Line of Life and Death

Yutang Lin

Tragic scenes suddenly viewed shattered expectations,
Alerting awareness of thin line between life and death.
Exhaustive calculating is grasping in vain to prejudice.
Equal empathy and respect for all yields real harmony.

Comments:

Ordinarily when "going along with conditions" is mentioned, it seems only to recommend an open-minded and tolerant attitude that would help one to adjust to changes in situations. Encountering accidental tragic scenes could shatter wishful expectations of daily life and alert people of the closeness of life and death. In the awakening state of realizing that death could arrive at any second it would be easy to see clearly how delusive it is to be engrossed in calculating for and grasping to prejudices. If one could thereby further appreciate the fact that all sentient beings are under the same predicament, and therefore generate a sense of compassion and respect toward all sentient beings equally, then one would have grasped the inner essence of "going along with conditions."

Written in Chinese on September 28, 2001
Translated on September 29, 2001
El Cerrito, California

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