Thursday, December 31, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 20-16 Sea


Today's Tao

Calm as if it were the sea. (Ch.20)


Tao resembles the sea.

It is calm, but has plenty of energy inside.

Let's stop the beautiful comparison here, though.

Otherwise, you would be Chuang Tzu's frog in the well.

If you think that Tao is the energy surrounding you, you are surely the frog.

Tao is the sea without its mass.

It is the energy without its volume.

So, you cannot be stuck in there.

You are the energy.


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-Mundane people 20-12
-Dark 20-13
-Investigation 20-14
-Not clear 20-15
-Sea 20-16
-High wind I 20-17
-Purpose 20-18
-Incompetence 20-19
-I'm different 20-20
-Eat mother 20-21
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 20


Tao answers your question!



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Hokusai's print above certainly inspired Quiksilver's logo, but waves are never that big at Tokyo Bay. Well, who knows. Probably, once every one hundred years when a typhoon hits a right spot. The image on the left is much closer to its reality. So, please do not pack your travel bag to try to catch a huge Tokyo Bay monster wave.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 20-15 Not clear


Today's Tao

I alone am not clear. (Ch.20)


Why do we want to see things clearly?

Intelligence is too highly appreciated, Lao Tzu might say.

Or, do we want to be a clairvoyant to avoid another financial disaster?

When we see things clearly, we are just looking at the reflection on the mirror, but not the light itself.

Look at the sun. Can you see the light clearly?

You are Tao and Dark Depth.

Tao is not clear.

You don't have to see yourself clearly.


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-High wind I 20-17
-Purpose 20-18
-Incompetence 20-19
-I'm different 20-20
-Eat mother 20-21
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 20


Tao answers your question!



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Tao and Intelligence,..., at least interesting.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 20-14 Investigation


Today's Tao

Mundane people investigate things carefully and analyse them cleverly. (Ch.20)


Do you want to investigate things?

No.

Do you want to analyse all?

No.

You cannot dissect a frog to study its life.

The frog will lose its life, won't it?

You have to believe Life.

Don't doubt Tao, or whatever you believe.

Its name is not important at all.

Don't be clever.

Just believe yourself.

You are Tao, the essence of all the existence.


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-Purpose 20-18
-Incompetence 20-19
-I'm different 20-20
-Eat mother 20-21
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 20


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Monday, December 28, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 16-9 Satori / video



Today's Tao

Learning constancy is called enlightenment. (Ch.16)


Japan stories


Satori = Enlightenment? What is Satori, really?

The word has been confusing the Japanese mind for ages.

Most Japanese didn't give a hoot about Satori before because they were pesants and Shintoist-Buddhists (of a non-Zen school).

In principle, Zen buddhists were samurais, soldier-bureaucrats who occupied merely a fraction of Japanese population.

After the end of Tokugawa Shogun era, all the people became legally equal, and everyone wanted to behave like a samurai.

It was cool to meditate squatting in an exotic fashion and think about something abstract like Satori.

Well, what does it mean by Satori?

Linguistically, the word doesn't have a Chinese origin, which is quite rare since most of conceptual terms were imported from China in the middle age.

"Sa" means "that". "Tori" "take"

Please look at the photo above. Can you recognise four Kanji characters on the square wooden plate?

香取神宮 ka-tori-jin-gu

This is the name for one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan.

The second one from the top 取 is the Kanji for "tori / take".

So, Satori means "Take that".

Is it just a coincidence that it resembles Lao Tzu's «throw away that one and take this one.» (Chapter12 / Five Colours)?


Tao answers your question!



To read the text of Today's Tao, please see Tao Te Ching Chapter 16-9 Satori.


Keep on squatting, my friend!

Satori is life itself.

Of course, you can accept and love your life while meditating.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 20-13 Dark


Today's Tao

I alone am dark. (Ch.20)


"She is brilliant."

"He is the shining star in the dark sky."

"But what are you? You are dark."

There is nothing wrong with being dark.

On the contrary, in Taoism, being dark is something fundamental.

If you are dark, you are very close to the quintessence of existence.

For example, the expression "Dark Depth 玄 [gen]" is a synonym of Tao.

"Dark Depth Female 玄牝 [gen pi]" is the key to activate the flow of Tao.

Do you still want to be brilliant?


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-Purpose 20-18
-Incompetence 20-19
-I'm different 20-20
-Eat mother 20-21
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 20


Tao answers your question!



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Saturday, December 26, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 20-12 Mundane people


Today's Tao

Mundane people are brilliant. (Ch.20)


Other people look brilliant. Right?

