Core of the Buddhism

Did Buddhism asked the followers to remember any special notion,

something like a rule of the “Preservation of Energy” in physics or

a special formula, or to do very peculiar practice ?   (Don’t mix-up

with a funny ritualistic practice of Tantra sect.

Or their magic Mantra (Dharani) which was claimed to have a

supernatural power. — They are noting to do with the teachings of

Lord Buddha.)

.

—– Such as Four Noble Truth = they are only a bit deeper

understanding of the phenomena in our life general.

= After all, what the Buddhism telling us were the Awareness

toward our own existence.    Which is not far from our

common sense = Because all of us ARE existing more or less on

the same bases = Nobody was born to live for ever, nor born

with the wings to fly etc etc = nobody is superman, or

divine figure in flesh —– as no supernatural facts exists (other

than silly delusion or rumour) there couldn’t be any possibility

of the fantastic fabrication mixed into the Buddhism teachings.

(In deed, there are mountain of fancy stories = but they ARE

the fancy stories = nothing to do with the teachings.

— It’s a fun to see a fancy imagination of the people.)    😀

[]

Lord Buddha denied any idealistic notions as they are only

the delusions.  (Therefore he completely ignored to answer

(completely stop to talk the person is the same to kill him)

the questions about “after the life” or about the “universe”

which is neither exists nor possible to know.

—– Considering the both subjects are the easiest topics to tell a

fabrication or a fancy story (because, to counter prove its fancy

story is even harder — Try to prove there are Heaven and Hell.

Then try disprove them.   You will see it’s a waste of time = so that,

Lord Buddha completely ignored it. )

Probably the most important key to decipher Buddhism teachings

are in the story of Kisa Gotami (Running around the village) =

as a typical Upaya teaching, there was no verbal teaching but the

learning by the practice = Direct transmission to the subconscious.

= No lexical Notion/Idea or Thinking process.

And this phenomenon was also significant in this story.

—– Why it’s significant = because its phenomenon of

“Exists but Exists Not” character of the Subconsciousness

and this phenomenon is the core of the Voidness.

Dharma IS here or HERE all together IS the Dharma though,

since its detail is constantly changing moment to moment because

the Karma is active, it couldn’t be defined in one shape, still it IS

the Dharma.  = This “Exists yet Exists not” character is parallel to

our subconsciousness.  = And this IS what we ARE = and to

become aware this fact IS the Enlightenment.

(So, effectively it IS no difference to know who I AM = just

I am as I am. = That’s why, it is a Dog shit.)   😀

___/\___

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HOBEN (方便) / Upaya — in Buddhism

In one before previous post, “Why live”, the author of the book Dr. Ogoshi was

saying that the Hoben (方便) (upaya = Sanskrit) = the mean or way (to lead others to

the Enlightenment) as the vital part of the human relation therefore that makes

the Reason to live.

[]

Among the religions, the only one asking the followers “to understand (the matter)”

is the Buddhism.   All others need just believe what was said or written.

With this reason, only the Buddhism having a notion of Direct transmission or

Hoben/upaya  and the Pathway.   All those are just the mean and the process. —–

Why those mean or process was talked about, but not the goal itself was = that

because, the goal couldn’t be explained, even if anybody knows. Because, it is Void.

Indeed, it’s a funny religion and the strange deal = on the end, you may get the Void

at its best.   If it was short of best, you get nothing.   Get nothing, yet even if you did

the best, get Void !  —– How Fantastic ! ! !

( at least the another religion is promising the heaven or paradise kind of good deal!

— whether it was fraud or not in the eyes of  Advertising Standard Authority.)

[]

In the famous Kisa Gotami story, what she was instructed was to obtain the

mustard seeds from the house never had bereavement. — After knocking all

the doors in the village, and running all the day, she was convinced that the

bereavement is the truth of human existence. —– The advice of

Lord Buddha, “To save the dead child, it need to get the mustard seeds” was not

necessary true though, the action she took, definitely brought her the enlightenment

and helped her to overcome a sorrow of the lost child. —– And to give such a good

advice and lead the person to get enlightened IS the Mahayana Buddhist duty.

