Transcending Life and Death

Yutang Lin

Brightened or extinguished by wind, life is like candle fire.
Realizing death is certain, throw away grasping to forms.
Without falling into the confine of thoughts, see the universe.
Go through evolving situations with deeds of compassion.

Comment:

A candle fire is brightened or extinguished by wind; similarly is the extension or brevity of life. (Breath is also called "wind.") The time of death, although hard to predict, yet eventually will arrive. Grasping forms and appearances resulting in competition and chases, life is merely suffering. Stop thinking within conceptual networks to open up the mind. All phenomena are in oneness beyond limits of time and space. Transient like a bubble going through transformations of land and sea, nevertheless, one extends services toward enlightenment along the flow to illustrate Buddha’s grace.

Written in Chinese and translated on September 2, 2000
El Cerrito, California

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