tag > Japan
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Mushin in Japanese and Wuxin in Chinese is a mental state. Zen and Daoist meditators attempt to reach this state, as well as artists and trained martial artists. They also practice this mental state during everyday activities. On page 84 of his 1979 book Zen in the Martial Arts, Joe Hyams claimed Bruce Lee read the following quote to him, attributed to the legendary Zen master Takuan Sōhō:[8]
The mind must always be in the state of 'flowing,' for when it stops anywhere that means the flow is interrupted and it is this interruption that is injurious to the well-being of the mind. In the case of the swordsman, it means death. When the swordsman stands against his opponent, he is not to think of the opponent, nor of himself, nor of his enemy's sword movements. He just stands there with his sword which, forgetful of all technique, is ready only to follow the dictates of the subconscious. The man has effaced himself as the wielder of the sword. When he strikes, it is not the man but the sword in the hand of the man's subconscious that strikes.
However, mushin is not just a state of mind that can be achieved during combat. Many martial artists train to achieve this state of mind during kata so that a flawless execution of moves is learned and may be repeated at any other time. Once mushin is attained through the practice or study of martial arts (although it can be accomplished through other arts or practices that refine the mind and body), the objective is to then attain this same level of complete awareness in other aspects of the practitioner's life. Dr Robert Akita claims it helps him "listen to my wife and children more closely...especially when I disagree with them, [and] in my business it has helped when I am faced with difficult decisions...."
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Double Dragon Gate - Haruna Shrine (榛名神社), in Gunma, Japan
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Tsurezuregusa (徒然草, Essays in Idleness) - collection of essays written by the Japanese monk Yoshida Kenkō between 1330 and 1332.
“It is typical of the unintelligent man to insist on assembling complete sets of everything. Imperfect sets are better.”
“If man were never to fade away like the dews of Adashino, never to vanish like the smoke over Toribeyama, but lingered on forever in this world, how things would lose their power to move us! The most precious thing in life is its uncertainty.”
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Gazu hyakki tsurezurebukuro (百器徒然袋, "Illustrated Bag of 100 Random Demons") (1805)
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Ten Bulls or Ten Ox Herding is a series of short poems and accompanying drawings used in the Zen tradition to describe the stages of a practitioner's progress toward enlightenment, and their return to society to enact wisdom and compassion.
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"All of you put too much faith in science" - From "Kitaro's Yokai Battles" by Shigeru Mizuki
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New soba noodle-making robot at Japan train station eatery can cook 150 servings an hour
A two-armed robot is helping to prepare soba noodles at an eatery at JR Kaihimmakuhari Station in this city's Mihama Ward, capably boiling the noodles in a strainer, rinsing them and then dipping them in iced water. The Sobaichi Perie Kaihimmakuhari eatery implemented a collaborative cooking system, with the robot cooking the food and employees adding the dipping sauce or soup and toppings. It is apparently the first time for the cooking robot to be introduced in an actual restaurant setting. Connected Robotics commented, "Not only can it tackle the shortage of human resources, it can also cook without any human contact and is therefore useful in reducing the risk of coronavirus infections." JR East Foods, meanwhile, explained, "We aim to implement it (the robot) at 30 stores by the end of fiscal 2025."
