Theravadin limerick challenge

[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

[Jechbi]

That is a most excellent limerick.

[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'

[Dmytro]

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'

[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.

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

[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'.

[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.



Punna

[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

[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

[David N. Snyder]

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.

[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.' "

[David N. Snyder]

'I think', he said, 'therefore I ham.' "

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. )

[Annapurna]

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

I'll try.

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?

[Jechbi]

Thanks, Annabel! Can you suggest a next word?

[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

[Jechbi]

ātāpī (ardent, enthusiastic)

There was a sly turtle named Jack
who carried a cat on his back
with devout ātāpī,
yet he just didn't see
the hungry dog blocking his track.

appamatto (vigilant)

[Viriya]

Previous word: Appamatto

John who had no appamatto,
On weekends would make gelato,
But like this limirick,
His recipes would stick,
That's what happens when using potato!

There was a pianist called Satou,
Who played staccato legato,
He studied the dhamma,
with great appamatto,
So now he plays appassionato!

Next word: passaddhi!

[Paññāsikhara]

'I think', he said, 'therefore I ham.' "

excellent!

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

Well, the really funny thing is - particularly funny, because I am not sure if Catmoon knew it or not - is that the word "aham", which could easily become " 'ham" (samdhi before "I") in Pali or Sanskrit!!

So, yes, "I 'ham" is perfectly good atta-ditthi!

[Paññāsikhara]

Next word: passaddhi!

There was a youth from Vesali,
Who had impressive passaddhi,
In cross-legged repose,
He appeared to just doze,
Rising just for his danapati!!


Alternate ending:
...
Rising just for his dinner party!!

Next word:
paticcasamuppada
...
okay, just kidding, next word:
"nisīdana" = "sitting mat"

[yuttadhammo]

Next word:
paticcasamuppada
...
okay, just kidding, next word:
"nisīdana" = "sitting mat"

Aw... I was ready

O pa.ticcasamuppaada,
That all doth stem from avijjaa!
With this too cometh that,
Bringing suff'ring thereat;
Yea, freedom lies only in vijjaa.

Sit down on your nisiidana,
And practise satipa.t.thana,
Guard all your indriyaa,
Follow the ariyaa,
And you too will attain nibbaana.

Next word:

Ca"nkama (walking meditation)