SELF in the ART—-(Letter to my friend)

( This was a Letter I wrote to my Artist Friend —-edited extract)

Dear  Artist

————————-

————————-   The art as a career is totally different matter from the art itself.

To my eyes, Art education in this country is utterly fraud. In education general, all the teachings and the

training is for its profession. Except art education.  Art education is giving the utterly useless, unsalable

” knowledge”  “Methodology of thinking”  and a dream of possibility,  irrelevant to the profession.

( Unfortunately Art doesn’t come from thinking ——- Thinking can be taught objectively, but not the Art )

Any profession stands on its specialized skill and expertise, and this skill is the basis to produce

salable commodities. ——– But it is impossible to give any guaranty  with their teachings,  school has to say

” Regardless the skill,  good art sells. ——Fine, good blessing, show me the sample.  Which art, Who ?

No such things in the market.   Except, Exceptional Exception.  (May be less than 100 in the world, which

I can not even name who.  ( I wouldn’t count  Jeff Koons.  His art is a fraud.  It is just the product design

of novelty goods.  I have seen much fancier Chinese room accessories in fraction of fraction of cost )

Simple answer is ” Would Jeff Koons himself buy his piece and want to put in his room ?” Do you think so ?

——— To see the facts,  you may look into the graduate alumnus list,  who is still active as an artist and

able to sell the art pieces.  On the end, it’s not the matter of the education but what the person has worked.

Creativity come from one’s subconscious imagination, not from school.   In another word, can be done by

oneself but has to be done by oneself.  As hard as one worked, the fruits would be accordingly. (With luck !)

In one’s life, what proportion this luck plays, is proportional to how hard the person worked

——– which,  I found so far. Only a knack to capture this luck is, to be open-minded and passive

——– its mean,  be active on your part but passive to see  and  listen to others.  ( It is, for the artist,

hard to do in practice,  yet,  it is typical paradox in the life —— having self-confidence is not the

same to be arrogant and egotistic )

————————

I’ve seen pretty good artistic art,  though ——- then think,  Does anyone want this in his room ?  or

even in his garden ? ( while parting so much so money )

Only the place, such piece can sit would be an  Art Museum, though it is a bit short of Museum standard.

That is why, its need to be an exceptionally good art,  and only 100 in the world can produce it.

———————–

In sociological view,  Art Education and the Community Art Program etc are for a part of social engineering.

It is a  Redistribution of  Wealth  for the outsider of the social hierarchies.   Since, the value of the Art is a

” Emperor’s new cloths” prize can be given to anybody ( just make a person to feel “Recognized” and Happy

—— otherwise this person may become a social problem or  Anti-Anything-Activist.)

( Am I too cynical ? —— read as a satire or joke.   Ha ha ha  😀  )

————————

As you know, that’s why I’m not saying  I’m doing Art. —— I say, I’m making something useless for my fun.

Yet,  some likes it saying, it impressive.  If it looks like Art, it is just a coincidence in their eyes which I don’t

know why or don’t care.

———- But this must be the strongest stance to be an artist.

Since the art is the communication between two subconsciousness.

If the sender, artist can transmit the notion / massage which perceived in his subconsciousness,  it would

be received straight by the other’s subconsciousness.  As it doesn’t involve rational filter of thinking

its communication is direct and most powerful. Which people describes “Impressive”.

So, to a piece of conceptual art, people says “Interesting” and forget next day.

—————————

Though I’m not implying, I’m transmitting such deep notion / massage.

Though, I’m definitely making jokes —— of which the jokes derived from deep human psych, almost

physiological level / instinctive emotion.   ” As I feel so, therefore others feel so too”      Ha ha ha   😀

Here the deepest core, stripped naked, even down to the skeleton level of the Who I am, is the matter.

—————————

With a vague understanding of this phenomenon, art critics ( who is not psychologist but just a person

who got pedantic silver tongue to deal with media / most important expertise to be a critics) said,

” When real personality (not one’s style) prevailed and start to freely flourishing,

it is the accomplishment of one’s art”

———This “real Personality”  is nothing other than “the  SELF”  in the Buddhist term.

