Ch'an Poems
CW33_No.91
Translated by the Buddhist Yogi C. M. Chen
The original Chinese poems as written by the Monk Tan Hsia are shown on the right hand page with my translation on the left hand page.
On water bottom, mud-bulls till the ground of white moon!
In the clouds, the wooden horse flies in wind very soon!
The Indian monk does not like to hold his Bhikshu bowl!
At middle night rows his boat through vast sea and passes on!
In every home, there's the moon light passing the window.
At everywhere there's birds singing in wind and willow.
You may say hither and thither there is no change,
Like throw the sword to the sky done by the Hero!
It is too subtle to be seen!
You get blood but never win!
Why none talk about it's price?
Because it's not worldly thing!
The cool moon climbs up the high peak at night!
Many miles plain-lake covered with her light!
Fishman's song startles the egret flying away,
From the reed we see only a piece of white!
In the deep palace, there's nothing to be known,
The Jade-Altar has clouds of fog to adorn !
Political talks have been done by officials,
The Dharma-king does not like to wear the crown!
Spring flowers have not blossomed but plum is out,
While pines are still green, all other trees are nought,
Thin clouds do not play the moon-shadow,
Nor slight fog hits the small branches to spout!
The cool moon climbs up the high peak at night!
Many miles plain-lake covered with her light!
Fishman's song startles the egret flying away,
From the reed we see only a piece of white!
In the deep palace, there's nothing to be known,
The Jade-Altar has clouds of fog to adorn !
Political talks have been done by officials,
The Dharma-king does not like to wear the crown!
Spring flowers have not blossomed but plum is out,
While pines are still green, all other trees are nought,
Thin clouds do not play the moon-shadow,
Nor slight fog hits the small branches to spout!
In the night moon is like magic spell.
I turn my body and beat the bell!
The loud voice flies up beyond heavens,
Why those devas still have their sleep so well!
White lotus-root in the mud is not wrong,
Red flower is hid by leaves without sun.
Wanderers don't tell the false message,
The pure wind will pass her sweet smell so long!
This shore or that shore, both miss it!
No-egoism is not in the midst!
Sun sets under the west mount,
Yet its shade remains in the East!
Pure wind moves the fishing boat to work.
Puffs up the tide touching the sky, Look!
Those fish play together with deep love.
At last they cannot free from the hook!
Long river is more clear than moon light.
It's not home, though everywhere bright!
"Oh! Dear fishman, where shall you return?"
"I still sleep close to reed at this night!"
It cannot be seen, how could you say?
Nothing is in same form, on same way!
In the mossy altar, there's none serves,
Moon light shines on tree, Phoenix doesn't stay!
Wooden man asks for the heaven land.
Jade girl seems deaf, does not comprehend.
Yet they both back home arm in arm.
Leave the mount circled by clouds without end!
In the subtle truth, there's nothing to gain.
But it is not that all is in Vain!
Moon reflects in sea, fish disappear,
YouCfishman, why throw the hook again !
Outside the fence, white clouds are so vast!
Sword can't cut, even you test,
The deep cave needs not anything to lock
To and fro freely without request!
When I'm hungry, I eat grass green.
When thirsty, I drink cool spring!
I do not plough the empty ground,
Cowboy needs not call me with sound!
On that shore I cannot pass.
I return without ask path.
In the altar there's no monk.
Just moon light comes across!
It is round and can't be told.
Let those men and women hold.
Though paints up the sky, so noble;
Still a man passing the word!
Shih-Teh seems too silly, doesn't know day or night;
Han-San seems too lazy, doesn't turn left or right.
The perfect, round voice before talk is so nice,
Beyond the cosmos the moon is very bright!
The sweet message is not so common,
The smell of moon flowers lasts so long!
At last night Chan-O appears nicely,
Turns up her eyes, yet draws the Yuan-Yang!
Dragon sings in the sea, rains come in time!
Lion roars in the mount, wind blows so fine!
Don't worry about the thorn on the path,
At our poor home. there's no guest sublime!
With horn and hair, he becomes cattle so fast!
To his eyes all ashes and woods both are dust!
Though he didn't comprehend his Guru's truth,
When his death comes by, he realizes at last!
His dignity form with wonderful light,
No one so skillful as to draw him right.
Not only Wu-Tao-Tze cannot do it,
Even Tze-Kun himself has no such might!
In winter all trees have some wrong,
But plum root has its warm alone.
See the front village after snow,
There is the flower to blossom !
Moon makes the pine shadow, some long some short,
Sun shines on lake, two skies but not apart!
The heat in heaven does not know the noon,
The full moon of August doesn't know the art!
Most are learned from other man,
They open their mouths in vain!
No one knows the whole brightness,
Buddha can't know how you can?
Though one mind, through many years can't be found,
From nude take off skin, nothing to be bound!
See the blue sky, it is like a mirror,
Many miles have no cloud but moon is round!!!
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