Ryokan wrote:
WITHOUT A JOT OF AMBITION LEFT
I LET MY NATURE FLOW
WHERE IT WILL.
THERE ARE TEN DAYS OF RICE
IN MY BAG,
AND BY THE HEARTH,
A BUNDLE OF FIREWOOD.
WHO PRATTLES OF ILLUSION
OR NIRVANA?
FORGETTING THE EQUAL DUSTS OF
NAME AND FORTUNE,
LISTENING TO THE NIGHT RAIN
ON THE ROOF OF MY HUT,
I SIT AT EASE,
BOTH LEGS STRETCHED OUT.
Now, this is a sharp, swordlike man saying things clearly….
“Without a jot of ambition left I let my nature flow where it will” — no direction, no destiny. I give my nature total freedom.
“There are ten days of rice in my bag” — enough. Who lives with certainty for more than ten days? Enough. Nature has taken care up to now, it will take care after ten days. So I don’t collect, it is enough.
“And by the hearth, a bundle of firewood” — what a richness! What a contentment in utter poverty! Even kings will be jealous of this man.
“Who prattles of illusion or nirvana?” — and who bothers whether I am awakened or not awakened, whether I am in an illusion, in a dream, or in nirvana…? In awakening, “who prattles?”
“Forgetting the equal dusts of name and fortune” — all is dust of name and fortune.
“Listening to the night rain on the roof of my hut… both legs stretched out.” Relaxed, listening to the dance of the rain on the roof — this is a right way of expressing the inexpressible. He is expressing utter relaxation, no concern even about nirvana, so silent….
He is saying, “I sit at ease, both legs stretched out” as if time has ceased, nothing matters. This is the space in which you can say you have come home.
