )   Anyhow, I offered him to help and brought my tools as I got comprehensive

professional grade tools. ——- still, it was the puzzle to find how and what order each parts were assembled.

——- On the end I’ve succeeded to open and dismantle the mechanism, leaving only outer shell.  

Holley ! It was a lots of unscrew and tapping shifting losing the each fit next by next —–

Then,  I asked him what is he going to do with the removed motor, gear train and electronic controller.

He said  Oh, just chuck it out. —— So I said, May I have it, I may able to utilize them.  Oh, yes please.

————————

Brought back those mechanism and the electronic parts to my place —— reassembled, connecting electric

cable again and switched on ——– wieen  wieen click !  It’s works ! ( as a  power drive mechanism )

German Bosch motor with its heavy reduction gear, it seemed to produce 50 kgm power.

It’s very useful in deed.—— So, I can design much larger heavier kinetic pieces.

Just help someone, just do it, then I received such valuable gift ——- they are no longer any use to him

though  It’s a  very useful materials to me ——– So, he got the frame without heavy useless mechanism

and I got useful motor  for my yet another kinetic project —— everybody happy. 🙂

—

When you see anybody needs a help, just help, Just do it.

You may rewarded much more than what actually you worked.  Though, don’t expect such things. Just do it.

( Any calculation, greedy thinking spoil the good deed.  To make somebody happy brings your happiness

It’s mean, work first.  Not the words or thinking.  Just do it in Mushin, is the matter )

So, Don’t comeback to me complaining if you were not rewarded —— It’s a Karma of the greedy mind )

___/\___ 🙂

PS : Only a drawback of this Help in Mushin is, some time it was misconstrued by the people —–

especially by the woman.  As they couldn’t think the life’s events separated from the male-female relation,

” Man will approach me with only one intention — want fuck me”.—- May be that is only a thing in her mind

and an art project etc was just a pretext to meet a man. 😀 —— A female artist who asked me to build a

structure for her installation, came more than one hour late and said ” I’m a demanding expensive woman ”

—– ? !— I don’t care who she is.  I’ve just interested in her idea of installation and how it can be materialized)

Or even a respectable businessman mistook it ” This man must have a weak point and desperately need my

favour.   Otherwise no need to work such hard.  It’s must be an opportunity to exploit”  He might thought, He

got upper hand, then started  to ask more and more.(since its free of charge). ——- I only helped them just

for fun or I saw them  need my skill —— yet I had no obligation or expected any  return  from them.

In such situation,  I just terminate it. (And delete the contact and never see them again.  I loose nothing.)

Regardless even the project was only half done and the plan collapses. —— It’s their choice and the fate.

Since Zen preclude any emotion and have no attachment, some action may seemed  harsh and sudden.

But this is what the Zen is.   ( Zen react instant.  And Zen only has 100% otherwise  0%  Nil )

—-And what the ( Mind of No-Mind / Selflessness ) means.

Science of Mantra

Unlike what I wrote somewhere “Buddhism never contradict Science” if anybody read the Mantras

everybody can see it just as a piles of piles of bullshit.  One description contradict to other or utterly

absurd logic etc etc (such as devils chasing wondering dead soul in the hell “therefore blah blah —-” 😀

Oh, C’mon it’s not a logic —– So, what is this metaphor meant for ? ? ? )

So,  Why I saw them ” Scientific” was, ——– the matter is not the contents in the Mantra but the

effects it causes and evoke the mind ——- instead of blindly accept a Dogma.

If anybody read Abidharma cosa Mantra  (provided not fallen into asleep.  😀  ) it will definitely

wear out the one’s mind, exactly same effect to chant the name of Mantra thousand times.

Analyzing the existences and the perception and categorizing them into thousand of classification

——- and to read them through ( What a hell ) definitely make the person to abandon the thinking

words and words will become just the patterns passing through the eye field.

Exactly same as a typist.  Just type the chain of words.  Just let them go.  Don’t think.

This, well thought-out psychological effects are amazingly scientific. —– Akin to the process of

blow heat the malachite with charcoal  and to get the copper metal.   Long (in deed) before the

mankind knows the carbon in the charcoal reduct the oxygen from copper-oxide —– from

the observation then try and test and establish the method is nothing but the rational science.

—— So, unmistakably on the time of it was written ” To study this Abhidharma is the way to attain nirvana”

( in hard way —— and not very good to the eyes  😀  )

( PS : Earley version of Buddhist Mantras such as Pali Canon is far shorter though always having repeating

——- phrase,  which was meant to be recited ( It’s in the poetry form) —— by reciting them repeatedly

——- its goes down deep into a person’s subconscious, hence it will become automatic to recite (without

——-thinking) thus able to attain state of Mushin (Selflessness) —– So, some described it ” Purify the Soul “.

Without shouting the Dogma,  still able to convert one’s mind by observing the psychological effect is

nothing but the scientific approach.

—

Dharma and Heaven

( This post may read as an addition to the previous post  Dharma = System )

In the east a word Heaven ( Ten in Japanese, Tien in Chinese ) having somewhat similar meaning like

the word Dharma.  Heaven  can be just a sky above but not necessary a Paradise like in the west.

Heaven is where the invisible but ultimate power,  the Ruler reside.  Or the Rules itself.

As the Heaven cover everything on the earth, there is no escape therefore this notion affects every other

notions and the fundamental philosophy and the ethos.

Unlike under western humanised or personified notion of God, in the east there is no margin of negotiation

to the morality, like the situation of crime and punishment.  There is no such things like ” If the God doesn’t

arrow this I’ll go to another God, or our church justify this killing since enemy is pagan”.  Killing is killing.

( I’m not talking the sheer number of execution in China, or having  sever  punishing flood and earthquake)

Without having the insight of this fundation of ethos,  ” Wrong is wrong. There is no escape” it is hard to

understand the hidden psyche of Fatalism in  Taoism or  Zen Buddhism.

As the basis of the Buddhism lie in the word / notion of the  Dharma which is all the Existence /

Nature and the Rules behind or Existence / Nature itself is the Rules, it is naturalto see why

eastern culture is so well harmonized with the nature,

or to see why the Hinayana Buddhism says The man’s life itself is the Enlightenment —— as

the man born with the Dharma within.

___/\___