BUDDHA LAND II

 

copyright Matthieu Ricard

She tosses the rice

to the left, to the right.

There must always be rice

for the blessing.

The Lama walks,

blessing the land.

A rainbow appears on the right.

It is said that this Lama

manifests rainbows

wherever he goes.

A whale is swimming by,

down below, in the bay.

The eagle, watching from the topmost scrag,

gives one piercing, joyous cry,

then resettles his feathers.

He does not fly away.

Joy beyond joy,

tears on her face,

a Lama is blessing her homestead.

The whale! The eagle!

The rainbow!

Miracles, all.

When the blessing is over,

the Lama smiles.

"This is Buddha Land,"

he says.

In truth,

it is all Buddha land,

full of miracles and wonders,

for those who have eyes to see,

and hearts to understand.

One from 2012, my friends, because we need to remember beauty, and joy, and hope, especially in dark times.