Lots of you were enjoying "Verses On A Faith Mind" from Seng Ts'an in the newsletter during recent weeks. A reader suggested I share out the following poem, since it reflects some of the ideas that Seng Ts'an was speaking about.
It's called, "The Most Joyful Man In The World"…
The most joyful man in the world,
Was absolutely crazy.
Whatever happened to him in his life,
You’d never catch him complaining.
You'd never hear him say anything
About something being wrong,
And so happy he was that sometimes he
Could not help but break into song.
“But man,” they would say, “aren’t you annoyed
That people have been saying bad things?
Saying that you are a terrible man,
And saying you really can’t sing?”
“No,” he would say, “I’m not annoyed,
I am ever so happy,
Because I throw my cares to the wind
And trust that Life will take care of me.”
He skipped down the roads, ran on the fields,
Jumping in joy ever higher,
Because he treated all that arose
As if it were his very desire.
He never proclaimed that he wanted or wished
For something else to happen,
And so he was perfectly in line with his life,
And so were his interactions.
“Of course I want this to happen,” he’d say,
“Why would I argue with Life?
If I need to act, Life moves me,
And the responsibility is no longer mine.
“Life creates things, then sorts them out,
Why should I get stuck in the middle,
Proclaiming what’s good or what shouldn’t be happening,
Entangled in a difficult riddle?”
“Don’t you get angry, or ever upset?"
“Yes I do from time to time.
But if that happens, I have no regret,
Since this is perfectly fine.
“In the same way I do not argue with things,
I do not conflict with my self.
Emotions can come and go as they like,
I will not resist them as well.
“So if anger is there I say ‘hello my friend,
How lovely it is to see you,’
And whenever I do, he does not stay,
He says he must see other people.
“Misery comes, looking all glum,
I treat him as my chum.
He holds on my head for a little while then
He can’t take my surrender, so runs.
“Nothing can happen unless Life says so,
I let Life take care of itself.
Some force created all this, to take it all on myself,
Would be very bad for my health!
“Everything I have, I want it,
Everything that comes, I love.
Anything not here, I forget it,
Anything not coming’s not lost.
"I live with what is and I love it,
I do not make it my enemy.
And so life has completely befriended me,
And has left me in happy simplicity."
Was absolutely crazy.
Whatever happened to him in his life,
You’d never catch him complaining.
You'd never hear him say anything
About something being wrong,
And so happy he was that sometimes he
Could not help but break into song.
“But man,” they would say, “aren’t you annoyed
That people have been saying bad things?
Saying that you are a terrible man,
And saying you really can’t sing?”
“No,” he would say, “I’m not annoyed,
I am ever so happy,
Because I throw my cares to the wind
And trust that Life will take care of me.”
He skipped down the roads, ran on the fields,
Jumping in joy ever higher,
Because he treated all that arose
As if it were his very desire.
He never proclaimed that he wanted or wished
For something else to happen,
And so he was perfectly in line with his life,
And so were his interactions.
“Of course I want this to happen,” he’d say,
“Why would I argue with Life?
If I need to act, Life moves me,
And the responsibility is no longer mine.
“Life creates things, then sorts them out,
Why should I get stuck in the middle,
Proclaiming what’s good or what shouldn’t be happening,
Entangled in a difficult riddle?”
“Don’t you get angry, or ever upset?"
“Yes I do from time to time.
But if that happens, I have no regret,
Since this is perfectly fine.
“In the same way I do not argue with things,
I do not conflict with my self.
Emotions can come and go as they like,
I will not resist them as well.
“So if anger is there I say ‘hello my friend,
How lovely it is to see you,’
And whenever I do, he does not stay,
He says he must see other people.
“Misery comes, looking all glum,
I treat him as my chum.
He holds on my head for a little while then
He can’t take my surrender, so runs.
“Nothing can happen unless Life says so,
I let Life take care of itself.
Some force created all this, to take it all on myself,
Would be very bad for my health!
“Everything I have, I want it,
Everything that comes, I love.
Anything not here, I forget it,
Anything not coming’s not lost.
"I live with what is and I love it,
I do not make it my enemy.
And so life has completely befriended me,
And has left me in happy simplicity."
From the book:
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