A brief collection of verses and artwork by Aja Das
Just stay
It is so simple, not hard at all
all that is here, the sweetest taste
a flower or a rock, a twist of fate,
whatsoever of mine is sure to fall
In the fall nothing is lost as nothing was
As everything is, appears for a while
so all I have to offer is a smile.
where to go or where to stay who can say
but surely to stay for a while,
glancing at time as it passes behind,
for those who want so much to be something,
what to say, I'm sorry, those knots are the bind;
the bind that ties the mind that is nothing;
but I will sit for a while and stay with a smile.
the fate of the flower is not to be known
for it was never defined or its own
other than that, all is fantasy and lore
a great story of old repeated and worn
believed and retold shaped into a world
of things and ideas, and people so lost;
so many things to believe or to be
believing in nothing all is clear here
here is complete but words ever fail
all is left is a smile, and to stay for a while
All is here
As the first rains fall
the ants fly up into the rising wind
where to go, they do not know
hunger not for what is not yours.
all that is not in your hand, is not yours.
hunger for what is yours
that which is your own heart, is already yours.
The Dance of the Dakini
The mist embraces the hillside
vultures dance,
in and out, of the thick white veil
The change within the changeless
everything changes but This.
The great dance is unseen,
the mist seems to hide everything
and yet, in and out they dance
and that itself is the great seeing,
the vultures never fall.
The vultures glide in longing circles
The birds leap from branch to branch,
seeking berries
worldly minded people, seek so much,
romance, wealth, to be something
From Here I look, and see mirages.
I rather dance with the vultures.
Seasons are Freedom
The glaring summer surrenders to the freshness of autumn
Timid young grasses look out to see, did it really happen?
Everything changes as it should, nothing stays beyond its time.
People all but barely notice as everything changes,
so lost in trying to hold everything solid in its place,
holding strongly to so many things,
as if by their holding, they could stop the universe from moving.
Let go... let yourself be free..
The cold wind arrives, announcing the news
The young grasses flowers rise, now it is their time!
The glaring stare of the Dakini
The mist rises up from the plain
filling the spaces and colours everywhere
wisdom rises up from the silent mind
filling the dullness of an ordinary mind
the white veil rises in the night
climbing the mountain
the moisture of clarity rises through
the dark mind
everything is seen, but no seer exists.
So where do you come from?
unaffiliated, undefined, uncertified, unapproved, unplanned and unmade
Who is my mother? the space without notions is the kindest of mothers.
Who is my father? The innate radiance of the space, all creates.
What is my lineage? The lineage of the vultures, feeding on the dead corpses of conceptual thoughts!
What religion do you follow? The religion of the crickets, who sing just because it must be done!
The great seeing
strong sighs roar outside, as the wind dances through the trees
the silence resounds louder and louder
the wind and the silence, inseparable at birth
show yourself, supreme source
the wind roars, I hear it - i see you now!
So many gifts you give me, so much wealth
fruits fall from the trees, and water from the sky
food appears from the earth, and warmth from the sun
this body works and walks, same as the growing grass,
All is perfect within your heart, where I dwell
basking in the warm winter sun,
what is there to want?
circles and wheels
trees sleep in the winter, bloom in the spring
everything has its time,
people want everything now,
what happened to the seasons?
so many things to do, so little time
time is the same, but minds are full and restless
so many things wanted, so little accomplished
look ... look here now, look around
what is there to do?
stay here silently.. your heart will come soon!
Then everything will make sense!
