Alankar(Decor) -200

Zen Poems Zen came from India to China in the 6th century and on to Japan in the 8th century. Zen Chinese monks were the first to write poetry as an extension of their meditation. Therefore the earliest Zen poems were written in the Chinese style of the time, quatrains with lines of equal length, often the lines parallel each other. The first Japanese disciples studying in China continued the tradition of Chinese style writing and brought it home to the Japanese monasteries. Urban monasteries in Kyoto and other populous areas known as The Five Mountain temples became centers for learning, promoting Chinese poetry, painting and calligraphy. The role of the Five Mountain Zen temples, introducing Chinese arts into medieval Japan, helped create a permanent bridge between Zen and medieval forms of artistic expression. About the same time, another branch of Zen practiced in the Rinka (forest) monasteries which had sprouted up in the Japanese countryside and was populated by less educated monks who also made their mark without the Chinese influence. Poetry from the Rinka temples was influenced more by the rural setting of the Japanese countryside. Over time, Zen poetry has evolved, there is no common form for Zen poetry, it can be written in any style, any language. What appears, what is now, what is clear, is written with an economy of words and shared as 'Zen Poetry'. Zen poetry requires the poet to be aware and in the moment, connected to all that surrounds himon the journey to enlightenment. 1 Living In The Present Life told the meditator 'I lived yesterday and died I live today and will die Tomorrow I don't know I will be there or not If I'm there, I know I'll live and die then also Live and die is my motto' 'But morally' said the meditator 2Escapade A big river with crocodiles A small brook with peace Sandwiched a cute village 3Mystery Ocean can reflectsky But notsky can Mirror can reflect man But not man can Your eyes can reflectme But not yourself Alone He can Himself reflect From in and out of all 4 Trend He is picking the ripe grapes Leaving the sour lot Fox by his side says 'Pick the sour grapes too Can make pickles'