SUMERU » Dharma poems

Leonard Cohen: Old Ideas

Yönten — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:22:41 +0000

Listen here -

http://www.npr.org/2012/01/22/145340430/first-listen-leonard-cohen-old-ideas

Unbeaten by Rain

Yönten — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:53:10 +0000

One of Japan’s most famous poems, translated, from the Manitoba Buddhist Church blog… Don’t forget Japan’s tsunami tragedy!

http://www.manitobabuddhistchurch.org/jodoshinshu/unbeatenbyrain.html

Montreal Zen Poetry Festival

Yönten — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 23:46:44 +0000

The third biennial Montreal Zen Poetry Festival runs March 10-13, 2011.

This year’s theme: silence always speaks

Twitter page: MtlZENpoetry

Facebook page

Summer Solstice 2010

Yönten — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 13:20:20 +0000

Impatient fireflies
Love and quarrel on the porch
Outside the zendo

Karma Yönten Gyatso, Richmond Hill 2010

Between Ignorance & Enlightenment

Yönten — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:38:32 +0000

Between Ignorance & Enlightenment is an audio CD of eight dharma sermons in English, produced in 2003 by Fo Guong Shan Temple of Mississauga, book-ended by an Ode to the Triple Gem and Songs of Fo Guang Shan.

Between Ignorance & Enlightenment II is a similar audio CD of 10 sermons, produced a year later.

These are basic lessons in humanistic Buddhism written by Ven. Master Hsing Yin, set to music. They are an excellent introduction for beginning practitioners and children.

They are distributed at no charge by the Temple and are occasionally available at Chinese Buddhist vegetarian restaurants. (I picked up copies at Joe Yee Vegetarian Cuisine in Richmond Hill this week.)

Circle Mantra

Yönten — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:31:59 +0000

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I’m torn asunder by the world

The violence tough men hurled

Against the fragile glass

Of common sense

The mirror’s edge has cut me deep

Your image haunts me when I sleep

The fire’s heat, the broken fence

Between us now with no defense

Angels hold me as I walk

They whisper words I try to talk

And yet I struggle to be free

Knowing of its penalty

Time for me is running out

Short years, without a doubt

With this slender flame of hope

And mantra as my only rope

Stretch out your hands to show you’re here

Sing some notes to quell the fear

Whispered words within my heart

Seek not alone, be not apart

Karma Yönten Gyatso

Richmond Hill

First Frost

Yönten — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:55:37 +0000

Canadian geese
Among the water lilies
Only just for now

Karma Yönten Gyatso, Richmond Hill 2009

A Sumeru poem

Fah Hua Temple

Yönten — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:56:23 +0000

Temple doorbell rings
Old monk peers around the gate
And then vanishes

Karma Yönten Gyatso, Maple 2009

A Sumeru poem

Epitaph

Yönten — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:51:02 +0000

Coming through the trees on P’u-t’o-shan
Suddenly the Great Work is set down.
Aaah, what a refreshing breeze!

Karma Yönten Gyatso, Toronto 1985

A Sumeru poem

the buddha’s wish fulfilled

Yönten — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:48:32 +0000

i would like to write
poems without images
probably without even any words in them
these poems would not rely
even on the power of the spirit mantra
if you like them it will be
because they touch the secret altars of your heart

the buddha’s wish fulfilled

reading these poems you might think that
you were the one that wrote them

Karma Yönten Gyatso, Montreal 1975

A Sumeru poem