In dark night live those for whom
The world without alone is real;
In night darker still, for whom
The world within alone is real.
The first leads to a life of action,
The second to a life of meditation.
But those who combine action with
Meditation cross the sea of death
Through action and enter into
Immortality through the practice of
Meditation.
So we have heard from the wise.
- Isha Upanishad
Don’t seek a Buddha, don’t seek a teaching, don’t seek a community.
Don’t seek virtue, knowledge, intellectual understanding, and so on.
When feelings of defilement and purity are ended, still don’t hold to this nonseeking and consider it right.
Don’t dwell at the point of ending, and don’t long for heavens or fear hells.
When you are unhindered by bondage or freedom, then this is called liberation of mind and body in all places.
- Pai-chang (720-814)
Ode 487
With last night’s wine still singing in my head,
I sought the tavern at the break of day,
Though half the world was still asleep in bed;
The harp and flute were up and in full swing,
And a most pleasant morning sound made they;
Already was the wine-cup on the wing.
‘Reason,’ said I, ‘’t is past the time to start,
If you would reach your daily destination,
The holy city of intoxication.’
So did I pack him off, and he depart
With a stout flask for fellow-traveller.
Left to myself, the tavern-wench I spied,
And sought to win her love by speaking fair;
Alas! she turned upon me, scornful-eyed,
And mocked my foolish hopes of winning her.
Said she, her arching eyebrows like a bow:
‘Thou mark for all the shafts of evil tongues!
Thou shalt not round my middle clasp me so,
Like my good girdle – not for all thy songs! –
So long as thou in all created things
Seest but thyself the centre and the end.
Go spread thy dainty nets for other wings –
Too high the Anca’s nest for thee, my friend.’
Then took I shelter from that stormy sea
In the good ark of wine; yet, woe is me!
Saki and comrade and minstrel all by turns,
She is of maidens the compendium
Who my poor heart in such a fashion spurns.
Self, HAFIZ, self! That thou must overcome!
Hearken the wisdom of the tavern-daughter!
Vain little baggage – well, upon my word!
Thou fairy figment made of clay and water,
As busy with thy beauty as a bird.
Well, HAFIZ, Life’s a riddle – give it up:
There is no answer to it but this cup.
~ Hafiz
translation by Richard le Gallienne
To search for enlightenment or nirvana beyond this mind is impossible.
The reality of your own self-nature, the absence of cause and effect, is what’s meant by mind.
Your mind is nirvana.
You might think you can find a buddha or enlightenment somewhere beyond the mind, but such a place doesn’t exist.
- Bodhidharma (d. 533)
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Samsara is nirvana
Welcome back
A dog barks
Amid the sound of water;
A heavy dew stains
Peach blossoms.
In these deep woods,
I see several deer;
At noon along the stream,
I hear no temple bell.
Wild bamboo
Divides grey clouds;
Waterfalls hang
From blue peaks.
No way to tell
Where you’ve gone;
Disheartened, I lean
Against a second, now a third pine.
- Li Po (701-762)
Trying to find a buddha or enlightenment is like trying to grab space.
Space has a name but no form.
It’s not something you can pick up or put down.
And you certainly can’t grab it.
Beyond this mind you’ll never see a buddha.
The buddha is a product of your mind.
Why look for a buddha beyond this mind?
- Bodhidharma (d. 533)