A poem about Zazen

[Shawnzen]

Hello. My name is Shawn. I'm new here.

I just finished sitting for 45 minutes. I wrote a poem about Zazen. Hope you enjoy.

"In sitting,
Nothing ever happens.

If enligtenment comes,
It will surely pass away.

If insights come,
They will leave a temporary impression.

In sitting,
I cannot do anything.

I cannot escape what there is to escape from,
And I cannot grab hold of whatever freedom there is to attain.

I cannot get rid of what I want to get rid of,
And I cannot hold onto what I wish to keep.

I end up disappointed,
Time and again.

In this disappointment,
I find my rest."

[Kokuu]

I like that a lot, Shawn!

You might be interested in this short talk Jundo gave a few years back...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkcqAe86FL4

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday-

[Jundo]

Hi Shawn,

Lovely poem, wise and powerful insights right there. I will take the rare step of answering a poem with a poem

(Kokuu will tell you that I am no poet, apart from a limerick or two )

In sitting,
Nothing ever happens.

In sitting,
Everything happens.

If enligtenment comes,
It will surely pass away.

Enlightenment neither comes,
Nor need ever pass away.

If insights come,
They will leave a temporary impression.

Insights come and go,
Leaving no traces, a timeless impression.

In sitting,
I cannot do anything.

In sitting,
No "I" nor any "thing" to do.

I cannot escape what there is to escape from,
And I cannot grab hold of whatever freedom there is to attain.

No need or place to escape to or from,
Freedom from grabbing hold, unattainable freedom thus attained.

I cannot get rid of what I want to get rid of,
And I cannot hold onto what I wish to keep.

Rid of "I's" need to seek, to want, to be rid of,
While keeping and holding "I" gently, wishing for just what is.

I end up disappointed,
Time and again.

Endlessly fulfilled up and down,
Time and timeless again.

In this disappointment,
I find my rest."

In this This appointment,
All is found, All things at rest."



Gassho, J

STLah

PS - You may want to snoop around Kokuu's Poetry and Haiku groups ...

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?174-POETRY-CORNER

[Jakuden]

Lovely Shawn, thank you!

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

[Shawnzen]

Cool reply-poem, Jundo. Thanks.

Gassho, Shawn

[Inshin]

Thank you Shawn for sharing and welcome
Jundo
"Insights come and go,
Leaving no traces, a timeless impression."

Gassho
Sat

[Tomás ESP]

Thank you Shawn, wonderful

Thank you Jundo, marvelous

Gassho, Tomás
Sat&LaH

[Tai Shi]

Very good from tired poet to one young man. Poetry will not answer much or fill your cup or line your Ango with. So do what you can with a line or two.
Gassho
sat / lah
Tai Shi


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