(It must be much harder to enlighten the other.   Who got the brain of

Lord Buddha, in this world today ? ! )

___/\___

[]

PS:  In the mainstream Buddhism, Kisa Gotami’s story

was understood only as a sample of Hoben shown by

Lord Buddha.   But, what I’ve been talking about is, its contributory effect of

“Repeating Actions” (running and knocking all the doors  next by next) to her

brain function.  = (Repeating input to the brain lead the apathetic response =

input would be handled emotionally detached = this is all about

the Buddhist’s practice and the VOID in the mind.)

[]

Fantasy of Mahayana Buddhism

There was a reason how the fantasy of Mahayana Buddhism was invented.   

It was because the most of the people include the monks couldn’t get Selfless 

state ( hence not able to eliminate the cause of the trouble), therefore needed to

have an excuse = which was that having the sufferings is the enlightenment too.

(You have to accept the sufferings, and believe that you are still a happy person ! 

= if not happy, you are not believing strong enough.)  😀

[]

Lord Buddha’s teachings was, that the deluded idea of Self is the root cause of

all the sufferings.  So that, if the Self which creates delusion was not there in

the first place, sufferings wouldn’t be there neither.

When Kisa Gotami’s “SELF” which had been grieving the loss of her child has

evaporated through the “running practice” the suffering was disappeared,

even though the fact of the death was still there.

When the “SELF” which was filled with doubt and perplexity of Churi Pantac

(Shuri Bantoku) was eliminated through 10 years work, sweeping the garden,

there no longer be any doubt or hindrance in his life, hence it was

his Enlightenment.

= Essentially, to eliminate the subject, the “SELF” which suffers with sufferings,

the sufferings would no longer be existed.   But not everybody can achieve this.

So that, the Mahayana invented an easy solution to change the story

 “to have sufferings is also the Enlightenment” =

this is a religion, based on the belief and the blah blah not the concrete truth.

[]

Instead to do the actual mental training (desensitize the perception),

it was substituted by the fancy belief.  = Glorious stories were invented and

the Mantra with magic power (said to have :-D) was imported from Tantrism.

Many new Buddha styled god were invented not mention a lords of divine

figures from Hinduism. It was a clear departure from a fact based teachings of

Lord Buddha to a fantasy based mythical religion.

In metaphor, the teachings to swim across the river was substituted by the

fantastic stories and the pictures of Heaven on the other side of the river, with

a sales caption “Just come on board, this big ship will take you there”.

While abandon the practice to save oneself, instead, to sell the ticket of the ship,

using the same Buddha’s name is a fraud.

What a history.

___/\___

[]

Think yourself — Why ?

“Don’t believe what others said. Think yourself” was the most famous last teachings of

Lord Buddha in his death bed.   Buddhism is not a religion to recites the words in the

book (repeat the same words million times makes a man to believe it ) or arguing how 

to interpret the meaning with rhetoric, but just practice and get understanding.

 

Therefore, in this context, the use of the word “Think” may not to be the correct word

= instead, “Feel and Grasp” “Find and Understand” would be better, because as I said,

the Buddhism is not a religion of what you Think and Remember but who you become,

down to the subconscious level.

[]

See a simple situation. Somebody taught you the Walking Zen saying “By walking

round and round, you can get rid of all your thoughts, and get Mushin, the Mind of

No-Mind.   This is the another way of meditation which purifying your mind.”

—– Well, the words must be well remembered and a word Mushin must be stuck

to the mind. ~~~~~ Then, walk round and round —– while a thought of

“Have I got Mushin or yet ?” coming up again and again and haunt you. 😀 😀

(Instructor should have told you just “Follow me”.   It’s difficult to see a quality

of the instructor = well spoken friendly instructor tend to get more attendance.  

