Guest guest Posted December 12, 2006 Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 The Dawn Tree stands against no-one whispers no-one's name arises in the blazing fire of an eternal sun silent as the heart of darkness under the sepia moon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 On "The Dawn Tree" ... Lovely ... evocative of starkness, and purity in its simplicity ... invites reflection on 'emptiness', silent witness ... as may be the 'merely empty self' ... thus merely labelled at the base of the mind ... Is the verse you offer following any particular cadence/rythmn ... stylistic form ? like Haiku? When I was very young ... in grade school I was introduced to the concept of form in verse in Haiku ... My effort then which I remember yet: Trickling Water Flows Bubbling Down the Mountainside Freed From Icy Bonds The impulse for liberation comes in many ways at all times in our lives ... to be honoured, and remembered, in the mind moment whenever it arises. Metta. Alex Everyone is raving about the all-new Mail beta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 , Dharma Wayfarer <dharmawayfarer wrote: > > On "The Dawn Tree" ... Lovely ... evocative of starkness, and purity in its simplicity ... invites reflection on 'emptiness', silent witness ... as may be the 'merely empty self' ... thus merely labelled at the base of the mind ... > > Is the verse you offer following any particular cadence/rythmn ... stylistic form ? like Haiku? > > When I was very young ... in grade school I was introduced to the concept of form in verse in Haiku ... > > My effort then which I remember yet: > > Trickling Water Flows > Bubbling Down the Mountainside > Freed From Icy Bonds > > The impulse for liberation comes in many ways at all times in our lives ... to be honoured, and remembered, in the mind moment whenever it arises. > > Metta. > > Alex > > > > Everyone is raving about the all-new Mail beta. > Hi Alex & Welcome Matt "The impulse for liberation comes in many ways at all times in our lives ... to be honoured, and remembered, in the mind moment whenever it arises." Lovely. Understanding is a perfect snowflake m e l t i n g Om Shanti, Anna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Sorry ... perhaps over-indulging ... but another series of 'mind-moments' was triggered on the word 'tree' in the "Dawn Tree" verse as offered by another list member. Are any of you familiar with the Sutra of Hui Neng? Basically this is the account of the passing of the 'mantle' (the bowl and the robe) on his impending retirement, from the 5th to the 6th Cha'an (Zen) Patriarch. As the story goes Hui Neng was an illiterate peasant ... who seeking 'knowlege' or possibly confirmation of that which he thought he knew, offered his services as a kitchen/hand at the temple of the 5th Patriarch. At about this time, the Patriarch/Abbott had announced he would pass on his robe and bowl (the patriarchy) to the one among his students who could write a verse that demonstrated they had realized their 'essence of mind'. Much buzz buzz followed ... and all the students abjured from offering any verse in deference to their prefect, who felt the heat and wrote anonomously on the temple wall, the following: "The Mind is Like a Bodhi Tree A Bright Mirror Standing Faithfully we Must Wipe it Clear Each Day Lest the Dust Should Cling" The next day the 5th Patriarch walked by, read it, and pronounced that the author was one who had come to the threshold and yet had not crossed it. However, all would accrue great merit if they recited the stanza ... and practiced it ... Hence ... the next day .. a young monk walked by the kitchen reciting aloud the afore-mentioned stanza, whereupon Hui Neng ... asked about it ... and thus informed asked to be brought to where (on the Temple Wall) it was written .. so he might give obeisance. Thus escorted, he, the illiterate, was emboldened and prevailed upon the literate monk to write (for he could not) alongside the stanza ... another ... of his own impromptu composition ... it read and was transcribed thus: "There Never Was a Bodhi Tree Nor Bright Mirror Standing Fundementally Not One Thing Exits So Where is the Dust to Cling?" So ... wending my/our way to the end of this tale ... (begging your indulgence ... zen stuff here ? The 5th Patriarch dropped by the kitchen late in the evening .. and coughed, or otherwise got Hui Neng's attention ... and signalled him