89. RYOKAN REVISITED

I have been a fan of haiku and other zen poetry for a number of years.
One of my favorite poets is the iconic Japanese monk Ryokan.
It is said that whenever he was guest at a family residence, a peaceful
atmosphere would fill the house and remain for a period of time even after he had
departed.

While a guest, he didn’t philosophize or even speak very much for that matter. His
sheer presence seemed to invoke a calming influence on everyone in his
circumference.

Ryokan was said to have been tall, slender, and markedly unpretentious in all
aspects.

He lived for twenty years in a shabby hermitage called “Five Scoop Hut” that was
situated behind a Buddhist Zen temple. It was there that he wrote much of his
poetry.

He wrote “Renouncing the world, renouncing the body, I have become a person of
leisure. Keeping company with the moon and blossoms, I spend my remaining life.”
Ryokan’s biographers have all attested to certain character attributes. I condensed
a few of them to present here culled from various sources.

1.) Ryokan always maintained austerity in his meditation practice.
2.) He never showed excitement or anger.
3.) He spoke very slowly.
4.) His manner of eating and drinking was also demonstrably slow.
5.) He was described as being incredibly relaxed in every situation.
6.) He did not talk about literature or ethics. He taught others by his presence.
7.) Ryokan treated everyone with respect and kindness
8.) He found contentment in each moment regardless of the circumstance.
9.) Not striving for anything, he was always free.
10.) Throughout his poetry the theme “Don’t cling, don’t strive”
11.) His formal monastic training was as a soto zen priest. He practiced the
“shikantaza” meditation method.
12.) Ryokan loved children and was often seen playing street games with them.
13.) He was continually smiling.
14.) Ryokan was famous for saying, “There is nothing better than saying nothing.”

There are many anthologies of Ryokan’s poetry. I leave this week’s blog with one
simple entry:

“Listening to the evening rain in my hermitage,
As for the Great Way, I simply braid spring flowers into a ball.
As for the future? If a visitor brings dharma questions
I have only the tranquility of the hermitage to offer.”