Eight Chan Poems

(One)

The three realms are not a burning house; the dusty world itself is the Pure Land.
If the bodhi-mind is gained, why seek a pagoda?
Only this small plot of ground can give birth to great awakening.
Do not contest high and low; at once you are beyond all suffering.

(Two)

Where in the world is there no strife? The five organs seethe and know no peace.
One utterance of the Buddha’s name cools the heart; loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity all dissolve away.

(Three)

A round moon shines upon the heart; all kinds of trouble are let go.
My faults of old are now amended; I ever repent and ask for what is due.
When karmic fruit comes, bear it openly; once old grievances are worked off, nothing is owed.
Live this life diligently and frugally; when the great limit comes, there is no attachment.

(Four)

No desire, no seeking, no trouble; daring to think, dare to do, dare to bear.
Advance and withdraw freely, the mind pure; there are things one must not do, conduct kept chaste.
I do not envy sages or immortals; three mu of thin land I till myself.
In leisure I watch sun and moon in the courtyard; flowers open and fall, another year goes by.

(Five)
Yesterday in the hills I visited monks and Taoists; today at home I feast guests and friends.
When the heart has nothing, all is well; both within and beyond the world are the same.
I have learned the art of healing to aid the people; loving-kindness and compassion remove pain.
Firewood, rice, oil, and salt are self-sufficient; I do not bend my back to serve lords.

(Six)

An idle fellow, half a lay servant, in and out of the mountain gate;
Three or five close friends, dozens of kin and acquaintances, rising and sinking in the world.

(Seven)

The green hills and clear waters are inherently at ease; the moon bright, the stars few, the mind pure.
Realize one bit and it is one bit; true words and honest speech are easy to walk.
Talk of mysteries and strangeness often breeds doubt; blame oneself, not others.
Observe one’s own mind and dispel stray thoughts; suddenly open, suchness arises.

(Eight)

All things become the Dharma; all marks are empty.
There is no you, no I, no other; a small bridge, flowing water, and the setting sun.