I’m going to keep doing the right thing.
No matter what.
Hardship does not make me give up. Sorrow does not equate to despair.
I am not a coward.
I will feel the pain and move forward.
Tag: virtue
Categories
Break the Chain
I no longer wish to meet those
who make me regret my virtue
of course, I can’t excuse my own forfeit of mind
and I never would regret virtuous intention
even when challenged!
Instead, I see clearly that in samsara
there exists no real happiness, no good reputation
no wealth, no status, no good condition
not only failure, misery, and criticism
not only lowly status and painful position
but always departing from what we love
and too often meeting what we hate!
So if i have any regret, it’s saved
for actions throwing me lower than the grave
then I purify completely in three more steps
with reliance, opponent force and firm promise
never again laying claim to hateful mind
never again to drink addictive poisons
never again to grasp, to crave
never again to begin again
the beginningless cycle of suffering
this lifetime I break the chain!
I will die without regret
having used every momently wisely
a cause-creator, achieving true happiness
Categories
Dare You
There is magic in the world
If you dare to see it
There is happiness in the world
If you dare to feel it
There is hope in the world
If you dare to force it
There is love in the world
If you dare to wish it
There is faith in your heart
If you dare to test it
There is compassion in your heart
If you dare to risk it
There wisdom in your heart
If you dare to mind it
There is joy in the world
If you dare to celebrate it
Merry Christmas 🎄
I’m forced to walk where my feet go
I’m forced to wonder on what I know
I’m forced to move by winds of mind
I’m forced to suffer, for I’ve been unkind
sympathy is
I see your suffering, and I relate
empathy is
I see your suffering, and I wish to relate
compassion is
I see your suffering and I wish you to be free from it
bodhichitta is
I cannot bear to see your suffering, so I will become enlightened to free you from it
Most of what we speak & seek
is causes for – and sympathy;
but how much better would life be,
if we abandoned victim mentality?
Why is sorrow such a strange addiction,
so familiar to my mind?
I cannot be free from misery;
it’s all I’ve known and all I’ll find!
— such an easy thing to cry
believing escape from suffering a lie
unknowing there’s a firm way out
for those with patient, faithful eyes,
for those who abandon deluded doubt
— What imagination is this!
what strength it takes to change one’s sight
no material quest could yield such result
for in samsara one cannot do right
— What can one do!
rely upon blessings & elevate intention
remain natural while wishing to help; think:
Oh! What would it really be like
to be happy and kind spontaneously
to face all problems with joyful mind
with strength and courage to defeat all foes
while maintaining love and compassion, I’ll find
it easy for blessings to arise, received and bestowed
I’ll help all living beings with ease and with grace
I’ll abandon delusion, because fearless I face
the appearances that rise and fall –
hallucinations, like dreams –
understanding reality, from mind,
is never as seems
because I’m grasping, anxious, clinging
my stories are hard to let go
I should instead rewrite myself the hero
great responsibility mine, undeniably so
How could I cope with this level of fame?
in anonymity, no one knowing my name
in correct paths I follow
but I must impute
I’m no longer a victim, no longer the brute
seeing myself the lowest of all,
through infinite timelines, I recall
the artist’s drive to wield the sword
settling instead for
ink seldom seen and music sometimes heard
limited proud intention
to right the wrongs and mend men’s minds
still what more can I do but mimic
in appreciation of writers of Blake’s kind
I render copied letter into copied word
Tyger, Tyger burning bright
surprised to find you here tonight
easy confidence, phat face
curly locks, so out of place
twinkle, twinkle, of thyne eye
what is your fearful symmetry?
absent, as one pupil enlarged
brightly burning in furnace forged
what is they breath? thy breast? thy might?
so like a woman in the night!
odd & absent-minded maid
back to cold burner, you do fade
he speaks to her with bleary eye
long-winded and past-wounded
he longs for sympathy, to cry
nearly, he is refusèd
she listens with a weary ear
she’s heard it all before
her heart is hardened, scarred by fear
his hurt she can ignore
what good is sympathy to folks
with pain and broken heart
it is compassion that fixes our flaws
so simple is our part
from compassion comes love
and it’s easy to flourish
exchange self with others
with a quick change of intention
to complete all actions with ease
we develop bodhichitta motivation
with familiarity come all habits
spontaneous, effortless
removing delusions from our mind
we soon derive meaning
from the very thing that was,
from our side, meaningless
develop and meditate upon
correct intention
pray for wisdom
sympathy is
I see your suffering, and I relate
empathy is
I see your suffering, and I wish to relate
compassion is
I see your suffering and I wish you to be free from it
bodhichitta is
I cannot bear to see your suffering, so I will become enlightened to free you from it
Categories
My Tears
My Tears*
I’m crying all the time now.
I cried all over the street when I left Jack’s near Montebello Park.
I cried listening to Heart.
