The Mountain Poems of Stonehouse

By Red Pine

"The Mountain Poems of Stonehouse [is] a tough-spirited publication of enlightened unfastened verse."—Kyoto Journal

The Zen grasp and mountain hermit Stonehouse—considered one of many maximum chinese language Buddhist poets—used poetry as his medium of guideline. close to the top of his existence, clergymen requested him to list what he came upon of curiosity on his mountain; Stonehouse dropped at them 1000's of poems and an admonition: "Do to not test making a song those poems. provided that you take a seat on them will they do you any good."

Newly revised, with the chinese language originals and crimson Pine's ample observation and notes, The Mountain Poems of Stonehouse is a necessary quantity for Zen scholars, readers of Asian literature, and all who love the outdoors.

After consuming I airborne dirt and dust off a boulder and sleep
and after dozing i am going for a walk
on a cloudy past due summer time day
an oriole sings from a sapling
briefly having fun with the season
joyfully making a song out its heart
true happiness is correct here
why chase an empty name

Stonehouse used to be born in 1272 in Changshu, China, and took his identify from a cave on the fringe of city. He turned a hugely revered dharma grasp within the Zen Buddhist tradition.

Red Pine is likely one of the world's best translators of chinese language poetry. "Every time I translate a e-book of poems," he writes, "I study a brand new approach of dancing. And the track should be Chinese." He lives close to Seattle, Washington.

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Burning leaves within the range as wintry weather evening ways indicates he's out of firewood. ‹  ›  123 a couple of bushes in bloom radiant purple a pond in spring rippling eco-friendly a monk with eyes that see past Zen doesn’t need to be useless to exploit them be aware: Ah, the peach bushes. ‹  ›  124 I close my door prior to the clouds go back on my cot I sleep deep my techniques unseen hermits don’t increase canine or chickens the solar warms my roof and that i nonetheless dream ‹  ›  one hundred twenty five After porridge after rice after consuming tea I open the window and take a seat and stare upon mountains survey each realm all through Jambu through the day not anyone is extra idle than me word: Rice is watered-down for breakfast and steamed or boiled at different nutrition. Tea is under the influence of alcohol as an relief to digestion and to dispel fatigue. Stonehouse additionally tells us he drank his tea powerful. Jambu is the fast type of Jambudvipa. in response to historic Indian geography, the area was once divided into 4 continents, with Jambudvipa constituting all of Asia. ‹  ›  126 Dense fog and clouds too thick to push away without notice seem and abruptly go away smart humans can put on themselves out the solar lighting fixtures the rocks just like ahead of word: “To push away the clouds with a view to see the solar” used to be an previous asserting the chinese language used while a person used to be attempting to get rid of insurmountable obstructions from their course. ‹  ›  127 once the sunlight lighting the southeast sky I transplant sprouts into rocky fields my gown half-soaked with dust I take off and dry in entrance of my hut be aware: because the days of autumn and wintry weather turn into shorter and darker, where the place the solar rises strikes steadily southward. accordingly, its reappearance at the southeastern horizon marks the arrival of spring. ‹  ›  128 I consume a peach spit out the pit the pit turns into a tree the tree grows and plant life and makes one other peach spring departs and fall arrives 12 months after yr how am i able to retain my hair from turning white observe: The peach is local to China and looks within the archaeological list of the Hangchou sector as early as 5 thousand years in the past. In poem seventy eight, Stonehouse dates his arrival on Hsiamushan by way of the peach tree he planted open air his door. ‹  ›  129 My hut isn’t relatively ten ft throughout surrounded by means of pines bamboo and mountains an outdated monk not often has room for himself less for a vacationing cloud notice: The expression chang-fang (ten-foot sq.) initially noted an abbot’s room and used to be later used to consult the abbot himself. within the final line, the cloud can also confer with a monk or nun on pilgrimage. ‹  ›  a hundred thirty Don’t run away while he moves make it a struggle to the dying holiday down Chao-chou’s door the total universe will quit observe: Chao-chou () and his instructor Nan-ch’uan () have been one of the most famed Zen masters of the 9th century. someday while Chao-chou was once operating on my own within the monastery kitchen, he close the door and enable the room fill with smoke then cried, “Fire! ” whilst the opposite clergymen got here working, he acknowledged, “Say the appropriate observe, and I’ll open the door! ” yet not one of the priests might reflect on whatever to claim.

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