Emptiness is a name for nothingness,
A name for ungraspibility,
A name for mountains, rivers, the whole earth.
It is also called the real form.
In the green of the pines,
The twist of the brambles,
There is no going and coming;
In the red of the flowers
And the white of the snow,
There is no birth and no death.

- Ryusai

One more poem that I thought would add to the list. :)

“Sages since time immemorial have only explained the problems of pollution. If one does not have all that false consciousness, emotional and intellectual opinionatedness, and conceptual habituation, one is clear as autumn water, pure and uncontrived, placid and uninhibited. Such people are called Wayfarers, or free people.”

- Kuei-Shan (771-854)

One more quote of the day ;)

Human nature is developed
By profound serenity and lightness;
Virtue is developed
By harmonious joy
And open selflessness.
When externals do not
Confuse you inwardly,
Your nature finds the condition
That suits it;
When your nature does not
Disturb harmony,
Virtue rests in its place.

- Huai-nan-tzu

Poem for the day. Today has been a pretty good day. Work, run, lunch, work, talked to some old friends. Can't pass that up! Anyway, just wanted to get this poem in here.

Evening meditation,
Enfolded in mountains,
All thoughts of the
World of men dissolve.
Quietly sitting on my cattail cushion
Alone, I face the empty window.
Incense burns away
As the dark night deepens,
And my robe is a single fold
As white dew thickens.
Rising from deep meditation,
I stroll in the garden,
And the moon is already above the highest peak.

- Ryokan

Another Zen Poem I like. Not too much going on today...been quite busy. I think work never ends! Anyway, don't have too long on here, so this is all I'm going to write for now. More later.

A single moon
Bright and clear
In an unclouded sky;
Yet still we stumble
In the world’s darkness.

- Ikkyu (1394-1481)


Another poem I thought was good. Not too much going on around here. I have a meeting today with the CO and XO, although I don't know exactly what it is for. I know we have are going to discuss my brief, but whether or not that is exactly what happens or is going to be the only thing discussed is beyond me. Quite honestly, I just want to go home. I need to relax some and finish my paper that is due this weekend. Hopefully it won't be too painful getting it done. Nevertheless, I guess I should get off of here and get ready to go to this meeting.