| Not Leaning toward Life or Death
               
           Yutang Lin
               
           
           Usually people without much thinking
             Would prefer to live and to live long
             Some feels tired of living or sufferings unbearable
             Would instead prefer to die
             
           Since we were born, death is inevitable
             Dharma teaches the middle way
             Aiming at escape from cycling in life and death
                     And
          hence endless suffering and lasting pain
             And yet not leaning toward life or death
             This life should be regarded as an opportunity
                     To
          comprehend the essence of being a sentient being
               And to strive at solid Dharma practices
             So as to transcend the endless cycling of life and
          death
             And then to help all beings to escape from such
          suffering
             
           The significance and value of this life
             Do not lie in its long or short of duration
                     Nor
          in its transient prosperity or destitution
             But in whether one could attain transcendental ease
             And find peace in whatever situation one is in
             Once this is truly realized
             Only then could one help all beings with suitable
          connections
                     To
          share the benefits of Dharma practices and activities
             And thus genuinely realize sharing of peace in
          oneness of all
             
           
           Written in Chinese and translated on March 13, 2011
             
          
          
           
 
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