I understand…

 

 

 

I understand, Master is going to find a place of rest

To end his wanderings of many decades.

Leaving the city and going to secluded mountains

In the tranquil realm of form and emptiness.

 

 I understand, his departure is to pave the way

For future generations to continue his work

To propagate the wondrous Dharma and the path of truth

To continue the legacy and bring glory to our ancestors.

 

I understand, his departure is a reminder

To benefit the Dharma and the world, and know how to “let go”

Let go of greed and anger, hold nothing back

Birth and death, impermanence, are only for ourselves.

 

I understand, Master’s departure is a wake-up call.

Fame and fortune are fleeting dreams, like clouds drifting by.

Praise and blame, gain and loss, are illusions.

The path of enlightenment is serene from dawn till dusk.

 

I understand, Master departs but does not return.

The profound truth of religion has no coming or going.

Your physical form may perish but is immortal.

Bodhidharma's straw sandals leave no trace.

 

I understand, Master left to understand the life

The vicissitudes of existence

Who is a true friend in the three realms?

Clearly revealing "self-identity" and "others" in moments of danger.

 

I understand, Master left to laugh

Harmonizing with the clouds, wind, moon, and stars

Laughing through the leaves, tilting the universe

Laughing connects the past with the future.

 

I understand, Master is always with me.

Whether on high mountains or by rivers and lakes, 

He is in my breath.

Awakened, coming and going without worry.

  

I understand, he will always my Master

A lifetime dedicated to propagating and cultivating the Dharma

The source of the true Dharma originates from there

The master has sparked a flow of energy everywhere.

 

(A poem inspired during the days when the Venerable Master was absent from the Hoang Phap Monastery)

 

Vô Trí- Tâm Hoà

Translated into English by Huynh Thi Khanh Phung