Motto

by Yuan Mei

English version by J. P. Seaton
Original Language Chinese

When I meet a monk,
          I bow politely.
When I see a Buddha,
          I don't.

If I bow to a Buddha,
          the Buddha won't know.
But I honor a monk:
          he's here now, apparently,
          or, at least, he seems to be.

-- from I Don't Bow to Buddhas: Selected Poems of Yuan Mei, Translated by J. P. Seaton

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Recommended Books: Yuan Mei

The Poetry of Zen: (Shambhala Library) A Drifting Boat: Chinese Zen Poetry I Don't Bow to Buddhas: Selected Poems of Yuan Mei Yuan Mei: Eighteenth Century Chinese Poet Censored by Confucius: Ghost Stories of Yuan Mei



Motto