8月13日

〈曉珠詞〉夜飛鵲
呂碧城 ( 1883~1943 )

春魂殢塵網，誰解連環？參徹十二因
緣。還憑四諦說微旨，拈花初試心傳。
迦陵妙音囀，警雕梁棲燕，火宅難安。
何堪黑海，任罡風、羅剎吹船。

觀遍色空曇艷，幻影更何心，往返人天。
回首颷輪萬劫，紅酣翠膴，銷與雲煙。
阿羅漢果，證無生、只有忘筌。
似蝶衣輕褪，金鍼自度，小試初禪。

──選自《呂碧城詞選》

August 13

Flying Magpie at Night
Tune: The Pearl of Dawn
Lu Bicheng (1883 - 1943)
English translation: Zhi Yue

Youth indulged in a web of defilements, who can
break its chains? Thoroughly understand the twelve
links of dependent origination.

Rely also on the Four Noble Truths as a decree,
holding a flower* as the symbol of a heart-to-heart
transmission.

The wondrous sounds of the kalavinka birds** warn birds of prey that it is difficult to be at ease in a burning home.

Why endure the Black Sea, giving free reign to the
strong gale and the raksas*** blasting at the boat?

Contemplate the darkness, the illusory nature of
the mind, which rises and falls between heaven and earth.

Recollect cycling through a thousand kalpas, filled
with desires and disappearing in smoke. The fruit of
an arhat is obtaining non─birth, a trap in disguise.
Wearing off when laxed, it is a secret, a small test on
the first stage of meditation.

── from Lu Bicheng Ci Xuan (Selection of Poetry by Lu Bicheng)

* The instance where the Buddha held a flower in front of a silent
congregation with only Mahakasyapa smiling in return.
** Kalavinka birds possess a human head and a bird’s body, with
long flowing tail.
*** Raksas are demons reputed for devouring humans.