Showing posts with label Hakuin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hakuin. Show all posts

Thursday, January 17, 2019

reaching with the grasping mind





Related image


The monkey is reaching
For the moon in the water.
Until death overtakes him
He'll never give up.
If he'd let go the branch and
Disappear in the deep pool,
The whole world would shine
With dazzling pureness.
 
 
 
 
 
 ~ Hakuin
 from The Essential Teachings of Hakuin
by Norman Waddell
with thanks to Poetry Chaihana
 
 
An extremely well known and popular Zen master during his later life, Hakuin was a firm believer in bringing the wisdom of Zen to all people. Thanks to his upbringing as a commoner and his many travels around the country, he was able to relate to the rural population, and served as a sort of spiritual father to the people in the areas surrounding Shoin-ji. In fact, he turned down offers to serve in the great monasteries in Kyoto, preferring to stay at Shoin-ji. Most of his instruction to the common people focused on living a morally virtuous life. Showing a surprising broad-mindedness, his ethical teachings drew on elements from Confucianism, ancient Japanese traditions, and traditional Buddhist teachings.
 
from Wikipedia