Ryokan loved children, and played with them so much that other adults began to question his sanity. He says, 'Even if I were able to say something/how could I explain?' His wholehearted immersion in playful activity is the essence of Ryokan's very particular Zen expression.
In the blue sky a winter goose cries. The mountains are bare; nothing but falling leaves. Twilight: returning along the lonely village path Alone, carrying an empty bowl. Foolish and stubborn - what day can I rest? Lonely and poor, this life. Twilight: I return from the village - Taigu Ryokan (1758-1831)… Continue reading Empty Bowl: Two Poems
