Meng Haoran: Writing About Yigong, at His Room in the Dayu Temple

Writing About Yigong, at His Room in the Dayu Temple

题 大 禹 义 公 房

义 公 习 禅 处
结 构 依 空 林。
户 外 一 峰 秀
阶 前 群 壑 深。

夕 阳 照 雨 足
空 翠 落 庭 阴。
看 取 莲 花 净
应 知 不 染 心。

Ti Da Yu Yi Gong Fang

Yi gong xi chan chu
Jie gou yi kong lin.
Hu wai yi feng xiu
Jie qian qun he shen.

Xi yang zhao yu zu
Kong cui luo ting yin.
Kan qu lian hua jing
Ying zhi bu ran xin.

Writing About Yigong, at His Room in the Dayu Temple

Yigong practices the Chan teachings
His room in back, near the empty forest.
Outside his door, one beautiful mountain peak
In front of the steps, many deep ravines.

After rain, setting sun shines
Down on the emerald green leaves in the empty, tree-covered courtyard.
See that he is clear above the white lotus flower
I know his heart-mind not stained by worldly things.

Notes:

Da Yu: Near the city of Shaoxing, Zhejiang

Chan: Literally means to sit in deep contemplation.  Better known in the West as Zen (Buddhism).

White lotus flower: His level of Chan understanding is very high, like the Buddha sitting upon the white lotus flower