Which is the core of the Buddhism  but the most awkward subject, of which even 2500 years after

Buddha, still we couldn’t clearly elucidated.

( In fact, even Buddha himself took short cut “Don’t bother, no such thing like SELF existing / It’s a false

understanding, nothing but a delusion.”

————————–

To express “Real Personality”, in other words ” True SELF”  from the depth of one’s subconsciousness is

not the same to expose one’s privacy like Tracy Emin dropping her pants.  It  was just a sheer

misunderstanding of  this   (What really exposed there was ” She got a kind of Ego and Greed which she

wouldn’t care to drop the pants, as long as it sells —– in deed, her genitals could no longer called “Secret”)

Or, for the woman, the genitals is The SELF ?   It must be a controversial question.

—————————–

Some artist couldn’t hide their SELF from the start, like Edvard Munch or Van Gogh.  So that it took different

path to establish as an artist (or to be recognized).

——— In my eyes, you got enough skill and pretty good perception to see the things or yourself.

Though I’m not sure whether you got good knowledge to put them into a nice package —– to sell —–

(mind you I’m not talking about picture-frame, but such as what kind of group to be associated with or

how to organize the pieces as a series to give stronger impact, how to create distinctive peculiarity

to your style. ———- I remember the impressive animation you created ——- the perception to

conceive such approach and the way to materialize image is a crucial skill to work such as CM planner or

art director in the advertizing  field.  Artistic creativity is not confined in just like painting or sculpture etc.

Good artistic intuition is the sought after talent in the advertizing, publishing or today’s web-design field.

Good CM or Advertisement catch the people’s instinct,  persuasion / text comes after the impact of eye catch.

In deed, this field is the field of intuitive art.  That’s why they even employ  the psychologist.

You got quite wide selection to spread your wing in deed.

Think about.  Open the door and have look wider field.

———– Return me your thoughts.

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 ?  

___/\___

[]

WEDDING

There is a nice Buddhist story ———-

” When two Buddhist monks came to a river crossing they found a woman having difficulty to cross the

rapid water.  One of the monk offered his back to carry her to other side.  After this, another monk started

to accuse him  ” Oh, you have broken the rule.  You touched the woman ”   He replied ” Are you still

carrying the woman in your back ?” ——– ( When you see a woman in trouble, to help her is your task

on front of you.  And when the woman is off your back.  Woman is no longer there.  If not there,  its not there.

Only the mind keep the woman still existing.)

There was my friend’s wedding.  ( So, the man and the woman decided to carry each other in body and the

soul ——- they are not the monk.  They are melting hot  😀 )    To celebrate  I’ve join the Champaign toast.

Then another friend said  ” Hey  Yoshizen,  I saw you have broken all the rules of Holy man ” ——- ?

Generally,  I don’t drink alcohol ( even though I can drink half bottle of spirit in a evening, simply I don’t like it,

as I’ve fed up to take care of drunken guys and anyhow it wouldn’t change me or the world,  nor it brings any

solution to any trouble ——- it’s no use mean,  waste of the time and the money.

To be cheerful and crazy  doesn’t need to be under influence.  I am the living sample.     Ha  Ha  Ha   😀  )

I was there to congratulate my friend ( and take photos ) not for any religious, moral campaign.

I don’t need to be obsessed by alcohol,  but in the same time I don’t need to be obsessed by the mind

of keeping  me perfectly dry. ——– This is,  what  Buddhist calls  MIDDLE WAY.  ——- Why is it the

matter to Buddhist ?     In the Buddhist  teachings, the both obsessions were created by the false

self which has no basis in our mind.  In other words, it is the delusion which shouldn’t be exist.

Anyhow it is not daily or even monthly occurrence, (last Wedding occurred two years ago)

to give a toast to the new couple Why not join.

———————-

Another day,  I took young lady who said never tasted Sushi to a  Japanese restaurant.   The man might have

heard this story as well, hence he teased me. 😀

It’s nice to have good food with pretty woman.   Have a nice meal together doesn’t necessary carrying hidden

agenda.   It’s a clichéd stereotype.   Nice meal is the nice meal.  Enjoy it and bye-bye. ——- What’s wrong ?

