[updated October 2022]
At Night Drop Anchor in the Lu River, Wrote This Poem to Send to Old Friends at the Donglin Temple
夜 泊 卢 江 闻 故 人 在 东 林 寺 以 诗 寄 之
江 路 经 卢 草
松 门 入 虎 溪。
闻 君 寻 寂 乐
清 夜 宿 招 提。
石 镜 山 精 怯
禅 枝 怖 鸽 凄。
一 灯 如 悟 道
为 照 客 心 迷。
Ye Bo Lu Jiang Wen Gu Ren Zai Dong Lin Si Yi Shi Ji Zhi
Jiang lu jing lu cao
Song men ru hu xi
Wen jun xun ji le
Qing ye su zhao ti
Shi jing shan jing qie
Chan zhi bu ge qi
Yi deng ru wu dao
Wei zhao ke xin mi.
At Night Drop Anchor in the Lu River, Wrote This Poem to Send to Old Friends at the Donglin Temple
The river courses through Lufu
Path into the pine trees joins a tiger-like stream.
Hear you are looking for quiet enjoyment
Clear night, stay over at the temple’s first tree.
Mountain stone smooth like a mirror, local spirits scared to come near
Pigeons also stay away, fearful of this chan forest.
A single Buddhist insight makes a spiritual awakening
This traveler’s heart-mind fascinated by the developing illuminations.
Notes:
Lu River: Name for the upper sections of the Changjiang (Yangzi).
Donglin Temple: Buddhist monastery located in northern Jiangxi Province. It was built in 386 AD at the foot of Mt. Lu.
Chan: Zen Buddhist