Between Friends

The Conversation between Cold Mountain (Manjusri Bodhisattva) and Renounced (Samantabhadra Bodhisattva) - 寒山问拾得

One day Cold Mountain asked Renounced:

"If someone slanders me, bully me, laugh at me, look down on me, treat me lowly, loathe me, lie to me, how shall I manage this?"

Renounced said :

"Endure it, yield to it, let it be, stay away, bear it, respect it, ignore it and look at it again a few years later."

Cold Mountain asked again:

"Is there any other way to avoid it?"

Renounced said:

"I read a poem written for Maitreya Bodhisattva. I shall recite it here for you."

Old man (Maitreya Bodhisattva) wears a robe. He is happy with a stomach filled with simple meals. His robe is torn and tattered and he patched it up to protect himself from cold. There is nothing to worry about because everything is predestined.

If someone scold old man, old man just say 'Good.' If someone hit old man, old man just fall to the ground. Tears and mucus on my face, no need to bother as it will dry by itself. I save my energ，and he saves his anger. Paramita such as this is a treasure to apply. If you know how to use it, you will find the Way out.

A person can be weak but not weak in courage. A person can be poor but not poor in spirit. If you decide to follow the Path, than you should use the Path as a guide. Sentient beings love richness and fame but such things are nothing in my eyes. Name and fame are but emptiness, I do not craved for them. One may accumulate wealth like a mountain. but one cannot buy infinite with it.

Sentient beings craved for tributes and gifts, Gods crave for power，

Kong Ming had great wisdom and yet he could not save his master.

Han Xin had great merits, he died by a swing of the sword.

So from past to present, how many live to a thousand? One wants to be a hero, another wants to be a great man, look at your grey hair and the wrinkled face as years go by.

Night and day shuttle by quickly, times fly by swiftly. Sickness will appear gradually and by then you will sigh, 'Why did I not make use of my youth to cultivate the Path?'.

When sickness comes knocking on my door, I wish I could turn back the clock. Unfortunately my time is running out and Death is at the door step.

Once I lost my life force, what else can I do. I will not be able to hear gossips nor can I recognize my home. I no longer can compete with others and I cannot be the great man I wanted to be. When scolded I am not able to retaliate, when asked I am like a dumb man. When beaten I cannot hit back, when pushed I roll around. I no longer am bothered that others will laugh at me, neither am I worried about others jeering at me. I no longer worry about my reputation. When my children cried and sobbed, I no longer see them. So I struggle for name and fame what did I get but buried on a piece of land.

I looked at Sentient beings, they are good at providing lip service. I urged all to turn back and cultivate the Path. Be a Man and cut all illusions. Jump out of the fire and be a free man. If you understand the true Teachings, the Sun and Moon will always be your friends.

translated by Loving kindness