Sunday, 19 July 2020

B MIND X SHABKAR POEM

I just started listening to Jack Kornfield‘s „Abiding in Mindfulness“ and he reads one of Shabkar‘s poems that I found beautiful and insightful

Another day, I went out for some fresh air to a meadow covered with flowers.

While singing and remaining in a state of awareness, I noticed among the profusion of flowers spread out before me one particular flower waving gently on its long stem and giving out a sweet fragrance.

As it swayed from side to side, I heard this song in the rustling of its petals:

Listen to me, mountain dweller:

I don’t want to hurt your feelings,

But, in fact, you even lack awareness

Of impermanence and death,

Let alone any realization of emptiness.

For those with such awareness,

Outer phenomena all teach impermanence and death.

I, the flower, will now give you, the yogi,

A bit of helpful advice

As a flower born in a meadow,

I enjoy perfect happiness

With my brightly colored petals in full bloom.

Surrounded by an eager cloud of bees,

I dance gaily, swaying gently with the wind.

When a fine rain falls,

My petals wrap around me,

When the sun shines I open like a smile.

Right now I look well enough,

But I won’t last long,

Not at all.

Unwelcome frost will dull these vivid colors,

Till turning brown, I wither.

Later still, winds-

Violent and merciless-

Will tear me apart

Until I turn to dust.

You, hermit,

Are of the same nature.

Surrounded by a host of disciples,

You enjoy a fine complexion,

Your body of flesh and blood is full of life.

When others praise you, you dance with joy;

Right now, you look well enough.

But you won’t last long,

Not at all.

Unhealthy aging will steal away

Your healthy vigor;

Your hair will whiten

And your back will grow bent.

When touched by the merciless hands

Of illness and death

You will leave this world

For the next life,

Since you, mountain-roaming hermit,

And I, a mountain-born flower,

Are mountain friends,

I have offered you

These words of good advice.

Then the flower fell silent and remained still. In reply, I sang:

O brilliant, exquisite flower,

Your discourse on impermanence

Is wonderful indeed.

But what shall the two of us do?

Is there nothing that can be done?

The flower replied:

Among all the activities of samsara

There is not one that is lasting.

Whatever is born will die;

Whatever is joined will come apart;

Whatever is gathered will disperse;

Whatever is high will fall.

Having considered this,

I resolve not to be attached

To these lush meadows.

Even now, in the full glory of my display,

Even as my petals unfold in splendor,

You, too, while strong and fit,

Should abandon your clinging

Meditate in solitude;

Seek the pure field of freedom,

The great serenity.

-by Shabkar

Edit: the auto-formatting didn’t work in the app so I manually formatted it after posting :)

12 Comments

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level 1

upstream11

17 points·6 days ago

Beautiful, thank you for sharing my friend. 🙏🏼

level 2

Vulnez

9 points·6 days ago

I‘m glad you found it beautiful! :) it moved me to tears the first time I read it because it hits the nail on the head! Much metta to you 🙏🏻

level 1

nyoten

9 points·6 days ago

I mean no disrespect, but as I was reading this I can't help but imagine a man hallucinating in the middle of a field conversing with a talking flower. Great poem!