Focus on books
Zen poems from early Vietnam
Professor Sunanda Mahendra
An offering in dedication of the United Nation Day of Vesak 2008 in
Vietnam from Hochiminh city Buddhism Association and Hochiminh City
Department of Culture and Information.
Translated from Vietnamese poetry to English by Kevin Bowen and
Nguyen Ba Chung, with an introduction by Ke Manh That.
143 pages.
When I was gifted with this book by a Buddhist scholar and
sociologist Dr. Praneeth Abeysundara, I posed the question as to how Zen
poems could reach a country like Vietnam. But on further enquiry into
contents I found the answer.
Zen poems, as I discovered, are nothing but Buddhist thoughts
versified into simple rhythmic forms by various poets from time to time.
According to Dr. Le Minh That, the Vice Rector of the Institute of
Buddhist Studies, Vietnam, Buddhism is a cultural phenomenon that spread
to Vietnam from another country during the Hung King period, in the
second and third century BCE, when Vietnam was an independent sovereign
state.
The normal acceptance is that the genre called Zen poems seem out of
the Japanese Haiku and Tanka poem. The term ‘Zen’ could be translated as
a meditative experience which is achieved in a moment. As such it is
also denoted by the term ‘Dhyana’ or sanctity. In this direction Zen
poems and Zen stories are sensitive expressions of a sanctified mood.
According to Dr That, these Zen poems too are embedded with a certain
degree of political expression, and this becomes a distinctive feature
intermixed with the religious thought.
Dr. That says that this is easy to understand because in the history
of their existence, the Vietnamese have to continuously struggle, even
resorting to armed struggles in order to defend their every survival.
For that reason, Buddhism, as the cultural force of its people, could
not separate itself from this constant battle.
The fact that Zen masters have been inspired creatively by these
struggles is observed in several poems. For the sake of clarity let me
quote the very first Zen poem in this collection.
“The nation’s destiny knit as tightly as woven canes.
Today peace takes root in the Southern land
When mindful wisdom tends the palace
All warring stops all strife’s gone
(17pp, a poem by the Zen master Phap Thuan)
The Zen poem titled ‘advice’ to disciples by the Zen Master Van Hanh
is as follows:
“The body, like lightening, here then gone.
Like spring foliage that withers in autumn.
Don’t worry about the show of rise and fall;
Like dew drops on grass, it’ll quickly be gone.” (25pp)
The Zen poem titled ‘A farewell poem’ looks quiet modernistic. This
is written by the Zen master named Ngo An. The lines are as follows:
“Our Buddha nature not easily grasped,
Only a clear mind will capture it.
Bright as Jewel fired in volcanic heat;
A lotus plucked from a kin Its hue, lush and fresh.” (37pp)
One of the most controversial Zen poems from Vietnam comes from a Zen
Bhikkhuni a female teacher goes as follows. This too is titled as
‘Farewell advice to disciples”
‘Birth, old age, sickness, death,
We can never escape them.
The more we fight
The more their nets tangle. In confusion, we chase after Buddha; In
error we seek the way of Zen
Seek neither the way nor lips pursed, sit in silence.”
Zen poems may remind a Buddhist reader about Thera Theri gathas which
appear in the Khuddaka Niakaya. The difference lies in the brevity of
expression. One good example to illustrate this factor comes from Zen
master Tu Lo titled as ‘Yes and No’. The lines go as follows.
“If we say yes, even a speck of dust survives.
If we say no, the entire universe is void.
Yes and No. Like the Moon in the river,
Who can say it’s there, Who can say it isn’t?” (57pp)
Some Zen poems are quite symbolic and allude to folk features, signs
and expressions. One such example titled as ‘Reflection revealed’ comes
from the Zen master named Khon Lo. Here is the poem.
“A dragon-shaped land to call my own long days in unending bliss
sometimes I climb the solitary peak utter a cry that chills the empty
sky (61pp)
The poems are meaning fully designed in the most modern usage of the
printing process. In Zen studies it is believed that the traditional
definition of Zen goes as follows: “Outside teaching, apart from
tradition. Not founded on words and letters. Pointing directly to the
human mind. Seeing into one’s nature and attaining Buddhahood.”
The inherent meaning which is difficult to grasp is at times
creatively capture in Zen poems. One such example comes from the
Vietnamese Zen poet Tran Thanh Tong in his poem titled ‘On reading the
Record of Great wisdom”, which goes as follows.
“Thirty years of drilling
Shells and dropping tiles,
A few times sitting break a cold sweat.
One morning I saw mother’s original face,
But only half the face was there. Wise eyes see no colours, Wise ears
hear no sounds
Only the mind gives
Shape and meaning.
Once beyond the bondage of lips and tongue,
All words are void and radiant.” (101 pp)
Here the term ‘drilling turtle shells’ is denoted as doing a
difficult task. “Breaking tiles” means doing easy tasks.
For the sake of further study the translators have presented the
original Vietnamese version as well as its literary meaning. This is
followed by the English poetic version. In this manner the English
reader enters into the Zen realm with vivid insights.
It is believed that these poems highlight the open attitude and the
distinctive Buddhist approached to governance. Once a certain good
hearted king had fled from the royal citadel to a mountain range because
of a major disagreement with his Prime Minister. One of the Zen poets
who knew about it had written a few liens the meaning to which goes as
follows:
“There is no Buddha in the mountain, the Buddha resides in our hearts
The heart stills to understand, that’s the real Buddha. If your
Majesty sees that mind, Your Majesty will become the Buddha. There is no
need to seek it outside. And (as such) a ruler of a land has to take the
people’s wishes to be his wishes, to take the people’s hearts to be his
heart.
