Friday, February 28, 2014

The society and the information 23: Wonder of brain and nerve

 brain and nerve net 

< 1. brain and nerve net >

We take the human body for an example for understanding the information system.

We have taken the United States for an example in order that we may look at the circumstances of the information.
Apprising to a brain about the canceration of internal organs is like that whistle-blowing appeals against the corruption of an organization.
In order to prevent runaway war, it was required that people are exactly informed about the information of the government and the battlefield
It is like that a person is perceived a brain's own abnormalities and the situation of the external world by the visual and auditory senses.

We look at the important points from "brain and nerve", in order to understand " society and information",

                                                                                             
人体を例に、情報システムを確認します。

これまで米国を例に、情報の有り様を見てきました。
組織の腐敗を訴える内部告発は、臓器の癌化を脳に知らせるようなものです。
戦争を暴走させない為には、政府と戦場の情報が的確に国民に伝わることが必要でした。
これは脳自身の異常と外界の状況を視聴覚で察知するようなものです。

「社会と情報」を知る上で重要なポイントを「脳と神経」から見ます。


somatosensation: pain is due to “free nerve ending” only 

< 2. somatosensation: pain is due to “free nerve ending” only >

Wonderfulness of somatosensation
The nerve net and the brain have a skillful control function.

There are a huge number of sensory nerves that feel painfulness, heat, and pressure in our skin.
These nerves have two kinds of signal transmission system.
The pain continues sending the information to a brain, as long as there is a hurt.
On the other hand, if the contact pressure is changeless when a person has been wearing a dress, the information isn't sent.


体性感覚の素晴らしさ
神経網と脳は、巧みな制御機能を持っている。

私達の皮膚には、痛さ、熱さ、圧力を感じる膨大な数の感覚神経があります。
この神経の感じ方には2種類ある。
痛みは傷がある限り脳に情報を送り続けます。
一方、服を着ている時などの接触圧は変化がなければ情報は送られません。


 Lumbago 

< 3. Lumbago >
Occasionally, if we do not feel pains such as an injury and lumbago, we may think that it is good.
However, a person that inherently hasn't the pain sense will finish a short life after having wounds all over his body.
He burns with drinking boiling water without knowing it, or becomes lumbago with lifting a heavy thing, and becomes a serious illness irrecoverably.

If even the small part of the brain gets injured, is the pain sense of the whole body paralyzed?
In fact, unlike other sense organs, recognition of the pain is performed in a wide range  with a  brain, and a paralysis of the pain sense is prevented at least from occurring  by damage to a small part of the brain.
Similarly the long sensory nerves that have pierced through a backbone have also separated into two bunches, and it diversifies away risk.

我々は、時折、けがや腰痛などの痛みを感じなければ良いと思うことがあります。
しかし先天的に痛覚が麻痺している人は、満身創痍の末に短命に終わりやすい。
その人は、知らずに熱湯を飲んで火傷、重たい物を持ち上げて腰を痛め、やがて取り返しのつかない重症になる。

もし脳の一部でも損傷を受ければ、体全体の痛覚が麻痺してしまうのだろうか。
実は他の感覚器と異なり、痛覚の認識は脳の広い範囲で行っており、一部の脳の損傷ぐらいでは痛覚の麻痺が起きないように出来ている。
同様に、脊椎を貫いている長尺の感覚神経も二つの束に別れており、危険を分散している。


a shrine ritual of fire-walking

< 4. a shrine ritual of fire-walking >

Furthermore, a surprising function

If you encounter an earthquake, suffer from heavy injury with collapsed pillar, and then it is assumed that a fire is imminent.
An acute pain runs, you can hardly run away, and you may normally lose life.
However, the pain vanishes suddenly and you can get away and may be saved.
It is because a neural transmitter substance that is secreted from a brain has prevented the signal of the pain in a connection of the sensory nerve in the backbone.
It is the same as that you virtually hit the anesthesia of the painkiller by yourself in pinpoint.
The same things will have broken out in the brain of an ascetic of fire-walking.


