One dewdrop can reflect the whole Moon

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We all gaze at the single bright Moon

Every Step I take is my Home - Dogen

The Journey itself is Home

You're Alone

                Photo credits: Dvids

               The verses above seem to be pregnant with a beautiful double meaning. It may be impossible to figure out what Han San really said in the original Chinese. However, this translation done by J.P.Seaton in his book Cold Mountain Poems give the reader much to think and, mainly, to feel.

               What does the “within” refer to in this case? Is the verse saying that everything within Earth is alone? Or is the verse saying one is alone and have all within oneself? Since it is written in poetic language, plus, being a pre-zen Buddhist poem, I would not be surprised if the verse had both meanings at the same time.

               We are all alone. Nobody can live other’s journey. However, we are all together in journeying individually. At the same time, all the individual journeys compose the only one journey that exists, the journey of the whole Universe. And, as parts of the Universe, each one of us, all beings, is the entire Universe.            

               By the way he is the full translation:

Green water in the stream in the pass,

white water rising the clear-welling spring…

Han Shan’s moon’s a flower, white as well…

So the darkest secret, the spirit by itself illumines

gaze into the emptiness, to the ends of Earth…

You’re alone, with all within…

(Poem XXXIII, pg. 49)

Into the Night, singing in Moonlight; into the Dawn, dancing with White Clouds.

The verses above come from the following poem:

Oh wise gentlemen, ignore me!

Like I ignore you fools.

I’m not stupid, I’m not wise,

from now on I’m just gone.

Into the night, singing in moonlight;

into the dawn, dancing with white clouds.

That’s the way to occupy your hands and mouth!

I can’t just sit still while my hair grows!

(Cold Mountain Poems, pg.29 – J.P.Seaton)

This is a very rich poem; many things could be said about it. However, these two verses caught my attention the most. It feels like a beautiful way of saying that it does not matter the situation, there is more than one way of finding joy in life and making it sacred.

The beautiful photo is a black & white interpretation of a photo by Gracey Stinson. She is very talented. Many of her photos you can download for free here.

TRANSCENDENCE IS IMANNENCE

With so much

               war, terror and

                              suffering in the

                              World,

               this is the worst time for

                              Love.

With so much

               war, terror and

                              suffering in the

                              World,

               this is the best time for

                              true Love.

When circumstances

make Love all but

impossible,

only then,

               Love can be magic.

This is transcendence.

It is able to show

its redemption,

its power, and, then,

generate even more Love.

Bcs, then,

it is not taken for granted.

Transcendence for

Love is always possible,

bcs it is its very

nature. Obstacles are helpers,

doors, stepping stones

that lead through a path

that goes inside oneself.

Transcendence

for Love is immanence.

It is the realization

of a strong intimacy,

presence, pleasure

of simply being.

As an armor and

weapon, a root that

makes us one with the

very heart of Existence,

peace, against all

odds.