禅における Detachment = 無着無住の意味
表題としたこの言葉は，実は検策の為に書込まれ，ここにやって来た
もののーつです。簡単に言えば参禅者からの質問という事でしょう。
－－－で，この機会を使ってこれに対する僕流の所見を書いてみます。
禅を云々する上で最も決定的な大前提となるのは「禅は到達する
境地ではなく，悟りに至るプロセス，単なる作業修業のーつである」
という事です。禅は月ではなくそれを指す指，あるいは指している動作
に過ぎません。＝ ではその動作がいかにして悟りにつながるのか？
これは仏教史の中で完璧に見過ごされて来た事ですが，仏教の修業，
勤行の延々と続く繰り返しの中に鍵があったのです。
仮にぐるぐると歩くにしろ，太鼓をたたき続けるにしろ，延々と
続く作業の神経情報処理は人間の脳内でルーチンとして自動的に
処理されるようになり，一方延々と繰返される刺激に対しては
情動的閾値が髙くなり無感動で処理されるようになります。
これは毎日座り続ける座禅においても同様で，遅かれ早かれ人間の頭
には全作業を自動的，かつ無感情で処理する習慣が身についていきます。
実はこれが禅で言う無我無心に外ならず，このメンタリティを持って
物事に対処する事が無着無住と言う事です。
－－－で，これが悟りとどう関わるのか？
＝執着を離れ，情動に翻弄される事も無くなったら，後いったい何の
気懸り苦労が残るのか？ 気懸りなしに生きられるなら，そうして
気懸りなしに死んで往けるならこれ以上の自由（解脱）は無い訳です。
つまりこれが涅槃です。
－－－－－（あっけに取られたとか？）
___/\___
——————————————
追記：
反覆動作のルーチン化とか毎日通り過ぎる道端の看板を見飽きて
それが全く気に止まらなくなる（存在しているにもかかわらず，
存在しないのと同様になってしまう）現象は，本人が自分で経験
して把み取る以外には学びようがないものです。
つまり無我無心，無着無住と簡単に言う事はできても，
こればかりは人から教えられ言葉の意味を理解しても本人が
経験して身につけない限りは何の足しにもなりません。
何故ならそれは知的理解ではなく脳内での情報処理の短絡化＝
情動域（＝偏桃体＝入力された情報に自己帰属の夕グを付ける＝
所有物や家族を見分けられる）の関与の排除，そこでの処理の
ジャンプ（自己意識抜きに物事を処理する）なのでこの回路が
作られない限り無心としての処理は機能しない。
理屈や知識では自転車に乗れるようにならないのと同じです。
現実には直弟子ですら必ずしもそれを体得できていなかった為に
釈尊はいまわの際になってすら｢人の言葉を信じるな。自分で
体得せよ」と繰返さねばならなかったのです。
逆に見れば，仏教史に登場する異説異論は実は無我無心を体得
できなかった者が，その言い訳，目くらましの為にいい加減な
作り話しをやっていたのではとの疑いが涌いてきます。
この点から見ると龍樹（ナガールジュナ）あたりが最もクサい。
本当に無心無住の境に達していた人間がはたして龍宮のハナシまで
デッチ上げて，あそこまで派手なセールスキャンペーンをやるか？？？
『大乗印のエスパーベルト，これであなたも即，菩薩に変身〜！』
えっ！？冗談でしょ？
（実践に依る人間改造ではなく，思い込みを利用した盲信への変質です）
————————————
Rimbaud and Zen Mind
There was yet another funny coincidence. At my friend’s party, I met a designer/
planner who happen to know an artist friend who also run a café called
Small White Elephant, which happen to be in my area.
As she suggested, I paid a visit to the café and met a guy, Dale who run it.
Dale was a painter, we got a common talk in the art. — so, while showing my work
in Youtube and the photos in this blog, I talked about what and who influenced me.
As I mentioned my taste of the Surrealism art and the Symbolist poet Arthur
Rimbaud, Dale jumped up, went to his jacket’s pocket to fetch a small book.
It was a Rimbaud’s Poem, [A season in Hell].
[]
When I use the words “funny coincidence” it’s implying “Karmic encounter” =
no rational connection or likely happening situation still, from the hidden history
or life’s context, the pathway got to cross, of which only the heaven knows it.
And my life is having so many of them.
If not, I’m not in here, or even this blog didn’t exist. —– looking back, have I ever
chased anybody and met ? (I mean, from a reputation, I sought to meet the person.)
