Monthly Archives: September 2013

Dogen’s Doei (道元道詠): Poems in the Way, 31

Thirty casual poems at my grass hut (11):   Strayers far and near In the Six Paths – Are my fathers and My mothers indeed!     Sōan-no gū-ei sanjisshu (11):   Mutsu-no michi Ochi-kochi mayou Tomogara-wa Wa-ga chichi-zo kashi … Continue reading

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Manaslu & Tsum Valley, Day 5 Jagat – Lopka

    Like the clear stillness of autumn water, pure and without activity, in its tranquil depth  are no destructions.  Such a one is called a man of Tao, also a man who has nothing further to do.                                                                                          Man of Tao         In Jagat we hire an additional porter.  On the way up the Budhi Gandanki Gorge we pass a Shankri stone.  In front of this shrine, a Shankri had just recently performed a healing ritual.  In this area, people go to shamans for healing.  There are no medical doctors available. After lunch, we leave the Manaslu circuit and enter Tsum Valley.       Chandra arguing with his wife in front of a chautaraa (resting wall for porters) View up the Budhi Gandanki River       Walking the path         Shankri stone with cow dung, egg shells and other unknown items       Refreshing       Entering Tsum Valley: … Continue reading

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Dogen’s Doei (道元道詠): Poems in the Way, 30

Thirty casual poems at my grass hut (10):   The long, long night Like draping tail Of a mountain fowl Has dawned at last.     Sōan-no gū-ei sanjisshu (10):   Ashibiki-no Yamadori-no o-no Shidari-o-no Naganagashi-yo-mo Akete keru-kana     … Continue reading

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Manaslu & Tsum Valley, Day 4: Tatopani – Jagat

    Alas, the moon in the window was not taken away   Ryokan   With the change of altitude, the vegetation changes.  Instead of rice and millet fields, we are passing fields of already harvested corn.  Tibetan prayer flags are the first signs that people  are followers of Tibetan Buddhism. In Jagat, we see the first Chorten, the Tibetan version of a stupa.  We are at an altitude of over 4000 feet.     Path in the rain Sharing the path Another view up the Budhi Gandaki River Intimacy       Three year old child washing dishes     Crossing a hanging bridge over the Budhi Gandaki River     Two children playing with a tiny bird in Jagat Little bird with child (Text … Continue reading

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Dogen’s Doei (道元道詠): Poems in the Way, 29

Thirty casual poems at my grass hut (9):   The path-ends of One foolish mind One seems to tread As the Six Paths.     Sōan-no gū-ei sanjisshu (9):   Orokanaru Kokoro-hitotsu-no Yuku-sue-wo Mutsu-no Michi-to-ya Hito-no fumu-ran     草庵之偶詠三十首 … Continue reading

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Manaslu & Tsum Valley, Day 3: Labubeshi – Tatopani

  Peak colors, valley sounds –  all are the voices and figures  of Shakyamuni Buddha Dogen         On the way up the Budhi Gandaki Valley, we pass villages where children are greeting us with big smiles and a friendly Namaste.  Sometimes we stop for chiyaa, the typical Nepalese milk tea.  At the end of our day, we enjoy the hot springs of Tatopani.                                                Village on our way   … Continue reading

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Dogen’s Doei (道元道詠): Poems in the Way, 28

  Thirty casual poems at my grass hut (8):   May the lord from old days Whom we’ve been relying on Have the evening mercy of winter halters On the morning sleeved one.     Sōan-no gū-ei sanjisshu (8):   … Continue reading

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Manaslu & Tsum Valley, Day 2: Arkhet Bazar – Lapubeshi

      When you forget the good and the non-good,  the wordly life and the religious life  and all other Dharmas,  and permit no thoughts relating to them to arise  and you abandon body and mind –  then there is complete freedom. Pai-chang Huai hai     In following the Budhi Gandaki River, the gorge becomes constantly narrower. It seems that water is everywhere.  The warm rain makes everything fresh and lush. From high above, waterfalls thunder into the river down below.  Groups of donkeys carry heavy bags up the path.       View up the Budhi Gandaki River     Path in narrow gorge:  on the left a porter carrying heavy metal for a new bridge       Porters carrying parts of a new bridge Sharing the path with donkeys   … Continue reading

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Manaslu & Tsum Valley, Day 1: Gorkha – Arkhet Bazar

  Better than the one who would live one hundred years not seeing birth and death is the one living one day seeing birth and death.   Buddha     After a several hour long bus ride on a muddy dirt … Continue reading

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Dogen’s Doei (道元道詠): Poems in the Way, 27

  Thirty casual poems at my grass hut (7): The mountain wind of spring Must have blown around Throughout peaks and hills Is the fragrance of flowers. Sōan-no gū-ei sanjisshu (7):   Azuwayumi Haru-no yama-kaze Fuki-nu-ran Mine-ni-mo O-ni-mo Hana nioi-keri … Continue reading

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