Poetry Chaikhana Sacred Poetry from Around the World

Buddhist : Zen / Chan 18th Century	About Ryokan Timeline (1758 - 1831)
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English version by John Stevens Original Language Japanese	This world
Commentary by Ivan M. Granger Themes   Heart   Light   Mountain   Snow     Recommended Books Between the Floating Mist: Poems of Ryokan, Translated by Hide Oshiro / Translated by Dennis Maloney Between Two Souls: Conversations with Ryokan, by Mary Lou Kownacki Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf: Zen Poems of Ryokan, Translated by John Stevens The Enlightened Heart: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry, by Stephen Mitchell Great Fool: Zen Master Ryokan: Poems, Letters, and Other Writings, Translated by Ryuichi Abe More >>	This world A fading Mountain echo Void and Unreal Within A light snow Three Thousand Realms Within those realms Light snow falls As the snow Engulfs my hut At dusk My heart, too Is completely consumed     -- from Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf: Zen Poems of Ryokan, Translated by John Stevens Amazon.com
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Commentary by Ivan M. Granger

In states of clear perception, the mind no longer projects false notions upon reality. The world perceived by most people is seen as being ghost-like, visible but empty or unreal, "a fading mountain echo."

Ryokan sees snow falling, permeating everything, "engulfing" his hut, making all realms one and covered with whiteness. This awareness of the empty nature of things is not a negative one. Within that void, an immense sense of life is recognized as shining through everything. The "realms" are unreal, even the "hut" of the physical body is recognized as a mere appearance, but the shining and deeply quiet "snow" fills and surrounds everything.

"At dusk," when the mind is finally at rest and the last vestiges of the ego fade, the "heart, too / Is completely consumed" -- revealing the core identity as nothing less than that sanctifying shining presence everywhere.

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.