Poetry Chaikhana Sacred Poetry from Around the World

Buddhist : Zen / Chan 18th Century	About Kobayashi Issa Timeline (1763 - 1828)
<<Previous Poem | View All Poems by Kobayashi Issa | Next Poem >>
English version by Lucien Stryk and Takashi Ikemoto Original Language Japanese	Where there are humans
Commentary by Ivan M. Granger   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	Where there are humans You'll find flies, And Buddhas.     -- from 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 Amazon.com
<<Previous Poem | View More Poems by Kobayashi Issa | Next Poem >>

Commentary by Ivan M. Granger

This haiku has me chuckling.

That's what is so infuriating and wondrous about this creature we call the human being. While a deer is utterly and profoundly a deer, and a lion a lion, every human carries the whole menagerie of earth and host of heaven in tow.

I'd just add that, to the Buddhas, the flies too are Buddhas. And so are the humans... So where exactly does that leave us?

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.