Thursday, February 28, 2013

The Wheel of Dharma -- Karunasri

Turning the lovers of beauty Sundari and Nanda
                       Into devoted  servants of  the poor
Halting the atrocities of the assassin Ajatasatru
                And showing him the path of Dharma
Reconciling the Sakyas and Kauliya fighting in pride
                    Over the waters of  river Rohini  
Giving the state of eligibility to  Ananda, Moggalayana,
                                    Sariputra and other disciples
Accepted the lord of Compassion
‘Jetavana’, the abode of light
 An offering devotional  by Anada Pindaka 
 Who  bought it for a crore of pieces gold.                            

 Yes, he was the Tadhagata  who changed
                        the minds of the kings rigid
 Yes, he was the Tadhagata  who
                       vanquished the chauvinists
  Yes, he was the Tadhagata who
                 showed the progress to the dejected
 Yes, he was the Tadhagata who received
                     the praise of the uncommon


Yes , he was the most kind-hearted
the  redeemer  of the sinners!
Come!” saying it   hundreds and thousands
Arrive  to have a darshan of   the Lord.   

 While lights divine shine on his forehead
Smile enchanting dances on his lips
The Sakya sage enthralls the audience
With his voice calm and profound.   

In his smile fall jasmine  raindrops
                              of  the rainbow beautiful
In his peace float down the  cities  of  the moonlight
                               of the season  Sarat
In his  words sweet   spring  the oceans
                               of knowledge Vedic         
 In  touch of his feet overflow  the waves
                                 of the Ganges of affection                     
  He is omniscient , the Tathagata
 The Buddha,  Sarvarthasiddha           
  Watch  the folks! Watch  him  till you are delighted! 
  Listen to   the lord till you feel contented!   
                                ***


Sorrows haunt relentlessly
The evil minds and  hearts
As  the wheels of the cart
Follow the oxen drawing  the cart.

As one’s shape is reflected
In the mirror  wiped clean
Appears  creation crystal  clear   
In  the  heart of a pure man.

 “wealth ultimate “ is health  for all folks
“ Riches ultimate” is happiness on the earth
 “Amity ultimate” is faith:
 “Pleasure ultimate“ is nirvan,!

No fire like desire in the world;
No demon like hatred on the earth
No  trap  like enticement
Nothing  flows great like hope

Kindness  gives peace and light
 Without  kindness  vanishes the  Earth
 Kindness yields wellbeing   and pleasure ultimate  
Man  without  kindness is a scarecrow!  
“Right look” and “Right will”
‘Right word” and  “Right action”
“Right living” and “Right effort”
“Right culture” and “Right resolve”

This is eightfold way and happiness
Eternal  greets the  disciples
Desire  disappears   and sorrow  unseen      

World is full of sorrow, desire  is  the cause
Spurn desire, the source of worldly sorrow
Eight  right paths eliminate desire natural
Let all take to the truths worth knowing.

Kshanti, charity, character, truth and karma Nishkama
Are virtues yielding peace
Equanimity, strength, amity and adhistana 
Talent  are factors ten

These paramitas ten
Give welfare to the followers
 Vanish   sin and sorrow worldly
 Shines  the path of Dhamma


As the drizzle  hardly  enter
The house with roof   strong
Evil thoughts dare not enter   
The heart of  man who  conquers senses.  

Death swallows suddenly
The unwise indulging in pleasures
As the flash  floods wash away
The village in  sleep deep.

inattentive, envious,  fickle   is mind
It  always  moves   in freedom
 He alone is great who   controls  
 The  antics  of  monkey  of mind.

Consider not others’ faults
Envy not others’ riches
Mock not the poor
Revel not over riches!  

 If you could bring smiles
On the lips of the poor –
Shine before you   treasuries  thousand
Bloom a hundred flowers.

Speak not  harsh words
Commit not evil  against the good
Worship the parents
Ponder on  “Ahimsa paramo dharma”
                     ***      
 Karunasri’s voice of  Buddha
The lord of compassion
 Spring  of cosmic good would
Shine  forever in horizons far                    

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Coming Together -- karunasri


                             
Man of  auspiciousness!    You are a riddle to me
This Yasodhara is a lass  innocent  to know you
I thought  eyes  for ruling  horizons far were stage for my love
Couldn’t anticipate  my mangalsutra was   string  of  wellbeing cosmic.

I trusted in you as my lord, man of kindness!
 Ignorant of the lord of my heart turning into lord of cosmos
Thought of you as flute for   paths forest
 Unaware of  you as harp of enlightenment  on  paths  cosmic.

River  of  mercy, the  Lord turns into flood of moonlight
Peace and pleasure   overwhelm   people’s hearts
In teachings of the   Lord ,  world may see  ways of salvation
Forgetting  the tales and woes of Yasodhara  

It was inexplicable
Whether the lord heard the lyrics
Sung on the harp of her heart
Siddhartha’s eyes were tears.  

                                  ***
I am mot ignorant, woman!
Cordial bond of ours was  mutual and transcendental 
I knew all the depths of our heart
In shadows of your eyelashes merry,
I read the poem of cosmic secret.

Then a great idea enveloped my heart
I moved ahead as if someone called me
If  told , would hot tears  in your eyes
 Let  my feet   to move away ?

In saffron attire, under the banyan tree
I spent three years twice in penance hard
Here you turned your life into penance
suffering  for long the tongues  of  flames of parting.
                                ***
She  listened to the heartbeat of the lord
He saw the thoughts in her mind
Theirs was the language of hearts loving
 Theirs was  the  conversation silent.
                              ***
                An extract from  'Karunasri'