It’s a paradox  Sir ! )  😀

[]

When No-Mind, No-Self was the matter, 

teach it by the word is self-contradiction.  = I think,

Lord Buddha didn’t teach it in such a way, but just showed how to do, expecting

that the followers can get the Selfless Mushin naturally through the practice.

(Please read the Post : [Test of Selflessness]) (And remember Kisa Gotami’s story =

She was just made running around without having any explanation ! )

Though, among the followers, someone pretending to be wiser, started to give an

own explanation what was the intention of practice or meaning of Selflessness.

But as I said, to explain it by the word is the Self-contradiction, for instance,

“ Do this without thinking is the No-Mind, No-Self” — though, to have this notion

in the Mind IS against the No-Mind = nothing but a Self-contradiction.

So that, there is no way else to learn No-Self other than “Do the practice

and find it by oneself.” —– (Same situation to learn how to ride a bicycle

 = absolutely no word will help, but to learn it yourself !  —– And once learned,  

you ride it automatic = no thinking is needed there. )

[]

Lexical communication is based on the words which is the categorized, abstract 

notion, hence, it rely on the high-level process in the brain which we call thinking.

Bypassing those thinking process and leave the judgement, or action to the

old intuitive part of the brain called Limbic System, = is

“What Mushin and the Selflessness meant.”

This is why “Don’t believe what others said. Think yourself = Experience yourself and

discover the fact, that the things can be done without thinking = in Selfless Mushin.”

So, if it was Selfless, who did this = It was done by the Dharma !

[]

—– Still, this episode exposed a serious situation then.   In a very last moment, WHY

Lord Buddha had to give such basic instruction to the most closest disciples.

= It signify the fact, that

Lord Buddha did aware that his disciples haven’t fully understood

what his teachings of No-Self was.

(And it explains why the Buddhism have had deviated in such early stage

and mixed up with the Hinduism.)

___/\___

[]

 

Exists or Not-exists ? —– Where is the SELF ?

Probably the most fundamental matter in the Buddhism is the Selflessness / Mushin.

—– though, this matter questions the credibility of the one who observes its existence, it is

nothing like a scientific objective proof of existence, it’s far more complicated or confused.

[]

Therefore, here, the most funniest paradox in the human culture comes in.

If you deny the existence of the Self, you can not argue or even put the matter on the table.

= because, its notion itself isn’t exists, there is no word to describe it.

= how to starts arguments ?

—– If the society has no system of personal possession, everything belongs to everybody, so,

there couldn’t be a notion of “theft” let alone the very word “theft”. 

If the Self is not exists, no word of SELF, let alone SELFLESS could ever exists.

So, without the notion of Self, how to argue about whether it exists or not.    😀

[]

Lord Buddha’s teachings were described as “Explain unexplainable” “Describe indescribable”.

In definition, Selflessness couldn’t be taught.   Selflessness itself is exists though, you can’t

detect or noticed, let alone capture it in objective observation nor describe it in the words.

Because, to notice “it is there”, it’s mean the observer, who was separated from the subject

= independent self is already THERE ! = You are the established EGO.

[]

So, Lord Buddha just gave an instruction what to do, but never explained why or what was

the intention.   (Like, just let Kisa Gotami to run about, or Churi Pantac to sweep the garden.)

—– While doing it, they will get used with its work or practice, hence became able to do it

without conscious = Selfless —– this was what the teachings were intended though,

it shouldn’t be objectively noticed or talked about. = the matter is, JUST DO IT.

[]

Once it was talked about, it became a NOTION and a WORD, it became independent

existence called knowledge.   Once the notion and the words “I’m cutting Lemon” was

established, “I” who cut the Lemon became THE Existence. —– but, you supposed to cut

a Lemon in Mushin, without the Self.   Without such conscious, Just Cut a Lemon, slice

by slice —– your knife, the lemon, your action were all fused in one, with the Dharma

= this is the state of Ichijo / Oneness. —– BUT, once the observant eyes started to see the

situation objectively and started to give a thought or two, the Observer and Be-observed

alienated = the harmony to be in the Ichijo has broken.