NONE. I am completely passive. (of course, it exclude the case on the business =
like interview and photograph somebody = it was for the editor’s needs,
not necessary my interest)
[]
In my teens, I started to read Osamu Dazai = rather popular choice of “ a kind of
young people then” and I read all of his work include the letters.
In the same time, I also read the books written by the opposing group of Dazai,
critiques, poets etc. A critic, Hideo Kobayashi and the friend poets were all
influenced by a French Poet Arthur Rimbaud. —– then, I end up with this Poet.
—– I’ve talked about this story in a post. [My starting point (2) ] (I might be the first person
in the history to connect Rimbaud to the Psychological mechanism of Zen mind. 🙂 )
[]
—– (Quote of the post)
< What makes reading of Rimbaud Poems somewhat common with Buddhists Pathway
was, that his approach to be a Boyant (Seer / Watcher) in Alchemy of Life was,
to examine the own mind again and again, deeper and deeper, exposing everything
like a dissected dead body = effectively made his own mind (and the life) a completely
detached dried object. Detachment while having cut-off the Emotion, will lose
the tag of the SELF, hence creating a state of mind, similar to the Buddhists’ Selflessness.
(This process is very similar to the Hinayana Buddhists practice = Process of Self-denial )
And as Rimbaud’s subject, include his own life became a detached object without the
emotional attachment, it was described as a metaphorical object or the Symbol =
thence his poetry was called Symbolism. (This detachment was the self-alienation too, so that
Rimbaud called the state of mind before, as a slumber of the animal
—– he missed it with tears, but it was too late) >
[]
The modern trend of the art then, Symbolism, Surrealism and Dadaism were all try
to find the way to express “True reality” of the existence or the human mind.
So that, all of them created uniquely formed style, since they thought that to express
straight as perceived, couldn’t show the reality or truth. —– with the idea of Freud,
they thought, since there was something behind of our mind, there couldn’t be the
straight raw expression (so, they tried autonomous writing “Automatism” etc with
futile results.) What common in those attempt was that they tried to replace the
subjects with something related or not so related. =
Symbolism used the objects somewhat related or looks like, as a metaphor.
Surrealism tried with unexpected one and Dadaism denied any connection.
[]
Though, there was an inherent trouble departing with raw expression = as it was
a two-step conversion, first, it needed to observe the feeling, then to find a symbol to
replace it = When the original mind, perception was “observed”, its Subject became
an OBJECT = It mean, he is no longer the innocent author. —– Even if it was the
own mind/perception, it was now the separate entity = OBJECT.
(For instance, even a hot love, when it was observed as an OBJECT and written down
like a stage act, down to the every movements of sexual act, it is no longer the love but
the words in the pages of DOCUMENT. =
That was how Rimbaud’s poem “A season in Hell” was created. And Rimbaud
described it “Je me vois me voir” = I see myself seeing myself.)
In this process, not only the own mind/perception became separate object, but crucially,
the Mind lost the connection to its “Emotion” therefore, the own mind is no longer
connected to the SELF. His life became a Puppet show remotely played.
(Self couldn’t define the own place without having tethered to the own Emotion !)
(When Alzheimer sufferer lost the connection to the emotional region of the brain,
his/her identity, the recognition of the family also gone.)
[]
Unlike most of the Surrealists, Dadaists who has been a part-timer = “Pretender” for
the sake of their art, Rimbaud was a full-time Symbolist, he lost the raw feeling of the
“Live-view”, hence the sizzling excitement of the life. So, he try to sex-up the life, such
as with absinthe, heroin or to play homo-sexuality etc which didn’t bring any solution.
—– on the end, lured by a false excitement, he left to the Abyssinia.
———- (And the other trouble of the Rimbaud’s poems to a reader was, —– as they
were written as narrations, after a while, his words became the reader’s words and
gradually they seeped into the bottom of the subconscious, then “who I am” would be
slowly eroded. = in the end, we will be left in the middle of nowhere alone, without
identity = it would be our Abyssinia.)
[] * * * * * * *
Fundamental difference of Selflessness and the Detachment of Rimbaud against
the Buddhist was, —– to Rimbaud, it was the unexpected by-product.
But to the Buddhist, it was the requisite way to reach peace of life and ultimately
the Enlightenment. In contrast, Rimbaud wanted to have a true reality of the life
which should enhance the excitement though, to became Voyant (seer / watcher)
gave him the opposite effect.
—– ? ? ? to give a thought, ISN’T IT strange, nobody did gave him an advice or after
100.000 years history of human culture, why such wisdom haven’t been established ?
—– then think more, ? ? ? ? ? —– Have we got a wisdom in the first place at all ?
What is the wisdom ?
