Showing posts with label hara. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hara. Show all posts

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Tao Te Ching Chapter 80-7 Hunger & Food


Today's Tao

Make them appreciate the taste of their food. (Ch.80)


When one is hungry, he doesn't think about the Global Warming, not even banking crises.

His primary concern is how he can fill his stomach, we naturally think.

What is hunger?

What is the stomach, really?

Probably, you might not want to hear the answer, not to mention accept it.

Hunger and the stomach are part of the hologram you project.

Please remember the story of Jesus and the multiplied bread.


Zen Master Dogen gives us a clue to understand this biblical anecdote.

He writes:

"If it is not a painted rice-cake, it must not be a remedy to satisfy hunger."

画餅にあらざれば充飢の薬なし

(Gabyo 画餅, «Shobogenzo»)


It means that, since our stomach is part of the hologram, nothing but holographic food can fill up the holographic stomach. (☞See below for the list of the articles related to "Gabyo 画餅/ a painted rice-cake")

All the miracles have every right to take place because anything can be projected in your hologram.

Appreciate today's food because it is the miracle.


«The list of the articles related to "Gabyo / a painted rice-cake"» ⎯ Life = miracle = hologram = catalyst
-Painted rice-cake / Empty granary 53-5
-Miracle Attainment 65-7
-Don't waste holograms 67-7
-Tax and Starve 75-1
-King and Zen Master Dogen 75-2
-Plenty of life? 75-3
-Value life? 75-4


«Other Related Articles»
-Small country 80-1
-"110 vessels" 80-2
-Don't travel 80-3
-Boats and Cars 80-4
-Armor and Arms 80-5
-Tie the rope 80-6
-Hunger and Food 80-7
-Face transmission / Menju / Beauty 80-8
-Out-Tao (Heresy) Seniya / Gedo Senni / Settled 80-9
-Enjoy your customs 80-10
-Neighbors 80-11
-Moonlight and Dewdrops / Dogs and Roosters 80-12
-Life without intervention 80-13
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 80


Lao Tzu answers your question!



☞«Recommended Books 4» You might have read them when you were younger. You might have been impressed. Then, you might have forgotten them. Later, you might have tried not to mention the names of the books because you had read some criticism ridiculing them. Nevertheless, the names of some old books deserve to be mentioned. For there are always new comers to the field: Some young ones who were not even born when the books were published, or some less young ones who were not able to read the books because their English was not good enough at that time and the translations in their mother tongue were not available. Lao Tzu says that, when you talk about Tao, people have to laugh at you. Here, «Tao by Matsumoto» proudly recommends Gary Zukav's «Dancing Wu Li Masters» and Fritjof Capra's «The Tao of Physics». They are worth re-reading, too.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Tao Te Ching Chapter 73-7 I shin den shin / No call


Today's Tao

It doesn't call any, but they come somehow. (Ch.73)


You don't call them.

You don't even say anything.

But they will respond.

They will even come to you somehow.

It sounds like the ultimate form of non-verbal communication such as Hara gei, the belly art.

In the domain of art in Japan, particularly martial art, non-verbal communication is a must.

We call it 以心伝心 [i shin den shin], which means "by heart, transmit heart".

This is a Kanreisu (=a bar or a spring) to better understand Zen.

This Kanji / Chinese character 心 [shin] is often translated as heart or mind.

Like the English word "heart", it also signifies "the center".

The word 心 [shin] suggests the center of the mechanism.

By the mechanism, transmit the mechanism.

In this Tao/hologram mechanism, everything comes about by itself, 自然 [ji nen].


«Related Articles»
-Act without living 73-1
-Live without acting 73-2
-Merit 73-3
-Hatred 73-4
-Heaven's Tao wins 73-5
-Response 73-6
-I shin den shin / No call 73-7
-Plan 73-8
-Tao = Net 73-9
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 73


Tao answers your question!



