written on the day of a cremation ceremony held for Thich Nhat Hanh, founder of engaged Buddhism and peace activist
oldest pagoda
silhouetted against twilight sky
wave upon wave
of mourners moving
in meditative silence
FYI: Thich Nhat Hanh's coffin has been on display in a week-long funeral at Tu Hieu, one of Vietnam's largest and oldest pagodas, drawing tens of thousands of mourners including orange and yellow-robed monks. A cremation ceremony will take place on Saturday...
-- "Thousands mourn Vietnamese Zen master and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh," Reuters, Jan.28
“I am happy and feel at peace that I could come to Hue to say farewell and meditate with ‘Su Ong’ for the last time,” said Do Minh Hieu, a follower of Nhat Hanh's who traveled from southern Ho Chi Minh City with his family for the funeral. “Su Ong” is an affectionate Vietnamese term meaning “Grandpa Monk."
-- "Funeral held in Vietnam for influential monk Thich Nhat Hanh," Associated Press, Jan. 29
This tanka is a sequel to the following one:
For Thich Nhat Hanh, founder of engaged Buddhism and peace activist, who died at the age of 95 on January 22.
wingbeats of a crane...
mindful in-breath and out-breath
to go home