But you don't have to be jealous.

Treat them as characters in your holographic movie.

They are just catalysts.

They are just asking you to send more Love, which is Tao.

You don't have to be brilliant.

You had better not shine.


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-Purpose 20-18
-Incompetence 20-19
-I'm different 20-20
-Eat mother 20-21
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 20


Tao answers your question!



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Friday, December 25, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 20-11 Fool


Today's Tao

I am the heart of a fool! Chaotic! (Ch.20)


Like water and a baby, a fool is close to Tao.

Chaos is a harmony beyond our comprehension.

We don't need Shakespearean fools to tell us the truth.

We look like fools when we tell the truth.

Especially when you talk about Tao the most honestly and precisely, we sound like fools.

That's why Lao Tzu says:

"If he doesn't laugh, it is not worth being Tao." (Ch.40)

Stop trying to be accepted.

Start saying:

"Do you laughing at me?

"Do you laughing at me?

"Thank you.

"Thank you very much".


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-Purpose 20-18
-Incompetence 20-19
-I'm different 20-20
-Eat mother 20-21
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 20


Tao answers your question!



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Who is the bigger fool, Shakespeare or Lao Tzu?
Shakespeare Tissue Box Cover

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 20-10 Buddha alone


Today's Tao

I am alone as if I had left it. (Ch.20)


"You are the one who is projecting the hologram. Right?"

"Do you sincerely agree?"

"All right. You are already out of it. You have left it."

That's all. This is Satori. Easy, isn't it?

Say good-bye to your own self.

Now you understand what baby Buddha said.

"Above heaven, below heaven, I am alone, who is the only respectable being 天上天下唯我独尊".

Of course, you are, of course, because you are the one who is projecting the world.


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-I'm different 20-20
-Eat mother 20-21
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 20


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Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 20-9 Secret of abundance


Today's Tao

Many people have more than enough. (Ch.20)


There is a key to decode Tao Te Ching easily.

Every time you see the word "people" or "world", you replace it with «your hologram».

Today's Tao sentence is paraphrased as:

"Your hologram has more than enough".

The world is abundant.

There you can have as much as you want because you are the one who is projecting it.


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-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 20


Tao answers your question!



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Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 20-8 Tired


Today's Tao

Being tired and without energy, as if I had no place to go back to. (Ch.20)


"I am tired. I have no energy. I don't want to do anything. It is horrible."

Wait a minute! Fatigue is not bad at all. If you want to do nothing, that's perfect.

Physical energy belongs to your hologram. It is not the fundamental energy Tao.

If you have excessive physical energy, it is more difficult to remember that true You are Tao.

Tao is your home.

Even if you are very tired, you don't have to go anywhere.

You are home.


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-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 20


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Monday, December 21, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 20-7 Baby's smile


Today's Tao

As if I were a new-born child who has not yet smiled. (Ch.20)


A baby is a human equivalent to water, Lao Tzu's ideal state of being.

Smile is his expression. Any expression is part of your hologram.

Tao is the state before the baby's laughter is born.

Ha, ha, ha, ha.

Let's laugh and bring ourselves to the state before the laughter was born.


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-Purpose 20-18
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-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 20


Tao answers your question!



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Japanese Plays: Classic Noh, Kyogen and Kabuki Works
A Kyogen actor's laughter teaches us a thing or two.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 20-6 Signs


Today's Tao

I alone don't move. There is no sign yet. (Ch.20)


Some people, like the Kanaks in New Caledonia, think that all the elements in the world are signs.

They are symbols to be decoded, they say.

It is interesting.

But, if you know that the world is a hologram and catalyst, you don't have to interpret the signs.

Because all of them are saying the same thing:

"Don't move. Do nothing. Just emit more fundamental energy Tao."


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-Eat mother 20-21
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 20


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Lonely Planet New Caledonia

I used this one when I was there. Good ol' Lonely Planet. I complain about the new editions, but still like them.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 20-5 Fun or depression



Today's Tao

Many people are having fun as if they were invited to a feast or as if they went up to a terrace in spring. (Ch.20)


In the following sentences, Lao Tzu explains what 玄同 [gen do] is. This is the state of being one with Tao.

But before that, he pictures the image of people having fun.

The word "people" often suggests a hologram.

The people in your hologram have many activities.

Sometimes, they have fun.

Sometimes, they get depressed.


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-I'm different 20-20
-Eat mother 20-21
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 20


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Friday, December 18, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 20-4 Blur



Today's Tao

It blurs, and has not been exhausted! (Ch.20)


"Madame, I can see your future clearly."

