As Seen from Buddha's Eyes

Yutang Lin


Human life is short and passes swiftly
One's path in life had better be chosen earlier
If it is known that all in the world become illusive just as eyes turn
And the taste of Dharma practices had slightly been savored
To know for certain that Dharma is solid
    And in the long run could benefit sentient beings
Then one should renounce worldly considerations and tangles
Whole-heartedly and fully devoted to
    Dharma practices and services of Dharma propagation

All are shaped as causal conditions dictate
Carelessly meddling, at times warm and at times cold
At most will result in temporary superficial changes
To what extent one is engaged, and to what degree one had contributed
Only then could correspondent harvests be expected

Karmic causes and consequences in Samsara recycle endlessly
To escape and transcend fate of a worldly being, 'tis easier said than done
As to self-liberation and also being capable of granting emancipation to all
    That is truly more difficult than ascending to heavens
While entangled in worldly engagements, practicing only once in a long while
Who could believe that such practices will yield fruits of transcendence

Awake sooner, ordinary efforts are simply insufficient
Complete dedication is only the first step of genuine Dharma practices

Having devoted one's prime years to the enlightening path of Dharma
And still continuously propagate the teachings and pray for all beings
Even then, one can only sincerely remind you the above once in a while
As to solid renunciation of worldly engagements to practice Dharma
It still awaits your own choosing and putting it into action
Because only you are the dictator of your own life


Written in Chinese and translated on January 31, 2009
El Cerrito, California


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