Poem for Enlightenment — Bearing Buddhism Sense

Poem for Enlightenment — Bearing Buddhism Sense

By Xuezhi, Hu

There is a thought in being,
there is the being of everything,
There is no thought in being,
there is the nonbeing of everything.
Both being and nonbeing are contingent upon nothing but -one thought,
Yet when there is none of any thought,
there is none of both being and nonbeing.

Heart-mind cannot be itself all alone,
only by being contingent upon the cognizing objects
that there comes up its being.
Cognizing objects cannot be itslef all alone,
only by being contingent upon heart-mind
that there comes up its being.
Only by being contingent upon cognizing objects there arises the heart-mind,
then whom should be called “heart-mind”?
Only by being contingent upon heart-mind there arises the congnizing objects,
then what should be finger-pointed as “cognizing objects”?
Only by gaining enlightenment upon the two above
can people run through all phenomena and principle free of any hindrance.

A vacuous raft as the physical body laughs itself off,
Likes and dislikes are to be let go floating with it as they are.
Even bellowing waves run so fiercely as to overturn it,
It is but a shower of pure water the raft driver comes at!

The water in running stream, as well as wind whispering -through pine-trees, they arethe tongue in narration!
Eons ago chanting the words of Truth with no time resting.
How far removed to get at the appreciation of it if by erecting up two ears!
Perhaps nothing but the withered skeleton can tune in!

Come into life, from nothing;
Say goodbye to life, heading to the nothing.
Coming up, going off, are so much clearly demarcated,
Sure enough, there is a wind box issuing an enduring wind -for such making up!
If in awareness of such truth for the deceased soul,
Where could be the least traces possible for the eyes opening, as well as eyes closing?

In a dream, located an ocean that could not be sailed across,
Remotely, the sun is setting down along with the lonely sea shore.
For retreat, long way already out of the home!
For advance, no ground is available for setting foot upon!
To hover about indecisively, not knowing what to do,
Whoever is that playing the drum (feel uncertain), dear sir?
Well before the stop of the drum notes awakening that from the dream.
Eyes opening, where have been any distress and worries?

Catching sight of water space while incapable to sail across,
because there is no raft.
Catching sight of vacuous space yet incapable to tread upon,
because there are no wings.
Yet who could ever ponder over the fact that both raft and wings
deriving from nothing but earth?
Hence, it is earth in sight that could not be in use for sail across, for tread upon!
The men in awareness of this fact, could sail across boundless ocean without raft, while fly across the infinite space without wings!

There comes a crutch flying in company with a fresh breeze;
Dusts prevail to seal over all darkness once the candle light triggers its extinction.
Originally there has been a ladder ascending Heaven, who could possibly know?
Alas! One ray of inner light in shinning all over without any limitation!

Old trees in new blossom invite appreciation in common,
Yet, where is the difference compared with the flowers in previous years?
The bright and dazzling flowers may laugh at people’s discrimination,
Flourishing and declining as they are, yet trees are in leisure free of any involvement!