[Poetry Chaikhana] Lalla (Lal Ded) - To learn the scriptures is easy

May 23, 2009

Sent by Ivan for week end meditation.

Here's your Daily Poem from the Poetry Chaikhana --

To learn the scriptures is easy

By Lalla (Lal Ded)(14th Century)

English version by Coleman Barks

To learn the scriptures is easy,to live them, hard.The search for the Realis no simple matter.Deep in my looking,the last words vanished.Joyous and silent,the waking that met me there.

-- from Women in Praise of the Sacred: 43 Centuries of Spiritual Poetry by Women, Edited by Jane Hirshfield

Amazon.com / Photo by lepiaf.geo /

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Thought for the Day:

Find the questionstoo big for answers.Discover the answersthat consume the questions.

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Here's your Daily Music selection --

Jaffna

Mandala

Listen - Purchase

More Music Selections

Hi Alan -Ivan steps up on his soapbox for a moment...To learn the scriptures is easy,to live them, hard.Too often people slip into the bad habit of fundamentalism, confusing the ability to quote scripture and rules with actually embodying truth in their daily lives. Memorization and carefully controlled behavior doesn't do the job. It keeps things safely in the intellect and then we never have to truly confront the heart's urge to open.But Lalla reminds us:The search for the Realis no simple matter.Not only is it not simple, it's messy too.. We are confronted by aspects of ourselves that are frightening and frightened, hidden even from our own awareness. History, hopes, angers, ambitions....Each human life is far too rich and multi-layered to be truncated into the safe, neat, predefined stories we are told to live out. The

human soul is not a cartoon, without depth or detail. No, a full spirituality incorporates all that we are. To be holy is to be whole -- nothing left out. The map of the human soul is a topographical map, with mountains and valleys, and rivers of life everywhere. Until we've acknowledged that entire landscape, we only have an incomplete sense of all that we are, and all that humanity is -- that's when compassion collapses, the world appears fragmented, and the vision of Real is lost in the cracks.Deep in my looking,the last words vanished.After learning the scriptures, Lalla has swept her mental space clean. Now that's real work! Instead of just memorizing the words of scripture, she has become the blank page that effortlessly displays them.Joyous and silent,the waking that met me there.Have a beautiful weekend!Ivan

Share Your Thoughts on today's poem or my commentary...

New on the Poetry Chaikhana BlogIn addition to the daily poem, other recent blog posts include:

Top 100 Poetry Blogs - I just got word that the Poetry Chaikhana Blog is listed in the Top 100 Poetry Blogs complied by Online University Reviews. More

Story: The Story of Fire - Comments (3) A delightful Sufi story about the light of truth, the heat of human passions, while exploring questions of cultural memory, religious institutions, and how to pass on knowledge More

Video: Do Re Mi in Antwerp's Central Station - Comments (3) My friend Sandeep introduced me to this video: Central Station of Antwerp, more than 200 dancers, Do Re Mi This'll put a smile on your face! More

Donations to the Poetry ChaikhanaI want to send out a sincere thank you to each one of you who contributed some of your hard-earned money recently:- Triva (CA), Judith (NY), Sankar (NC), Ann (MA)And thank you to everyone who contributes monthly through a voluntary paid subscription. New rs:- Diane, Sarah, ZamirI am so grateful for each and every contribution. Your support makes a big difference in maintaining the Poetry Chaikhana.---A few reasons to consider making a donation of your own...

Donating feels good!

A monthly donation with PayPal is easy -- just set it up once and then the work is done for you.

The Poetry Chaikhana opens pathways for interfaith dialog and exploration.

Even a small donation helps -- when many people contribute.

The daily poem can bring fresh perspectives to your contemplation or prayer practice.

Support the Poetry Chaikhana

Donations to the Poetry Chaikhana in any amount are always welcome. Thank you!

Click here

You can also support the Poetry Chaikhana, as well as the authors and publishers of sacred poetry, by purchasing some of the recommended books through the links on this site. Thank you!

Click here

A small amount each month makes a big difference. Become a voluntary Subscriber for just $2/mo.

Click here

Help the Poetry Chaikhana reach more people. Become a Supporter for just $10/mo.

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Ivan M. Granger's original poetry, stories and commentaries are 2002 - 2008 by Ivan M. Granger.All other material is copyrighted by the respective authors, translators and/or publishers.

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May 23, 2009

Shabbat Shalom

Dear Alan

let me please share with you my joy reading this wonderful lines a n d the comments of your friend ivan.

