Mind as Great Sun

 

Yutang Lin

 

 

How others will treat one
       Could not be controlled by one
How one will treat others
       Can be done at one's best

Worldly persons could hardly avoid
       Comparison, criticism, antagonism and vengeance
What should be the attitude and behavior
       Of a Dharma practitioner in the face of all these

Great Sun Tathagata
Is the name and form used to designate
The incomparable Dharmakaya
Through limitless openness and clarity of
The Sun's shinning all over everywhere
To illustrate the limitless and original purity of Dharmakaya

Mind of a Dharma practitioner
Should abide like Great Sun
In boundless clarity
And then naturally will pour out compassion
Just as sunlight passing on warmth to the world

As to all sorts of antagonistic attitudes in the world
They resemble all sorts of self-limited shadows under the sun
No hindrance to the capacity of Great Sun to shine everywhere
But need to wait for suitable time to shed light again on
All those places that are temporarily in the shadow

 

On April 10 will be my merciful mother's 94th birthday
So this poem is offered here in celebration of her longevity

Written in Chinese and translated on April 8, 2011
El Cerrito, California