Poetry Chaikhana Sacred Poetry from Around the World

Buddhist : Zen / Chan 17th Century	About Matsuo Basho Timeline (1644 - 1694)
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English version by Lucien Stryk and Takashi Ikemoto Original Language Japanese	Come, let's go
Commentary by Ivan M. Granger Themes   Snow           Recommended Books A Box of Zen: Haiku the Poetry of Zen, Koans the Lessons of Zen, Sayings the Wisdom of Zen, Edited by Manuela Dunn Mascetti / Edited by Timothy Hugh Barrett Classic Haiku: An Anthology of Poems by Basho and His Followers, Translated by Asataro Miyamori The Complete Basho Poems, Translated by Keith Harrison The Enlightened Heart: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry, by Stephen Mitchell Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson & Issa, Translated by Robert Hass More >>	Come, let's go snow-viewing till we're buried.     -- from Zen Poetry: Let the Spring Breeze Enter, Translated by Lucien Stryk / Translated by Takashi Ikemoto Amazon.com
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Commentary by Ivan M. Granger

Snow appears in the sacred poetry of many traditions, particularly the Buddhist poetry of East Asia. It can imply a few things, depending on the context.

When the difficulties and coldness and enforced internalization of winter are emphasized, snow can represent the struggles of spiritual practice that precede the spiritual awakening of spring.

When the silence that settles upon the world in snow is emphasized, it can represent the perfect stillness of mind that occurs in true meditation.

When the quality of covering or engulfing all things in a uniform whiteness is highlighted, snow is a metaphorical reference to the light that shines through everything, the light one perceives when the mind awakens.

This haiku by Basho can carry variations of all of these meanings, but especially the last one.

Notice the joke in these lines: By viewing the snow we become buried in it -- and that is what Basho is really inviting us to do. With a lot of snow (and a dash of wit), Basho is saying that by viewing something deeply, we become what we view. Seeing the universal radiance, we become the radiance. Hearing the silence, we become the silence. Witness the eternal, and we become consumed by it, buried by it, the egoistic separate sense of self becomes lost in the blanket of white that covers everything, making all of existence one.

Viewing the snow, we become buried in it, we become one with the snow-covered world.

Ivan M. Granger's original poetry, stories and commentaries are Copyright © 2002 - 2008 by Ivan M. Granger.
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