poetry
How does a verse communicate all of its meanings to us? With midterm break just beginning, I'll be spending the week contemplating and reciting Guan Yin's name. In some sense I feel that for every session I have to reorient myself to practice, and of course, exactly what this means is different every time. Luckily, my recent classes have been providing a lot of food for thought. [...]
I’ve been wondering to myself, what does the name Earth Store mean? Earth Store (Chinese: 地藏 Dìzàng) session started on Sunday, and just like in other retreats, we will be spending a good deal of time reciting Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name. Partly because of this, and partly due to my own curiosity, I’ve been wondering [...]
Just like that, we’re off to a new academic year at DRBU! During Orientation last week, keynote speaker Dharma Master Heng Chih invited participants to ponder the following verse by the Venerable Master. 不生煩惱莫疑心 總要管己少管人 多認不是莫爭理 安然清淨智慧生 — 宣化上人 By putting afflictions and doubts to rest, By watching ourselves more and others less, By admitting [...]
Today I sat before the cliff, sat a long time till mists had cleared. A single thread, the clear stream runs cold; a thousand yards the green peaks lift their heads. We just posted a new slide show featuring the majestic mountains of Canada and a poem by Cold Mountain (寒山), which was masterfully translated [...]
A huge smile (spread across oceans of time) breaks free from solitary ho-hum meander of the day. Sing like birds soar silent, still. A wandering song echoes through the caves of your mind [...]
Until Mount Etna speaks, no one will know Which village on the mountain’s slopes Will be the next to be destroyed by lava. It’s said that every village on the mountain Must take its turn, once in a century. Material for building, though, is right at hand: And once the lava cools and turns grey-black, [...]
I had a fall and broke my kneecap a few weeks ago, But thought I’d still try joining the retreat In honor of Kuan Yin, for at least one morning. Sue drove me to the hall. I propped my injured leg up on a chair Out of the path of the assembly As they circled [...]
It isn’t common for me to write poetry, but this poem came to mind sort of suddenly during the winter Chan session here at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (CTTB). After the bell rang I rushed back to my room to write it down. A pebble wonders, Why are there ripples in the stream? [...]