Please thank him for his wonderful work!

in Sri Ramana Maharshi

michael

-

Alan Jacobs

Saturday, May 23, 2009 3:49 AM

Re: [Poetry Chaikhana] Lalla (Lal Ded) - To learn the scriptures is easy

Sent by Ivan for week end meditation.

Here's your Daily Poem from the Poetry Chaikhana --

To learn the scriptures is easy

By Lalla (Lal Ded)(14th Century)

English version by Coleman Barks

To learn the scriptures is easy,to live them, hard.The search for the Realis no simple matter.Deep in my looking,the last words vanished.Joyous and silent,the waking that met me there.

-- from Women in Praise of the Sacred: 43 Centuries of Spiritual Poetry by Women, Edited by Jane Hirshfield

Amazon.com / Photo by lepiaf.geo /

============

Thought for the Day:

Find the questionstoo big for answers.Discover the answersthat consume the questions.

============

Here's your Daily Music selection --

Jaffna

Mandala

Listen - Purchase

More Music Selections

Hi Alan -Ivan steps up on his soapbox for a moment...To learn the scriptures is easy,to live them, hard.Too often people slip into the bad habit of fundamentalism, confusing the ability to quote scripture and rules with actually embodying truth in their daily lives. Memorization and carefully controlled behavior doesn't do the job. It keeps things safely in the intellect and then we never have to truly confront the heart's urge to open.But Lalla reminds us:The search for the Realis no simple matter.Not only is it not simple, it's messy too.. We are confronted by aspects of ourselves that are frightening and frightened, hidden even from our own awareness. History, hopes, angers, ambitions....Each human life is far too rich and multi-layered to be truncated into the safe, neat, predefined stories we are told to live out. The human soul is not a cartoon, without depth or detail. No, a full spirituality incorporates all that we are. To be holy is to be whole -- nothing left out. The map of the human soul is a topographical map, with mountains and valleys, and rivers of life everywhere. Until we've acknowledged that entire landscape, we only have an incomplete sense of all that we are, and all that humanity is -- that's when compassion collapses, the world appears fragmented, and the vision of Real is lost in the cracks.Deep in my looking,the last words vanished.After learning the scriptures, Lalla has swept her mental space clean. Now that's real work! Instead of just memorizing the words of scripture, she has become the blank page that effortlessly displays them.Joyous and silent,the waking that met me there.Have a beautiful weekend!Ivan

Share Your Thoughts on today's poem or my commentary...

New on the Poetry Chaikhana BlogIn addition to the daily poem, other recent blog posts include:

Top 100 Poetry Blogs - I just got word that the Poetry Chaikhana Blog is listed in the Top 100 Poetry Blogs complied by Online University Reviews. More Story: The Story of Fire - Comments (3) A delightful Sufi story about the light of truth, the heat of human passions, while exploring questions of cultural memory, religious institutions, and how to pass on knowledge More Video: Do Re Mi in Antwerp's Central Station - Comments (3) My friend Sandeep introduced me to this video: Central Station of Antwerp, more than 200 dancers, Do Re Mi This'll put a smile on your face! More

Donations to the Poetry ChaikhanaI want to send out a sincere thank you to each one of you who contributed some of your hard-earned money recently:- Triva (CA), Judith (NY), Sankar (NC), Ann (MA)And thank you to everyone who contributes monthly through a voluntary paid subscription. New rs:- Diane, Sarah, ZamirI am so grateful for each and every contribution. Your support makes a big difference in maintaining the Poetry Chaikhana.---A few reasons to consider making a donation of your own...

Donating feels good! A monthly donation with PayPal is easy -- just set it up once and then the work is done for you. The Poetry Chaikhana opens pathways for interfaith dialog and exploration. Even a small donation helps -- when many people contribute. The daily poem can bring fresh perspectives to your contemplation or prayer practice.

Support the Poetry Chaikhana

Donations to the Poetry Chaikhana in any amount are always welcome. Thank you!

Click here

You can also support the Poetry Chaikhana, as well as the authors and publishers of sacred poetry, by purchasing some of the recommended books through the links on this site. Thank you!

Click here

A small amount each month makes a big difference. Become a voluntary Subscriber for just $2/mo.

Click here

Help the Poetry Chaikhana reach more people. Become a Supporter for just $10/mo.

Ivan M. Granger's original poetry, stories and commentaries are 2002 - 2008 by Ivan M. Granger.All other material is copyrighted by the respective authors, translators and/or publishers.

============

Plain Text: If you have any difficulty reading this HTML formatted email, please let me know and I can send you plain text emails instead. Cancelling: If you wish to stop receiving this Daily Poem email from the Poetry Chaikhana, simply reply to this email and change the Subject to "Cancel".

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