A Poem for a Monk With Stillness of Heart (by Fang Gan)

Here's a poem by a Chan monk named Fang Gan that I translated this morning.  This poem really captures an important part of the Chan way -- admittedly a tough ideal to adhere to - of living immersed in nature but steadfast and untransformed, unyielding even while being completely exposed.  And all the while having the presence of mind to compose such wonderful poems!

Over several lifetimes

In practice spent

Time and again

Composing the

Profoundest chants

Sitting in summer at one

With berries and moss

Walking in Chan through

Juniper and cypress forests

Entering deep into mountains

Where snow engulfs your head

Yet studying the Way remains

Your beginner's intent

Heart and mind firmly grounded

Steadfast and untransformed

A true disciple oblivious

To the incursion of heat or cold

赠诗僧怀静

方干  

几生余习在  

时复作微吟

坐夏莓苔合

行禅桧柏深

入山成白首

学道是初心

心地不移变

徒云寒暑侵

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