Saturday, 21 May 2022

Foyan: On Expression and Silence (My Longest Poem Yet)

The Ultimate Way is not in words.

...Words can also be transmitted—

How have they become transmissible?

They responded to things, then they were taught.

.

Even though words respond to things,

Things themselves are not things.

No thing is like words—

Sound does not come from words.

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There is expression beyond words;

An inscrutable response, answering in every place.

The Way is neither hidden nor revealed,

Expression and silence take it up the same.

.

Raising up a response, there are those who sing;

That all things are empty and vast,

That together they pervade the billion worlds,

That the basis of all things are the dusts of conception.

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Variety and its categories are not the same—

The same words will emerge different.

The unified voice is clear and at ease,

Ordinary and holy each pursue.

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All creation is of myriad kinds.

An aroma contains omniscience.

Hence, one gate—

Its name is Amitartha.

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Mountains and rivers proclaim the expression,

The trees and plants spread that voice,

Speaking eternally, without interruption—

It is called "unfathomably deep."

.

Deep? Entirely superficial,

Unmoved by affect,

The most energy saving,

Unendorsed by ordinary people.

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True intimacy does not offer.

Subtle meaning is elaborately detailed.

Joyful words become smiles,

And angry ones become fury.

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Anger to the Vajra.

Joy to Kasyapa.

The Lotus Treasury of Vairocana;

Merging mind to mind.

.

Receiving thus—it is thus clear;

It is not seen by rote nor probe—

In no character is contained a secret word,

From then on appearing.

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Those who oft discuss appearing,

Don't use their ears to listen.

The six senses are the door in common—

And wonderful verse could divide a point of light.

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Scriptures go on and on, without limit,

Where not a single mote of dust appeared.

No speech nor eloquence,

Can hurry lightning, or turn thunder off course.

.

Show it in your hand—

How is it without teachings?

The length and breadth of the three realms,

Not one leak.

.

People these days have no faith,

Grasping words, talking about illness,

Resting on the dusts of the past,

Considering themselves certain.

.

Certain this is mind.

Certain this is dust.

That that which makes mind and dust,

Is not, originally, people.

.

All that is Holy has a bitter taste,

According itself to Ignorance and Blame—

In its adept explanations, and many, many words,

Strength is sundered.

.

The Dharma is not explained in words—

You must distinguish what is good.

Give up talking and words,

And samsara is naturally cut off.

.

Ordinary folk hear this,

And do not fault speech,

Taking that which is not in words,

To be eternal darkness.

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Or they sit up in a dark prison,

Taking up their mind continuously—

Those behind them, still talking their words,

They see as dirt.

.

It is not it, to give up everything,

Falling onto a path of cruelty—

When there is no disease at all,

Both these diseases are dispelled.

.

Responding to this, where will you go?

Don't leave where you are—

If you can't live where you are,

Expression and silence take it up together.

.

Take up not knowing;

This east is west,

Speaking is just not speaking,

Not doubting is just doubt.

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So, this name, "descendants of Buddha,"

Ordinary people are done with it.

What are ordinary people?

Ask, and receive the barbarian's plum.

.

語默。至道非言。言亦可傳。可傳何也。應物而宣。言雖應物。物自無物。無物之言。言音自沒。絕言之語。妙應還普。道非晦明。語默同取。舉復誰唱。物物虗曠。咸通大千。徧乎塵想。品類非一。同言異出。圓音落落。凡聖俱適。千品萬類。薰含種智。故此一門。稱無量義。山河宣演。草木揚音。長說無間。所謂甚深。深兮甚淺。不動情見。最省工夫。凡夫不薦。不薦最親。妙義敷陳。歡言即笑。恚怒即嗔。嗔為金剛。喜為迦葉。華藏毗盧。心心相接。接兮可見。莫看背面。無字密言。從茲出現。現復誰論。非用耳聞。六根共戶。妙偈星分。森羅經文。不出一塵。非舌非辯。雷轉電奔。展之在手。何法不有。縱橫三界。無一滲漏。時人不信。執言說病。依倚前塵。以為決定。決定是心。決定是塵。心塵所使。非自由人。諸聖苦口。隨愚過咎。巧說多詞。強為分剖。法無言說。汝須善別。捨離語言。生死自絕。凡夫聞此。無說過咎。取彼無言。冥然長久。端坐暗獄。以心相續。背却語言。猶如土木。捨有之無。落在邪途。有無俱病。二病俱祛。祛復何去。不離當處。當處不生。語默相取。取兮不知。是東是西。說即不說。不疑即疑。故稱佛子。了事凡夫。是何凡夫。問取李胡。

(CBETA.X68n1315_030.0195a16-b10)



Submitted May 22, 2022 at 12:23AM by surupamaerl2 https://ift.tt/DNOAYn5

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