Zazen Poem by Kodo Sawaki

Here is a poem by Kodo Sawaki and my comments.

Kodo Sawaki

Zazen Poem

Doing zazen calmly in the dojo,
Putting aside all negative thoughts,
Obtaining nothing but a mind without desire,
-This joy is beyond paradise.



The world runs after fame, honor,
Beautiful clothes and comfort.
But these pleasures are not true peace.
You run and stay unsatisfied until death!



Wear the kesa and black robe and practice zazen.
Concentrate with a single mind, whether still or in motion.
See with your own eyes deep inner wisdom.
Observe and know intimately the true aspect of all action and all existence.
Be able to observe balance.
Understand and know with a mind that is perfectly still.



If you are like this,
Your spiritual dimension,
The highest in this world,
Will be beyond compare.



.............................................................................................................................................................

Now I'd like to add my comments.

Doing zazen calmly in the dojo,
Putting aside all negative thoughts,
Obtaining nothing but a mind without desire,
-This joy is beyond paradise.



My comment:

Even if we are upset or cannot seem to calm down during zazen, we still put aside all negative thoughts, just in the tiny moment of here and now, having corrected our posture. We can notice, be it for a tiny fraction of a second or every now and then, that we cannot keep our negative thoughts, we cannot be upset non-stop, so sooner or later, during or after zazen, we have to give up whichever feeling may bother us... in zazen something straight and calm is supporting you. It may be the very straight spine where the original universe appears.

A mind without desire is not a mind that thinks: “I have no desire, you do.” A mind without desire is the mind of zazen which doesn't chase the mind without desire. It is the mind which notices that the universe itself is not a place to complain about lack of luck. We have to face things square after all, we cannot escape reality, no matter if it is nice or dark. At the end of the day, nothing can be kept, no matter how much we would like to keep it. The mind without desire is the mind that gave up trying to keep everything forever, floating freely like a leaf in the wind, moment after moment, no matter if desire arises or not. A brave person says sincerely: “I am sad”. But a brave person doesn't beg for comfort. He or she faces things without trying to escape the truth. To practice zazen facing the wall is also our noble determination to face reality, no matter what it brings or takes away.

And when we finally sit in front of the wall, the joy is subtle and sometimes hard to notice, but when the habit of sitting in zazen is carved into our life, then we notice that it is impossible to miss the joy of zazen. It is joy beyond words, beyond explanation, that's what makes it so enjoyable.









The world runs after fame, honor,
Beautiful clothes and comfort.
But these pleasures are not true peace.
You run and stay unsatisfied until death!

My comment:

After all we would be blind if we thought that we could make ourselves greater through fame or honor. We may wear beautiful clothes and be respected by wide spectrum of people - that's no problem. The problem appears once we think we can raise above others or above our lack of wisdom by wearing beautiful clothes or special clothes or kesa or getting applause from huge crowds or by acting as if we were enlightened (although it is hard for me to imagine how one would act if he or she wanted to act enlightened). If we are not satisfied with the ordinary state of things, when we feel unsuccessful or silly, we may try to seek the assistance of dharma, which is unobstructed by human opinions, and we can find deep meaning in the serene, balanced state of zazen. When we practice zazen, there is no need to stand above others or convince others that we deserve more respect or attention. If there is anything that deserves more respect and attention, it is the universe as it is. The dharma of everyday life, the dharma of the person who is perfectly happy with his or her natural character, no matter if others say yes or no, approve or disapprove, that's the dharma we should follow, it is nothing for noble people or people who always want more and can never feel satisfied. It is for people who realize that their life is raw, without bells and whistles and even if they feel lousy, miserable today, such people can always return to the simple state of zazen and forget their foolish ideas, about themselves or others. A simple person without honors or ranks appears in the posture of Buddha. Then there is no reason to brag or whine and the universe becomes the place where one can act beyond good or bad, high or low and express the true self perfectly, completely, without leaving any spiritual or magic traces.

Wear the kesa and black robe and practice zazen.
Concentrate with a single mind, whether still or in motion.
See with your own eyes deep inner wisdom.
Observe and know intimately the true aspect of all action and all existence.
Be able to observe balance.
Understand and know with a mind that is perfectly still.

My comment:

Kesa is the symbol of determination, it means one is determined to follow the path of buddhas. It means we have faith in the true state of things and realize the limits of the secular world, the limits of passions. If we believe in kesa, the ordinary, simple piece of cloth, which is beyond beautiful or ugly, then we believe in the wisdom of the universe which is just itself. The universe never tries to impress or discourage people from minding their business. So when we sit down and practice zazen, we can forget the world of complicated matters, be it intellectual or emotional, and accept both the vigor of the universe, and the silence that supports it from within. So being quiet in zazen, without making fuss about this or that, we can observe how still, how not worded, not judged everything is essentially. So our mind can be put to rest.

If you are like this,
Your spiritual dimension,
The highest in this world,
Will be beyond compare.

My comment:

Although the last words of Sawaki may sound very spiritual, he means that there is no higher or lower in the true person of here and now, no higher or lower in the buddha of everyday life. If you are like this, it means if you do believe in the truth of the universe, rather than ranks of people or splendid words and thoughts, you cannot miss the true buddha in the middle of your own heart. Buddha that is far away, the historical Buddha or the buddha you imagine somewhere in a famous temple, may be only a broken image nobody can awake. But the buddha you find right in your heart, is perfectly intact. That's the buddha all scriptures talk about.