The Smokey the Bear Sutra and Gary Snyder

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  • Juki
    Member
    • Dec 2012
    • 771

    The Smokey the Bear Sutra and Gary Snyder

    Greetings to all:

    i keep re-reading Aitken Roshi's chapter on Buddhism and Deep Ecology in "The Mind of Clover." This is very powerful material for me, and it keeps bringing me back to the American Poet, Gary Snyder. Gary Snyder was one of the first Americans to travel to Japan to study Zen. He was never ordained, but his study and practice is deep and sincere. He was immortalized by Kerouac as "Japhy Ryder" in "On the Road," and he won the Pulitzer Prize in poetry.

    one of my favorite works by Gary Snyder is his "Smokey the Bear Sutra," which can be read in its entirety at this link:

    The Smokey the Bear Sutra, by Gary Snyder, at sacred-texts.com


    I particularly love his description of Smokey'

    "Bearing in his right paw the shovel that digs to the truth beneath appearances, cuts the roots of useless attachments, and flings damp sand onto the fires of greed and war.

    His left paw in the mudra of Comradely Display - indicating that all creatures have the full right to live to their limits and that deer, rabbits, chipmunks, snakes, dandelions and lizards all grow in the realm of the Dharma."

    Enjoy!

    Gassho,
    Juki
    "First you have to give up." Tyler Durden
  • Shinzan
    Member
    • Nov 2013
    • 338

    #2
    Thanks. One of my favorite poems.
    Shinzan

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    • Kokuu
      Treeleaf Priest
      • Nov 2012
      • 6844

      #3
      I love that poem and many others of Mr Snyder's too. His blend of deep ecology, Buddhism and First Nation cosmology is compelling.

      Dharma Bums is another great book by Kerouac on the relationship between Kerouac and Snyder.

      Thank you, Juki.

      Gassho
      Andy

      Comment

      • Juki
        Member
        • Dec 2012
        • 771

        #4
        Originally posted by Kokuu
        Dharma Bums is another great book by Kerouac on the relationship between Kerouac and Snyder.

        Thank you, Juki.

        Gassho
        Andy
        obviously, I was too enthusiastic about getting this post up, Kokuu. Japhy Ryder was not in "On the Road." He was in Dharma Bums. Thank you for the gentle reminder.

        Gassho,
        Juki
        "First you have to give up." Tyler Durden

        Comment

        • Mp

          #5
          Very nice Juki ... =)

          Gassho
          Shingen

          Comment

          • Myosha
            Member
            • Mar 2013
            • 2974

            #6
            Thank you.


            Gassho,
            Myosha
            "Recognize suffering, remove suffering." - Shakyamuni Buddha when asked, "Uhm . . .what?"

            Comment

            • Cooperix
              Member
              • Nov 2013
              • 502

              #7
              Thanks Juki for linking this Snyder piece on your post. A humorous reminder of a deadly serious subject. Snyder's writings are always delicious and spot on. I had not seen this one!

              Anne

              Comment

              • Cooperix
                Member
                • Nov 2013
                • 502

                #8
                Ps.

                I am reminded of a post in Sweeping Zen on ecological responsibility. A very powerful piece on "ordinary mind".


                bows,
                Anne

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