Walking in the Utimate Space -- Poem by Thich Nhat Hanh

在终极空间里快乐地行走
用你的脚
而不是用你的头脑
如果你用头脑 你将会迷路了

在终极空间里讲法
落叶满天飞舞
秋季的月光铺满了小路
法充遍十方

在终极空间里讨论法
我们彼此注视着微笑
你是我 你看见了吗
说者与听者是一体


在历史空间里享受午餐
我使所有的祖先和所有的
子孙后代 都饱足了
我们相会在一起 找到了我们的路

在历史空间里被触恼
我们闭目深思
三百年后我们在何处
我们睁开眼睛拥抱了

在终极空间里休息
以雪山为枕
美丽的红云为毯
什么都不缺少

在终极空间里坐禅
分享多宝佛的狮子座
每一秒中都是实现
每一个果实都成熟而甜美

Peaceful Village

Today, I heard a very beautiful song which is from the album of new plum village songs. I wrote down the lyrics and share it with you : )

THERE IS HONEY IN YOUR EYES

There is honey in your eyes when you look without anger

and there is sunshine in your face when your mind is pure

Feather is in your hands when you touch without taking

and peddles are on your feet when you walk with joy

Music is in your voice when you speak with laughter

and one mind is in your seek when your heart is free

A lotus to you,
A buddha to be.


Picture is photographed by Phyllis @ Hong Cun Village, An Hui in Apr 2009

赵州禅茶颂 Songs of Zhao Zhou Tea

此茶非彼茶 彼茶即此茶 ——《赵州禅茶颂》浅析 --- 作者：京华闲人

《赵州禅茶颂》是净慧禅师为“天下赵州禅茶文化交流会”创作的一篇偈颂，据说是在车上即兴而作。如果说诗僧皎然的《饮茶歌诮崔石使君》是从茶的角度来证茶禅一味，完成了从僧人到禅人的转变；净慧禅师则是直接从禅的角度入手，直指禅茶不二的真谛，从而使此诗成为继《饮茶歌》之后写禅茶的最好诗篇。
　　
让我们看诗文是如何表述的吧！

赵州一碗茶，今古味无差；根植菩提种，叶抽智慧芽。

老和尚在这里借“赵州茶”要告诉大家的不过是“此茶非彼茶”，即：我所说的“茶”，不是一般人所说的茶，而是从谂禅师让院主喝的那杯茶。此茶以慈悲为种（菩提），以智慧为芽。只有这杯茶才能够圆融时空令“今古味无差”。因为只有这杯茶，才是悲智双运的茶。只有这杯茶才能“三碗便得道，何须苦心破烦恼”（《饮茶歌》）。

瞿昙曾记莂（音别），鸿渐复添蛇（音沙）；

瞿昙即乔达摩，是释迦牟尼的姓氏和尊称。记即授记，佛经中的授记是指佛陀为弟子们预告亲证菩提的时间。由此语更可知老和尚此处说的确是禅而非茶。

鸿渐，唐代茶圣陆羽的字。从字面上看，老和尚这里是批评茶圣陆羽著《茶经》是画蛇添足，似乎有贬低陆羽的意思，其实恰是在这里佛教来到了人间，通过茶这一特殊载体，走入了千家万户。要知道，陆羽也算半个禅门子弟，他是个弃婴，被竟陵龙盖寺智积禅师抱回寺内，虽不肯出家，却常诵佛经，并与皎然等和尚成为缁素生死之交，在智积禅师圆寂后，他动情地写出了“千羡万羡西江水，曾向竟陵城下来”的句子。在《茶经》中他明确表示茶最宜“精行俭德”之人，而“精行”的意思就是“精进修行”，显然佛法修行六波罗蜜中的“精进波罗蜜”是最宜与茶结合的。

在这里，诗人特地用了一个“复”字，强调了陆羽的主观性，表明陆羽的茶与禅宗的千丝万缕的联系，从而引起下文：

瓯注曹溪水，薪烧鹫岭桠（音呀）。虚空为玉盏，云水是生涯；

曹溪本是一个普通的地方，在广东曲江县双峰山下，唐仪凤二年 ( 公元 676 年 ) ，六祖慧能住持曹溪宝林寺，曹溪就此被奉为禅宗祖庭。传说六祖慧能曾在曹溪沐浴净身，一夜之间顿悟佛理，曹溪水因此而成为千年圣水。