Zen Buddhism is (as it stand on the Mahayana philosophy)  to have the freedom of the mind (obsession,

paranoia is the enemy of free mind )  and fulfill the life’s potential to its maximum,

not to miserably vegetated to be a monk’s life.

( So, even a Holy Zenist drunk Champaign,  rest of people, not mention the new couple, are all get drunk )

~~~~~~~It was a superb wedding party.   Congratulation to the newly wed.  ___/\___  🙂

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.

Eroticism ? —– Virtual Woman

Photo left is a kinetic sculpture titled ” Virtual Woman”.

The wire mesh torso which rotates  X and Y axis like

a computer 3D cage design,  hence its title.

Before this,  I made three nude figures using same

material and technique.

Despite of those nude figure (I mean female nude)

having supposed to be ideal proportion and curvy

contour,  strangely it doesn’t look erotic.

My friend who got quite a taste of female body (but not empty kind) said, ” Very sensuous but not sensual “.

Wondering  ” Why I couldn’t create erotic figure ? ”   I made most blatant one,  which is just an open-leg

part of the torso,  expecting to see literally naked eroticism.——— Yet the result was far from erotic.

The reaction of female Artist friend  was  ” Your piece is too strong as a sculpture,  leaving no margin to play

with erotic imagination ” ——- ” Thank you very much” ——– ? ? ?

———- Yes, eroticism lay in its suggestive subtlety,  not  naked exposure of ” Thing”,  otherwise

gynecologists can’t do their business.  If it is the case, where this human eroticism came from ?

The Neuroscientists / Human sexologist call this  ” Brainization of the sex” (not sure about this English

translation, as I read about this in Japanese book long time ago).

It is not from the sexual instinct,  as the imagination in the brain needs the source from out side.

So that, the Boys and Girls build up their Erotic Image Library  which is influenced by the Mass-Media, some

became obsessed by the size of boobs others are slim leg etc, and some are even become Anorexia.

Without the accumulation of the original data, we can not imagine anything.  Still,  we have the curiosity as

even a child has. ( This curiosity is at least  Sexual Instinct, which must be the relics of the lost program )

With this curiosity,  we build up own collection of sexual data bank.  Hence everybody got different one. 

But this is nothing but the evidence of  ” We are born without complete sexual instinct “

And as its imagination was made up in the brain,  it is not far from the delusion or obsession

(When a particular thought was associated with certain Emotion and when this connection become

subconscious routine,  it is the Obsession.  For example such as the word  ” Phallic”,  some people

instantly associate the certain shape of object  with  sexual connotation.)

——————–

But the trouble (?) in my case is not the perception,  but the way of expression —— way to make the shape.

One of my friend who knows my celibacy which started 23 years ago, teased  me  ” As you are a dried up

person, you couldn’t distinguish subtle juiciness of the body shape,  you can’t express succulent eroticism ”

” Oh, c’mon,  what kind of death sentence is it ?”   And he said  “But it might be your advantage,  as you

can handle and see otherwise messy slimy subjects, in perfectly cool, objective manner, people feel you

are a safe,  harmless man” ——- ” M m m, is it good things ? to a man who is still believing live and kicking ”

” May be its a trade-off to be a Zennist isn’t it,  by which you have your peace of mind,  I still have a headache

of my wife,  Ha ha ha  😀

——— So it was certified that, me to make nude figure is harmless and safe to the society.  😀

( And, I can continue experiment and research how our creativity and the perception works.)

As a matter of fact,  it has been used on the stage play directed and designed by

my friend Francesco Pestori,  titled  O-Project.

(and I took part of it acting as a life creating Scientist.  It was a fun.   ! ! !   😀  )

PS: This Virtual Woman alongside the Cupidon (pull the arrow and blow up condom) and

motorized  Wire Dinosaur  would be  exhibited at the Rickshaw Gallery,

opposite of  Southwark Station (Jubilee Line), opening  27th May, evening PV (6:00~9:00)

If you are interested to have a fun,  please come and meet them.

PPS: The Moving Image of this VIRTUAL WOMAN can be seen in Youtube / Google [kinetorori]

—

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.

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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”. )

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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.

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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.

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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.