Sitting in Stillness (a meditation by Chan master Fa Yan)

Today I came across this poem by the Chan master Fa Yan, who was the founder of one of the Five Houses of Chan.  It's a lovely poem that cross back and forth over the indistinct boundary line that separates meditation and poetry.

Hidden in a grove

A bird sings like a flute

The willows tremble

Golden catkins streaming

Clouds are gathering over

The peaceful valley

The wind brings a trace

Of apricot fragrance

Forever today

I'm sitting in stillness

My heart settles and

Ten thousand worries

Pass away

Yearning for words

But they just won’t do

Underneath these trees

It’s good to sit
Taking measure

幽鳥語如篁

柳搖金線長

雲歸山谷静

風送杏花香

永日蕭然坐

澄心萬虞忘

欲言言不及
林下好商量

If someone were to ask me to explain my own practice of translation and poetry, I think this poem comes as close as possible to describing it; 欲言言不及 as Fa Yan expresses it in the poem's second to last line, which I have translated as yearning for words but they just won't do.