鹫岭，世尊说法处，天人充满，宝树繁茂，花果无数。劫火来时，净土不毁

“桠”是成叉状的树枝桠，这里指用灵峰宝树之桠杈为薪煎茶。出世不离世间法，当禅人选择了茶这一载体，走上了精进的修行之路，便也要汲泉伐薪，洁具品茗。

然而，“寻常一样窗前月，才有梅花便不同”。当禅的精神与茶相融时，便是世尊的微笑印入了大迦叶尊者的心中。禅风在此弥漫，法脉在此流传，水汲曹溪，薪燃灵鹫，禅茶渐入不二之境。

这样的茶是茶亦是非茶，它是慈悲与智慧的化身，它是性空的，故以虚空为盏；它是智慧的，故以云水得自在。

着意尝来淡，随缘得处佳。

如此之茶该如何来品呢？禅师说“随缘”。须知慧老品的是茶中的魂，是茶中的禅意。

前些日子宗舜法师来京养病，他是个香道高手，以此因缘一起赏了几回香，舜师说：赏香贵在火灭烟起时之一瞬，一缕香魂不知被哪位有缘人不经意间嗅得；无缘者焚香终日只得香气，无关香魂，已落品香之下乘矣。

妙哉此言，已登品茶之堂室，窥茶道之门径，与慧老此句正可互为印证。

正清和雅气，喜舍慈悲花；上供诸佛祖，平施百姓家。人人亲受用，处处绝尘渣。

燕叟（文怀沙）晚年自认为最满意的事之一就是写了一篇最短的文章——《文子三十三字箴言》。正文仅 3 个字，就是“正清和”，注解 30 字即：“孔子尚正气，老子尚清气，释迦尚和气。东方大道其在贯通并弘扬斯三气也。”文怀沙老人 96 岁高龄时在柏林禅寺朗诵此文时抑扬顿挫，极富感染力，并认为此三字涵盖了三家思想的精华。

中国茶道的内涵恰是儒释道三家思想相结合的产物，慧老敏锐的注意到这一点，并将茶事活动中特有的“雅气”融入其中，提出了别树一帜的禅茶精神：正清和雅。即将正气溶入感恩中，将清气溶入包容中，将和气溶入分享中，将雅气溶入结缘中。

“慈”是与乐，帮助别人得乐。“悲”是离苦，帮助人离苦。“喜”是欢喜心，看到别人离苦得乐心里生欢喜，就是随喜功德。“舍”是一切能放得下，一切不执著。“慈悲喜舍”叫四无量心，是禅人的必修。

将两相比较可知，修慈悲喜舍，体会正清和雅，实践感恩、包容、分享、结缘。禅既是茶，茶亦是禅，两者本来不二，自是一味。

林下清和满，廛中敬寂夸。

“林下”指修行或隐居之人，廛（ｃｈáｎ），民居区域之称（《周礼·廛人》）。在这里，“廛中”指尘世名利之客。“清和”与“敬寂”在语法上是互文关系。

慧老以中外禅茶文化的交流提起下文，为全文做结：

千年逢盛会，四海颂蒹葭；三字禅茶意，和风送迩遐。

赵州禅师圆寂于唐乾宁四年（897 ）十一月初二，春秋一百二十岁，距今已有一千一百多年。千年之后在赵州祖庭聚集禅、茶、文三界英豪，再参赵州法语，可谓盛况空前了。作为当代禅门耆老，慧老众望所归的主持此次盛会，看到禅风再盛，欣慰之情跃于词面。

蒹葭苍苍，白露为霜。所谓伊人，在水一方。
溯洄从之，道阻且长。溯游从之，宛在水中央。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　——《诗经·秦风》