—– Very basic morality ? Such as that, DON’T do wrong or bad otherwise the society,
and ultimately you will get a repercussion and suffer. —– And the way to see what is
wrong or bad. —– In reality, the burst majority of the practical detail on the
“life’s how to do” is open to the person to experiment on the spot, and find the answer
by themselves. = It’s mean that existing / ready-made “Wisdom” is not more than an
Opinion, since even the people, so-called “Burst majority”, among them, non of two
Karma is the same, and operating strictly individual base. This was the reason why,
Lord Buddha ordered to his disciples “Don’t believe what others said. Think yourself”=
Simply because, the answer will be different, person to person.
—– (This was originally intended to be the 700th post —– though, it gone to banana. 😀 )
[]
Zen in Daily-Life (2)
In the previous post I explained how to gain the Selfless-mind-set with an example
of Tea making though, obviously Tea making is hardly a “Task in our daily life”.
It is more like a not too serious leisurely moment when we have a break.
So, how about a handling business matter such as to deal with Bills.
[]
Zen only deals with the matter on front. And divides the whole task into small section.
And to deal with each section, one at a time. (To climb the mountain, not overwhelmed by
its 8,000m hight, just concentrate to make each step perfect ! = On the end, reach to the top.)
Of cause, our brain can trace the implication of the matter even to 3rd, 5th effects and able
to speculate further though, the further we go it become a products of Imagination, or
pretty close to a Delusion. (As a matter of fact, most of the speculation is nothing but a
delusion and the rest of only few, happen to meet the probability. —- Yet I wouldn’t totally
reject the facts, some people could foresee this probability in amazing accuracy.)
—– So, when a bill dropped on front of you, how you handle it ? This bill is no delusion, and
a fact how much money you got, wouldn’t have so much grey area. (Of cause, if you are
running a business, the money coming in, may have some uncertainty of timing, hence some
speculative juggling may be inevitable. Still, a situation of unknowable wouldn’t give an
excuse to halt the whole business. In a situation,“Can’t pay now” still, just keep a silence, or
send an excuse of delay, would make a big difference.)
If ignored, it would come back twice harder.
[]
To live a life, “Don’t care” is one of THE attitude. The way of Zen is the another attitude, and
I wouldn’t judge right or wrong but just show the resulting difference in efficiency to deal
with the Life. Throw the bills to a bin and leave the payment until receiving a Red-bill, is
also a life-style. Though, Zen chose the way, responding it at once. Because, anyhow a due
payment has to be cleared soon or later, not mention additional Late-payment charge etc.
Unless the amount is in millions and keep it one more day in the deposit account will create
thousands more interest, instead, just clear and see no mess, is the choice of Zennist.
Even just to open an envelope, tear it regardless if it could also tear the document, —– but
Zennist use scissors. (For THE task to open it, take the neatest way. NOT the least effort.)
And to pay attention, whether to keep the envelope together, if the document was
back-dated. (—– I had an experience to argue in the Court, for the serving date of a
legal document with the stamped date on the envelope as an evidence. !)
Zen approach is to make everything into a clearly sorted file, and make a way to handle
it to a fixed routine, and to deal with them automatic = no hesitation, no stammering =
hence nothing bothersome would be left. Even if having a headache of juggling, still see
the balance on a clearly filed order would make the Life easier, otherwise see it among
the piled-up bills, notices and other letters etc., will make the life into a confusion.
It’s far easier to deal with it, one by one in the first place. The more delay only makes
the pile-up higher and such situation makes one’s mental state only depressed more.
[]
Dealing the things with a rule, and make it routine would change the matter from
“personal” to “one of an item among the lots”, hence it became an object, and
separated from the Emotion. = Because of it is under the rule = independent from your
whim, and the rule and the routinised process handles the matter = not your mind = this
is the Selfless state. —– (In fact this is a well known situation, “the customer complained,
don’t handle me as a number but as an individual person”— still, in an aspect of
efficiency, the difference is obvious.)
With a superficial impression, you may not like this though, the Zen originated “Selfless
work Ethics” has contributed to High-productivity and the quality in the Japanese industry.
[]
This rule and a fixed routine creates consistency in the repeated task, and makes
a person’s brain “Selfless state” —– This phenomenon is all common in the Tea-making or
the handling of clerical work, even the car-making — in fact all the human activities.
—– Behind this phenomenon, there is an crucial tendency of the brain. = Our brain has a
threshold of signal intake = if the same input has been repeated, the brain start to ignore
the signal and respond to it as a pattered routine without involving the Emotion.
It’s mean, when the brain handle a matter without involving Emotion, the feeling of MINE,
or conscious of SELF would not be generated.
