A Blog offered by Zhaxi Zhuoma Rinpoche

Call Me by My True Names

Thich Nhat Hanh
Master Thich Nhat Hanh

When I reviewed the video of an earlier class I was reminded of a poem by the Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, “Call Me by My True Names.” I had mentioned it at an earlier class and Reba reminded us of it again as we considered  our current political reality and what is playing out over our two pandemics: the Covid-19 virus and racism. The verses I always remember were the ones based on a horrific situation in Vietnam that the Zen Master had just heard about:

” I am the twelve-year-old girl, refugee on a small boat, who throws herself into the ocean after being raped by a sea pirate.

And I am also the pirate, my heart not yet capable of seeing and loving.”

There other verses are like that and equally insightful and compassionate. CLICK to read the entire poem

 

Add comment

Zhaxi Zhuoma

Thus Have I Seen (and Heard) on zhaxizhuoma.org is a blog offered by Zhaxi Zhuoma for English-speaking followers and those interested in the teachings and activities of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Read more about this blog

Caveat

Most of the quotes from H.H Dorje Chang Buddha III posted on this blog are from unapproved translations and may contain errors. Likewise the contents of this blog have not been reviewed or approved by the Buddha and should be considered as reference material and not Buddha-dharma.

Notice

Sign up to receive advance notice of this blog.