有人说这是一首爱情诗，也有人说这是一首友情诗，在慧老这里，显然包含这两种感情又超越了这两种感情，是泽被众生的、法喜充满的禅茶之情。

“吃茶去”，三字禅茶意，在佛光普照的无尽虚空中，在禅味深远的赵州柏树下，随着祥和的慈悲之风传遍法界、虚空界，温煦、觉悟着每一个众生。

“三碗便得道，何须苦心破烦恼。”一千多年前，皎然一声长吟，潇洒、明快地转身而去；

“吃茶去！”一千多年前赵州古佛一声断喝，截断了多少痴迷妄想，安详地扶锡而行；

“三字禅茶意，和风送迩遐。”当下，就在当下，慈悲的净慧老和尚平端一碗茶，法露均天下。参透三字意，彼茶即此茶。

Breathe! You are alive

This week, a new friend joined our Sangha Practice, so we go back to a basic mindfulness meditation to start with breathing in and breathing out. Other members are nourished by returning to the breathing as well. In the Singing session, we performed Breathing In, Breathing Out-- the theme song of the Plum Village. With the vivid hand gestures, we feel that we are blooming flowers, we are fresh dew…and we dwell in the present moment.

Breathe! You are alive is one of my favorite song that I want to share with you. It is on the theme of breathing as well. With the powerful lyrics, you can feel that you are truly alive.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Breathe! You are alive 呼吸！你活着

Breathe and you know that you are alive.
Breathe and you know that all is helping you.
Breathe and you know that you are the world.
Breathe and you know that the flower is breathing you.
Breathe for yourself and breathe for the world.
Breathe in compassion and breathe out joy.
呼吸，感到你活者
呼吸，感觉一切都在帮助你
呼吸，感到你就是世界
呼吸，感觉花朵也在呼吸
为自己呼吸，为这个世界呼吸
呼吸，吸入慈悲；呼吸，呼出喜悦

Breathe and be one with the air that you breathe.
Breathe and be one with the river that flows.
Breathe and be one with the earth that you tread.
Breathe and be one with the fire that glows.
Breathe and you break the thought of birth and death.
Breathe and you see that impermanence is life.
呼吸，和呼入的空气成为一体
呼吸，与流动的江河合为一体
呼吸，和脚下的大地成为一体
呼吸，与燃烧的火焰合为一体
呼吸，超越了生与死
呼吸，看到了生命的无常

Breathe for your joy to be steady and calm.
Breathe for your sorrow to flow away.
Breathe to renew every cell in your blood.
Breathe to renew the depths of consciousness.
Breathe and you dwell in the here and now.
Breathe and all you touch is new and real.
呼吸，让我们平安喜乐
呼吸，让悲伤随风逝去
呼吸，让血液中的细胞恢复生机
呼吸，让藏识复苏
呼吸，让我们安住当下
呼吸，让我们感触清新和真实

你可以為這世界付出更多 You can give more to this world

I would like to share another of my favourite song with you. It is a Chinese pop song.  Written originally for a fund raising event after the Sichuan earthquakes this year, this is a song of contemplation on what we can give, without expectations for returns or merits.  The song and lyrics were written by Ivy Koo, and sang by Jacky Cheung, one of the most popular mail singer in Asia. With the lovely melody and the rich voice of Jacky, this song is wonderfully touching.

You can give more to this world is the title of the song.  It is in chorus with Peace Pilgrim's message: "I began to live to give what I could, instead of to get what I could, and I entered a new and wonderful world."

Watch the MTV here with background of the deadly Sichuan Earthquake and a short interview with Jacky.

Here is the lyrics and the English translation for my western friends :)

你可以为这世界付出更多        You can give more to this world

曲、詞：古羽 唱：張學友      Song & Lyrics: Ivy Koo  Singer: Jacky Cheung

尝过绝望 你才知道              Being through hopelessness, you will know

什么叫做希望                    what is hope.
熬过黑夜                         Surviving the dark night,
你会更欣赏太阳                you will treasure the sun even more.
学会幸福不是必然              Learning that happiness can not be taken for granted
睁开眼睛看                    Opening your eyes and see
若听到苦痛的呼唤              If you hear the calls of pain and suffering
哪可袖手旁观                    How can you remain an onlooker?

