The Wheel of the Law This sermon in the park Sanctuary of those wild deer To Buddhists is the mark Of Buddha’s pioneer. Turning the wheel of Law For those Ascetics Five To lead them to the shore Of Nibbaana for life. Twas Aasaa.lha full moon When Brahmnin Ko.n.da~n~na Blessed with superior boon Became Sotaapanna. Being Buddha’s witness Of the Dhamma supreme Crowned with brilliant success Transcending both extremes. Thus born third of the Gem Marked as day of Sa"ngha Glorious like a diadem  In person of Ko.n.da~n~a. Based on Noble Truths Four Was the Buddha’s first sermon Proclaimed like "lion’s roar Rending the far horizon. This for Buddhists to remind Themselves of their priceless Treasure that they can find And be the Buddha’s witness. Do not be like those dear Which could not appreciate Despite that they did hear Yet could not penetrate. Meaning of the Buddha’s words Which were just like a sound However much they heard No meaning could be found. Let faith be established On Buddha’s enlightenment Before our breaths vanish And thus our life’s spent. H.H. The Supreme Patriarch of Thai Sangha Translated by Siri Buddhasukh. -oOo-      The Four Noble Truths The Buddha’s four Sacca Must be realised first hand So they’ll become Ariya To aspirants who can Take pains to cultivate Tranquility-Insight Thereby eliminate Desire with all their might. Of course this to include Aversion as its reverse Of the same coin of truth Both to be conquered first. Also its pair of twins Attachment-Repulsion Both as the nearest kin The temptor and villain. Three spiralling movements With each Truth covered thrice In their winding ascents With all four Truths realised. Knowing what each is like Then what is there to do Thereafter how to strike The right means through and through. May we Buddhists take pains Struggling for Dhamma-eye Which is excellent gains By which to verify How our Buddha’s teaching Is unexcelled, timeless Refuge of all beings Through us as His witnesses. H.H. The Supreme Patriarch of Thai Sangha Translated by Siri Buddhasukh. -oOo-     Observing Silence [1] Being born and aging,  Sickness and death: from the beginning, All have happened so! Thinking of release  from this naturality will tie you more tightly, in its trap. The one with illusion looks for the Buddha, The one with ignorance turns toward meditation. Knowing that there is nothing to seek one keeps his mouth closed, Observing silence! by Zen BhikkhuniDie^.u Nha^n (1041-1113) tr. from the Chinese by Bhikkhu Thich Nhat-Tu [1] Title of this poem is my adding. -oOo-     The Road to Cold Mountain[1] Hanshan People ask for the road to Cold Mountain, but no road reaches Cold Mountain. Summer sky-still ice won't melt. The sun comes out but gets obscured b mist. Imitating me, where does that get you? My mind isn't like yours. When your mind is like mine you can enter here. [1] Title is my adding. -oOo-     Refuge Prayer Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh At the foot of the Bodhi tree, beautifully seated, peaceful and smiling, the living source of understanding and compassion, to the Buddha I go for refuge. The path of mindful living, leading to healing, joy, and enlightenment, the way of peace, to the Dhamma I go for refuge. The loving and supportive community of practice, realizing harmony, awareness, and liberation, to the Sangha I go for refuge. I am aware that the Three Gems are within my heart. I vow to realize them. I vow to practice mindful breathing and smiling, looking deeply into things. I vow to understand living beings and their suffering, to cultivate compassion and loving kindness, and to practice joy and equanimity. I vow to offer joy to one person in the morning and to help relive the grief of one person in the afternoon. I vow to live simply and sanely, content with just a few possessions, and to keep my body healthy. I vow to let go of all worry and anxiety in order to be light and free I am aware that I owe so much to my parents, teachers, friends and all beings. I vow to be worthy of their trust, to practice wholeheartedly, so that understanding and compassion will flower, and I can help living beings be free from their suffering. May the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha support my efforts. -oOo-     Death Poem Ikkyu I borrowed this a month ago yesterday. I return it this month, today. Out of the five I borrowed I return four so I'm clear, except for Original Emptiness. -oOo-     As It Is[1] Robert Aitken Everything just as it is, as it is, as is. Flowers in bloom. Nothing to add. Nothing to reduce. The entire world. Hiroshima. When people talk about war I vow with all beings to raise my voice in the chorus and speak of original peace. [1] Title is my adding. -oOo-     For Warmth Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh I hold my face in my two hands. No, I am not crying. I hold my face in my two hands to keep the loneliness warm: two hands protecting, two hands nourishing, two hands preventing my soul from leaving me in anger! -oOo-     Happy Life[1] Ryokan Without desire everything is sufficient. With seeking myriad things are impoverished. Plain vegetables can soothe hunger. a patched robe is enough to cover this bent old body. Alone I hike with a dear. Cheerfully I sing with village children. The stream under the cliff cleanses my ears. The pine on the mountain top fits my heart. [1] Title is my adding. -oOo-     Inter-Dependence[1] Ryokan Where beauty is, then there is ugliness; where right is, also there is wrong. Knowledge and ignorance are interdependent; delusion and enlightenment condition each other. Since olden times it has been so. How could it be otherwise now? Wanting to get rid of one and grad the other is merely realizing a scene of stupidity. Even if you speak of the wonder in it all, how do you deal with each thing changing? [1] Title is my adding.

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Source: Buddhism Today