Theravadin limerick challenge

Explore the ancient language of the Tipitaka and Theravāda commentaries
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cooran
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Re: Theravadin limerick challenge

Post by cooran »

Practising at Dhammagiri
Can make a lay person weary
But the sapaya there
(Benefits rich and rare)
Make any effort easy to bear.

Anabhijjhā
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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Jechbi
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Re: Theravadin limerick challenge

Post by Jechbi »

That is a most excellent limerick.
Rain soddens what is kept wrapped up,
But never soddens what is open;
Uncover, then, what is concealed,
Lest it be soddened by the rain.
nathan
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Re: Theravadin limerick challenge

Post by nathan »

Anabhijjhā
- 'freedom from covetousness', unselfishness



The senses are empty of self.
The body is empty of self.
The mind cannot claim it.
Or memory retain it.
So let go a hold on a self.


āloka-saññā
- 'perception of light'
But whoever walking, standing, sitting, or lying down overcomes thought, delighting in the stilling of thought: he's capable, a monk like this, of touching superlative self-awakening. § 110. {Iti 4.11; Iti 115}
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Assaji
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Re: Theravadin limerick challenge

Post by Assaji »

āloka-saññā - 'perception of light'

I observed how the bright moon last night
Shone and glimmered with fabulous light
Was it night or a day?
My perception was swayed
And evolved into brightness of mind.

anicca-saññā - 'perception of transiency'
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cooran
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Re: Theravadin limerick challenge

Post by cooran »

It works like this:

A poster will propose a Buddhist Pali term as a challenge, and the next poster will write a limerick about that term, then suggest another term.

Obviously, no limerick is going to be the only possible limerick to illustrate a certain Pali word, so the words can be repeated. If someone wrote a limerick earlier about samvega, for example, it can still be suggested again as a challenge. There are no limits.

An important point: Please, please remember that METER is crucial. Here is the correct meter for limericks:

iamb anapest anapest
iamb anapest anapest
anapest anapest
anapest anapest
anapest anapest anapest

If you deviate from that, you'll be forced to read the unabridged works of Julia A. Moore. :lol:
We grasp pleasure riches food youth
We flee from old age sickness death
How to find happiness?
How to find ease and peace?
Anicca-saññā - know all things cease!


desanā ~ exposition of the Doctrine
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
nathan
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Re: Theravadin limerick challenge

Post by nathan »

desanā ~ exposition of the Doctrine

To be blunt for a minute
up front and not spin it
the doctrine is deep
so unless you're asleep
the solutions are all there within it.

ariya-puggala ~ 'Noble Ones', 'noble persons'.
But whoever walking, standing, sitting, or lying down overcomes thought, delighting in the stilling of thought: he's capable, a monk like this, of touching superlative self-awakening. § 110. {Iti 4.11; Iti 115}
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Jechbi
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Re: Theravadin limerick challenge

Post by Jechbi »

Ariya-puggala

Old Sam is an ariya-puggala.
Whenever he's asked for the formula,
his advice is: do good,
cease from harm, understood?
And the mind purify from its crapula.


:computerproblem:

Punna
Rain soddens what is kept wrapped up,
But never soddens what is open;
Uncover, then, what is concealed,
Lest it be soddened by the rain.
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cooran
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Re: Theravadin limerick challenge

Post by cooran »

Generous actions good and kind
resulting from a wholesome mind
accumulates punna
leads to sweet vipaka
As drips of water slowly fill pots.


sikkhā
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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Jechbi
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Re: Theravadin limerick challenge

Post by Jechbi »

There once was a boastful masseuse
who gave tisso sikkha abuse.
Her greatest insight
came from focusing tight
on the sukha her touch could produce.


Bojjhanga
Rain soddens what is kept wrapped up,
But never soddens what is open;
Uncover, then, what is concealed,
Lest it be soddened by the rain.
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DNS
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Re: Theravadin limerick challenge

Post by DNS »

We moved this topic to the Pali forum since it deals with Pali words and to attract those interested in Pali to participate.

I might participate once in a while, but I'm no good at poetry. :toilet:
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catmoon
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Re: Theravadin limerick challenge

Post by catmoon »

An elderly sage of Siam
Said this as he munched on his Spam:
"The truth and it's parts
Was proclaimed by Descartes
'I think', he said, 'therefore I ham.' "
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DNS
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Re: Theravadin limerick challenge

Post by DNS »

catmoon wrote: 'I think', he said, 'therefore I ham.' "
:rofl:

excellent!

I think you are supposed to show a Pali word related to the limerick. I would suggest:

Moha

(since it is Descartes after all. :tongue: )
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Annapurna
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Re: Theravadin limerick challenge

Post by Annapurna »

Don't know if I can do this,...

I'll try. :juggling:

There once was full Moha a man
who went to the beach for a tan
was a cat on hot tin
Now he's cooling his skin
enlightened sits under a tree.


Is it ok? :shrug:
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Jechbi
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Re: Theravadin limerick challenge

Post by Jechbi »

Thanks, Annabel! Can you suggest a next word? :smile:
Rain soddens what is kept wrapped up,
But never soddens what is open;
Uncover, then, what is concealed,
Lest it be soddened by the rain.
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cooran
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Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:32 pm
Location: Queensland, Australia

Re: Theravadin limerick challenge

Post by cooran »

Jechbi said:
A poster will propose a Buddhist Pali term as a challenge, and the next poster will write a limerick about that term, then suggest another term.

Obviously, no limerick is going to be the only possible limerick to illustrate a certain Pali word, so the words can be repeated. If someone wrote a limerick earlier about samvega, for example, it can still be suggested again as a challenge. There are no limits.

An important point: Please, please remember that METER is crucial. Here is the correct meter for limericks:

iamb anapest anapest
iamb anapest anapest
anapest anapest
anapest anapest
anapest anapest anapest
And - Just a reminder of the Meter, and method for the Pali Limericks.
8 syllables for each of the first two lines,
6 syllables for each of the next two lines,
and 9 syllables for the last line.
The Limerick to point to the meaning of the Pali word given by the previous poster.

metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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