文╱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。

觀遍色空曇豔，幻影更何心，往返人天。回首沉輪萬劫，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》

Flying Magpie at Night

Tune: The Pearl of Dawn

Lu Bicheng (1883 -1943)

English translation: Ven. 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** warm 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 Mahaksyapa

smiling in return.

** Kalavinka birds possess a human head and a bird’s

body, with a long flowing tail.

*** Raksas are demons reputed for devouring humans.