[]

In the Vimalakirti Sutra, when he was asked about what is this Oneness, he answered with

NO word (= and the silence hit the people like roaring thunder !) In fact this was exactly what

Lord Buddha did when he was asked about “after life”.

Oneness (Ichijo / Fuji) could exists if no Self was there.   And as NO self exists, of cause, there

couldn’t be any possibility of After-life or Reincarnation, and no such notion or word to

describe it could exist.   Hence, just a silence = Strongest denial !

(If he was to explain, “There is no Reincarnation because No-Self” it’s effectively recognize

the existence of the Self by the use of the Notion and the word “Self”.  

—– It is the same situation, if the one says “I’m sitting in silence”    😀 )

[]

It seems that the author of Vimalakirti Sutra did know what the mind of Selfless, as the

descriptions were spot on though, I’m not sure about the other Mahayana Sutra, and the

author (compiler ?) such as Nagarjuna —– he seemed to have written them from the

knowledge just heard from others.   They were the scripture for the sake of the arguments

and those arguments, theoretical explanation seemed nothing to do with

actual Selflessness and the Void.

—– Selflessness is everywhere, as you are reading this blog without noticing that your eyes

have been following the lines. = as everybody has born with Dharma, everybody has

Selflessness yet, masking it with the useless thinking and the Ego which has been kept you

away from getting enlightened.

May be just forget those words, Selflessness, Void kind of thinkings, and just take a walk

may open your eyes much clearer.

___/\___

[]

No Word, No Teaching ???

There is a well known quotation in Buddhism   “In his 45 years of teaching,

Lord Buddha didn’t give even a single word”. —– Even as a metaphor,

this words could explain the most crucial truth in the teachings of

Lord Buddha.

(After 4 years I blogged here = this practice has been my equivalent of facing a rock wall

to sort out the conflicting notions and the words in the scripture, and on the end, I came

to the conclusion.)

[]

A trouble of Buddhism is that there is no authentic written “one teaching”.    

Even the earliest scripture, Agama Sutra was created 200 or more years later, thence

virtually all the 3,000 Buddhism scriptures were compiled on hear-say and guess-work.

(still the author may say “My understanding of the True Buddhism”)  

And on top of this,  it was a well known fact that

Lord Buddha,s words seemed to be different ocasion to ocasion and it was depend on

to whom he was speaking. —– So that, what I’ve been doing was, picking-up the pieces

among the mountain of disassembled parts and to re-configure the most likely the

original picture. (You may say, I also doing a guess-work) 😀

[]

Considering this Quotation “No teaching” together with other stories such as Kisa Gotami’s

mustard seeds’ story and a story of Churi Pantac (Shuri Bantoku) sweeping the garden, and

on top of those, “Going out on rainy night” (Test of Selflessness) story.

There was no explanation of why or what could be achieved by doing so, was given by

Lord Buddha. = It must be the teaching of “Think it yourself” though, is anywhere the

explanation why need to think yourself, was ever explained ?    By thinking it, (but thinking

in the subconscious level ! ) the one can reach own understanding which would lead to the

own Enlightenment, as the Enlightenment couldn’t be given or taught by any other person,

the one has to find it. (external communication hardly touch one’s subconscious.)

(It is completely different from “Believing the Gospel”= Belief is to firmly memorise the

Pattern, but not necessary know what to do with it, since implanted memory is a

foreign substance) = Because the very process of finding out, is a part of the Enlightenment

(This process is to Re-program the Brain and cut-off Emotional Region to handle a situation

= hence, without an involvement of the Self.)    Thus, to teach it in the words would spoil the

purpose of ths teaching itself. = Teaching in Words would only create a memory, but Buddhism

need to change the personality from the subconscious. —– While fully aware of this paradox,

Lord Buddha wouldn’t have explained the effect of the practice or what is the aim of it,

instead, only gave an instruction what to do.   He didn’t give-away the trick and the goal.  

