|
Dream
in The Night
<The
Tender Inner World of a Saintly Poet>
(Originally in Aulacese)
Lyrics,
music and vocals
by Supreme Master Ching Hai
| Last
night, I dreamt
Of restful sheets and pillows,
As fragrant sandalwood
wafting through the air
Heartfelt was the time
When we were still together,
When our love was still forever
When our love was still forever |
Last
night, I dreamt
Of leaving life's dust behind,
Light-footed to paradise,
Carefree for once
On the fragrant hillside –
Anguish and sorrow no more!
|
Tonight,
I've come home,
Mountain rain trickles ceaselessly,
Wheels roll over the lonely path,
Clouds hang miserably,
Inviting dreams,
Exquisite visions
To forget about the illusory human realm |
|
| My
darling! My beloved!
The river flows tirelessly,
Searching for a cherished harbor of old,
Where long days will be delightful,
A human's lot content,
And all complaints silenced |
Last night, I dreamt
I was a swan,
Soaring above mountains,
Drinking in the snow,
Bathing in the rainbow,
Feeling free again,
Feeling free again.
|
Note: Master
set this song to music and sang it in Aulacese. Her beautiful
voice
and the gracious melody were recorded on the CD and DVD Dream
in the Night.
~ Poetry
Reading and Appreciation
~
The Realm of Free Travel and the Emptiness of Zen
“Bodi
is not a tree, nor mirror a mirror. Since there is nothing,
how could dust ever be able to contaminate?”
About
1300 years ago, when the Fifth Patriarch of Zen heard of this
poem by Huineng, he made Huineng his successor. The poem is
representative of the highest point in the thoughts of Chinese
Zen School. Most of the enigmatic Zen gongan (koan) is centered
on the understanding of this pivotal idea of Emptiness, which
in turn is one of the cornerstones of Buddhist thinking. But,
influential as it has been, it may not be the final word on
the ultimate reality. The question is what would follow when
one has come to understand the idea of Emptiness? If Emptiness
is the starting and concluding points of the universe and human
life, where is Heaven and, so to speak, Paradise?
Our
Master has never talked about Emptiness. Instead, She talks
about the world of five and nine levels. This is a change that
has reshaped the world of spiritual practice; one has to ponder
and weigh to understand its significance. Ever since antiquity,
humankind has always been expecting Heaven and Paradise. And
there have even been talks on visions of nine levels of consciousness,
but they have always been vague and illusionary. No one has
ever offered valid and reliable information to humans. Supreme
Master Ching Hai has emerged from Heaven. For the first time
in human history, She has made new revelations on the truth
of the different levels in the spiritual world and described
vividly their major features. She has also offered and taught
the method of spiritual practice that would for sure usher humans
on to these higher realms. With amazing visions of Heavens,
this is an epoch-making renovation and development on the idea
of Nirvana and Emptiness. In human world, there has never been
any master who has ever reached the level Master has reached.
That’s why there is no one else but She who could ever
go beyond these fully established ideas. The upper world and
the road to access it which Master has taught is not only of
a higher order but also considerably an easier access.
Fortunately
for us, in addition to detailed information on Heavens in Her
teachings, Master has also offered fascinating visions of higher
levels in Her beautiful poetry from Her personal experience.
Poetry is of course not the medium of expounding ideas, but
with visions, images, feelings and outlook, poetry moves us
and can touch the very essence of our being. Reading this poem
by Master and listening to Her singing, why are we so moved?
What is shown in the poetry? What is instilled into ourselves?
How is it different from Emptiness? Ask our own heart and we
would know.
~
A school teacher from New Jersey, USA,Yiming
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