What is MUSHIN ?
May be I’ve talked about this ten of the times if not hundred.
—– Still, I was asked the same question.
So, this is the most up-to-dated straight answer.
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It is a well known medical symptom among the Alzheimer patients
who lost the nerval connection to the Emotional region in the Brain
lost the recognition related to the SELF such as to recognize own
possessions even to distinguish the face of the own family.
So, Emotion judge the interest of OWN — in other words, this is the
center of EGO, Greed, Well being, Safety, Security, all those Instincts.
Of course, they are the key to the survival though, the total amount
of the signal/Data the brain has to deal is burst, so that there is a
rationalized economical saving was designed = coming data was
selected according to its importance.
The harmless insignificant data or repeating same data, are ignored.
We wouldn’t pay any attention to the same boring TV CM etc. and when
we do the repeating same work, we do automatic without Emotion. = In
deed, in such a case, the Motor Region of the brain would be programed
to do such routine work automatic, involving no Emotion at all.
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So, if we block the data/signal reaching Emotional region, we can do
the job automatic, without the Emotion. (= With highest efficiency !)
Without Emotion mean without the feeling of “Mine” = SELF —
because of no feeling of Ego, Self interest (mean, no envy, jealousy to
others), Own Greed, even No Cling to own Life, be free from the SELF.
This state of Mind mean, no need to cling the past, nor need to imagine
a dream= in other words, just see the world on front of the eyes as it is
Now, without having any Thinking.—– This eyes IS clear eyes.
And this state of Mind IS the “Mind of No-Mind” = Mushin.
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In order to acquire “block the Emotional process” Buddhists use
the long repeating practice for the brain to learn “How to
Opt-out the signal process” and DO the job (or Life) automatic.
(Like, you can branding “The matter” same as to the boring TV CM
and make it no longer recognized to be exists —
we know it’s still there though, it became a remote landscape.)
In certain extent, Zen Buddhism is very cool, even cold.
But, use this to live the life very hot is the other stage of Zen.
___/\___
PS : The Related Readings :
Clear the Deck for 2013 Reverse Engineering of Zen
Emotion / Meditation —– they are good to read. = It’s amazing
how Google Algorithm worked out to see the contents !
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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.
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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.)
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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 ? ! )
___/\___
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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.)
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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.
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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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–
What is the POINT ?
Somebody who read Spiritual Sound gave me a question saying
that I’m desecrating the holy spirituality.
On the surface, it may look true. But it is the main purpose of this DIY Zen Blogging.
I’m not Desecrating Buddhism or any holy belief.
To decipher the mechanism of our mind and invisible psyche in relation to the Zen is
the task what I’m doing and all about this Yoshizen Blog. —— May be I am demystifying the religion.
( I don’t need to indulge Mythical Dream, as I’ve been surrounded by too many spooky phenomena. 😀
My task is not pretend to be a kind of medium but to find out the mechanism how it is operating. )
As I wrote in the earliest posts, the repeating Buddhist’s practice is, in fact, ware-out the mind
and make the practice routine hence make the person able to do it without thinking / in Mushin.
Mushin is a state of mind, and it is nothing to do with any mythical, glorious religious belief.
To open the mind and the perception completely away from any thought, we are able to see
and able to know the truth as it is —— is what all about the teaching of Buddha.
To complete his teachings, Buddha ordered to his disciples Not idolize him or worship himself ——its
mean, to follow the Buddhist’s teachings, even a notion of Buddha / Buddhism have to be removed.
Because, Buddha knew it is the pitfall of the teachings —— even a conscious of I’m a Buddhist or notion
of Buddha would utterly negate the effects of Mushin.
Remove the conscious to be a Buddhist or the name of the Buddha, is not desecration of the Buddhism.
Since it is the very core of the Buddha’s teachings.
Simply, this is how our mind works. And this is what the Buddha’s teachings.
——
Buddha taught to remove the own thinkings to attain Mushin, in his explanation, since the basis of
own thoughts = the self is not existing.
To fully understand what Buddha meant took 500 years. Hinayana Buddhists took this to negate
the self, especially filthy part of it, smelly guts or uncontrollable genitals shouldn’t be there.
Then Mahayana Buddhists realized, if they shouldn’t be there, why the Dharma gave us in the first place.
(Not to be obsessed with it / Middle way , is a commonsense)
The function and its mechanism of our mind / psyche (dynamics of our subconscious) was designed
or given by the Dharma, and it has been refined and refined (evolved) in past billions of years.
Exactly in the same context to see the effects of the repeating practice, I described the effects of
the incomprehensible hi-pitched tone —— it makes our mind puzzle and open the mind.
I didn’t ask anybody to listen Hi-pitched tone or Mozart Miserere. I’ve just shown what is the effect of
us to open the mind and the perception. —– then you might able to touch spiritual world.
Whether this spiritual world is sacred or holy mythical world, is in your belief / Mind —– but
as the paradox of Buddhism is here, as long as you cling its idea, you can not see it.
___/\___
—
SELFLESS (MUSHIN) in Daily Life
All about Buddhism, is the practice of Doing. Not in the Thinking.
On the time of Buddha, Buddha’s life style was the practice to follow and copy.
To copy how to handle the things, what to do, from Buddha’s own style was of cause, imperative.
In Buddha’s time there was no Mantra of cause. Therefore, other than listening his fascinating talking,
anything else was just repeating same practice = Daily Life / without questioning or talking.
——————————-
This was the reason how the tradition of pilgrimage started.
Since Buddha was no longer with them, they wanted to feel real environment or back ground of the act, where
Buddha has found the truth or taught truth, as the truth comes through act, not from the knowledge alone.
———- And those traditions are still alive, such as in a Zen Temple, everything carried out
without a word or explanation but just copying senior monk’s doing. —— Do the Same.
And all the Zen originated Japanese art practice, include Martial Art has been taught by just copying
and perfecting exactly the same movement of the Master, which was regarded to be
the way (Path way, Road = Dou) to reach Enlightenment (Satori).
——————–
And this was how Buddha’s Teaching was kept 200 years after his Nirvana, without written Mantra.
( Hence, to believe the power of Mantra itself, such as Dharani of Tantrism is not Buddhism )
Just carrying out same simple daily life without talking, lead to attain the practice
without thinking = Mushin ( and naturally without SELF), hence it would lead to attain
Life ( in general ) in Mushin ——— hence to attain Enlightenment and Nirvana.
( You see Buddhism is not complicated at all )
Complication only started to appear when professional monk try to theorize and glorifying the
Buddhism. Though, to explain invisible subconsciousness and the Dharma was almost impossible task.
And end up 3000 Mantras. As ancient Buddhists didn’t have single Mantra, yet managed to attain
Enlightenment was, just by those simple practices ——- not by word or thinking.
In deed, thinking is completely opposite of MUSHIN. MUSHIN.is Just Do It.
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