Poems

strokes

i decided to study early Buddhism, it’s first two-hundred years
(before the commentaries and its assimilation elsewhere)
employing what the Buddha called beginner’s mind

thing is, the Buddha never actually taught beginner’s mind
it’s a lovely Zen concept born centuries later
beautiful strokes, wrong painting

does it matter? i think so
not for a righteous claim of authenticity
but for the risk of obscuring the Buddha’s intended message

for if he never said beginner’s mind, what did he say?
particular words spoken in a specific context
that’s my goal: more Buddha, less ism

of course, its a humble path
leaning heavily on well-educated guesses
whose final arbitration requires both reflection and practice

ultimately, for me, truth is what animates
body and mind reverberating
in waves of gladness

fat lady

planned obsolescence
it hurts to admit it, but that’s us
nothing conditioned gets to last forever

some say we should rage against the dying of the light
but that seems like bad form (and futility) to me
who wants to overstay their welcome?

i say, better to smile on our way out the door
and–hold it open for those entering
let’s not be greedy, shall we?

a touch of melancholy’s fine
parting is sweet sorrow
but no grand opera

the fat lady
need not
sing

 mirror 

how does change happen?
through repeated reflection
before, during, and after
so says the Buddha

body and speech shift first
last, but most important, mind
the root of all trouble
so says the Buddha

recognizing their danger
we abandon the thoughts
that bring us suffering
so says the Buddha

seeing and reflecting
we gradually come clean
the mirror doesn’t lie
so says the Buddha 

gone

inner renunciation–letting go of favoring and opposing–feels good
if it didn’t, progress on the path would be impossible

we first experience it in dribs and drabs
but deeper states await–

even letting go
gone

end

when grieving we often turn to nature for solace
but now Earth itself needs healing
the elements volatile

our fates linked by causes and conditions
Earth has shown us the dangers
can we still respond

or is it too late?
our solace but Dhamma
good in the beginning, middle, end

trajectory

this morning i realized
that we, all of us,
are working out our own karma

this explains so much

billions of people
each on a unique trajectory
unknown to others and likely themself

it’s an invitation for dukkha

is it any wonder the Buddha told us
that Nibbana, our highest aspiration,
should be to awaken and not return?

to get the hell out of Dodge!

it’s important to note, karma also means
we can’t change or “fix” others–that’s up to them
but we can offer our compassion

with no expectation of reciprocation

as for ourself, the best we can do is abandon old thoughts
and replace them with the Buddha’s wisdom
allowing his path to become ours

good karma replacing bad, shackles falling away

arc

when mowing the lawn, if i can’t find the edge i look further ahead
when driving rutted road, i loosen my grip on the wheel
and on ice, i try my best not to oversteer

all of which is to say
there are times in life that call for bold moves
and times that are better suited to the long view, letting go, and temperance

this feels to me like one of those times
with forces at work larger than self
and all paths forward in doubt

so i sit with discomfort
hoping not to make conditions worse
and trusting the long arc to once again bend towards justice

in the mean time (in these mean times)
there can never be too much love
the light to see us through

provided

resting in the body
helps gain perspective on the mind
it’s like looking out a window, watching the clouds pass

no longer my mind, thinking my thoughts, suffering my reactions
but simply mind, thoughts, and reactions
impersonal events

of course, body, too, is just another conditioned form
no more permanent than mental processes
one more identity to discard

and we can
recognizing its elemental basis:
earth, water, fire, and wind–like all nature, absent of self

eventually only ceasing remains
the joy of letting go
a smile

so relax
focus on the basics
the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path

all we need has been provided:
the Buddha’s teachings
our aching heart