Buddhist Poetry

Every Saturday at 3 p.m. Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua teaches a class in Buddhist Poetry. Everyone is invited to attend and not miss this excellent opportunity to study the Chinese language and the principles of Buddhism.

Translator's Notes:

¹This verse is a valuable and versatile tool for use in cultivation. Although on first perusal it may appear quite simple, its lesson is firmly grounded in specific Buddhist teachings.

To benefit from continual mindfulness of this verse, it is essential to understand the basic connotations of "guest dust". The term refers to all elements of conditioned existence, such as the objects of the five desires: wealth, form, fame, food, and sleep; or, alternately: forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and touchables.

In The Shurangama Sutra, where the principle of the "guest dust" analogy is quite clearly revealed, Ajnata-Kaundinya, senior of the assembly, spoke thus:

"Because of enlightenment to the two words 'guest dust', I realized the fruit. World Honored One, it is like a traveling guest who seeks a lodging and stops at an inn, either to spend the night or to take a meal. Following the affairs of the night's rest and food, he packs up and resumes his journey along the path before him, stopping neither for leisure or peaceful dwelling. The actual host, (the innkeeper), has no departing.

"Thus considered, the non-dweller is called the guest and the dweller is called the host. It is by means of non-dwelling that the meaning of "guest" is established.

"Again, it is as when clouds have freshly cleared and the sky is clear and sunny, light entering through an opening illuminates the existent signs of dust in space. Dust motes swirl and drift about, and emptiness is still.

"Thus considered, clear stillness is called space. That which dances and moves about is called dust. It is by means of that agitation and movement that the meaning of dust is established."

The Buddha said, "So it is."

²"Doubts" refers generally to confused and false thoughts which arise in response to states, and serve as upside-down principles on which to base actions. If one is not confused by states, false thoughts do not arise; consequently unprincipled action ceases.

³As the author revealed when he explained the verse, it is said in The Shurangama Sutra, "The mad mind put to rest is Bodhi."

⁴"Stilling qualms, consider," might as well be interpreted thus: "While engaged in the practice of dhyana, consider...". Stilling qualms（靜慮）is the standard translation used by Chinese Buddhists when they define "dhyana".

⁵This is an example of investigating the "word-head". (See the explanation in Ch'an Seven"--pages 33-34). Perhaps one who is "busy" vigorously practices "mindfulness of the Buddha", yet turns to the practice of Dhyana as well, using the question, "Who is this so busy?" as he investigates the word-head.

⁶Here, as in most cases, "eighty-four thousand" represents a figure immeasurable by either number or parable.

⁷Because the nature of enlightenment is free of all dependence, it has no coming or going. It is the true mind which is compared to a king. A true ruler who is all-powerful needn't leave his palace to fully know and understand all the affairs of his country. If one is able to allow all guest dust to follow its own course, and thus be neither dependent upon it or moving, that which remains is "the enlightenment nature king".

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