Friday, 8 July 2022

Friday Night Poetry Slam

THEME: selected verses of Layman Pang, verse 5

I have been appreciating the verses of Layman Pang that are translated by Ruth Fuller Sasaki, Yoshita Iriya, and Dana Fraser in "A Man of Zen: The Recorded Sayings of Layman Pang", so for the next several weeks, I intend to share a verse from the Layman and respond with a verse of my own.

Share your zen poetry below. The theme is merely a suggestion.

Layman P'ang's Verse

Without no other, within no self.

Not wielding spear and shield, I accord with Buddha-wisdom.

Well-versed in the Buddha-way, I go the non-Way.

Without abandoning my ordinary man's affairs,

The conditioned and name-and-form all are flowers in the sky.

Nameless and formless, I leave birth-and-death.

Translator's note: "The conditioned" is that which is formed through causes and always produces effects; also, whatever is produced continues, changes, and is destroyed.

...

Jungle_Toad's verse

Nowhere to run to, no place to call home

No one to talk to, no way to be alone

There's nothing you can do, so what will you do now?

Atop the hundred foot pole: take a step, don't back down.

The shield is for defense, the sword is for attack

Abandon both, drop the skandhas, and never be for lack

Ordinary mind and a layman's life carry on without their names

According with the Buddha-way makes a difference just the same



Submitted July 09, 2022 at 12:38AM by jungle_toad https://ift.tt/2PKerAZ

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