Autumn Fruits

Yutang Lin

Practicing Dharma inadequately
Only because contaminated deeply.
Under heavy coat of winter snows
Where could Buddha sprouts be found?

Aspiration toward Bodhi so earnest
One renounced the world to step on the Path.
In warm spring green flourishes in abundance,
Zen instant is in whatever meets the eyes.

Diligence help one transcend hindrances,
Aiming at Dharma one disregards the body.
Toiling in summer, sweating as if raining,
To quench thirst one relies on Dharma nectar.

Constant endeavor over months and years,
Mind and behaviors move toward unification.
As autumn fruits become ripen, only then
One knows Buddha had no false sayings.

Comment:

Ultimate consequences of engaging in Dharma practices and services could only be learned long afterwards. Unfortunately, too many jumped to erroneous judgments or departed from the right course too soon. Therefore, I wrote this work with the hope that it might remind people that, when one has not undergone many trainings and trials on the Dharma path, how could one know the results immediately?

Written in Chinese on June 12, 2006
Translated on June 30, 2006
El Cerrito, California

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