A few days before his death, Kozan called his pupils together, ordered them to bury him without ceremony, and forbade them to hold services in his memory. He wrote this poem on the morning of his death, laid down his brush and died sitting upright. ____________________________________________________________________________
Senryu, died June 2, 1827
Like dew drops
on a lotus leaf
I vanish. ____________________________________________________________________________
Japanese Death Poems... courtesy of Salon.com
Empty-handed I entered the world
Barefoot I leave it.
My coming, my going --
Two simple happenings
That got entangled.
A few days before his death, Kozan called his pupils together, ordered them to bury him without ceremony, and forbade them to hold services in his memory. He wrote this poem on the morning of his death, laid down his brush and died sitting upright.
____________________________________________________________________________
Senryu, died June 2, 1827
Like dew drops
on a lotus leaf
I vanish.
____________________________________________________________________________
Gesshu Soko, died January 10, 1696, at age 79
Inhale, exhale
Forward, back
Living, dying:
Arrows, let flown each to each
Meet midway and slice
The void in aimless flight --
Thus I return to the source.