"Sir, with our financial portfolios, you can have a clear and definite investment plan of your family fortune."

No clairvoyants or financial advisers see your blurred future.

But Tao does.

Not just the future, Tao see your blurred past and blurred present.

Because everything takes place simultaneously without space or time.

Tao is not tangible, but has no limit. It is omnipresent and eternal.

Tao is nothing and everything.

Ask a Taoist clairvoyant what is the best financial strategy.

He will answer:

"Do nothing."


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-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 20


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Thursday, December 17, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 20-3 Let'em fear



Today'a Tao

Does one have to fear what people fear? (Ch.20)


Are you afraid of a traffic accident?

Are you afraid of your finance?

Are you afraid of your health?

Are you afraid of your future?

Are you afraid of your, ...., whatever you can name?


Lao Tzu could have been the worst enemy of insurance companies because he might say:

"You have nothing to worry about."


Let other people fear what they are afraid of.

But you know it very well.

What scare them are part of your hologram.


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-Eat mother 20-21
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 20


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Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 20-2 Good = Evil



Today's Tao

Between good and evil how great is the distance? (Ch.20)


If we don't judge, good is evil and evil is good.

Between good and evil, there is no distance. There is no difference.

When we want to judge someone, let's laugh a Kyogen actor's big laugh.

Ha, ha, ha, ha.

It is ridiculous to be serious.


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-Eat mother 20-21
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 20


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Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 20-1 "Yes" and "yeah" / video



Today's Tao

Between "yes" and "yeah" how great is the distance? (Ch.20)


Japan stories


Would you please look at the photo carefully?

Can you see the image of a pitcher on the screen?

And, excuse me if you are not from a baseball playing country.

Baseball is not exactly a sport whose joy the whole world shares.

Even the Committee of the Olympic Games decided not to play baseball any more.

The Japanese love the game.

Baseball is by far the most important sport in Japan.

But it doesn't have a long history in the country of the rising sun.

Not long, compared to Sumo.

Once the Japanese were the inhabitants of the floating world Uki-yo and adored playing Sumo.

Not any more.

Only the imaginary pitcher of this three-dimensional batting exercises machine tells how the Japanese used to look at the world.

They used to think life was something projected in our mind screen.

At that time, there was not a movie projector, so they chose a poetic expression "floating world".

As baseball was ousted from the Olympic Games, the Japanese were asked to leave the floating paradise for the material world.


To read the text of Today's Tao, please see Tao Te Ching Chapter 20-1 "yes" and "yeah".


Tao answers your question!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 19-7 Don't learn



Today's Tao

Destroy learning and have no worries. (Ch.19)


Reduce your knowledge.

It is safe even if you are ignorant.

Don't be afraid of others.

You don't have to protect yourself with knowledge.

Other people are your own creation.

Don't learn from anything, even from your mistakes.

It is useless.

Why do you have to accumulate something useless?

Give your hologram (=the world) a bit more credit. You know all you have to know.

Da, da, da, da, da.

You don't have to learn Tao.

Da, dada. Da, dada.


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-Don't learn 19-7
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 19


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Sunday, December 13, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 19-6 Reduce desire



Today's Tao

Diminish self and reduce desire. (Ch.19)


"Reduce your desire and learn contentment."

"C'mon!"

"Meditate calmly and diminish your own self"

"Bbbbb"

Even some Zen masters say so.

But there is no such thing called "self" from the beginning.

How can you reduce or diminish something that doesn't exist!

Don't worry about so-called self and desire.

If they seem to bother you, just leave them alone.

They are part of your hologram like the snow on the roof. They will melt eventually.

Self and desire are just part of a nice Christmas photo.


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-Don't learn 19-7
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 19


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Saturday, December 12, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 19-5 Essence = Uncarved block



Today's Tao

Show your essence and hold an uncarved block. (Ch.19)


Don't be pretentious.

Why do you have to impress others while you know they are part of your hologram?

Be as ignorant as an uncarved block.

Destroy your cleverness.

That's the way to show your true essence.

If you take off your clothes, your body, and your hologram, you will find Tao there.


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-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 19


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Friday, December 11, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 19-4 Taoist investment



Today's Tao

About these three things, the words don't seem to be enough. Therefore, I am forced to add something. (Ch.19)


In the last three episodes, we have been discussing; discernment and intellect; morality and rules; cleverness and profit.

Is Lao Tzu a Nostradamus of financial crises or emotional bankruptcies?

He doesn't care.

He doesn't wanna be a prophet.

He just wants to tell us that all of them are part of your hologram.

Stop looking for an objective world outside you, please.