I cried looking at the winter leaves strewn across the yard, I cried at the sadness
of the now-ignored trees.
Happiness exists I feel it.
I cried for anger, I cried for delusions.
The world is addicted to anger.
Joy appearing to be seen, but lost, a mirage.
Overflowing tears of Avalokiteshvara.
January 1, 2025
*a tribute to Allen Ginsberg’s “Tears,” 1956
Categories
Part of it all: II
<2>
I sit still
what need for I of movement,
when it is all around?
water flows, ripples, pools
invisible evaporation
before my lazy eyes
I cannot see, so I do not know
although, given wisdom,
my knowledge grows
— is it in my heart?
— this long lost art?
of reading
nature , no partless part
so ignorant throughout my lives,
destined & pulled
to revisit the same
suffering
so close to feeling it end,
almost! against delusions defend
try again! after each failure
& I haven’t truly lost
one more try until I win
at my life’s cost
to be a part of it all
I see
an osprey kick a gull in the head
& catch a fish
this morning
emerge compassion
for attachment
killing
though thought rare sight
— such common poison!
emptiness
a play of light
arises before me
due to mind
it’s only mind
I must endure
just one more day —
time to love & time to play
I must endure this suffering
for I have caused it
that I see
these imprints strong
self-grasping me
like clouds appear
in a summer sky
seeming so blue
in my sense’s eye
and clouds so white
appear to dance
changing shape
and circumstance
with one another
scenes create
a turkey vulture roosts
while whales tempt fate
to swim so high
up in the sky
it almost makes me
question why
I feel that I can wait
to truly escape
this earthly suffering
finding no one here
who is happier than me
finding no couple who’s truly at peace
seeing no being that moves with ease
observing not one who can work together
without hatred, attachment, greed
should I give up? — No!
I’ll change my aspiration instead
I aspire to be truly happy, a pure example
& although I wish for another by my side
one who would face the changing tide,
I know in another I cannot seek
any joy or peace to be —
for it all must come from me
& although I strive to give & give
in humanness, I can’t let go
of my own unfulfilled hunny-do list —
this deluded partner, lazy, low —
by whose esteem I now accomplish
many of my deeds — instead of
saving for me, a pure aspiration
— enlightenment for all, equally
& although a man in measure
may grant me earthly pleasure
there’s not a time I can recall
unmixed with poison from the fall
an apple sweet, an apple tart
both eventually rot & fall apart
never singular, & still
each wish we’d like it to fulfill
the flavourful & wellness start
healthy gut, balanced, body art
this world is crazy, bizarre, insane —
& if I believe I can lay the blame
with anyone else,
I’ve already failed
so instead I vow to see, in each & every irony
a new teaching, a blessing, gift
in each disturbance, every rift
a chance to see things appear to fall apart
never once one thing
except in name
and with delusions I lay all blame
self-cherishing, self-grasped —
in dependence, same
I am so tired of samsara’s games
I quit
on to Enlightenment, charging forth
with Dharma’s wealth
I’m collecting merit for good health
for long, long years in which to help
all beings do the same
to happiness, I now lay claim
watching the gulls upon the bend
leaves me with these words to send
to you
thank you for your time,
and love, and coming to this place
may your mind be ever blessed
with peace & happiness
Categories
the space between
I look up to see
the space between
the spring’s bright leaves,
framing failing light
the eve’s chill falls
as the day’s warmth lifts
dew dances on the lawn
while my brook babbles on
as of late, my words betray
what my mind creates –
for with incorrect name
my suffering’s made
beneath me now
the earth is cold,
this rock is hard,
I’m feeling old
so many lifetimes,
all the same
wasted, wasted
all in vain —
now depend on heart-filled meaning,
mindfulness, do practice, pray
the power of delusions, cease!
and all bad habits, slay!
anew my happiness is born
here and now today
and with constant prayer & blessing
will never pass away
how lucky are these eyes
to behold periwinkle skies
how lucky are these toes
that walk where wild grows
how lucky are these hands
that touch the living earth
how lucky is the mind
appearing Bodhichitta birth
how lucky to be giving
to create the cause of wealth
how lucky I may nurture
to create the cause of health
how lucky to be kind
that I may create the cause of peace
how lucky to hold compassion
so all hatred, anger cease
how lucky to be patient
and know beauty will ensue
how lucky to be loving
and again feel love so true
Walk
It does not matter where your legs take you
Walk
Let the winds move through you
Roam
There are lands to explore even if they’ve been discovered
Rediscover
Move from the material to the imagination
Pace
The rooms in your house & see the cobwebs in the corners
Ignore
The spiders in such places, helpful & harmless
Dust
The webs from your head, because the arachnids that inhabit psychic spaces are venomous
Vomit
The excrement that has no benefit in the stomach of your mind
Stumble
Forward, as a traveler of future lives does not rest
Walk
It does not matter where your legs take you
Move
The inner winds to virtue
The Halfwit Writer 