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  4. Immeasurable Sweetness

Immeasurable Sweetness

Pale light after dawn
Low clouds scudding over green fields
Weathervane - SSW

Nine cars
In the yard
Tathagatas

Welsh hills in June
Misty rain
Wet tents

Sunbeams at dusk
Reaching round the corner of the hill
Only this week the sun so far

Cutting the tall grass
goggle eyed frog leaps for safety
Sorry !

Round the temple chanting
Koonyam poussa koon yam poussa
Outside cuckoos calling

Morning mantra
Steadies
My nerves

Light on rising
Light at bedtime
What between?

Sitting in the Chan Hall
Buddha's face in the corner of an eye
One thought for a thousand years

That old-time sculptor
Never knew I read his mind
Now

Like the stream
No start No end
No stop

The mountains are doing zazen
Everything is doing zazen
-us?

Someone has noticed
His presence on the cushion's
Not essential

Outside the Chan Hall door
Manic laughter
I needn't ask him why.

This one has spotted something odd-
Others exist.
For how long I wonder.

Old doctor
Speculates
On the physiology of the brain

Dharma discussion-
Monkeys begin
Falling out of the trees

Last cars go down the winding lane
Gates close behind them
Clearer now the birdsong in the yard

Everyone gone
Retreat ended
Owl returning to the woodshed

Dusk
By an open window
Midges

Back
  • Author: Anonymous
  • Publication date: 1998-09-01
  • Modified date: 2025-02-08
  • Categories: 1998 Poetry Chan Retreat Reports Anonymous
  • Western Chan Fellowship logo Western Chan Fellowship CIO
  • Link to this page
Person sitting on stone block overlooking landscape
Anonymous retreatant
  • Dharma Resources
  • Selected Articles
  • Retreat Reports
  • Dharma Library
  • New Chan Forum
  • Chan Magazine
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  • Books Sheng Yen / John Crook
  • Reading List
  • Good Reads
  • Audio Video

©Western Chan Fellowship CIO 1997-2025. May not be quoted for commercial purposes. Anyone wishing to quote for non-commercial purposes may seek permission from the WCF Secretary.

The articles on this website have been submitted by various authors and the views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the Western Chan Fellowship.

Permalink: https://w-c-f.org/Q372-210

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May 24th
Investigating Koans
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7 Nights
June 8th
Kent Chan Day Retreat
Day Retreat
 
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Mid-Summer Silent Meditation Retreat
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July 18th
Silent Illumination Retreat
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August 23rd
Western Zen Retreat
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September 7th
Kent Chan Day Retreat
Day Retreat
 
September 26th
Weekend Chan Retreat
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2 Nights
October 4th
Investigating Koans
Residential Retreat
7 Nights
November 15th
Silent Illumination Retreat
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7 Nights
November 29th
Western Zen Retreat
Residential Retreat
5 Nights
December 7th
Kent Chan Day Retreat
Day Retreat
 

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Office 7511
PO Box 6945
London W1A 6US
England

https://westernchanfellowship.org/contact-us

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Credits

Sun icon by gravisio from Noun Project (CC BY 3.0)
Bed icon by IconMark from Noun Project (CC BY 3.0)

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