[]
All the sensory signal first goes to the Limbic System to have a reference from the memories
and anything related to one’s interest (gain, loss, danger, comfort) was marked as significant
and the related hormone (if it was a sign of danger, Adrenalin) will be secluded to the
whole body to respond. But if the signal has no such importance and repeatedly coming,
this process in the Limbic system would be bypassed. (Even though, the same bodily action is
still carried-out but “Emotionlessly”).
Because of this Limbic System distinguishes and sorting the signal related to the SELF, if the
signal was bypassed, one’s reaction would be carried-out without the connection to the
SELF, and the related hormone wouldn’t be secluded = No Emotion. — (Emotion doesn’t come
from a Thinking process, but mostly from a Mood created by the Hormone.)
—– Therefore, when the brain was trained (through repeated practice) to bypass the process
in the Limbic System, both Subconscious of the SELF and the Emotion would be suppressed.
—– And this phenomenon is the basis of
Lord Buddha’s teachings of the Selflessness (Anatman) and the origin of Buddhism. In deed,
our brain, thoughts, mind is bothered by the interference from the conscious of SELF and the
Emotion, which creates Ego and the Greed and subsequently all sorts of the troubles in the LIFE,
Lord Buddha’s approach to utilize those Brain Function was a brilliant idea. And without a
bias of Self, Ego, Greed and Detached Emotion, we can see the things much clearer
= We can see The Truth —– This IS, what Zen and Buddhism can achieve.
___/\___
[]
Reverse Engineering of ZEN
As I often wrote before, my approach to Zen Buddhism is a
way of reverse-engineering = disassembling a product to
analyse the structure and components etc. to find the reason
why it was designed in such a way, for what purpose and for
what advantage.
Then able to see even a philosophy behind of it.
[]
In a case of Zen, to see what sort of practice in such as
Tea-making or Martial-art etc. which were well known to be
a part of Zen culture, and see what is the common factor and
common philosophy, how they are related to Zen teachings.
—– from those observation, it was
easy to see that the key-word was the [Mushin], and
to attain, it was achieved by the years of repeated practice.
—– But, what repeated practice to do with [Mushin] ?
[]
For me, it took many years of search until I connected it to
the neurological phenomenon, which is the threshold of the
perception rose against the same repeated signal, and
become immune to it.
It was almost an Eureka moment to me. —– With this,
how the emotional tension decay after while, or how we get
used and overcome a fear, even become apathetic, all became
clear and able to make straight connection to the Zen.
Then, I realized that this is the reason why all the Buddhism
sects are using the endless repeating practice as a part of their
teachings. (whether chanting the same or banging the drum,
walking round and round etc etc —–
Lord Buddha said to have used the way of breathing as a practice)
—– All for getting the state of [Mushin]. —– And I realized
that the continuous action such as cutting the log in a mountain
shelter, or even Disco-dancing which automatically reflect to each
element of music I did, had in deed having had the same effects.
[]
Mushin is not only to abandon the thinking process
but more importantly, it disconnects perception
(coming signal) to the emotion. = This is exactly what
Buddhism says [Detachment] which is behind the
[8 Right path]. (I wouldn’t presume that, it included a
Disco-dancing though. 😀 )
And as a neurological fact, detached emotion cause a
detachment even from a conscious of Self and the own belongings.
= Detachment from primordial Instincts, Ego and
Greed, is exactly the State of [Selflessness] and not
attached to any fixed tendency is the [Middle-way] =
Hence, all the peculiar phenomena in the Buddhism became clear.
(In fact, all those [Mushin], [Selflessness], [Middle-way] even
[Mindfulness] are all created by the [Detachment] of the nerve
signal from the Emotion = actually they are the same one
phenomenon, but named it seeing from different angles.)
[]
As all those phenomena was the core of
the Buddhism teachings, it’s mean,
Lord Buddha did know all those mechanism in our mind
though, to trace back all those to his teachings in the scripture
is not straight forward, such as metaphor and his real wording
may not been correctly recorded and translated.
—– A description in the Vimalakirti Sutra “If you have a mind
that you are giving, it is not true giving” or in a typical
Mahayana expression “Giving as not-giving is the giving” are
in fact all meant “Giving in Mushin or in Selflessness”
(without conscious of action).
—– All the religion require the active mind-set, “Complete
attachment to the Belief which was written” but only the
Buddhism teaches [Detachment] = this is the very
distinctive point though, to describe something
which is not there = [Empty mind] is very difficult.