In this extent, he didn’t teach but just gave a Task.   And while doing it, the person can reach

and gain a state of the “Mushin” and  “Selflessness”. —– Observing the person’s progress,

Lord Buddha must have given further instruction what to do next,

and where is the point to watch, but not what to think or why / the theory.

( Practice  can be done purely subconsciously  (in Mushin)  but the Word  ( = Categorized 

notion)  couldn’t be operated away from the highly conscious brain activities.)

[]

A crucial point in Buddhism IS there is no promise of salvation BUT “Save yourself by

reaching the Enlightenment by yourself” —– otherwise, Life is suffering, getting ill,

get old and die. = very blunt message. = (Very Un-Religion like message in deed, since

Buddhism is a teaching of Truth, not a false hope or pinky illusions.)   And all the

8 right path etc are what you do.   Not what to believe. In fact, all those “Do what” are

obviously in the common sense.   Nobody would suggests otherwise.   So, there are no

fancy ritual but simple practice = matter is not what or why, but Do.

Lord Buddha might actually told those words to his followers, but no words of why to

Do it = because, no matter of what, but actually Do it unconditionally then

what would happen = Was the teaching.

[]

So that when you do, just DO without thinking,

without questioning, it’s mean in Mushin, was what

Lord Buddha taught, NOT a complicated reasoning or mythical story which only exists in

abstract notion = Delusion.    “What we can DO (include the thinking) without our lexical

conscious = in another word “DO it subconsciously” is the Core of the teaching.

Lord Buddha must have taught how the Karma (cause and result) works in each moment,

such as behind our eyes how the nature is interacting, and all sorts of the physical

phenomena, almost like a science teacher, and taught this is what the Dharma is.

But strictly remained within the rationality and on the facts.

(even though it was in the 2,500 years old standard).

[]

Since we can do, we can live, without conscious (in deed as we are walking without

thinking how to walk or we are thinking without us noticing it.)

“In the truth, SELF is not a real existence but only an imaginary existence = The Self or

Atman in Vedic teachings is a false”.   Therefore the teaching couldn’t be based on the

lexical thinking which is a product of the conscious Self. —– The paradox was that the

teaching was “to become and to live Selfless”. = How to teach and learn the Selflessness

without relying on the product of the Self / Word and the notion. —– Only a way to

learn “To do without thinking” is just watch the way to DO, then Do the same.

[]

To teach or to tell in the words, “Do it without thinking” is the same as to tell

“Tell me that you are sitting in silence” 😀 —– So that,

Lord Buddha just asked the followers to follow him and do the same.

The followers studied by just watching and learned by just Doing.

By just keep Doing, the followers get used with it, and reached the mind-set to Do

and Live without conscious of the Self.   (Without conscious mean, it is not only in

Mushin but be with the Karma of its Moment, in another word Ichijo / Oneness with

the subject or ultimately with the Dharma.)

[]

So that, the teachings were not in the words, hence, it sound as if nothing was taught.

But that was what Buddhism was in the original form. —– And this was the very reason

why the tradition of “Teaching by Heart to Heart, without relying on the words”

(教外別伝，不立文字，依心伝心)  has been kept in the Zen teaching.

(= Just DO the work. Soon or later you will learn to do it automatic/Selfless.)

Yes, Lord Buddha has taught.  In a way NOT taught anything at all.

So, the quotation was correct.

___/\___

[]

 

Mushin / Peace of Mind – How To ?

In the past week or two, I’ve been heavily involved in talking to people who have trouble in mind.

(Hence, nothing new has been posted in this blog – I’m not by profession an agony-aunt.

I can’t mass-produce crap advice = one subject at a time = that’s as much as mindfulness can handle.)

(Total cop-out!)

