Zen Buddhism

100 days…95th day

Song of Chugen

My parents departed long ago.

How often I grieve in sadness!

I had only two aunts left:

…

100days95Last year I went to Kyoto and sobbed.

This year I moved to the shore of a lake and river.

My grief multiplies as I move through space and seasons.

…

Monks perform an urabon ceremony* after cleaning the temple.

The chanting of sad voices resounds to the red banners.

Then a cool breeze arrives;

cleansing and darkening showers merge with the dust.

Rain over, plantain shadow under the leaning sun-

the spirit of my father appears before me.

100daysbutterfjlydoubleexposure

After the ceremony I return to the monks’ quarters,

making a silent dedication for his liberation:

“Spirit, do not stay sunk forever.

Quickly prepare a boat and cross to the other shore.”

~Ryokan**

*Since the early days of Buddhism,

the Urabon Ceremony is a time set aside

for people to pray for the

peace and happiness of the deceased.

**cited:

Sky Above, Great Wind

Trans: K Tanahashi

five of seven…wired

On a quiet evening in my thatch-roofed hut,

alone I play a lute with no strings.

It’s melody enters wind and cloud,

mingles deeply with a flowing stream,

fills out the dark valley,

blows through the vast forest, then disappears.

Other than those who hear emptiness,

who will capture this rare sound?

                              ~Ryokan*

elsewhere

*cited:

Sky Above, Great Wind

K Tanahashi

peaceful spring

Day by day, day by day, and day by day,

quietly in the company of children I live.

In my sleeves, tiny embroidered balls, two or three.

Useless, intoxicated, in this peaceful spring.

                                                                      ~Ryokan*

budding

*cited:

Sky Above, Great Wind

K Tanahashi