Posted to the Cyberdojo today:

"Robert Agar-Hutton" robert@pro...tics.co.uk writes:

> In China or Korea - He couldn't have gone and bought (legally) the
> gun!!!

Well, yes, but if anyone thinks strong gun control laws keep guns
away from determined bad guys, read the news about the shooting murder
of the mayor of Nagasaki; firearms are strictly banned in Japan.

Gun control laws keep guns away from bad guys about as well as
drug control laws keep heroin away from junkies. If your nation doesn't
have a heroin problem, it's not because prohibition laws make it
impossible for people to get drugs, it's because your society has given
people better options than smoking or shooting up addictive synthetic
opiates. (Hurray for you!)

If your nation doesn't have a violent crime problem, it's not
because prohibition laws make it impossible for people to get weapons,
it's because your society has given people better options than killing
each other. (Hurray for you!)

A determined killer doesn't even need a gun - one guy in China a
few years ago got ten people in one bloody night with an axe and a
knife. In the U.S., we have a higher *non-gun* murder rate than the
total rate for the U.K. or Japan - we beat and stab each other to death
at a higher rate than you guys shoot, stab, and beat each other.

Back out to Kyoto today. (Seeing that it's past April 15, did I mention that I filed for an extension on my taxes? I had planned to bring all the papers over here and do them here on-line, needing the refund, but the papers took up too much luggage space. Anyway...)

To Nijo Castle, Daruma-dera, then walking around Gion a bit.

Nijo: castle's ok, worth seeing for historical interest, it's where the last shogun announced the restoration of the Emperor to the daimyo. the gardens a nice - some parts are trees and shrubs with grass and wildflowers allowed to grow. A kid with a dandelion, more interested in it than in all the carefully planted trees - thanks young sensei.

About a mile off is Daruma-dera, a temple dedicated to Daruma. Not in my guidebook, I found a little bit about it on the web and knew I had to check it out. Fortunately it's marked on the Periplus map of Kyoto I bought this morning. Tucked away in the suburbs, it's an active temple, no English brochure or signs other that the one in front. The main hall has zillions of Daruma figures.

Interesting fellow, Daruma, and interesting his adaptation as a toy/good luck charm/holy image by the Japanese. Daruma, a.k.a Bodhidharma outside of Japan, is credited as the founder of Zen Buddhism, as well as being the root of many of the healing and martial arts that trace their origin to China - including both karate and shiatsu. (See why I had to go say hi?)

He lived around 500 A.D. or so, and came to China from either India or Persia. Classically he is often depicted as being swarthy, with wild hair and often a red beard. (Many koans make reference to "the barbarian's red beard.") He also often is shown with bulging eyes, the legend being that, frustrated with falling asleep while meditating, he cut off his own eyelids; where he threw them to the ground,the first tea plant sprouted.

(Zen is replete with stories about hacking off body parts - thankfully, most of them should be taken figuratively, otherwise early Zen followers would have been dying from blood loss or subsequent infection at such a rate at to preclude the school's survival.)

Another thing to check off on the experience list - being in an earthquake. A minor one, about a 5.3, centered about 100 miles away; no damage reported anywhere, but quite distinctly felt in my apartment.

Bought another bike yesterday. Yes, another bike. I got myself lulled into a false sense of security, left my bike unlocked Wednesday afternoon; Thursday it was gone. I first hoped it had just been moved, the folks at the grocery store sometimes move the bikes parked (illegally) out front to make room for deliveries, but it didn't turn up.

Apparently theft of bikes - and umbrellas - is not uncommon.

Now I've been in an earthquake. It was centered in Mie, maybe 100 miles from here, 5.3 magnitude. No reports of damage; here it was just enough to be interesting.

I was just sitting here, reading about my favorite Zen lunatic Ikkyu on the web, when suddenly...what the hell?! Is that a strong wind making noise...and moving the building?! No, I don't think that's wind...

Threw on jeans and sandals and stood by the door for a few minutes to see if the shaking would get worse, but it died out in about twenty seconds (probably less, ground shaking does affect one's sense of time I think).

Getting some writing done on the Zen Paganism project tonight - at the Cellar, with a Guinness in front of me, and the Tardy Boys rocking the bar music thing.

There's something, I don't know, wonderfully discordant about writing about the life of the Buddha in circumstances like this.