Wednesday, 27 December 2017

Five Poems from Zen Monks of China (Jiaoran, Layman Pang, and Wang Fanzhi)

I wanted to share these gems I was reading this morning in Clouds Thick, Whereabouts Unknown: Poems by Zen Monks of China. I'll omit comments as to not taint the work itself.

Jiaoran (730-799):

This lake,

always famed among people;

for love of distant floating clouds,

you return alone.

A lone moon in an empty sky

reveals the mind ground;

boundless waters--

mountains in a mirror.

Jiaoran again:

A rustic temple

beyond the human realm;

Leaving the boat,

we climb the distant peak.

The forest thins,

revealing the bright moon;

In countless ravines,

we calmly hear the bell.

Holding candles

brightens the jade hills;

Touching water

shakes the reflections.

How can we hope

to remain together?

Beyond the dust

we will meet again.


Layman Pang:

Kill the guardians of the body;

When all are dead, you will dwell in peace.

If you can understand this point,

Then iron boats will float upon the water.


Wang Fanzhi:

Living beings are blockheads

Dwelling forever in lightless holes.

In their hearts, only deceit and lies;

In their mouths, fake prayers to Buddha.

Wang Fanzhi (again):

I have a word to say:

Stop thinking, and forget causation.

Clever talk won't get it,

Only mind transmission.



Submitted December 27, 2017 at 10:58PM by Dillon123 http://ift.tt/2CfdeUC

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