by Sheng-yen Lu
GaiGai!
We often say:
“Tathagata, is neither coming nor going, hence the name Tathagata.”
From Tathagata, I thought of the moon.
Where does the moon come from?
Where does the moon go to?
When did it start hanging in the sky and when would it disappear from the sky?
We see the moon rise and we see the moon set, but we know the moon never leaves the sky.
Therefore, I confirm that the moon has no dharma throne!
A poem from Seng Can:
Hill and ravine allow a high bed,
Neighboring smoke and colorful clouds;
Zen door separates catastrophe from fortune,
Cherishing the one that’s free.
The one that is free is the moon.
It is very easy to look at the moon. One only needs to look up at the night sky to see the moon.
When I look at the moon that is how I see you.
At this amazing moment, all worries and disagreements vanish. By simply watching the moon, with all my thoughts on it, I can go into the moon palace and visit the maiden in the moon, Chang-e, or visit the woodsman, Wu Gang, or visit the moon rabbit. All my physical and spiritual burdens are lifted.
At this moment:
Sky is sky.
Cloud is cloud.
Moon is moon.
Sky, we all know is empty and formless!
Clouds, we all know keep changing!
Moon, we all know drifts!
Ah! How beautiful!
The moon has no dharma throne, therefore it is not fixed in place, GaiGai! I know you are a free person, so you are a drifter too.
In truth, I have always had a little selfish notion, to keep you by my side.
I am the male protagonist.
You are the female protagonist.
But, sometimes, I open my eyes wider and look further towards the galaxy, stars, earth, mountains, and sea. Such magnificence, such vastness, how can I keep you all to myself?
In fact, you do not have a dharma throne. You always feel that you do not have a home. Even if you had a home, it could not keep you.
Because, no sooner do I shut my eyes, you vanish like smoke, into the bottom of my heart.
This moment is most beautiful!
This moment is most peaceful!
This moment is sweetest!
Let me write you a poem:
No one can keep you
You say you live for me
What are you saying?
Let us draw a picture
Of an elegant moon
Always in the sky
Without a fixed dharma throne
I don’t have to marry you, nor you, me.
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