[]
The trouble of the Buddhism is, virtually no reliable written
record exists. It’s a pile of hearsay after 10th, 100th of Chinese
whisper. 🙂 And seemingly, the person, good in writing may
not be the person who actually reached Mushin or Selflessness
— otherwise such as Abidharma-kosa was never been written.
And on top of this, even though the matter is all in the depth
of murky subconsciousness, there was no understanding of
psychology neither a notion or word to describe was existed then.
[]
In such an environment, to pretend to be a Master and boast,
creating yet another Mantras was very easy, but to disprove
it was difficult. = all came down to the political power game of
the sects. Winner takes all and justify their righteousness,
regardless of its authenticity —– hence, created utter
mixed-up-Buddhism (in fact, it was a Tantra mixed Hinduism
with some idea from the Buddhism)
for a sake of populism and a commercial success. =
(It’s easier to sell, “This God would save you” than “Need to
know, Suffering is not exists” —– after a death nobody ever
came back to complain “God wasn’t there”= So, its sale’s point
has never been disproved and able to keep assume that the
dead are in Heaven. 😀 )
[]
Obviously, it is necessary to re-examine and to see what was
the original teachings, even though it might be yet another
guess work. —– Still, my approach, which is based on the
neurological mechanism, can explain all the Buddhism
phenomena. —– If not what else could explain it ?
(Leaving the matter to mythical unknown power and
its blessing ? —– Joking ! We are in the 21st century ! )
[]
This neurological, psychological response is common to
all human being (hence it was described that everybody
born with it) it is applicable to anybody and many area of
human activities. (In fact it has been used a lot.)
And it will prove that the Buddhism has a tangible substance.
(unlike any other religion, which is based on a fantasy which
is only exists if it was believed) —– As the Buddhism is based
on the tangible substance, not on the imagination or belief,
it was often classified as a philosophy not a religion.
___/\___
[]
Flow-Chart of Buddhism Teachings
Flow-Chart or the Steps in the Pathway
1) Do anything which has a fixed pattern.
2) By doing it repeatedly, 100s, 1000s even million times =
3) Because the nerve signal dealing with its action has
the same pattern, our Perception and Emotion’s threshold
level rose, hence the significance of the signal will be
lost and disregarded.
4) As the action has been repeated, its pattern will be
programmed into Motor-region of the brain and the action
become automatic routine.
5) As the effects of 3) and 4), the action can be carried-out
without thinking, even out of one’s conscious.
6) In the same time of 5), the one doing the action without
one’s conscious mean, it is in the Selfless state of the mind.
7) Once the one is in its Selfless state, the things become
distant objects as if it is somebody-else’s matter, =
Detachment = the one’s Ego or Greed wouldn’t be triggered.
8) To apply the same state of mind to other aspects of the
life, the one can see everything in distance = objectively
= Clear eyes. (Gradually, the one acquire this, and once
mastered, it become free to control, if detached or not,
or which one to concentrate or ignore.)
9) And the one can see even the Self detached, objectively,
as if it is one of public, the social action start to follow
common-sense, not self-centred. (Centring self isn’t there)
10) And able to act or help others without Ego and do the
things as much as possible. (Strangely, we instinctively do
it better ! Even if it is not in competition with others and
even to useless things, it’s mean, it’s not for Ego or Greed.
—– Fundamental Pleasure ? 🙂 )
11) From those aspects, it is rational to conclude, Ego itself
is not one’s imperative, so is the Self. = Self is not naturally
exists but a product of one’s imagination or thinking.
12) Without having the Self, Ego and Greed which tend to
creates trouble and discontent = could any suffering be left ?
[]
It must be clear from this chart, all the process is pretty
natural as it follows the natural mechanism inherent to
our brain which is common to anybody, so that
Lord Buddha concluded that the Dharma which
rules us is Selfless and as it is common to anybody,
in other words, all of us has it within and Selfless.
— And it become clear, the so-called Rules of “Do this and
Don’t Do that” had been written by the person who hadn’t
actually done the practice to reach Selfless state by himself
hence, didn’t have a knowledge how the human mind
naturally works. (Real selfless person need no instruction,
nor such instruction would stay in the mind. 😀 )
[]
It must be clear. —– Is there any argument ?
___/\___
[]
PS : Though, in addition to this Chart, applying the context
of “denial” not only to the Self and suffering life, but to the
“Idea of Denial” itself, therefore, instead of being enlightened,
“being suffering” seems to be more natural = and this idea
became the stance of Mahayana Buddhism. —– Hence, Zen
says “To see NO enlightenment is the Enlightenment”
= (Anyway, no Self, what’s the matter ! )
[]
Three times BUDDHA
There is an interesting story in the Agama Sutra
(of Buddhism ! = there are many.) —– one day,
Lord Buddha met a horse trainer (other versin said Village Chief).