One person beautifully described having a sort of escape-walk in the woods

and watching the flow of water in a small river.   She said, that this solitude seemed to

be only her escape = but, she knew of course that she had to go back to the mess of her life

disturbed by an agonizing regret.

Mmm ? ? ?

What a shame. The kind of the advice which so-called psychiatrists are giving nowadays would recommend

regressing to the source of the person’s trouble, hence re-experiencing the agony again and again.

[]

Unlike these so-called psychiatrists, Buddhism has been handling the matters of the mind for

thousands of years, so it is clear to Buddhist eyes that the solitude which this

woman found was, in fact nothing but the state of No-Mind = Mushin in the Zen term.

Unless this particular person was a botanist, knowledgeable as to the name of every plant, there wasn’t

much for her to think about in the woods and hence her environment out there was just an environment,

nothing more.   And the flow of the river with its faint song would have no meaning for her = outside of

any intellectual brain activity.

Let’s suppose this woodland had been visited many times by her = so that there was no new stimulation,

nothing to cause an alert of any kind.

If this had been the case this person could have had complete peace of mind in solitude without

any thinking-processes. Expecting nothing.  Projecting nothing. 

Her mind absolutely open, completely remote from any thought-disturbances.

[]

Well, as she had already found the state of No-Mind / Mushin, I advised her to follow a particular practice,

to just lightly shake her head, and at the same-time, visualize the scene of the woods with

the running water. 

And I instructed her that when she did this, her mind would become empty, distant from all useless thought.

Afterwards, when the simple practice was over, she could then start to do what ever she needed to do,

the work, the daily chores, even sitting on a toilet. 

And in daily life,  she should do this like a ritual, when ever she saw a sign of bad thoughts coming-up.

Shaking or wobbling the head once, visualizing the running water and emptying the mind does

actually work.  This is the right process to get rid of trouble-in-mind.
Following this advice, I sent her a few emails explaining how our mind works, describing the structure of the

brain etc etc = rather boring stuff = to make her fed-up of dealing with Mind-matter

and just concentrate on the work = Life.

[]

Just a week later, I received an email in which she explained that she was now free from useless thoughts,

or more precisely, she was fed-up with being bothered by such thoughts.

She felt that now she could just get on with her work; she has no time to waste on useless thoughts.

(Well done! )

This is a sample to apply state of Zen Mushin to the dairy life.  (and get rid of the useless thoughts)

Any practice by which a person can experience the Mushin, can be connected to this sample and

this was the reason why I’ve been writing about such as Lemon Zen, Walking Zen etc etc.

Like in this case, visualization and to shake the head was a trigger to go-into the state of Mushin

= conditioning of the mind.   Once this practice became a routine in the brain, actual action to

shake the head can be minimal (invisible).

In the Lord Buddha’s story, a woman called Kisa Gotami said to have achieved this, in one day.

Still, this person achieved this in one week ( plus priory walking in the woods) wasn’t too bad.

This person may not become knowledgeable to  Buddhism stories and its spiritual artifacts though,

what she needed was to get on her life without the disturbing thoughts = peace of mind.

___/\___

Note :  The photo = Magnolia Grandifloria —– from Wikimedia

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FACT and the Belief or a Delusion

In my posts about the story of Kisa Gotami,  I’ve written, 

” it showed the core of the Buddhism teachings”.

Kisa Gotami story has been accepted by all the Buddhist’s sects, simply it’s just a simple story

and showed no complicated mambo-jumbo,  which was telling most likely happening situation

and a quite likely possible Buddha’s advise and its logical out-come. 

Whether this was a historical fact or not, nobody dear to start such argument. 

Simply because there is no point to argue.  It must be the true FACT.

And why I wrote  ” It is the core of the Buddhism” is, without any glorious mumbo-jumbo,

no part of the story needed your belief or elaborated deep understanding of the Buddhism, yet

anybody can see the logic, how Kisa Gotami reached to her contemplation as a FACT.

