Kelsang Gyatso - Little Tiger (Fragment)
...............
"...The groundless sphere of all phenomena
is not created fresh by a discursive mind;
yet when the face of ever-presence is known,
all concreteness spontaneously fades away.
Rainbows radiating colors freely
are not obsessed by attractive costumes;
by the force of dependent conditions,
they appear distinct and clearly.
This vivid appearance of the external world,
though not a self-projected image,
through the play of fluctuating thought and mind,
appears as paintings of real things.
-- from Songs of Spiritual Experience: Tibetan Buddhist Poems of Insight & Awakening, Translated by Thupten Jinpa / Translated by Jas Elsner
Poetry Chaikhana | Kelsang Gyatso - Little Tiger
This long Tibetan Buddhist poem (of which i have printed the final three of 14 segments) did not inspire me. In fact, it went woooosh over my crewcut in a gesture indicating my lack of comprehension. It is beyond me.
Combined with Ivan Granger/s commentary, it is a powerful and spiritual poem!
The expanded commentary on today's Poetry Chaikhana blog (06/22/2016) is even more useful.
Reality is not "something" that "i" can experience.
The experience of reality is a gift from the Great Self to the True Self,
of which my small self
may catch a tiny glimpse
if "i" am contemplative
and lucky.
"...The groundless sphere of all phenomena
is not created fresh by a discursive mind;
yet when the face of ever-presence is known,
all concreteness spontaneously fades away.
Rainbows radiating colors freely
are not obsessed by attractive costumes;
by the force of dependent conditions,
they appear distinct and clearly.
This vivid appearance of the external world,
though not a self-projected image,
through the play of fluctuating thought and mind,
appears as paintings of real things.
-- from Songs of Spiritual Experience: Tibetan Buddhist Poems of Insight & Awakening, Translated by Thupten Jinpa / Translated by Jas Elsner
Poetry Chaikhana | Kelsang Gyatso - Little Tiger
This long Tibetan Buddhist poem (of which i have printed the final three of 14 segments) did not inspire me. In fact, it went woooosh over my crewcut in a gesture indicating my lack of comprehension. It is beyond me.
Combined with Ivan Granger/s commentary, it is a powerful and spiritual poem!
The expanded commentary on today's Poetry Chaikhana blog (06/22/2016) is even more useful.
Reality is not "something" that "i" can experience.
The experience of reality is a gift from the Great Self to the True Self,
of which my small self
may catch a tiny glimpse
if "i" am contemplative
and lucky.