Then asked to the horse-trainer “How to teach a horse ?”
Horse-trainer replied that there are three ways to teach horse.
Gentle way, Hard way and Gentle / Hard mixed.
Lord Buddha asked him further “If all three ways failed,
what do you do with that horse ?”
The trainer answered “Kill the horse” and he asked back
“How you teach your follower ?”.
Lord Buddha answered him, “There are three ways to teach,
Gentle way, Hard way and Gentle / Hard mixed, but if all
those teachings failed, kill him”.
Hose-trainer was horrified and shouted “You been telling us Don’t kill,
how dear you kill the follower ?”
Lord Buddha smiled back “Well, I just stop talk to him.
Completely stop talk, is the same to deny his existence,
same as to kill him, isn’t it ?”
[]
This episode sound like just a casual funny story though,
this was the episode which gave the most important clue to the
so-called “Unanswered Questions” You must be realized that
Lord Buddha’s No-answer was not just a rack of word but it
was the massage as strong as to kill the person !
[]
There is an often used phrase in Japanese “Even Buddha tolerates till
three times” (Hotoke no kao mo sando made. 仏の顏も三度まで)
—– I didn’t know, this phrase was in deed, originated from the Scripture.
—– And this story showed rather realistic attitude of
Lord Buddha, contrary to the popular belief, he was not a
bottomlessly gentle and kind teacher. As once a hard-core
austere, he was not an optimistic person, as he defined what
the life is, such as in the Four Noble Truth.
From here, in a process to idealize and idolize him, even worse,
to fabricate many so-called Buddha in Mahayana Buddhism,
( in fact, it was the mix-up with Tantrism and Hinduism )
crux of the original teachings was lost.
[]
What Lord Buddha himself taught was, to have the Detached Eyes.
Detached Eyes mean, detached from the Mind / Emotion, hence there
was neither attachment to the subject or person. In other words,
there was no attachment even to his followers. Hence, as long as
Lord Buddha committed to give guidance to the person, he was in deed
committed it to 100% (and try to teach in three different ways) though
if it was failed, he literally ex-communicated the person.
Once excommunicated, the person became invisible.
Even visually saw the person, it wouldn’t connected to any
emotional memories, hence there were no anger or feeling of
disappointment etc. —– Because of there are nothing to cling
past Mind / Emotion, only the matter is what on front of eyes,
on its very Moment. (This IS the very Zen mind-set)
(After you practised long enough, and gained this condition / Mind-set
then you know what Detached Eyes and Detached Mind can help you.)
(And how to practice to gain Detachment, please read the post under a
category of [Lemon Zen] in the right column.
[]
You may feel, it’s sound very cruel and not-Buddhist like,
it’s because So-called monk or teacher is not really understood, or only
making diplomatic smile and pretending to be friendly, in order to
sell to the mass.
Because of this confusion, one of the greatest novelist, Soseki Natsume
described it in his book, [Mon (門) / Gate], when a priest of Zen temple
has told to him, “Mind of Zen is Hijo (非情) / No Emotion” he felt even
alienated. —– (To describe Mushin (無心) / Mind of No-Mind, this
priest used more realistic word Hijo in stead, because he knew the
Zen Buddhism deeper, and didn’t mind to sell it to the mass.)
[]
Load Buddha didn’t give his teachings to give false optimism,
or fancy dream but the Truth.
In this aspect, he was quite harsh. Telling the followers to get rid of
their possessions even their family (little consideration to an agony of
the family left behind, not mention to his own Royal lineage).
(This was the reason why
Lord Buddha bared the women to join his follower’s sanga.
Since, to a woman, to abandon the child is out of question in the
first place = woman may have conflict to follow his teachings.)
[]
—– Still, with detached eyes and the mind, there wouldn’t be
any matter left to worry about, because the psychological
source of worry = emotion itself had been already detached.
The mechanism to feel any suffering has no longer exists.
= Peace of mind ! 😀
—– though, I’m not an enlightened man, hence mixed with
failed person and teasing them or teased by them are fun.
This is what the Life is. Ha ha ha 😀
___/\___
[]
Buddhism = Science
—————————————————————- ( Buddha 2009 )
While giving a thought to the well known established notions in the Buddhism, after
Lord Buddha’s teachings, such as “See the things in Clear eyes” “Detachment”
even “Selfless mind” then “Don’t believe, but Think yourself” and the fact that
Lord Buddha did ignore the question which was beyond our scope (unknowable),
such as what about the after-life or what is the structure of the universe.