( Of cause, I can make a fun out of this story  ” If there happen to be a house of which new comer

just settled in, hence so far having no funeral had taken place, and  Kisa Gotami was able to bring

back the seeds —— what Lord Buddha could have done ? ? ?   Forgive me

Lord Buddha,  I’m just kidding   😀 )

[]

As it is clear, there is no need to have elaborated mambo-jumbo, no complicated

belief, just as she did, get lid of a delusion  ” The dead child can be revived ” and

open the eyes to see the reality which is on front of her which is

no other than the Dharma.

If anybody still couldn’t see such simple fact is, In fact, it is a sign of having a delusion.

Such as arrogantly believing  ” My Buddhism is more elaborated and better than other’s”

If there is such things in the Buddhism, the story could have been changed to such as

” Kisa Gotami met Brahman on the way, who told her to go back to Buddha, brah  brah ” —–.

Simply it didn’t happened.  Simply because the past masters who even got the authority to

rewrite the story saw, this is the true Fact  and this is what the Buddha’s teachings.

___/\___

_—-

PS:   Of cause, you can say that,  it was just the beginning of her pathway, thus

she still needed to practice many more years to get enlightened.

( Hence she became a bhikkuni and joined the Sangya though, —– the question is,

what she could find beyond of that.

What is, what she found then ? —– What lies beyond the Dharma.

Spirituality means,  to believe and follow invisible phenomena or to believe it is exist though,

Lord Buddha himself refused to elucidate what they are.  No one can reach to the hight of what

Lord Buddha did able to see.  To imagining you can, is nothing but an arrogance and

the contempt of Lord Buddha.

Yet ironically, when the past great Masters got enlightenment,  all of them

described it as Dog Shit. —– Why ?   Simply because,

it is just the Dharma, only one but ubiquitous ( because, everything exist is The Dharma )

—– only the obstacle is, to see it as it is. —–> Need to have clear eyes and a

state of the mind / Mind of No-Mind / Mushin.

Non of the teachings of Lord Buddha having any enigma, everything is clearly comprehensible

and logical ( to reasonably intelligent person ) —– All the Eight Fold Right Pathway contain

nothing but the good common sense.  Only the obstacle is actuary Do it.

Right vision, Right thinking etc = everything is Right, in the understanding in the brain.

To know and understand it is one thing,  actuary able to do,  is the other animal.

So, What makes Lord Buddha’s teachings so unique is, he was the only one to find

the way to make people able to DO it  by means of  Repeating Practice.

Reading the stories in the Sutra or Reciting the words of Eight Fold Right Path are

just a process to familiarize with them.

But to Do the obligatory Practice everyday customize you to follow

the Duty unconditionally. (it’s mean you surrender your Ego )

And as you do it everyday, can be years long, your body learn to

Do it without conscious,  in other word automatic. 

This is nothing but the state of Mushin.

State of Mushin is in fact Dispassionate state of the mind hence it doesn’t have any

specially intended mind,  such as do something evil to someone (or fucking around)

In this state of Mushin, you can see the Dharma as it is. 

And the Mushin is ( strangely  😀 ) same to embrace the Void. 

And this Void contains the Whole. —– Dharma is whole but void.

( To reach to this Mushin, some may need to do the practice many years, but to

the others, it occurred in instant by the direct transmission )

The holy Ark, the establishment said to have, may be containing  just the empty void.

Funny you may think,  but this void, great emptiness is the Enlightenment and the

Dharma. —– But to see this Void,  you don’t need to have mysticism. 

It’s there everywhere and in fact everything IS. —– This is why, it’s a Dog Shit.

And this is the Buddhism.

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My personal view is,  if  Kisa Gotami didn’t became bhikkuni and made another

child, it was more in line with Mahayana.  (To take care of the child needs to have

unconditional endless work.  It can be a good practice to gain the Mushin. 