さらに驚くべき機能が
もしあなたが地震に遭い、倒壊した柱で腰に深傷を負い、さらに火災が迫っているとします。
普通なら激痛が走り、とても逃げ出せず、あなたは命を失うかもしれません。
しかし突如として痛みが消え、脱出し助かるかもしれない。
それは、脊椎にある感覚神経からの連結部に、脳から神経伝達物質が分泌され痛みの信号を受けないようにしたからです。
まるで自分で、痛み止めの麻酔をピンポイントで打つようなものです。
火渡りの行者の脳にも同様なことが起きています。


a control system of a pain: A red line is pain signal and a blue line is control signal

< 5. a control system of a pain: A red line is pain signal and a blue line is control signal >

Point
The information such as pains is collected thoroughly, and is chosen depending to the importance of it.
The nerve net is made so that the damage to receive in accidents decreases.
In a process of the evolution, we got the wonderful system that detects the abnormalities of a body surface.

I look at the information system of the human body next time also.


ポイント
痛みなどの情報は徹底して収集され、重要度に応じて取捨選択されている。
その神経網は、事故などで受ける損傷が少なくなるように図られている。
進化の過程で、私達は体表面の異常を検知する素晴らしいシステムを得ました。

次回も、人体の情報システムを見ます。



Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Go around the world of Buddha statues 12: the statues of Korea and Japan 4

 Bodhisattva statue “ 観音菩薩像”, 985 years, H.18m 

< 1. Bodhisattva statue “ 観音菩薩像”, 985 years, H.18m >

I approach the reason why the Buddha statues of Korea and it of Japan have been different.

Buddha statues of Goryeo Period (918~1392)
Above image is a stone statue in early Goryeo Period that was made in a momentum of the Buddhism revival.
It is the design with a high regard for shamanism at the sacrifice of truth to life.


韓国と日本の仏像が異なった理由に迫ります。

高麗時代(918~1392年)の仏像
上記の像は高麗時代初期、仏教復興の気運の中で作られた石仏で、写実性を犠牲にし、シャーマニズムを重視した造形です。


Bodhisattva statues of each country

< 2. Bodhisattva statues of each country 

A:  China or Korean Peninsula, Liao Period, the 10~11th century.
B:  China, Song Period, the 10~13th century.
The images A and B of the neighboring countries are alike, and very attractive.
C:  Korea, Goryeo Period, 1333 years.
D:  Korea, Goryeo Period, 1310 years, Japanese collection.
It seems that Buddha statue C of the same period lacks in luster although the Goryeo Buddhist painting D is elaborate and wonderful.
E:  Japan, Daigo-ji, Kamakura Period, 1192 years, by Kaikei.
Like Buddha statue E, the Japanese Buddha statue reached the peak these days.

A: 中国か朝鮮半島、遼時代、1011世紀。
B: 中国、宋時代、1013世紀。
隣国の像ABは似ており、実に魅力的です。
C: 韓国、高麗時代、1333年。
D: 韓国、高麗時代、1310年、日本所蔵。
高麗仏画Dは精緻で素晴らしいが、同時代の仏像Cは精彩に欠けるようです。
E: 日本、醍醐寺、鎌倉時代、1192年、快慶作。
仏像Eのように、この頃、日本の仏像は頂点に至った。


The Buddha statues of each country are compared.

各国の如来像を比較


Buddha statues” 如来像” of each countries 

< 3. Buddha statues” 如来像” of each countries >

A:  Korea, Buseok Temple, Goryeo Period, the 11~12th century.
B:  Korea, the right statue is bodhisattva, Sinheungsa Temple, Korea Dynasties period, 1651 years.
C:  China, Shanxi or Henan Province, Ming Period, the 16th century.
D:  Japan, Jodo-ji, Kamakura Period, 1195 years, by Kaikei.
The influence of the Tibetan Buddhism is not seen in an expression change of between Korean statue A and B.
Meanwhile, the truth to life seems to have been lost more.

