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Poetry Commentary
*On the thirtieth night of the lunar New Year at Cam Lộ temple, each hamlet of Plum Village plants a tall bamboo pole, hangs a small square sticky rice cake and a Sanghati robe to signify “this is the land of love, not the land of anger.” The old story tells that when the Buddha returned, he negotiated with Mara, asking for a piece of land the size of the shadow cast by his Sanghati robe to plant “the tree bearing the fruits of love.” When the robe flew high and covered the whole earth, Mara had to yield, but still sowed craving and hatred in the shadows, showing that “just a little land for love and insight to take root, and the world can still be transformed.”
*Sister Nghiêm Nghiêm recited the poem “An Old Zen Master, a Plum Blossom,” and the images of “cloud shadows, incense smoke” remind us of impermanence, inviting us to “live in mindfulness, to recognize happiness in each simple moment.” Through the poetry of Xuân Diệu (“Farewell to Childhood”), the child within us—pure and innocent like “the Kingdom of God”—has left because of the harshness of life. In Plum Village, we practice breathing in, smiling to the “five-year-old child” within, to embrace and heal the wounded child, to keep “the joyful smile of childhood” throughout our lives, following the Dharma door of Dwelling Happily in the Present Moment.
*The first day of the lunar New Year is the day of opening the brush, and we must keep our three karmas pure: not sweeping the house (so as not to sweep away good fortune), not scolding, not collecting debts, and not speaking harsh words. The act of opening the brush at the beginning of the year “carries happiness, faith, will, and aspiration,” and is done with mindfulness. If we “can keep one day like this, we can maintain many days to come,” opening a tradition of beginning the new year in peace.