☞«Tao of ****» The first line comparison (11) / "Whether we hear news reports of good economic times or bad, whether we make a lot of money or a little, many or us feel something is missing in our lives." On the left, «The Tao of Abundance: Eight Ancient Principles for Living Abundantly in the 21st Century» written by Laurence G. Boldt. / "'What is Montessori?' As educators, we are asked that question often by parents, other teachers, and people on the street." On the right, «The Tao of Montessori: Reflections on Compassionate Teaching» written by Catherine McTamaney. / The abundance of love is the basis of education. Do you agree?

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 16-17 The body decomposes


Today's Tao

The body decomposes, but Tao has no danger. (Ch.16)


Do you like black and white Japanese film classics like Rashomon, Seven Samurai, and Tokyo story?

Akira Kurosawa and Yasujiro Ozu; they are true master film makers, aren't they?

By any chance, do you know another classic film called «Ugetsu Monogatari» by Kenji Mizoguchi?

The original was written in the Samurai era. It is a collection of short stories.

In it, there is a beautiful story of love.

An old Buddhist priest adored a boy-monk. The boy-monk got sick and met his end.

The old priest could not bear the site that the body of his beloved was decomposing.

So, he ate it.

Now, his beloved is eternally safe in the stomach.

It is a story called «Aozukin (Blue hood)» in «Ugetsu Monogatari (Tales of Moonlight and Rain)» by Ueda Akinari.


Some people search an eternal life.

Would you like to live eternally?

In fact, you do.

Your hologram "decomposes", but true You are Tao.

Tao simply keeps on creating holograms.


Dogen's caution:

We must not think that our individual spirit goes somewhere after life.

There is no such thing as the sea of eternity.

(Soku shin ze butsu 即心是仏, «Shobogenzo»)


Naoto Matsumoto says:

It is easier if we think our individual self does not exist.

A so-called "self" is part of the rest of the world.


«Related Articles»
-Do emptiness 16-1
-Guard stillness 16-2
-Material beings 16-3
-Go back 16-4
-Root 16-5
-Stillness 16-6
-Destiny 16-7
-Constancy 16-8
-Satori 16-9
-Calamity 16-10
-Know constancy 16-11
-Public 16-12
-King 16-13
-King = Heaven 16-14
-Heaven = Tao 16-15
-Eternal 16-16
-The body decomposes 16-17
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 16


Tao answers your question!



Previous video / Ch.16 text / Next video


-It is a great pleasure to talk about our national heritage. The original tales are one of the best literary works in Japanese along with «The Tale of Genji». Although its story is not truly related to the original, the film might be called a cinematographic masterpiece.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 12-6 Belly


Today's Tao

That's why the sage does the belly but doesn't do the eye. (Ch.12)


You should concentrate on Hara, the belly.

Then, no colours, no sounds, no tastes can fool you.

No superficial thing can fool you.

About the art of the belly, Hara gei, check Tao by Matsumoto / Chapter 3 Hara gei the belly art.

It is interesting especially if you are a businessman in Japan.



Naoto Matsumoto adds:

Though it is useful, this is simply a physical technique like a Kyogen actor's laughter.

We must be aware of it.

Both of them have a certain result in terms of influencing your mind.

Nevertheless, we have to remember that both our body and mind are part of the hologram.

The desire to control our mind physically itself is part of it like the mountains, rivers, and lands, as Master Dogen says.



«Related Articles»
-Five colours 12-1
-Five notes 12-2
-Five tastes 12-3
-Riding and hunting 12-4
-Coins 12-5
-Belly 12-6
-Not that one, but this one 12-7
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 12
-Tao by Matsumoto / No absolute truth If you are interested in teaching English in Japan, read this funny story in Tokyo.


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Previous video / Ch.12 text / Next video


-The Unspoken Way Haragei: Silence in Japanese Business and Society by Michihiro Matsumoto (Paperback - Sep 1988) @Amazon