Shoshin-Zazen

From Album for the Young, Op.68

Source: one of the loose leaves added to the auto graph booklet made for Marie Schmann’s birthday.

Schumann was fond of musical cryptograms, as can be seen, for example from the ‘Sphinxes’ in his Carnaval, Op.9. The answer to this little puzzle is given by the German names of notes in the upper line, as shown within square brackets above the staves:

Lass das Fade, fass das Echte (Aechde = old spelling of Echte), i.e Leave the cheap, grasp the true.

Wise words indeed.

This is the best picture of an Aurora - ever.  But being there and seeing it for real with your eyes will never be the same as desktop viewing.

Enough empty talk. My camera (and me) are ready for deployment to Finland, Sweden and the beautifully exotic Iceland.

Probable countdown: 9 months.

From http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap071009.html

Aurora, Stars, Meteor, Lake, Alaska
Credit & Copyright: Bud Kuenzli

ICELAND AWAITS.

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child — our own two eyes. All is a miracle. - Thich Nhat Hanh

These Thai children playing in the rain seemed to be a very normal thing.

In Singapore we take out our umbrella when it rains, hope for the sun to come out and children stay indoors. Here, these children welcome it with a cathartic release of childish energy, acting a rain dance accompanied by the quirks of Mother Nature. Some call these children wayward, poor, and disadvantaged. Indeed, we call them many names and judge them by their clothes and lifestyle.

Yet does it matter? When was the last time when we were (or seem) to be as happy as them? The fence between rural and modernity (note the satellite dish in the pictures) seems to blur when we consider this question: What does it take, to make us smile, laugh and be happy? Does it take a car? A million dollars? An acceptance by a friend?

Indeed, these children need only the rain.

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Photo Credits: Ton

Being peppered by differential equations and statistics can be quite a handful. Why not escape to 4000m highland for a while? After all, we all try to find some kind of escapism in our mundane daily activities somehow.

As I looked at this photo, not mine but taken on Mount Kinabalu, I was thinking how nice it was to be back there enjoying the scenery and be on cloud nine. Was I on cloud nine? I don’t think so; I was putting more effort into making my way down than taking in the sunrise. But I was cold and tired, I retorted. Just excuses.

In truth, after spending so much effort to getting to the top, I felt that I didn’t fully take the opportunity to enjoy the moment. Does this mirror our everyday life? Perhaps this is the result of not being mindful of the situation and environment. Maybe getting to our destination is not that important. After all, when we reach the top, we only see what that is below; if not careful we could be blinded by our achievements.

I deduce that this is a problem which I have yet have an answer.

Sorry folks, I can’t help it but I really hope you like the Milky Way.

Even if you don’t, you have to admit its kinda huge.

Even if you don’t, you have to admit that its the only galaxy our solar system home to.

Nevertheless, you ought to be spaghettified if you don’t.

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Photo from the wonderful APOD.

Credit & Copyright: John P. Gleason, Celestial Images 

There is this Zen Koan that I heard long ago, yet it was only not too long ago that I truly understood its meaning. Something for everyone to think about.

From here:

Emperor Wu was a devoted Buddhist who had spent a lot of money building temples and duplicating Buddhist scriptures, and he treated Buddhist monks with great reverence. Many government officials followed suit, but they were only playing up to the emperor in the hope of being promoted.

Bodhidharma (DA MO), a great Zen master, sailed to China in 521. When he disembarked at the port city of Canton, he was received with great ceremony by a local official, Shao Ang, who immediately reported Bodhidharma’s arrival to Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty. The emperor ordered the official to accompany the monk to the capital, Chienkang (now Nanking).

When the Emperor Wu met Bodhidharma, there transpired a now-famous conversation between the two. The emperor spoke to the monk very politely. “I have built many temples and translated the sutras into Chinese. I have also laid down the rules for people who want to join the ranks of monks or nuns. Furthermore, I have ruled my kingdom in accordance with the Buddha’s teachings. Do I gain any merit from all this? Will I eventually become a buddha?”

Bodhidharma looked at him calmly and replied, “Your Majesty, you have no merit at all.”

The emperor, displeased, asked him, “Why is that?”

Bodhidharma replied, “What Your Majesty has been doing belongs to the merit of Hinayana Buddhism, and you will never be truly freed from endless reincarnation.”

Emperor Wu asked again, “Then what is real merit?”

Bodhidharma answered, “True merit comes from unselfish giving, spiritual cultivation, and dedication to the Buddha and to all living creatures. If Your Majesty can do all this, you will gain true merit.”

The emperor was not happy with this reply or with the monk, and he started to doubt his true identity. In order to find out whether he was really who he claimed to be, Emperor Wu asked Bodhidharma, “What is the first sacred law of Buddhism?”

Bodhidharma replied, “There is no such law in Buddhism.”

Emperor Wu asked very angrily, “Who are you?”

Bodhidharma replied, “I don’t know.”

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Indeed, this is a story hundreds of years old, of three questions and three short answers, but it expounds great meaning and significance today.