A: 韓国、Buseok Temple, 高麗時代、11~12世紀。
B: 韓国、右は菩薩像、Sinheungsa Temple, 朝鮮時代、1651年。
C: 中国、山西省か河南省、明時代、16世紀。
D: 日本、浄土寺、鎌倉時代、1195年。快慶作。
韓国像AからBの表情変化に、チベット仏教の影響は見られない。
その間に、さらに写実性が失われているように思える。


Splendid Buddha statue and Bodhisattva statue of Korea 

< 4. Splendid Buddha statue and Bodhisattva statue of Korea >

A: Buddha statue, Pulguksa temple, Unified Silla Period, the 8~9th century, national treasure.
B:  Bodhisattva statue, Gyeongju, Korea Dynasties period, 1501 years, treasure.
These two statues have high artistry as representing of Buddha statues of the early period and the latter period in Korean Peninsula.
However, in the time between, it seems that the Buddha statues between Goryeo Period and Korea Dynasties Period lacked in luster.


A: 如来像、仏国寺、統一新羅時代、8~9世紀、国宝。
B: 菩薩像、慶州、朝鮮時代、1501年、宝物。
この二つの像は、朝鮮半島の初期と後期を代表する仏像で芸術性が高い。
しかし、その間の高麗から朝鮮時代の仏像は精彩を欠いているように思える。


The reason
1.      In Goryeo Period, the dynasty continued to be invaded by Liao of northern countries and Yuan, and the dynasty extremely declined. Only the dynasty continued, but the country was burnt to the ground, and the antiquities became the ash and people were not able to afford to raise the artistry of the Buddha statue.
2.      When Goryeo was dominated by Yuan, the influence of the Tibetan Buddhism appeared in the crown and the posture of the statues of Bodhisattvas and Four Heavenly Kings in Goryeo. As for this, China was the same, too. However, the facial expression of Buddha and Bodhisattva statues kept the originality of Korean Peninsula.
3. In Korea Dynasties period, the dynasty abolished many temples and oppressed Buddhism. Therefore the execution and the preservation of Buddha statue fell into desuetude.


その理由
1.高麗時代は、北方の遼、次いで元から侵略され続け、内乱も加わり王朝は衰退しきった。王朝だけは存続したが、国土は焦土と化し、文物は灰となり、仏像の芸術性を高める余裕はなかった。
2.高麗が元に支配されると、観音像や四天王像の宝冠や姿勢にチベット仏教の影響が現れた。これは中国も同じ。しかし如来と菩薩像の表情は朝鮮半島の独自性を保った。
3.朝鮮時代は崇儒廃仏で、権力者による仏像の制作も保存も廃れた。


However, there is still a problem.

しかしまだ一つ問題がある


“持国天” of Four Heavenly Kings of each countries 

< 5.  “持国天” of Four Heavenly Kings of each countries >

A:  China, Beijing, Ming Period, the 14~17th century.
B: China, Tang Period, the 9th century.
C: Korea, Beomeosa temple.
D: Japan, To-ji Temple, Heian Period, 839 years.
The fearful face of Knogorikishi statues is common to China, Korea, and Japan, but the fearful face of Four Heavenly Kings statues seems to be only Japan.
Four Heavenly Kings statues in China and Korea seem to express dignity and influence.
On the other hand, in Japan, Four Heavenly Kings statues were assumed the same role of Knogorikishi. Therefore coercing and terrorizing seems to have been emphasized.


A: 中国、北京大覚寺、明時代(1417世紀)に再建。
B: 中国、唐時代、9世紀。
C: 韓国、梵魚寺、年代不明。
D: 日本、東寺、平安時代、839年。
金剛力士像の恐い顔は、中国、韓国、日本に共通ですが、四天王像の恐い顔は日本だけのようです。
中国と韓国の四天王像は、威厳や威光を表現しているように思える。
一方、日本の四天王像は金剛力士像と同じ役割を担わされ、恐れさせ威圧することが強調されのだろう。


Bishamonten of Four Heavenly Kings: Shizuoka prefecture, Kamakura period, the 12th century 

< 6.  Bishamonten of Four Heavenly Kings: Shizuoka prefecture, Kamakura period, the 12th century >

There, I recollect above statue.
I thought it was the representation with a folly of youth of genius Unkei.
But if perchance he knew Four Heavenly Kings statue of continent, then he might have defied the trend of Japan in those days.

