A new step in the perpetual cyclical change...

A fierce wind from last night along with the sudden frosty cold this morning in Beijing, autumn leaves falling from the trees and the air and view crystal clear.

A new step in the perpetual cyclical change…

Last night I read following poem from 王維 (Wang Wei, 699-759), a Chinese poet, musician, painter, and politician of the middle Tang dynasty.

𝘔𝘺 𝘙𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘔𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘡𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘯

𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘞𝘢𝘺; 𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐’𝘮 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘔𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯.

𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺, 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘣 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘺 – 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦’𝘴 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘴, 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴.

𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦, 𝘐 𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳.

𝘉𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘯; 𝘞𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 – 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦.

終南別業

中歲頗好道，晚家南山陲

興來每獨往，勝事空自知

行到水窮處，坐看雲起時

The concept of impermanence, the state of not lasting forever (or not for a long time) and one of the essential doctrines in Buddhism is revealed in this poem. Also known as the “philosophical problem of change”, impermanence has been addressed in different cultures and philosophies.

The poem deals with the acceptance of impermanence through another emotion of Buddhist practice… imperturbability; remaining calm amid storm and a clearness of judgment in unstable moments or times of suffering.

The ultimate form of imperturbability is equanimity; having a constant calm and clear state of mind under any kind of circumstance and the perpetual cyclical change.

Imperturbability is often misperceived as impassiveness, indifferent or unmoved, especially during times of suffering. On the contrary, it is about mindful non-reactivity and non-impulsivity – the capacity to respond to suffering in a balanced, harmonious, and wholesome manner, keeping one’s composure in times of hardship.

My morning walk to office, with fallen leaves, icy cold ears and enjoying warm baozi on the way 😊

#beijing #buddhism #wintertime