The Human Route
The Human Route
Coming empty handed, going empty handed, that is human
When you are born, where do you come from?
When you die, Where do you go?
Life is like a floating cloud, which appears.
Death is like a floating cloud, which disappears.
The floating cloud itself originally does not exist.
Life and death, coming and going, are also like that.
But there is one thing that always remains clear.
It is pure and clear,
Not depending on life and death.
Then what is the one and clear thing?
---- Traditional Chinese Poem
Coming empty handed, going empty handed, that is human
When you are born, where do you come from?
When you die, Where do you go?
Life is like a floating cloud, which appears.
Death is like a floating cloud, which disappears.
The floating cloud itself originally does not exist.
Life and death, coming and going, are also like that.
But there is one thing that always remains clear.
It is pure and clear,
Not depending on life and death.
Then what is the one and clear thing?
---- Traditional Chinese Poem
posted by Aatma at 10/03/2005 09:18:00 AM
8 Comments:
The poem is like a pasing cloud, simple. Last 2(+1) lines leaves me puzzled. Was listening to Zoe Lewis's song called solitude when I read this poem. Made me jump up.
According to Zen, God is always replaced by It -- Replace It by God in the last 3 lines, then everything will be clear.
Actually u can replace the It with anything that makes u feel is the most important thing in life.
A friend had told me " Zen makes u a better Hindu, a better Christian, a better Muslim - in short a better human being " ;)
Very true Indeed. I've heard a lot about ZEN and have been reading your posts as well. I'd like to get a little deeper into ZEN. Any book for Dummies?
Did you translate this?
Comparison of Life and death is very nice indeed.
Book about ZEN.
Off the shelf anything is good. To name a few:
Zen - Path of paradox.
Zen - Beginners Mind.
I asked the same question to couple of Zen Masters and they looked at me strangly. They replied come for a sitting. Where we just sat. The local UU Church (Unitarian Universalist Church) has a zen master that has classes every monday evenings. Check your local area Zen centers.
Its like describing how it feels to kiss your lover. Books cannot tell you.
i like that poem. like rajin said in Padayappa kaiel yenna kondu vanthom kondu sella. Silent is the clean thing.
Good chinese poem.. and reminds me of the traditional "tamil say" similar to this "first line"
Yes Jeevan, it is similar to what Rajni sir sung in the song.
Ram i believe those first 3 lines must have been a part of most languages/religions in the world
Naryanan Sir, completely agree with chutney on this, Zen masters don't believe in reading, they believe in practising. Now you can ask how to practise without knowing what to do - thats why they have masters who show what to do.
I am trying to explore the religion, liked a lot of thing, so my quest is being quenched by various books.
THe best bet would be to go to the nearest public library, search for books on Zen and start reading it.
The books that i am currently reading are:
Zen the path of paradox
The essential Zen
Zen for beginners
Zen the search for solitude
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