Clear Dawn
By Aja Das
This text in verse form, expresses the basis of the spiritual path, the path itself and the view of the ultimate result, the ultimate nature of being. It is an overview of the journey and different aspects of this spiritual nature. It is in itself a teaching based on the foundations of the path, the cause of suffering, and result of happiness, the four seals of the teachings, the motivation for awakening for all beings and the result of discovering the ultimate nature.
1.
In this life, short and fragile, so many dreams, so many hopes,
we carry from day to day, from birth to old age,
all that we want, all that we need, the happiness that we seek,
where is it to be found?
Working and building, dreaming the days, fearing the loss,
We wanted so much, and maybe we built it all,
or maybe we lost it all,
but in the end - winners and losers
meet in the same place, at death's door.
I think I need it, I know I want it, this is the way to my happiness,
All the things that make me smile and shiver in delight,
each one more special and important than the next
without a doubt, I rush to get them, because I know they will satisfy me.
Whatever we want, is never enough, the thirst is never ending,
but it tastes so good, just one more time,
please let me have it, this is really the last time!
with such pleading and whining, we make our way, all the way
to death's door.
If I cannot get it, if all my desires fall short, due to mine or others fault,
so much grief, so much sadness, all that I wanted is now the source of my pain.
If others are to blame, how much I hate them, if others are not to blame,
what misery and black fate is this of mine?
Fearing and dreading, running away from each possible hardship,
begging and pleading that no bad luck falls upon us,
Shriveled with fear that whatever we don’t like comes to us,
Plotting and scheming, we make our way to death's door.
Today everything is important. Tomorrow everything is important.
How is yesterday's importance bigger than todays?
How is tomorrow's importance bigger than todays?
Still having the same longings and desires, when do they end?
Finally the object of my desire is in my hands:
The good pay, the position, the career, the wealth,
the dream house or the perfect partner, what else can one need?
And yet, why is this longing not yet finished? I must miss something!
And missing and searching we make our way all the way to death's door.
Do you remember a day where you were completely satisfied?
A day where all wishes and wants were fulfilled?
Do you know anyone who has had such a day?
If there was such a case, how was the day, week or year after?
Today I obtained all my wishes, and yet,
When that day becomes yesterday,
I am still longing for tomorrow, for my new dreams to come true.
And dreaming and wishing we make our way to death's door.
When was the last time you were happy?
And how long did it last?
How short is our memory,
craving the momentary,
and craving and smiling, we make our way to death's door.
2.
If I want I must have - this is my drive
if I do not like I must avoid - this is my drive
just like a blind mouse trapped in a box
not knowing the walls are made of paper.
I want and I need, so much work and effort to achieve
I am afraid and I avoid, so much work to avoid
and when I get what I want, for how long does it last
this happiness of mine?
I want because I believe it is the source of my happiness,
that happiness that surely will last and provide contentment,
I avoid because I believe, I truly believe that
what I avoid will truly hurt me
When the happiness I found leaves me craving once again,
where has it gone? what remains of it?
This is what I avoid so much, being truly abandoned
and separate from that happiness
If things truly are, then how can the birds sing?
If things truly are, then how can the trees grow?
if things truly are, then how were we born?
if things truly are, how hopeless we are.
Hopelessly searching for this fleeting happiness,
I move and search and work and plot
fearing and dreaming, wishing and longing
all pains and sorrows so solid and real
The dreamlike state of affairs not being known
how can I ever find my way
in this so illusory solid world
where happiness turns to sorrow with each breeze.
3.
I want to be happy, and yet do I know what that means?
The hunger for satisfaction is such an intense fever,
how can I ever be happy in such way?
Hungerless and fearless, how can happiness be anywhere else?
If there is the fear without the feared,
surely is not the fear that causes pain,
and yet fear itself is such suffering,
why without the feared can't we be fearless?
If there is no suffering in the drinking and only in the thirst,
then surely we can drink freely of thirst!
knowing that the drinking is beyond happiness and sorrow
let us drink the supreme nectar of contentment.
Beyond wanting and needing,
beyond fearing and loss,
there is no one that wants
there is no one that looses
Beyond making and doing
beyond avoiding and fear,
there is only the being of supreme joy
there is only the peace of pure presence.
4.
Seeking you in the midst of pleasures I thrive,
and the more I seek the more desire grows
The more I feel away from you, the more frustrated I become,
and whirling in anger, fear and desire, I run further away from you.
I search for the flowers in the desert and run away from the rain clouds,
I long for the peace and long to destroy my enemies,
I long for the wisdom that comes from food and wine,
where is the happiness that I need?
5.
It is so beautiful to see, the flowers bloom in the spring,
It is so beautiful to see, the sun rising at dawn,
It is so beautiful to hear, the wind against the trees,
All of this beauty is so beyond me.
It is so amazing to observe all the colors of the autumn,
How impressive the beauty of the roaring thunder,
I cannot contain my tears, when the music sings to my heart,
how wonderful and unceasing the wonders of this world.
How sad it is to see the flowers dying in the heat of summer,
how gloomy it feels when at dusk there is neither light nor darkness,
how scary it becomes when the wind gusts can bring down even trees,
such things how can they be, I want happy feelings and not these!
It is so sad to see the dark naked winter trees,
so scary and overwhelming the storms and fire in the sky,
when there is only silence, the loneliness is so heavy,
such things how can they be, I want happy feelings and not these!
There is no winter without autumn, it is obvious to all,
there is no summer without spring, seems clear to me also,
but what is easier to forget in the midst of our fear,
is that change is the heart of wonder itself.