(Stark contrast to other so-called Guru who pretend to know by telling the made-up stories.
—– Who does ever know about the next life or heaven or hell, not mention perpetual soul.)
= I realized, isn’t this, What the Science is ? Or the attitude to be a Scientist.
When Enlightened man told the truth, he dare to tell groundless story.
[]
“Right thinking” meant to be nothing other than a Rational thinking.
See the things with Clear Eyes meant to be “See the FACT”, and “Think
YOURSELF” meant, it shouldn’t be any enigmatic special belief but the
Truth which can be comprehensible in anyone’s rational thinking.
As all the factual phenomenon follows the rationalism, anybody knows,
Nothing appeared from nothing. Nothing happens without cause.
—– Based on the facts, and with the way to observe and analyse it in
strictly objective and rational way, then deduce the truth, is THE Science.
In this process, there shouldn’t be ANY bias of personal thinking, judgement,
preference or special belief = it got to be absolutely Detached from the SELF.
[]
Truth is independent from any person, let alone anyone’s Fantasy. =
Whether you believe or not, it’s there. —– This is the Science and what
Lord Buddha taught. (Yet still he was aware of notoriously unreliable our
perception, he spent great deal of his teachings to deal with this matter and
found a technique to eliminates the cause by way of the practice which lead
a person’s mind to a state of Mushin.) =(This is the core of the Buddhism)
Therefore, if there is so-called Buddhist’s teaching which say anything other than a fact
and beyond the rational comprehension, it is not his original teaching. (Only a problem was,
in this world (in the Dharma) there still be the Unknowable exists. There is a sect called
Tantra has been trying to deal with it without any tangible answer —– If they could give
any reliable result, they could have been employed by the Pentagon or Russian KGB though,
on the history, deeply spiritual noble “Third eye” which said to be in contact with the Dharma,
still not able to predict such as Earthquake even a single occasion. = If science can’t handle nor
Buddhism can.) So that, any fancy stories were later invention only to glorify Buddhism.
Buddhism is to Enlighten a person, beyond the personal Life and one’s Mind is out of scope.
What Lord Buddha taught was, how to get clear eyes to see the truth in the life
by get rid of the dubious belief and the delusion, by emptying the mind
(get Mushin), not to trap into yet another dogma. Dogma is not a Science.
Truth is like a dry skeleton, it has no decoration. —– and needn’t to be. 😀
(This is why my Buddha 2009 is bare minimal skeleton and the head is a clear
void which reflects the Wheel of the Life. And the heat keep moves its pattern
continuously = never stay the same = This shows what the Dharma is.)
___/\___
[]
Can Ordinary Bicycle Rider become Zennist ?
I’ve wrote about many samples of the Natural Mushin, such as the examples,
Typing, Riding Bicycle even ordinary Walking, or through the practice to Cut
Lemon, Put a Pen onto a paper, just watching a Flow of Water, Sea Wave etc.
= In our daily life a Moment when our brain fallen into the state of the No-Mind [Mushin]
is not a rare occurrence, far from it, it is quite an ordinary psychological condition.
—– If so, you might ask, what makes the difference between those
common Moment of No-Mind to the ZEN.
= The answer is in the person’s Mind, or what the person thinks and accepts
[this is the ZEN] = then, it is the Zen or at least it is a start.
[]
While riding a bicycle or cutting a lemon, once you realized that your mind doesn’t have
any thinking other than a mere feeling of “ I’m riding” and the vision “ Land scape is just
passing by” and “ Air is just flowing on my cheek”, or you just see the Knife cutting a Lemon.
—– You need to feel [Oh, this is the ZEN] or feel [I’m in the ZEN] = and
make it a kind of tag bound two together, so that the notion of ZEN is always
stack to the action, Riding, Cutting or Typing what ever be the action.
[]
And you must became aware, the subject you are acting on, and your action is just passing
on or going on, such as the Landscape, shape of the Lemon or the Letters you are Typing,
next by next and moment to moment, like as to see an endless continuing flow.
= As it is the Flow, it never stays the SAME (of cause, that is what Riding, Cutting or
Typing meant to be = otherwise you can’t reach destination, couldn’t make Lemon Slices
and a cup of tea, or finish Typing).
And you must become aware, “ This is what the action meant, or the situation IS”
= YOU just have to DO, hence the SITUATION CHANGES = You are seeing
its flow as if you are just an observer, despite YOU, Yourself is
ACTING and CAUSING this FLOW.
( You have to see and aware this, as it is just a passing phase = but NOT THINK, just see
as if it is a distant land scape) —– And need to be convinced and become aware,
This IS the ZEN scape.