Chorus
你可以为这世界付出更多       You can give more to this world
能够帮助别人你会更快乐       Helping others will make you happier
非求福 和赞美   It’s not for merits, nor for glory
你会有更美好的收获             You will have more wonderful returns
想想你可为这世界做些什么     Think about what you can do for this world
能够温暖别人的心最快乐       The heart that can warm others is the happiest
所给的 非施舍                   What’s given is not charity
圆满别人才算是真正的活着   In fulfilling others we are truly alive

跌倒之后 再站起来 After falling and standing up again
你会更加硬朗 You will become stronger and tougher
病过痛过 After falling sick and enduring pain
更懂得珍惜健康   You will learn to treasure healthiness
明白幸福不是偶然 Understanding that happiness does not come by chance
掏出心来看 Looking into your heart
有许多哀伤的哭声 There are so many cries of despair
怎能袖手旁观 How can we remain an observer?

Repeat Chorus

Please call me by my true names 請以真實名字呼喚我

n our group meditation last week, we sang the song adapted from Thay's poem "Please call me by my true name."  Thay wrote this poem back in 1978 when he was helping the boat people from Vietnam and heard the news that a 12-year-old girl drowned herself in the ocean after being raped by a pirate.  This is one of Thay's famous poems and my favourite. It is a beautiful expression of understanding, love, inter-being.  

Watch a beautiful video here.

Listen to the song here.

I translated it into Chinese some of my friends:

Please call Me By My True Names  請以真實名字呼喚我 

Thich Nhat Hanh                                           一行禪師

Do not say that I will depart tomorrow -      不要說我將在明天離去 － 

even today I still arrive. 即使今天我仍在到達。

Look deeply: every second I am arriving 深入觀看：我每秒鐘都在到達

to be a bud on a spring branch, 成為春枝上的蓓蕾,

to be a tiny bird, with wings still fragile, 成為一只小小鳥，翅膀依然脆弱，

learning to sing in my new nest, 在我的新巢學習歌唱，

to be a caterpillar in the heart of a flower, 成為花蕊中的小毛蟲，

to be a jewel hiding itself in a stone. 成為藏於石頭中的寶鑽。

I still arrive, in order to laugh and to cry, 我仍然在到達，才可以歡笑與哭泣，

to fear and to hope. 體會恐懼與希望。

The rhythm of my heart is the birth and  我心裡的節奏是所有生命的生與死。

death of all that are alive.

I am a mayfly metamorphosing on the 我是一只在河面睿變的蜉蝣，

surface of the river,

And I am the bird                               我也是那只小鳥

that swoops down to swallow the mayfly. 從半空俯衝下把蜉蝣吞掉。

I am a frog swimming happily in the 我是一只在清池裡快樂地游泳的青蛙，

clear water of a pond.

And I am the grass-snake 我也是那條草蛇，

that silently feeds itself on the frog. 沈默地獵食這只青蛙。

I am the child in Uganda, all skin and bones, 我是烏干達的孩童，只剩皮和骨，

my legs as thin as bamboo sticks. 雙腿瘦如竹杆，

And I am the arms merchant, 我也是那軍火商人，

selling deadly weapons to Uganda. 販賣殺人武器到烏干達。

I am the twelve-year-old girl, 我是那十二歲女孩，

refugee on a small boat, 小船上的難民，

who throws herself into the ocean 遭遇海盜的糟蹋，

after being raped by a sea pirate. 躍身投進海裡。

And I am the pirate, my heart not yet 我也是那個海盜，

capable of seeing and loving. 我的心還不懂了解和愛。

I am a member of the politburo, 我是政治局成員，

with plenty of power in my hands. 手裡擁有巨大權利，

And I am the man who has to pay his 我也是那個需要給人民“償還血債”的人

"debt of blood" to my people 在集中營裡慢慢地死去。

dying slowly in a forced labor camp.

My joy is like spring, so warm it makes 我的喜悅如春天，

flowers bloom in all over the earth. 溫暖讓百花綻放大地。

My pain is like a river of tears, 我的痛楚如淚之河川，

so vast it fills the four oceans. 延綿充滿四海。

Please call me by my true names, 請以真實名字呼喚我，

so I can hear all my cries and laughs at once, 讓我同時聽見自己的哭泣和歡笑，

so I can see that my joy and pain are one. 讓我看見自己的歡樂和痛苦是一體。

Please call me by my true names, 請以真實名字呼喚我，

so I can wake up, 讓我醒覺，

and the door of my heart can be left open, 讓我心裡之門打開，

the door of compassion. 那扇慈悲之門。