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UPASAMA – CALM FROM THE FIRST FREE WOMEN – POEMS OF THE EARLY BUDDHIST NUNS
How do you cross the flood?
You cross calmly – one step at a time,
feeling for stones.
How do you cross the flood, my heart?
You cross calmly – one step at a time, or not at all.
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CHITTA – HEART FROM THE FIRST FREE WOMEN – POEMS OF THE EARLY BUDDHIST NUNS
Somehow I kept climbing – though tired, hungry, and weak. Old, too.
At the top of the mountain, I spread my outer robe on a rock to dry,
set down my staff and bowl,
took a deep breath, and looked around.
It was windy up there. As I was leaning back against a large gray rock,
the darkness I had carried up and down a million mountains – slipped off my shoulders and swept itself away on the wind.
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JENTA ~ CONQUEROR FROM THE FIRST FREE WOMEN – POEMS OF THE EARLY BUDDHIST NUNS
I was forever getting lost,
Until one day the Buddha told me:
To walk this Path, you will need seven friends – mindfulness, curiosity, courage, joy, calm, stillness, and perspective.
For many years, these friends and I have traveled together.
Sometimes wandering in circles.
Sometimes taking the long way around.
There were days when I thought I couldn’t go on.
There were days when I thought I was finally beaten.
It’s scary to give all of yourself to just one thing.
What if you don’t make it?
Oh, my heart.
You don’t have to go it alone.
Train yourself to train
Just a little more gently.