to come to his chambers after midnite. Whereupon ... Hui Neng showed up .. and basically .... received the message from the Abbott ... ok son ... you got the bowl .. you got the robe ... now get the heck out of Dodge City .. because the rest of these deputies (wannabees) are gonna kill you ... (omg ... refrains of "I Shot the Sheriff" playinging in my mind here ... Mind is Like a Bodhi Tree ... (under which Shakyamuni sat at the time of his full realization) Ok .. that's it .. end of borrowed story ... but an offered departure from 'Tree' ... a powerfrully evocative symbol ... Tree of Life ... and many others in our shared cultural traditions ... perhaps we all should plant a tree, and watch it grow ... physically and/or metaphorically ... and be the witness of its' growth ... and ours over a lifetime. Metta. Alex Check out the all-new Mail beta - Fire up a more powerful email and get things done faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 ) The whole baobab tree of illusion With its roots And it's trunk And it's sap And it's bark And all its branches and leaves and shade All of it The whole complete tree Is contained In the tiny seed Known by the name of "Me" _()_ yosy , Dharma Wayfarer <dharmawayfarer wrote: > > Sorry ... perhaps over-indulging ... but another series of 'mind- moments' was triggered on the word 'tree' in the "Dawn Tree" verse as offered by another list member. > > Are any of you familiar with the Sutra of Hui Neng? > > Basically this is the account of the passing of the 'mantle' (the bowl and the robe) on his impending retirement, from the 5th to the 6th Cha'an (Zen) Patriarch. As the story goes Hui Neng was an illiterate peasant ... who seeking 'knowlege' or possibly confirmation of that which he thought he knew, offered his services as a kitchen/hand at the temple of the 5th Patriarch. At about this time, the Patriarch/Abbott had announced he would pass on his robe and bowl (the patriarchy) to the one among his students who could write a verse that demonstrated they had realized their 'essence of mind'. Much buzz buzz followed ... and all the students abjured from offering any verse in deference to their prefect, who felt the heat and wrote anonomously on the temple wall, the following: > > "The Mind is Like a Bodhi Tree > A Bright Mirror Standing > Faithfully we Must Wipe it Clear Each Day > Lest the Dust Should Cling" > > The next day the 5th Patriarch walked by, read it, and pronounced that the author was one who had come to the threshold and yet had not crossed it. However, all would accrue great merit if they recited the stanza ... and practiced it ... > > Hence ... the next day .. a young monk walked by the kitchen reciting aloud the afore-mentioned stanza, whereupon Hui Neng ... asked about it ... and thus informed asked to be brought to where (on the Temple Wall) it was written .. so he might give obeisance. > > Thus escorted, he, the illiterate, was emboldened and prevailed upon the literate monk to write (for he could not) alongside the stanza ... another ... of his own impromptu composition ... it read and was transcribed thus: > > "There Never Was a Bodhi Tree > Nor Bright Mirror Standing > Fundementally Not One Thing Exits > So Where is the Dust to Cling?" > > So ... wending my/our way to the end of this tale ... (begging your indulgence ... zen stuff here ? > > The 5th Patriarch dropped by the kitchen late in the evening .. and coughed, or otherwise got Hui Neng's attention ... and signalled him to come to his chambers after midnite. > > Whereupon ... Hui Neng showed up .. and basically .... received the message from the Abbott ... ok son ... you got the bowl .. you got the robe ... now get the heck out of Dodge City .. because the rest of these deputies (wannabees) are gonna kill you ... (omg ... refrains of "I Shot the Sheriff" playinging in my mind here ... > > Mind is Like a Bodhi Tree ... (under which Shakyamuni sat at the time of his full realization) > > Ok .. that's it .. end of borrowed story ... but an offered departure from 'Tree' ... a powerfrully evocative symbol ... Tree of Life ... and many others in our shared cultural traditions ... perhaps we all should plant a tree, and watch it grow ... physically and/or metaphorically ... and be the witness of its' growth ... and ours over a lifetime. > > Metta. > > Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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