[Poetry Chaikhana] Ikkyu (Ikkyu Sojun) - Every day, priests minutely examine the Law

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Every day, priests minutely examine the Law By Ikkyu (Ikkyu Sojun) (1394 - 1481) English version by Sonya Arutzen   Every day, priests minutely examine the Law And endlessly chant complicated sutras. Before doing that, though, they should learn How to read the love letters sent by the wind and rain, the snow and moon.   -- from Ikkyu and the Crazy Cloud Anthology: A Zen Poet of Medieval Japan, by Ikkyu / Translated by Sonya Arutzen Amazon.com / Photo by pellaea /

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Hi Omss -

So short and sweet, we almost don't notice its deep cut into our pretenses.

If we want to be learned, then we can read the scriptures, memorize them, chant them. But if we want true knowledge, then we must do something much harder -- step outside and fall silent. When we can do that, and recognize the hidden touch behind it all, only then have we really understood what we've been studying all that time.

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Ikkyu Sojun's poetry is irreverent and iconoclastic, bitingly critical of false piety, hypocrisy, and formalistic religion. His poetry is often frankly erotic, sometimes humorously so. Yet his poetry manages to reach an immediacy and insight that is the essence of Zen practice.

Ikkyu Sojun was appointed to be the head priest of the great temple at Kyoto, but he renounced the position after just nine days, denouncing the hypocrisy he saw among the monks around him. In a famous line from one of his poems, he told his fellow monks they could find him in the local brothel instead.

Though clearly not of an ascetic temperament, Ikkyu was a poet, calligrapher, and musician who viewed the world with a deep insight that permitted no pretense, favoring direct truth over religious and social facades.

He founded what became known as the Red Thread (or erotic) school of Zen.

--

Have a beautiful day!


Ivan

 

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