Dewdrop World

露の世は露の世ながらさりながら

This dewdrop world
Is just a dewdrop world.
And yet, and yet . . .

Whenever I read Kobayashi Issa's poem, it pulls me right out of Buddhist fantasy-land.

That's the fantasy that we will together attain complete emptiness and become one with this dewdrop world.

And yet, and yet . . .

Can you feel Issa's sadness? His realization that impermanence contains sorrow?

Note: Issa wrote this poem upon the death of his two year old daughter. Photo by John Charlton

Comments

[Uku]

Yes, I can feel it. And I can also feel the enormous joy and optimism! :)

And yet, and yet...

Great poem and post, thank you!

[Glenda]

Hi Barry,
Beautiful picture too. Indra's net. The picture sends me deep into that world.
as does "and yet...."
Gassho,
Glenda

[Alice]

This is so "money" that any utterance of mine would only sully it. I'm just gonna let it sink in. Thank you!

[buddhaofhollywood]

And yet, we can find the dew drops returning every morning :)

[Barry Briggs]

Thank you, Uku, Glenda, Alice, and BoH, for your knd comments. BoH - yes, every morning this world returns. Until it doesn't. What can we do?

[Puerhan]

Oh! Dewdrop could so easily be teardrop! For the sorrows of the world.

~gassho~