remembering Niwa

This is a picture of Niwa Zenji, abbot of Eiheiji who died a few years ago. He happens to be in my lineage, in the blood line of the transmission. I always felt a deep connection with this old teacher, very humble and soft, and I vividly remember when he came to the West. Little did i know at the time that I would be one of his great grand sons one day.

Like a laughing and beaming cat

Eternal rambling of the brook

the cow enters the stream

your eyebrows like brushes

and teeth and tongue

gulping deep blue sky

dolls you playing with

at five or six years of age

dressing them endlessly

your shaved head under the sharp blade

the incense cloud and fragrant pine

the loud voice of the valley

shaking the rocks

rocking the silent moon

not making sense of anything

loosing track, wiping footprints

how can one walk the rain

what is the faith of trees, bees, birds?

Not answering

bleeding laughters

merely gazing

with gentleness

you ascend the Eiheiji seat

and bow at dogs in secret

Niwa

my blood in yours

and yours in mine

soiled

as this all world

seal in space

not even a ripple

or stir

or chatter

or whisper

the seal where two moons

collide

and turn into

each other

Niwa

like a rambling and beaming cat

eternal laughing of the brook