[]
This detached eyes is what called OPEN EYES and the OPEN-MINDED MIND.
= with this, you must become aware YOU CAN DO THE THINGS ALMOST
AUTOMATIC, IN QUITE DISPASSIONATE BUT EFFICIENT WAY.
While DOING this or HAVING this eyes, a landscape even a bottom of a woman become
just another landscape ! (fortunately or unfortunately 😀 😀 )
[]
Ultimately, ZEN is to have this MINDSET and the OPEN EYES (often called
Clear-Eyes), by which, strangely you might think
“ With the detached EYES, I can see the Real Detail more”
Details, hence the Change, in minute Moment to Moment = Hence YOUR response as well.
Because of the open-eyes, you can have more facts, hence you can be much
more PRECISE or less SELECTIVE and more TOLERANT and FLEXIBLE,
(as you can have the More Freedom on YOUR JUDGMENT and the CHOICE)
and able to pay more attention even to the others as well.
This is what the ZEN IS.
[]
When you try this and became able to DO this, go back to the old posts in this blog
= You must be realized Why, and see What is the psychological mechanism behind.
And see, amazingly all those were taught by
Lord Buddha, 2500 years ago already = this is nothing new or fancy novelty.
( In fact, they are the matter of Subconscious =To see and Feel is done by your intuitive
Subconscious — but Reasoning and Rational Sorting etc is done by the Thinking.
ZEN rely on the Subconscious perception and the straight response = hence
eliminates the bias or distortion caused by the intentional Thinking )
= Have a good try or many = it is not difficult as even I hthinkingave done (as DIY).
___/\___
[]
Be in Emotion — or in Detachment
Gosh, it’s exactly a year from the Earth Quake
and the Tsunami in Japan.
After I caught a first short news, it took another
5 hours to know what has happened there in the Japanese
News site. The rest was, I don’t think I need to repeat here.
[]
Having one year anniversary, one of the literally left over
of the iconic land scape of the Tsunami = a Bus body left
stranded on the 10m roof top of the local town hall has
been removed. ( The photo left from the Jiji news.com site )
[]
There has been two opposing opinions among the local
people. One was, as a historical, iconic monument,
the Bus should be preserved as it is.
But, the other opinion, as it recalls horrible memories = Don’t want to see it any longer, hence
it should be removed, was over whelming.
[]
Everybody has Emotion. It is the basic judgmental response to the stimulus, instantly created in
the old part of the brain, limbic system. As limbic system also controls the physiological
reaction, an Emotion triggers the seclusion of the Hormone, Neuro Transmitter etc.
Unlike Nerve Signal which is an instantaneous electrical pulse, those chemical Hormone remain the body
system, so that, unlike a momentary come and go Thinking process, Emotion affects a person’s mental
condition and the physiology pretty long time, some time long enough to make a person fallen ill.
[]
This is the reason why and how the Buddhism invented the way to curve the Emotion by its
practice to enable a person to detach from it.
[]
While detached from the Emotion of the disaster —– to see the Bus stranded high-up on the top of the building,
must be really an amazing, unusual experience. —– Hence came to a thought to make it as a historical
monument, could be a good idea = can be only such a monument in the world.
Though, to the vast majority of the local people who have had literally run for the life or lost their family member,
close friend, the memories of the disaster were still too real. And its memory re-creates the same Emotion,
hence the seclusion of the same Hormone = same reaction of the body, heart beat, blood pressure increase and
even having nightmare, and so on.
[]
In order to keep the compassion to the deceased and the fellow victims, it should be better to keep the memory
afresh, is the one opinion. Though, to live one’s life in full potential, to keep the memories and to
be imprisoned by the same emotion has to be distinguished.
Time is the best cure for a sad memory —– the old say.
The Buddhism practice is to accelerate this aging process, and make a person to see its memory in a perspective,
in another word, in distance = detached = in Zen Buddhist’s term Mushin ( Mind of No-Mind ).
By detached eyes, a person can see the situation and the possibility or the alternative, in much
liberated perspectives. Hence able to make much better judgement in the life.
After all what local people needed was not a reminescence of the disaster, but the mind to look forward to
rebuilt the town and their life. When a mountain of tasks on front, the emotion is nothing but the obstacle.
[]
How to learn one’s mind detached, hence able to have turmoil-free calm mind-set is
what I’m talking about in this whole blog.
___/\___
PS : Further reading, how Buddhist’s practice works to achieve Detachment > >> http://bit.ly/yG6rph
(This post could be the most crucial post among the others in my blog )
—
Yoshizen's Blog 
2 comments