Poetry Chaikhana
Sacred Poetry from Around the World


Poetry Chaikhana Home
New | Books | Music | Teahouse | About | Contact
Poets by: Name| Tradition | Timeline Poetry by: Theme | Commentary
Blog | Forum | Video Channel
www.Poetry-Chaikhana.com

Buddhist : Zen / Chan
18th Century

About Kobayashi Issa

Timeline (1763 - 1828)

Kobayashi Issa, Kobayashi Issa poetry, Buddhist, Buddhist poetry, Zen / Chan poetry, [TRADITION SUB2] poetry,  poetry

<<Previous Poem | View All Poems by Kobayashi Issa | Next Poem >>

English version by
Robert Hass

Original Language
Japanese

In the cherry blossom's shade

Commentary by
Ivan M. Granger

Themes
  Spring Blossom
 
 
 
 

 

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
The Enlightened Heart: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry, by Stephen Mitchell
The Poetry of Zen: (Shambhalla Library), Edited by Sam Hamill / Edited by J. P. Seaton
Zen Poetry: Let the Spring Breeze Enter, Translated by Lucien Stryk / Translated by Takashi Ikemoto

In the cherry blossom's shade
there's no such thing
as a stranger.

 

 

-- from The Enlightened Heart: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry, by Stephen Mitchell

Amazon.com

 

<<Previous Poem | View More Poems by Kobayashi Issa | Next Poem >>

Commentary by Ivan M. Granger

In Japanese Zen poetry, spring blossoms, particularly cherry blossoms, are often used as symbols for the simple, natural, unfolding springtime of enlightenment.

Understanding this, the rest of the poem opens up.

In the "shade" or, you might say, beneath the canopy of enlightenment, there is no longer any sense of separation. Nothing and no one is foreign to you. There is no such thing as a stranger.


Poetry Chaikhana Home
New | Books | Music | Teahouse | About | Contact
Poets by: Name| Tradition | Timeline Poetry by: Theme | Commentary
Blog | Forum | Video Channel
www.Poetry-Chaikhana.com

Please 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!

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