The above explanation is only my reasoning.
I approach the origin of the Buddha statue from the next time.


そこで、思い出すのは上の像です。
私はこれを見たとき、天才運慶の若気の至りと思ったのだが、ひょっとすると運慶は大陸の四天王像を知っており、当時の日本の風潮に逆らったのかもしれない。

上記の説明は、私の推論にすぎません。

次回から仏像の起源に迫ります。




 










Monday, February 24, 2014

Travel to South Korean 10: What did I feel in this travel?

  from a tour bus 

< 1.  from a tour bus >
I write the change and the culture that I felt in my body.

We ran through Korea with a tour bus, and were tired because long riding.
Further we were tired because getting anxious about his driving.
We became nervous continuously because the bus had passed frequently a car, interrupted between cars, and been braked suddenly.


肌で感じた変化や文化を書きます。

観光バスで韓国を縦断し、距離が長くて疲れたが、それ以上に運転にはハラハラさせられました。
バスは猛スピードで追い越し、割り込み、時折の急ブレーキで、緊張の連続でした。


The suburbs of Pusan”釜山” and Daegu”大邱” 

< 2.The suburbs of Pusan”釜山” and Daegu”大邱 >
Whenever I come to Korea, I was surprised by the forest of high-rise apartments in suburbs.
Brand-new and elegant high-rise apartments and neat gardens and fence stand out.

韓国に来る度に驚くのは、郊外での高層住宅の林立です。
真新しい瀟洒な高層建築とこざっぱりした庭や垣根が目につきます。


a resort hotel and park of Seoraksan” 雪岳山” 

< 3. a resort hotel and park of Seoraksan” 雪岳山 >
I saw people who enjoyed the hotel life in a large-scale resort.
In addition, I saw the scene that men and women of advanced age had been enjoying sightseeing in big numbers weekdays.
The dress was colorful and they was enjoyed the fashion.
When I watched TV, young actors who were familiar in Japan had been advertising the outdoor jacket frequently.

大規模リゾートでのホテルライフを楽しむ人々を目にした。
また男女高齢の団体が、平日に大挙して観光を楽しんでいる風景を目にした。
その服装はカラフルで、ファッションを愉しんでいる。
ホテルでTVを見ていると、日本で馴染みの若い俳優達が、アウトドアジャケットを頻繁に宣伝していた。

Liancourt Rocks “ 竹島“

< 4. Liancourt Rocks “ 竹島 >
On the street, I was surprised with seeing Liancourt Rocks (islands) had been pictured greatly on the side of one bus.
I asked a guide it, and a sightseeing tour of Liancourt Rocks seemed to be popular.
When I turned on TV on early morning in a hotel, a picture of a military exercise and Liancourt Rocks was flowing along with the broadcast start.
If I think deeply, since the Korean War, because Korea have continued a wartime regime, Korea will need to maintain a feeling of tension.

私は町中で側面に竹島を大きく描いたバスを1台見て驚いた。
ガイドさんに聞くと竹島の観光ツアーが人気らしい。
ホテルで、朝早くTVを点けると、放送開始と共に軍事演習と竹島の映像が流れていた。
よくよく考えると、韓国は朝鮮戦争以来、戦時体制が続いており、緊張感を保つ必要があるのだろう。


Daege

< 5. Daege >
I realize economic development of Korea whenever I come.
I am surprised at the growth of city, the extension of railroad and expressway, the development of the shopping area.

来る度に韓国の経済発展を実感する。
都市の成長、鉄道や高速道路の伸展、ショッピング街の発展に驚く。

a scenery from an expressway 

6. a scenery from an expressway >
Korean geographical feature resembles Japan well, and the sea surrounds the country, and mountains occupy most and there is four seasons also.
However, having been connected with the continent led this country to different fate from Japan.