There is no music without silence, have you thought about that?
there is not breeze without wind,
the blooming of the flowers, is itself the change
nothing lasts and nothing stays, let them bloom and wane
If I am sad because its winter, then I forget the spring,
If I am happy because its spring, forgetting that
summer and autumn will soon follow,
I miss the essential happiness - the singing of birds.
There is no sadness in endings,
nor special happiness in beginnings,
it's in the flow of being that joy sings
infinite songs of love and beauty.
6.
So easy to believe, so easy to stay,
in this right that I have to becoming me and no one else,
I forgot the singing of the spring,
but still I believe that forever I will live.
Yesterday I was me, last year I was me too,
but today I am not sure, what happened since,
how did I get here or what I did or not do,
but what I wonder is, today I am me too ?
Certainly, if I am me you must be you,
in that we both agree, better me than you,
as I take care for myself, I leave you to yourself,
so we both can each other be.
The me I am if you ask me, I am not really sure,
where did it come from or where it goes,
what really is it made of, is really not clear,
but surely it must somewhere, somehow be?
What this Me fails to see, is that yesterday was not me,
tomorrow will be different, and even longer ago
Me was born without teeth, so where is that Me gone then?
The failure of this Me, is to really see what is not to see.
In the flow of the seasons the grass abides, content,
In the flow of the river, the leafs drift, content,
In the flow of time, this illusory Me, abides,
no different than the flow, no different than time.
7.
There is ocean beyond the river,
other than the flow of time and me,
where there is only the brightness
of love, peace and nonduality
There is an ocean after the flow,
that is no different than the flow,
a flow that does not flow,
and is still the same flow.
There is nothing to say, and yet all is already said,
There is nothing to really see, and yet is so clear,
There is so much peace, but the joy is without end,
There is so much love, but no wanting at all.
Between the flowers and the space,
which is more beautiful is impossible to say,
but one thing is for sure,
In both we dwell, inseparable, of space and all that appears.
What reason is there to want or be afraid?
If it changes it ends, and so it starts,
In space where we abide, all is perfect and joy flows free,
what reason is there to crave what I already have for free?
8.
So much longing, so much desire, and yet never happiness is near,
driven by this chariot of beasts where does this lead?
This chariot is let by eight great beasts,
that leave me no chance to escape from this.
The first one is called Pleasure and it looks so nice,
so appealing and seducing, there is no looking back,
when I get into trouble, is when the second arrives,
Pleasure's twin brother comes in and its name comes with Pain.
The third one is called Gain, powerful and secure,
seems impossible to forget, standing with its glaring stare,
so much work and so much worry, to avoid its twin sister,
looking somewhat feeble, Loss is her name.
The fifth one so glamorous and elegant, the awesome Fame,
how can we look away?
there is nothing to avoid, as it’s so enticing and great,
as long as we avoid, the sister that is Shame.
The seventh it is even hard to describe,
so sweet and warm to the heart, sometimes called by Praise,
when seen what else do we need?
Just keep us away from the evil brother they say.
In this chariot of beasts we are carried from place to place,
with no other interest then what they wish,
ignoring happiness for us and others,
how can there be an end to misery?
If I wish others to suffer, how much evil must I endure,
to secure that for others no happiness matures,
in such way how can I hope or believe
that any well-being will fall upon me
If not important for me, that others suffer or not,
then alone in my happiness I will sleep,
like a beautiful little prince, sweet and unaware,
laying in the wet mud, a swamp of grief.
How wonderful it would be, if among all the stars in the sky,
there was not a single one where someone tells a lie.
How wonderful it would be, if among all the valleys and worlds,
there was not a single one where someone takes a life.
How wonderful it would be, if in all of this world and others,
there was not a single one where someone abuses another,
how wonderful it would be, if like a universal symphony,
there was only peace and harmony.
9.
If I don’t stay in peace, how can I be happy?
If you are in pain, how can I be happy?
In these and other times where we share happiness and suffering,
we see each other as being the same, and how can I be lonely?
Beyond good and bad, happiness and suffering,
beyond gain and loss, there is the sky
in the sky there is just space
happiness and non-dual clarity
If there is sky for everyone,
there is happiness for everyone,
beyond good and evil
beyond gain and loss
If I find a sky-like happiness,
how can I be different than the sky.
If there is only sky,
how can you be different than the sky.
If there is nothing but bright space beyond,
there you find me, and there you find yourself,
together and same, not one, not other,
in ultimate space without center
10.
In the flowers and in the trees I see
In the flames and in the sun I see
In the wind and in the voices I hear
In all there is, there is no other
I am here. I see
I hear. I feel. I sense
I am no where
I am everywhere
In the everywhere and nowhere that I am,
I am nothing, and yet, what else is there?
In the nothing that I am,
I am dissolves and becomes pure being without being
did you notice?
did you notice that you see and feel, and hear ?
did you notice that there is no-one else besides that?
there is no one that experiences thoughts other than you,
and that you are nowhere?
if you think, if you feel, who are you? that feels and thinks?
is the tree different from the fruit?
are waves different from the ocean?
dance child, dance
dance free, dance and float in the ocean of your being
there are no limits other than infinity
if you can see and think the universe
the universe appears in you, and you are beyond it!
if you can think and see time,
you are infinity beyond time
if you are infinity, I am infinity,
how many infinities are there?
If you can imagine anything
then anything appears in your mind.
If anything that appears, appears to your mind,
your mind pervades everything.
If your mind pervades everything,
Then it cannot be anything,
in the no-thing that can be all ,
we are not one, nor same
11.
may we all find peace
may we all find the strength to be free
may we all find love.
