Basic Buddhism

 

Birth of the Bodhisattva By Tam Lac Tran Quy Anh   [NOTE: In order to thoroughly understand this poem, the author recommends readers to at least briefly read over The life of Shakyamuni Buddha first. Also note that there are many key words in this poem which are especially Buddhist Sanskrit terms]     Luminous light enveloped evening, Gifting hope to Jambudvipa grieving. Heavenly skies heaved away the dark, As perfume danced through Lumbini Park. Queen Maya clutched a bowing branch, And closed her eyes in a dreaming trance.   Above to heaven, below to earth, United realms rejoiced his birth. Joy to life, now gifted a Bodhisattva, Whom in seven steps, blooms seven padmas. “This is my final rebirth” announced he, And radiated light to infinite history.   Thus the story of Gautama unfolds, A child with curls of silk and skin of gold, Eyes of thick dark lashes and lips of red, Reverentially Asita’s tears shed. “I cry not for Prince Siddhartha the blessed … but before Buddha time, I shall meet final rest” He wiped his sorrow and sensed what was destined, Said he “young prince shall soon be enlightened!”   Burdened King Suddhodona unable to bear, Commanded servants to inexorably stay aware, “Only allow joy to the palace within, And repel the world’s painful suffering. In the name of love, I must try to hide, Prevent him pain from the world that’s wide. Dear son, you shall be my heir, Stay and marry Yashodara, young and fair Eat, sleep, enjoy, and live The future I hide, you shall forgive. The world out there is filled with pain, With bitter deaths and air of bane.   ***   Siddhartha grew in royal luxury, While King Suddhodana hid away destiny. But time did not band-aid the facts, And truth saw through the palace acts.   One day Siddhartha saw four realities, The aging, the dying, the causalities The noble truth of suffering took shape, And told a truth no man could escape. A lone ascetic serenely walked past, And brought hope to him, at long last. Like lightening it struck him dead, It lied in something Channak had said.   The king on hearing his revealed lie, Lost all hopes in a disappointed sigh, “My ears cannot swallow your cruel intentions, And fears of lost have blinded comprehensions. Siddhartha my son, what you say is true, But it’s inevitable, what difference could you do?” “There must be a way out of all this! A path to Nirvana’s ultimate bliss!                              The escape of suffering I must find…” So compassionately he made up his mind.   A cold lonely night told of a fate As a father left home in ripping heartbreak “Farewell Yashodara and my son Rahula I’m to find escape of the bounds to Saha” So by the river Anoma, slashed his hair with a knife Renouncing pleasures to uphold an ascetic life

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The Pure Transcendent stream -o0o-                                                  Namo Amitabha Buddha, As loving as a mother’s lullaby for a deaf child[1] As desperate as the cries of a newly born orphan   Namo Amitabha Buddha, As gentle as the soothing whisper of the wind Ever flowing as the sweet homeland stream waters[2]   Namo Amitabha Buddha, As courageous as a song in a frightening thunder storm,[3] As lovely and warm as the flame in a freezing ice prison   Namo Amitabha Buddha, Like the ocean, like the sky, like the vastness of a mother’s unconditional love Forever in the universe, eternally in every breath and every second   Namo Amitabha Buddha, Listen carefully and intently, and you will hear this magnificent sound This sound, this calling- longing and waiting for the loving exalted Father   Namo Amitabha Buddha, As inexorable and endless as sentinent beings’ streams of tears[4] Compassionate as the rescue boat upon the vast ocean waves leading to shore[5]   Namo Amitabha Buddha, Is the hopeful shine in the darkness of night, surviving Infinite kalpas It is the shining moon radiating measureless sentinent beings   Namo Amitabha Buddha, Is Purity, equanimity... It is true awakening The inexpressible indescribable name of compassion.[6]     Translated version from the original Vietnamese poem “Nguôn suối nhiệm mầu” written by Lay Buddhist Student Tam Lac 1/10/04 Written especially for my students Troy, Shah and Lisa       [1] A mother’s unconditional love symbolises the great compassionate heart of Amitabha Buddha, therefore we must ask “Who is the deaf child” this verse is trying to point to, “who is the mother” and “what is in the lullaby that she is singing?”  [2] Once one has attained the Pure Land level of “One mind undisturbed”, one would feel as though the name “Amitabha” flows freely, endlessly and naturally as a perfumed stream which origniantes straight from inside of them and not from an external reminder. [3] A thunder storm is a frightening ordeal, in which causes fear and hostility; this thunder storm represents the Saha world in which we are living in now. The recitation of “Amitabha” is like a sweet song in the middle of a frightening painful experience, in which those who could recite such a pure name has proven bravery and courage.  [4] In the Buddha sutra writes if sentient beings’ tears where to be collected, then they would drown the oceans; for this Saha realm is a sea of suffering and pain and is inevitably endless. If we were to compare and convert such immense number of tears into an immense number of recitations of Amitabha, how much virtue and blessings are to come to us instead of pain! [5] Especially referring to the suffering of Vietnamese boat people in 1970’s and 1980’s when all hope was lost as thousands drifted astray on the ocean currents. The name of Amitabha Buddha is as beautiful to the practitioner as a rescue boat is beautiful for people drowning in the oceans.

 

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Update : 14-12-2004

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