韓国の地形は日本と良く似ており、海に囲まれ、山が大半を占め、四季もある。
しかし、大陸と繋がっていたことが、この国を日本と異なる運命に導いた。

 earnest believer

< 7. earnest believer >
Thing that I was thinking as traveling at Korea is that many antiquities and buildings became ashes because this ground had received invasion of foreign countries many times. 
Conversely I thought the wonder of the history that Japan was a good luck because Japan was an island in the east edge of a continent.

Thank you for visiting these articles.

韓国を観光して思うことは、この地が幾度も他国の侵略と内戦の災厄を受け、多くの文物や建築物が灰燼に帰したことです。
逆に言えば、東の端の島国、日本の運の良さに歴史の不思議を想った。

訪問ありがとうございました。

















Friday, February 21, 2014

History of sickness and medical art 21: India 1


Brahman God 

< 1. Brahman God >

We look at medicine of India at about the first millennium B.C.
There was a medical system called Ayurveda in India.
Before looking at it, we survey Indian culture and religion of the day.

As for the ancient record of India, the time when it was written is ambiguous, and the contents are almost the scripture and the myths.
The spread of writing began around the 5th century B.C. by rule class.
There are few ruins that tell the history of the time vividly except some king's epitaphs.


紀元前1千年紀頃のインドの医術を見ます。
インドにはアーユル・ベーダと呼ばれる医学体系がありました。
その前に、当時のインドの文化と宗教を概観します。

古代インドの記録は作成時期が不明瞭で、内容も教典や神話がほとんどです。
文字の普及が前5世紀頃から支配階層で始まった。
若干の王の碑文以外、この時期の歴史を如実に語る建築遺物は少ない。

Kausanmbi: a city remains at the 7th century B.C. 

< 2. Kausanmbi: a city remains at the 7th century B.C. >

The Aryan who came in northwest India from about 1500 years B.C. ruled the indigenous people.
Then they produced Brahmanism, and established the sacred book (Veda).
The contents of this Veda were mainly the songs praising for gods and religious service, and were inherited with the word-of-mouth between teachers and students.
The beginning of Veda was considerably old, and many myths and the Scriptures were produced over long years.  
Brahmanism managed the festival of the royal family, and was also concerned with the religious service of village after village.
The Brahman who has monopolized the festival had very big power and privilege.


前1500年頃から北西インドに進入したアーリア人は先住民を支配し、バラモン教を生み出し、経典(ベーダ)を成立させました。
このベーダの内容は神々への賛歌と祭祀が主であり、師弟間の口頭伝承によって伝えられた。
ベーダの始まりはかなり古く、長い年月をかけて数多くの神話や教典類が生まれました。
この頃のバラモン教は王家の祭儀を司り、村々の祭祀にも関わりました。
その祭司を独占したバラモンは非常に大きな力と特権を有していた。


< The civilization area at the first millennium B.C. >

From around 500 years B.C., a new breath arose in the religious world.
It is that esoteric books (Upanishad) making up for Veda was produced.
Soon the freethinkers who criticized Brahmanism began activity.
From among them, people appeared who dived into public and created a new religion.
In this way, Buddhism and Jainism were born.
The center of the civilization and the religion at the time is middle basin of Ganges.

紀元前500年前後から、宗教界に新たな息吹が生じました。
それはベーダを補う奥義書(ウパニシャッド)が制作されたことです。
やがてバラモン教を批判する自由思想家達が活躍を始めます。
その中から、民衆の中に跳び込み、新しい宗教を興す人が現れます。
こうして仏教(釈迦)とジャイナ教が誕生しました。
この時代の文明や宗教の中心地はガンジス河中流域です。

Atharvaveda

< 4. Atharvaveda >

I quote two phrases from Atharvaveda (this sacred book including many incantations was established at about 1000 years B.C.).
"A thing in thee, a thing in thy body, and it are fearful things.
A thing in hair and a thing in thy eyes.
I will beat the all things by my words.
As with Savitr God may encourage thou.”

