Huang Po

A number of my haiku are inspired by a Buddhist monk named Huang Po, who died in the late 850’s. These haiku emerged from my reading of The Zen Teachings of Huang Po: The Transmission of Mind.  I am not going into detail about Huang Po or his teachings.  Both can be easily researched online.  What I will offer here is a quote from about the middle of The Zen Teachings of Huang Po.  For me, this paragraph crystalizes his teaching and has had a significant impact on my thinking and my life.  It is the inspiration for my Huang Po haiku, which can be found in this blog’s archives.

Were you now to practice keeping your minds motionless at all times; whether walking, standing, sitting or lying; concentrating entirely upon the goal of no thought creation, no duality, no reliance on others, and no attachments; just allowing all things to take their course the whole day long, as though you were too ill to bother; unknown to the world; innocent of any urge to be known or unknown to others; with your minds like blocks of stone that mend no holes –then all the Dharmas would penetrate your understanding through and through. In a little while you would find yourselves firmly unattached.  Thus, for the first time in your lives, you would discover your reactions to phenomena decreasing and, ultimately you would pass beyond the Triple World; and people would say a Buddha had appeared in the world.

– Huang Po

Huang Po has given me much.  In gratitude I offer him these haiku.

 The Haiku

Beyond The Unknown

were I to practice
keeping my mind motionless,
I would pass beyond…

I would pass beyond
the world of form, formlessness,
the world of desire

Faithful And Steadfast

whether walking or
standing, sitting or lying –
at all times, practice

The Goal

Huang Po teaches me
focus - entirely - on
no thought creation…

no duality,
no reliance on others,
and no attachments
Indifference

Indifference

let things take their course,
as though too ill to bother
let things simply be

Anonymous

unknown to the world,
innocent of any urge
to be known or not

Powerless

like a block of stone
that mends no holes, be content
to stand firm...aside

Transformation

then all the Dharmas
would penetrate thoroughly
my understanding

Breaking Free

in a little while
I would find myself at last
without attachment

Unburdening  

I would discover
for the first time in my life
reactions waning

Untethered

loosening the hold
phenomena wield on me,
I would become free

no more Triple World
beyond form and formlessness
shed of desire

I Am The One

and people would say
today a Buddha was seen
moving among us