And on the end, Kisa Gotami could have had both, good grown up child and

the Enlightenment as well  🙂 )

—– To cringing the idea of Pathway and following the idea of Arahatship was

not Mahayana at all.

Crucially,  Lord Buddha established his teachings, away from the idea of ascetic

monks, in order to save the suffering of ordinary people on the street,

Lord Buddha would not have given the unachievable incomprehensible tasks to

those people then. 

And this is the fundamental base of the Mahayana Buddhism.

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—

Word – Word – Word or RUN

In my daily life, my radio is always on.

On the beginning of my English life, it was  BBC Radio-3  with its classic music. 

But past 10 years, it is almost always Asian Radio, hence the languages are Hindi, Urdu,

Tamil etc, and musics are Bollywood, Bangla, Punjabi etc (they rarely play classic Indian music).

It seems, it is an annoyance to a visitor, hence all of them volume down the radio.

(What so ever, it is noisy)  In fact I’m not necessary listening it. Any how I can’t understand the languages

and I don’t care the music    Still, something there would cheer up the atmosphere. 

Best of all, it will prevent the unknown unwelcome visitor to knock the door.

(I’m open minded, but not necessary having open door policy  😀 )

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Even though not listening, still I remember lots of  Asian popular music and picked up quite

a few of words.  So, time to time I asked my Asian friend about the word, what is the meaning

—– then I realized, the meaning of the word is so widely varied in each context and

among the people (even among the same Hindi etc).

Like the words  Kia-bate.  On the face its mean “What’s going on ?” can be an accusation but also

a praise with unexpected surprise. 

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So that the words in the Hart Mantra, ” Gate gate ( Bodhi-suwaka)” can be

” So, it went on as Bodhi-suwaka” or “Hurrah , go-on, go-on, Bodhi-suwaka”. (I don’t care though)

—— So, it must be a lots of headache for the academic, authority to translate an

ancient Mantra, —– as we can conveniently see the situation in the Wikipedia, and

compare the difference in the interpretation of such as the  Eight fold Pathway ( Just find

which word is correct to describe the Pathway ?  —– how time consuming ! )

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In the Buddhism story, the story of Kisa Gotami who lost her child, is the

most well-known one.

I knew this story since I was in my 20th though, why I didn’t talk about here before is, the

seeds what Lord Buddha asked Kisa Gotami to find was,  in Japan (hence in China as well) it

was written as Poppy Seeds, not the Mustard Seeds as known in the West. 

I thought, I should find which one, before I write.

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Lord Buddha asked Kisa Gotami to find the Seeds (which one ever) from the

house where no bereavement ever taken place, to revive her dead child.

She went around asking all the houses in the village, but everybody told her

“Oh no, we lost one (or many)” —– on the end, she contemplated that it was an

inevitable and common occurrence and came back to

Lord Buddha with calmly settled, relieved heart.

[]

Lord Buddha knew, she is so desperate ( = Mind was stuck, attached to her child)

= she will seek the seeds in just for its purpose ( Mindfulness), and walk and walk

asking door to door (Repeated Practice) —— soon she become to do it with almost

automatic manner next by next hence get the state of the mind of No-mind,Mushin.  

And with Mushin she could see the situation and the fate, with clear eyes and

the mind. —-Hence achieve the Contemplation.

This is a Direct Transmission.

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How many hours has she walked ? =It all happened in one day.

With Lord Buddha’s spot on advice, a desperate woman achieved contemplation

and get peace of mind.

Lord Buddha knew, an explanation in the words wouldn’t work.  

But the practice (walking, asking around) does. = This is the typical teaching

of Lord Buddha which showing its crucial core of the Buddhism.

In comparison, the people who try to read the words still arguing —– 2500 years ?

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So,  through your book away, switch off your computer, and go out.

As Lord Buddha said,  ” Don’t believe (cling on) the words you were told.  Think yourself “.

Have a nice walk.  You can see something afresh.

Yes, it is your first step to learn what the real Zen and the peace of mind is.

___/\___

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