Conflicted view to Steve Jobs

Some people pointed out that my view toward Steve Jobs in two previous posts are conflicting.

Appreciate him in respect of his Zen influenced attitude but in the same time showing an

almost a hatred toward him. —– this is true in certain extent.

There is a very clear reason. From the beginning I didn’t like Apple at all as I’ve described before.

Then, I learned a life history of him and his background —– born as a child of Syrian father

and an American mother, but as their marriage was not accepted by their parents, Steve was grown up

in the adopted family, Jobs. —– those conflict embedded in his psyche lead him to seek the Zen

which gave him an ultimate confidence to be HIM and the mental strength.

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People having a stereotype towards the Buddhism that it is a teaching of peace and harmony.

Though, as I wrote long ago in a Post [ Third aspect in Zen ] there is yet another aspect =

Zen as a technique of Mind Engineering.   How to reprogram one’s mind and give a confidence.

The most famous Sword Master Musashi Miyamoto who wrote [ Book of the Five Rings ] was an accomplished

Zen Master too. —– Still, he was a killer of 30 odd people — (said to be, as I wasn’t there 🙂 ).

And lots of opponents who fought with him were also Zenist.    Being a Zen Buddhist doesn’t mean they

avoid the fight and settle peaceful draw.   One has to die.    The matter in there was only how to kill

in the most efficient way.  Live as a Samurai, death is a part of their Karma and the contemplation.

This is nothing but the Zen Buddhism.

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Zen can give completely open eyes of Mushin,  hence the reaction or decision-making is

the reflection of the Dharma, thus the result would be the most appropriate and the best.

In this aspect, Steve Jobs has accomplished the task what he needed to Do.  Which

he conceived the idea with his open-minded way ( having no dithering to the conventional

thinking or hesitation to others ).

I appreciate this, in relation to the Zen. —– though, I hate the way how Apple exploited the others.

Dharma did give him the best idea of the product design, though I quite doubt of the

well thought-out (second thought driven by the greed) business model to enslave the

consumer = too much tactical thinking and the greed subjecting others was excessive. 

Zen will make a person to perfects the task,  but to harm others

would lead to the repercussion of the Karma to him.

I give certain appreciation to the products, though I wouldn’t make myself to become

a slave or their colony.

My freedom is more precious than few hundreds pound gadget   😀

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ICHIJO / Fuji (oneness)

The truth what Buddha taught was, there is no barrier or separation between

the self and other existences.

Because the both are the part of one Dharma.

And everybody born, has the Dharma within.

————-

The teachings of the Brahmanism defines the one’s soul / Atman and

the universal supreme soul / Brahman as a separate entity. And says

the goal of the life is to make one’s Atman to reach or fuse with Brahman.

In contrast, Buddha said, there is no such separation of two from the

beginning though, one has to find this only one Dharma within, which

is invisible.

Anyone who believes the separate entity of self is having misunderstanding

caused by the delusion of ego.

—— From this simple, clear teachings, big debate started after the

Buddha’s death, whether the self is not really exist or what is the self,what are

the definition of the existences. Because, most of followers grown up with

the popular belief of the Atman, it was rather hard to change.

————

This is the reason why in the Zen books, they are filled with the explanation of

such as ” Ichijo “(oneness) or ” Fuji ” (non two) from the top to bottom.

Or such as the stories of how sward master achieved the ultimate skill by

fusing himself to the sward,

———It took more than 10 years for me to realize that the Key behind of those

stories is the matter of subconsciousness.

So that, the practice adopted by each Buddhist schools are, to carry the

teachings deep into the one’s subconsciousness.

———( Following 10 years or so, I tested all sorts of practices and

tried to find the effect to the body and the brain, as I thought if I could

open the door of subconscious, I may able to see the Holy secret of

the Anuttara Samyk-Sanbodi )

(I’ll talk about those try later)