“As wind, as thinking power, and as a bird.
A child of October!  Let you fly along with childbirth.
You give a birth and must descend from it.”

Lower phrases are the incantation for avoiding a miscarriage.

アタルバ・ベーダ(呪文が多い聖典、前1千年頃成立)から二つの句を引用します。

「汝自身の中にあるもの、汝の身体の中にあるもの、それは恐るべきものである。髪の中にあるもの、さてはまなざしの中にあるもの。そのすべてを言葉によって打ち負かそう。サヴィトリ神が汝を鼓舞するように! 」
 
「風のように思考力のように鳥が飛ぶように、おお十月の子よ、出産とともに飛べ、出産をして降下せしめよ!」

下の句は流産の難を避けるための呪文です。


a ceremony of the modern Hinduism

< 5.  a ceremony of the modern Hinduism >

The important duty of Brahman was to remove accident and illness by religious service (altarage) and incantations.

We look at the medicine of India from the next time.

バラモンの重要な役目は、祭祀(供物、供儀)と呪文によって災厄や病を取り除くことでした。

次回より、インドの医術を見て行きます。













Thursday, February 20, 2014

Winter Awaji island: a view of Strait

 viewing of Yura harbor and an small island from a observatory 

< viewing of Yura harbor and an small island from a observatory >

Clouds covered thickly and cold wind blew, but I went to the southeast end of Awaji island.
I photographed the straits, a shape of an island, the luminous sea dully, a desolate wintry forest.

In above photo, the veiled shape of an island in the distance is a backbone of Awaji island extending from here, and the right side end is Akashi Strait.

厚く雲が覆い、冷たい風が吹く島の東南端に行きました。
海峡、島影、鈍く光り輝く海、冬枯れの森を撮影しました。

写真の遠くに霞む山影は、ここから続く淡路島の背骨で、右端が明石海峡です。

 an island and Kada Cape in the distance

an island and Kada Cape in the distance >
The left of Kada Cape is Osaka, the right is Wakayama, and the sea in front of it is Kitan strait.

加太の岬の左が大阪府、右が和歌山県、前の海は紀淡海峡(友ケ島水道)です。

Yura town is on the left, an small thready island is on the center, and spreading sea is Osaka bay

< Yura town is on the left, an small thready island is on the center, and spreading sea is Osaka bay >
Yura town is blessed with wonderful marine products of Osaka Bay and some straits.
Side of the narrow waterway in where a white wake can be seen on the right side of the photo, a Fudo Myoo is standing as glaring.

由良は大阪湾と海峡からの素晴らしい魚介に恵まれている。
写真右側の狭い水路(白い航跡が見える)の横で、睨みつけるように不動明王が立っている。

Fudo Myoo

< Fudo Myoo >
This statue contains a will that local fishermen pray for safety.

この像には、地元漁師達の安全祈願の思いが込められている。

Forest of a hill looking down at strait 

< Forest of a hill looking down at strait  >
While strong wind from sea blows violently, the forest is lumping it now.

海からの強風が吹きすさぶ中、今をじっと耐えているような木立です。

red blossoms of Japanese plum

< red blossoms of Japanese plum
There was only one Japanese plum having red blossoms in the forest.

森の中に1本だけ、今を盛りと咲く紅梅がありました。

a view of south side from the observatory 

< a view of south side from the observatory >
If it is fine, Shikoku must be seen in the distance.

晴れていれば、遠くに四国が見えるはずです。

viewing of Nu-shima from a mountain path 

< viewing of Nu-shima from a mountain path >
This island is small, but people are living in it.

この沼島は、淡路島に付属する唯一の人々が暮らす島です。

Wakayama is seen on the right side far away 

< Wakayama is seen on the right side far away >

brown seaweed fishery

< brown seaweed fishery >

The shore facing the strait on the south side 

< The shore facing the strait on the south side >
In the narrow place where the precipice falls into the strait, one road runs endlessly.
Nu-shima can be seen far away.

絶壁が海に落ちる狭い所に、一本の道路が延々と走っている。
遠くに沼島が見える。