Vietnamese Zen Poems

PHAP THUAN (915 - 990)

The Nation's Destiny

The Nation's destiny - woven intricate as a thicket of cane.
The Southern Land opens a new era to Peace.
If the spirit of the Way moves down the Palace paths,
All conflicts fall away; everywhere bloodletting stops.

DIEU NHAN (1041 - 1113)

Farewell Advice to Disciples

Birth, old age, sickness and death.
The cycle has always ruled us.
The more we fight to escape,
The tighter the net tangles.
In confusion we chase after Buddha.
In error we seek the Way.
Seek neither the Buddha nor the Way.
Lips pursed, say nothing.

MAN GIAC (1052-1096)

Confessing To Falling Ill

Spring passes, a hundred flowers fall.
Spring arrives, a hundred flowers shine.
Worldly events fly past our eyes.
Old age scatters dust on our heads.
Don't say when spring departs all flowers fade.
Only last night, in the courtyard, an apricot bloomed.

TU LO (Tu DAO HANH) (c 1100)

Yes and No (c.1117)

If we answer yes, even a speck of dust has existence.
If we answer no, then the entire universe is void.
Yes and No. Like the moon's face in the river,
We cannot say it's there, we cannot say it isn't.

KHONG LO (DUONG KHONG LO) ( c 1100)

The Fisherman's Idleness

A hundred miles of blue river. A hundred miles of blue sky.
A hamlet of mulberry. A hamlet of mist.
An old fisherman deep in sleep. No one to stir him.
He awakens past noon, his boat brimming with snow.

HUYEN QUANG (LY DAO TAI) (1254 - 1334)

Dien Huu Pagoda

The temple bell's call fades into the autumn night
Moonlight falls in waves over the red maples.
A rooftop dragon's feet curl up in sleep on the pond's chill mirror.
The pagoda's two towers loom like icy jewel crusted fingers
A life freed of snares escapes worldly desires.
Eyes without cares see wider.
Good and evil know the same hearth.
The Devil's Home and the Buddha's land are one.