Last night in deep dream the void shone clear,
Awakening, all phenomena grew transparent here.
Tables, chairs, and halls are phantoms slight,
Dusts of illusion, without true form or light.
The universe flows not beyond the skin,
It mirrors only within the mind’s clear sheen.
Names and appearances are empty display,
Born of causes—release them, be free today.
Desire’s flame burns the soul within,
Greed the vessel that sinks in suffering’s spin.
Attachment clouds light and traps the heart’s core,
Only by emptying the self can one sink no more.
The true self is light—ever it remains,
Grace descends, dissolving karmic chains.
Countless lifetimes of virtue lay the stone,
When the heart unites, heaven’s gate is shown.
Heaven and humanity merge as one,
All things in harmony reflect the sun.
The other shore is not afar, but near—
When the false dissolves, the Way appears clear.
All forms are void; the Dao alone is real,
The true self abides, illusions unreel.
See through the mirage, return to what’s pure,
Rest in the eternal, the tranquil, secure.
— Xin Yu, December 27, 2024