Dhamma Poetry

[jackson]

Hi everyone,
I've taken an interest in Dhamma poetry and was wondering if any of you could recommend some poets I could check out. I don't mind which school of Buddhism it comes from, or even if it's not Buddhist but rings true (I really like some of Rumi's work). I look forward to your replies and thank you for your time.
Jackson

[Euclid]

Check out the Theragatha. Also worth checking out is the Therigatha, the bhikkuni's equivalent

Also, check out Ryokan. Some incredible stuff

[Ben]

My friend, Dr Mike Heald,
http://www.trinity.unimelb.edu.au/about ... literature
has two volumes of poetry published by Freemantle Arts Centre Press and another one currently in production. The third volume, working title 'the witness', is mostly Dhamma-inspired poetry from recent years.
http://www.trinity.unimelb.edu.au/publi ... e1/poems01

[jackson]

Thank you kindly for your replies,
I'm going to have to track down a hard copy of the Gatha's, very inspiring stuff. While searching for some Ryokan I stumbled upon some of Dogen's poetry, which was simply amazing, I've got a feeling my book collection is going to be growing a fair bit! Anyway, thanks again for taking the time to reply.
With metta,
Jackson

[Kusala]

Hi everyone,
I've taken an interest in Dhamma poetry and was wondering if any of you could recommend some poets I could check out. I don't mind which school of Buddhism it comes from, or even if it's not Buddhist but rings true (I really like some of Rumi's work). I look forward to your replies and thank you for your time.
Jackson

Hello Jackson. Have you ever heard of Matrceta's Hymn to the Buddha? It's beautiful.

One of my favorite... http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el360.html

In Praise of Arduous Deeds

113 Fatigue, loss of the joy of solitude,
the company of fools, the press of the crowd
and the pairs of opposites: all these discomforts
you endure as if they were blessings.[29]

114 With mind detached, you quietly work
for the welfare of the world.
How awesome is the Buddha-nature of the Buddha![30]

115 You ate poor food, sometimes you went hungry.
You walked rough paths and slept on the ground
trampled hard by the hooves of cattle.[31]

116 Though you are the Master, in order to serve others
you endured insults and adapted your clothes and words,
out of love for those whom you taught.

117 You are the Lord, but you never lord it over others.
All may use you as a servant to obtain the help they need.

118 No matter who provoked you,
where or how, never did you transgress
your own path of fair conduct.

119 You help those who wish you ill
more than most men
help those who wish them well.

120 To an enemy intent on evil
you are a friend intent on good.
To one who gleefully seeks faults
you respond by seeking virtues.

121 Those who sought to give you poison and fire
you approached with compassion and nectar.

122 You conquered revilers with patience,
the malicious with blessings,
slanderers with truth and the cruel with kindness.

123 You reversed in an instant
the manifold natures and evil destinies
of those depraved from beginningless time.

[jackson]

Hi everyone,
I've taken an interest in Dhamma poetry and was wondering if any of you could recommend some poets I could check out. I don't mind which school of Buddhism it comes from, or even if it's not Buddhist but rings true (I really like some of Rumi's work). I look forward to your replies and thank you for your time.
Jackson

Hello Jackson. Have you ever heard of Matrceta's Hymn to the Buddha? It's beautiful.

One of my favorite... http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el360.html

Wow, what I've read so far is quite impressive, my eyes watered at some of those lines, so very beautiful...

Jackson

[Kusala]

Check out the Theragatha. Also worth checking out is the Therigatha, the bhikkuni's equivalent

Also, check out Ryokan. Some incredible stuff

The Theragatha/Therigatha is beautiful. What makes it beautiful IMO(In My Opinion) is the fact that it's just so real. You have individuals from all walks of life discovering the Dhamma...

Thag 6.9: Jenta, the Royal Chaplain's Son — {Thag 423-428} [Thanissaro]. Even arrogant fools can find liberation.

I was
drunk with the intoxication
of my birth, wealth, & sovereignty.
Drunk with the intoxication
of my body's build, coloring, & form,
I wandered about,
regarding no one
as my equal or better,
foolish, arrogant, haughty,
my banner held high.
I — disrespectful, arrogant, proud —
bowed down to no one,
not even mother,
father,
or those commonly held
in respect.

Then — seeing the ultimate leader,
supreme, foremost of charioteers,
like a blazing sun,
arrayed with a squadron of monks —
casting away pride & intoxication
through an awareness serene & clear,
I bowed down
my
head
to him, supreme
among all living beings.

Haughtiness & contempt
have been abandoned
— rooted out —
the conceit "I am" is extracted,
all forms of pride, destroyed.

[Kusala]

From Ven. Dhammika's blog http://sdhammika.blogspot.com/2008/05/c ... hamma.html

Chariots of Dhamma

"There is also several fine verses where the Buddha compares the parts of a chariot to the spiritual journey.

The road it goes on is ‘Straight.’
‘Without Fear’ is its destination.
The body is called ‘Silent,’
And its wheels are right effort.
Conscience is the railings,
Mindfulness the upholstery,
Dhamma the driver
And right view runs ahead.
And whether it be man
Or whether it be woman,
Whoever travels by this vehicle
Shall draw close to Nirvana (S.I,33).

The third last line in this little poem (itthiya purisassa va) needs to be more well-known."

[mikenz66]

Yes, that one is great. See this thread for some discussion of it and some alternative renderings:
http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=8821


Mike

[altar]

the samyutta nikaya, the first sections. i no longer have a copy.