12 August 2005

Moonlight

On the tips of ten thousand grasses
each and every dewdrop contains the light of the moon.
Since the beginning of time,
not a single droplet has been forgotten.
Although this is so,
some may realize it and some may not.

—Dogen (28 July Zen Calendar)


"Moon on the water" is often used in Buddhism as a metaphor for the reflection of the divine nature in each being (or sometimes as the reflection of a particular Boddhisattva). Beyond that, I think the poem speaks for itself. Just as a note of interest, there is nothing in Tibetan Buddhism to prevent the Dalai Lama (or any other enlightened being) from having more than one physical incarnation at a time. Just as the moon may be reflected millions of times over, so may a single individual. I do not know whether this is common to all forms of Buddhism, but I suspect it is.

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