Now that the people wish to ask you to return. Your Majesty has no
choice but to return! Your Majesty, however, should not neglect the
study of the Sutras. It was this particular King who wrote the above
poem. He was a King who became a Zen poet.
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Bharatha Natyam - a basic study
Bharatha Natyam - a basic study is written by Subashini Pathmanthan
for the benefit of the nonTamil speaking students of Sri Lanka, and the
Bharatha Natyam students who are not proficient enough in Tamil
language. The printing and publishing of this book is sponsored by India
Sri Lanka foundation.
The author’s personal talent, experience in the field of Bharatha
Natyam, her full ability and her exceptional talent in the field, and
exceptional writing skill, are displayed in this book.
The book contains forty two chapters. This book covers almost all the
aspects of dance, including the origin, development, and traces the
ancient variety of dance forms such as koothus, dance on modern and
ancient works, dance in ancient pun music and devotional music. Above
the said aspects which enable the reader to understand the ancient role
of the divine art in the society.
Beside these, this book deals with nuances of dance, references of
dance in numerous Inscriptions, Relationship of dance with numerous fine
arts, such as Music, Ancient Pun Isai, Sculpture, and Paintings.
Choreography in classical Bharatha Natyam, Keerthanams, Padams, and
Jaavalis in Bharatha Natyam.
All these aspects clearly indicate how Bharatha Natyam involved with
numerous other aesthetic art forms and other aesthetic value of such
lassiya aspects.
Further this book deeply deals with current trends in Bharatha Natyam
such as Repertoire of Bharatha Natyam, Emerging trends in Bharatha
Natyam, Costumes in Bharatha Natyam, Styles in Bharatha Natyam,
Accompaniments in Bharatha Natyam, Stage décor in Bharatha Natyam,
Impact of technical developments in Bharatha Natyam, Innovation of
Bharatha Natyam today, and influence of Tamil cinema in Bharatha Natyam.
Altogether this book deals with the description of twelve important
categories, of Adavus and forty four Adavu illustration pictures are
included to give a guiding outline for the teachers, and students of
Bharatha Natyam.
Beside this, use of maximum number of single hand muthuras (thirty
single hand gestures), and twenty three double hand muthuras are
explained with sketch drawings to enable the reader to understand the
meaning of the hand gestures and their use.
Further this book deals with the relationship of Bharatha Natyam with
other classical Indian dance forms and Sri Lankan classical dance form (
Kandyan dance), and South east Asian dance forms.
In these chapters one can understand and trace the origin of all
other dance forms which are totally based on Natya Sastra. Again these
chapters reveal the relationship, similarities, dissimilarities of
Bharatha Natyam with other Indian classical dance forms, and Sri Lankan
classical dance form (Kandyan dance), and South East Asian dance forms.
Further this book deals with the contribution of males for the
development of Bharatha Natyam, and the males’ role in the development
of Indian Classical Dances. Further it also deals with the temples and
Indian Classical dances, and Royal patronage to Indian Classical dances.
It also describes the popular Tamil Folk dances.
This book was released on April 11 and a considerable number of
copies have been sold.
- Vathana Varatharajan
An exemplary children’s literary work
Title: Sundara
Author: R. R. Samarakoon
Publishers: Dayawansa Jayakody and Co.
Price : Rs. 150 pp 96
R. R. Samarakoon the well-known dramatist and award winning novelist
ventures into children’s literature with his maiden work Sundara.
Unlike those writers who evolve characters around children with
talents, physical flexibility and exuberance, RR crowns a disabled child
as his principal character with ability to achieve great feats in his
fast flowing narrative rhythm. In a way it is unique in Sri Lankan
children’s literature as it steps into an area which had hitherto being
ignored.
The sympathy it evokes with its progressive development of the
character of Sundara is exemplary to children and encouraging to the
adults for them to associate themselves with its inner content that
feeds the innocent mental make-up of children and the widening knowledge
of the adults.
Today at a time the disabled children being loved, nursed and
attended upon by the adults at home and in welfare organisations.
Sundara will certainly find itself a place in the mind of both the
adults and children whose joint effort is to bring happiness to the
world of children.
Sundara not only touches on fellow-children, but also on the animals
which are the most lovable and amenable living assets of any child.
Children whether abled or disabled are closer to animals than humans, at
least in collective companionship because they are obedient, innocent
and flexible to the whims and fancies of children.
Inspired by a true character which RR had known and experienced in
his youth is the source from which eventful and wonderful child
character Sundara who is able to perform acts which astonish even others
who are physically more able than this physically disabled child,
emerged.
Sundara is full of compassion to all. In his teens he was never
apathetic to society in which he was considered disabled, but proved to
be more able than the abled themselves.
His father is the last person to realise his son’s moral and
spiritual power because a parent’s inner consciousness pricks a pang of
pain for being the father of the disabled child as he considers him a
liability and a digression.
But, Sundara proved otherwise, and turned out to be the opposite of
what his father thought and brought pride and credit to him and the
society.
Sundara promotes some valuable moral qualities which enrich the
children, specially in their teens, such as patience, devotion, animal
love, perseverance, obedience etc. These are qualities which every child
should learn and cultivate. RR’s book is a door for them to enter into a
rich source of discipline.
It is highly readable and is written in familiar colloquial language
which easily drives smoothly hard into the eager reader’s, both child
and adult, mind. RR’s approach to a child’s mind in his very first
attempt, is plausible and encouraging. It makes the children part of the
environment which will enable them to study it and learn to live in it
that enlivens their life and moulds their character.
- E. M. G. Edirisinghe |
