poetry

[convivium]

it seems like the one artform left open to monks is poetry. it has a rich history in the visudhimagga, ajahn mun, and now i'm seeing ledi sayadaw (not to mention the mahayana).

[SamKR]

it seems like the one artform left open to monks is poetry. it has a rich history in the visudhimagga, ajahn mun, and now i'm seeing ledi sayadaw (not to mention the mahayana).

There are also other arts open to monks: the art of living, the art of following eight-fold path and meditation, the art of being liberated...

[polarbuddha101]

And the art of teaching the dhamma!

[convivium]

And the art of teaching the dhamma!

and the siddhis

[Sam Vara]

Ajahn Sucitto produced a beautiful set of paintings to accompany his book Dawn of the Dhamma

http://www.cittaviveka.org/files/books/dawn/index.htm
and at least one of the other monks at Cittaviveka draws and paints regularly.

Sucitto also writes poetry - examples are found in Tomorrow's Moon
http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Tomorrow_s_Moon.html?id=4d7PMgEACAAJ&redir_esc=y

[danieLion]

The Sutta Nipata is mostly poetry.

[Coyote]

Wow, I didn't know monks were able/allowed to paint. Is there any historical precedence for this or is it something fairly modern? Does anyone know what the Vinaya says?

[danieLion]

Theragata X.2; Ekavihariya: Dwelling Alone (Thanissaro Tr.)

Translator's note: This poem, which is attributed to King Asoka's younger brother, falls into three parts: the first expresses his initial desire to leave the life of the palace and go into the forest; the second depicts his going forth; and the third announces his Awakening. Some scholars have suggested that many of the poems dealing with events in the lives of the early Buddhist monks and nuns may have originally been intended for dramatic performance, and this poem could easily have been written with that intent. The language of the original, with its heavy use of poetic terms, certainly indicates that the author had a literate background and was writing for a sophisticated audience.

If, in front or behind,
there is no one else,
it's extremely pleasant
for one staying alone
in the forest.

Come then! Alone
I will go to the wilderness
praised by the Awakened One
pleasant for a resolute monk
dwelling alone.

Alone,
astute in my goal,
I'll quickly enter the grove
— refreshing,
giving rapture to meditators —
the haunt
of elephants in rut.

When the Cool Forest's in full flower,
in a cool mountain gorge,
having bathed my limbs
I'll walk back & forth,
alone.

Ah, when will I dwell,
alone and free from companions,
in the refreshing great forest —
my task done,
fermentation-free?

As I desire to do this,
may my purpose succeed.
I myself
will bring it about.
No one can do it
for anyone else.

I myself
bind on my armor.
I will enter the grove
and will not emerge
without having attained
fermentations' end.

While soft breezes blow —
cool,
heavily,
fragrantly scented —
I'll make ignorance burst,
as I sit on a mountaintop.

In the forest covered with blossoms
or perhaps on a cool hillside,
blessed with the bliss of release,
on Giribbaja I'll delight. [1]

I am now he
whose resolves are fulfilled
like the moon on a full-moon night.
With all fermentations
totally ended,
here is now no further becoming.

Note 1. Giribbaja is the ring of mountains surrounding Vulture's Peak.

[tiltbillings]

Ajahn Sucitto produced a beautiful set of paintings to accompany his book Dawn of the Dhamma

http://www.cittaviveka.org/files/books/dawn/index.htm

Quite lovely:

[Sam Vara]

Why, thank you, Tilt. I looked, but couldn't find anything on line as I didn't realise that the version on Cittaviveka's site had the pictures. I have a copy of the book, and in addition I have the benefit of Sucitto's presence at the local monastery.

[tiltbillings]

Why, thank you, Tilt. I looked, but couldn't find anything on line as I didn't realise that the version on Cittaviveka's site had the pictures. I have a copy of the book, and in addition I have the benefit of Sucitto's presence at the local monastery.

Thank for posting the link. The book looks really good.

[convivium]

Sam Vara wrote:
Ajahn Sucitto produced a beautiful set of paintings to accompany his book Dawn of the Dhamma

http://www.cittaviveka.org/files/books/dawn/index.htm

that's pretty amazing stuff for a thai forest monk to publish (it reminds me of songs of innocence and experience). sakyant tattoos can be pretty amazing i guess (but that's a dhammayut-exclusive thing i think). i was actually listening to his talks last night for the first time http://forestsanghapublications.org/downloadListen.php?id=4 then saw this posted in the morning. another thing is ajahn amaro publishes sorts of novels http://www.abhayagiri.org/books/the-pilgrim-kamanita or if you'd rather have it read to you http://archive.org/stream/ThePilgrimKamanitaABuddhistNovel/Pilgrim_Kamanita_web#page/n5/mode/2up

[Sam Vara]

Sam Vara wrote:
Ajahn Sucitto produced a beautiful set of paintings to accompany his book Dawn of the Dhamma

http://www.cittaviveka.org/files/books/dawn/index.htm

that's pretty amazing stuff for a thai forest monk to publish (it reminds me of songs of innocence and experience). sakyant tattoos can be pretty amazing i guess (but that's a dhammayut-exclusive thing i think). i was actually listening to his talks last night for the first time http://forestsanghapublications.org/downloadListen.php?id=4 then saw this posted in the morning. another thing is ajahn amaro publishes sorts of novels http://www.abhayagiri.org/books/the-pilgrim-kamanita or if you'd rather have it read to you http://archive.org/stream/ThePilgrimKamanitaABuddhistNovel/Pilgrim_Kamanita_web#page/n5/mode/2up

Yes, the naive nature of some of the representations, and the colours, remind me of Blake. But there is also a lot of Celtic-style knot-work which is lacking in Blake. This one

is one of my favourites, as it is based on a window in the mediaeval church next to Cittaviveka. Apparently Sucitto used to go to the church to learn chanting.