But, if you really need Taoist investment tips, I will tell you about them secretly.

Ha, ha, ha, ha. (a Kyogen actor's laughter)


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-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 19


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Thursday, December 10, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 19-3 No profit, no thieves


Today's Tao

Destroy cleverness. Throw away profit. And there will be no thieves. (Ch.19)


"Sir, excuse me, sir. I have got a very good deal. It is the safest investment on Earth, and, you know, you can transfer your profit straight to Liechtenstein. No tax."

Don't be clever.

Don't think of profit.

Human beings have an unquenchable desire to outsmart others.

That's why we have thieves.

I used to work for Arthur Andersen.

Do you remember this name?

Once upon a time, the name belonged to one of the most prestigious accounting firms on the planet.

It is gone with Enron.


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-Don't learn 19-7
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 19


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Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 19-2 Morality of love


Today's Tao

Destroy "morality of love". Throw away its rules. And people will recover children's filial duty and parents' merciful "love". (Ch.19)


"I love you because my moral forces me to."

"I love you because you are my parent and my filial duty forces me to."

"I love you because you are my child and my mercy forces me to."

Do we really want someone in front of us to tell so?

Love all. Period.

Accept everything without thinking about moral, duty, mercy, or even the word "love".


«Related Articles»
-No discernment 19-1
-Morality of love 19-2
-No profit, no thieves 19-3
-Taoist investment 19-4
-Essence = Uncarved block 19-5
-Reduce desire 19-6
-Don't learn 19-7
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 19


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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 19-1 No discernment / video


Today's Tao

Destroy discernment. Throw away intellect. And people's benefit will be 100 times as much. (Ch.19)


The Japanese hide things well.

Can you see the small sticker on the wall in the photo?

It says «No littering».

If someone wants to ignore the sign, I wonder why he doesn't do it with conviction.

He hides the rubbish.


This sector of Chiba City was once a notorious red light district. Not any more.

Good mothers and fathers of the town "cleaned up" the neighbourhood.

Although the effectiveness of their effort was questionable, thanks to Japan's decades-long bad economy, bars and good old "oriental baths" in the area have lost their clients.

Good mothers and fathers achieved their objective.

Now, the town center is deserted.

Deserted, but hospital-clean in its appearance.


Please see Tao Te Ching Chapter 19-1 No discernment to read the text of Today's Tao.


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Monday, December 7, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 18-1 Tao out of use / video


Today's Tao

After great Tao has fallen out of use, we have "morality of love" and its rules. (Ch.18)


Rules are strict in Japan.

At the platform in a railway station, you can hear something like:

"The train will depart at 8:47AM thirty second."

And it does exactly at the time.

In the train, you may find some Japanese men standing by the conductor's booth and staring at him.

They are admirers of the excellent train control by the conductor.

These days in Tokyo, you can have your own fans if you are a train conductor.

Thanks to Nintendo's «Ressha de Go (Go by train/ a train simulator)», those fans know all the regulations and hazards at any station in Yamanote Line.

Of course, they know perfectly where hazard signals and speed limit panels are.

Lao Tzu doesn't like rules, but some surely do.


To read the text of Today's Tao / Tao out of use, please see Tao Te Ching 18-1 Tao out of use.


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Sunday, December 6, 2009

Tao Te Ching Chapter 17-1 The highest / video


Today's Tao

The highest is the one that the lower ones don't know of. (Ch.17)


Where is the best city to eat out in on the planet?

Paris?

I am afraid not.

Recently, the famous Michelin Guide book awarded more 3-starred restaurants to Tokyo than to Paris.

(although as a nation France has more 3-starred restaurants than Japan)

Its chief editor apologetically admitted that it is natural because Tokyo has four times as many restaurants as Paris.

Therefore, please study today's photo well if you have a business engagement in Tokyo or vacations in the Japanese archipelago.

These written on the dark blue cloth are the Kanji characters for Sushi.

Caution!

Normally this type of a small establishment is fairly expensive.

A sushi bar with a conveyor belt is much cheaper.

Except in Aomori City!

Aomori City, located in the north of Japan, is considered to be the best town (quality-price-wise) in the country and enjoys plenty of cheap but good sushi bars without a conveyor. Some of them are even cheaper than those with a conveyor belt.

Nevertheless, Aomori might not be the best city to eat sushi in on the planet.

Tokyo may beat Paris, but I don't know if Aomori can beat Boston (quality-price-wise).

Let me know your opinion.


To read Today's Tao / The highest, please see Tao Te Ching Chapter 17-1 the highest.


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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


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-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.