BICYCLE RIDE

Every step on the pedal takes you forward 

Every turn of the wheel rolls on newer ground

The rugged path ahead may be hazy

And the road ahead may let me down

But with resilient air in the tyres, to cushion me

And the power of hope to thrust ahead

With handles of wisdom to steer around steep corners

And the cool breeze of love gently caressing my face

How pleasant is it to bicycle!

How pleasant is this bicycle ride of life!

THE HEART OF EMPTINESS

The heart of all is emptiness

The soul of all is emptiness

Essence of all things is emptiness

Emptiness! Emptiness!

Everything is emptiness!

The body you and I reside, is emptiness

The mind you fathom with, is emptiness

Sensation and feeling; thought and intent

Urge and action; perception and consciousness

All of these are nothing but emptiness!

All phenomena are emptiness

All objects are but emptiness

Dependent rising is emptiness

Causality is emptiness 

So in emptiness

Nothing is born and nothing dies

Nothing is pure, nothing is defiled

Nothing rises and nothing falls

Nothing exists without the all

So also in emptiness

There are no eyes and there are no ears  

No act of seeing; no act of hearing

No thought; no feeling

No desire; no craving

No free will; No consciousness

No perception; no knowledge

No ignorance; no suffering

No birth and no death

Thus is the truth of emptiness! The wisdom of emptiness!

The heart of all things! Emptiness!

Emptiness!! Emptiness!

LIFE'S TROPHY

Another long tiring day has come to an end

 

Another sultry night has crept in

I still strive with the same old trivial grievances

I still trip over the same stones of prejudice

And still slip on the slopes of my own obstinacy

When will you and I learn the rules of this never ending game of life?

However you toss and play, and however you ascend

However you trick and however much you win

Life always remains a level playing field

When you, me and everyone, all shall conquer the trophy of death!

FACE OF WISDOM

Oh wise one! Master of the self and sentience   

                                

The brilliant volcano of your intelligence

Cannot be hidden under the ocean of your humility

As pearls of your wisdom overflow to the surface

A kind heart and a soft smile, adorns your serene face

A poor wandering raft such as me, wallowing with clumsy oars

How can I not but tremble in awe of you!

FISH ASHORE

The time has come and the tide has receded

The baren rocks are all exposed

A fish caught between rocks and sand

Where can I swim today?

My gills are dry and muddy

My heart is clogged with purple blood

My my scales are peeling

 And my fins flutter in the cold empty air

How long will this agnoy last

How long will the celestial fisherman play?

SHALLOW WISDOM

Shallow waters no longer  wet your feet

No more hollow glances pretending to greet

No empty tears to flowing down the drain

No moonlit skies beclouded with pain

No more monstrous feelings  to be slain

Yet ultimate wisdom! Can it ever be gained! 

RISE AND FALL

In the rise and fall of every breath

Life and death join hands to play

In the rise and fall of every breath

The clock of time just ticks away

In the rise and fall of every breath

Experience fades away

In this rise and fall of every day

Which one is the last one?

Which one will take my breath away! 

MARINATED FOR THE RAVEN

Oh starving raven waiting for this very day

As you esuriently peck on the reddened flesh off my rotting carcass

How do you put up with its rancid taste?

Is my flesh not bitter, with hatred for the people I didn’t care about?

Is it not sour with desire, for things I still craved?

Is it not hot with anger for the people who came in my way?

Is it still slimy with my covert selfishness hidden by my overt smile?

Is it not salty with my pointless pride?

Oh raving raven is there still enough love to make it sweet

As all my pomp and glory is now heaped up as meat

Oh feathered brother!  How could you relish what you eat!

WASHED AWAY

In the vicious whirlpool of thought

My drowning soul gets dragged away

In the overpowering stream of ideas

 My mind sinks to its demise

In this world of form and appearances

My deluded heart dies to preference

When the tide rises and the flood of death finally sweeps me over

What of me is still left to be washed away? 

WAITING FOR THE WIND

The sky is clear and the night is young

And darkness is here to stay

My sole candle still burns with delight

Awaiting the fateful wind!

My wick looks up to the heavenly sky

And my light fills the dark universe

But for the passing wind

Will I not enlighten another night?

Will I not last till I burn and melt away?

WORD OUT OF PLACE

A word after a sentence kills its meaning

A slip on top, still makes you fall

A door at the end, a new beginning

A funeral, a mere wake up call?

CELESTIAL AMNESIA

From the beginning of time, I came into this world!

 

A billion years have passed since!

Yet I crave this very moment

 As smoke plays on the empty shadows

How did I forget my face?