He who says
he is enlightened
Is not enlightened
Buddhists say.
To say “I am not wise”
Shows I’m not wise enough
To say it, but I do.
That is Buddhist logic.
I am attached.
My “wisdom” hardly helps my dukkha.
That’s my karmic situation,
That is my habituation.
But there is no thought of “loser”, “winner”,
For I am still a dumb beginner
without “Beginner’s Mind”.
I know I must have gratitude
for the Buddha’s attitude
of compassion for us all.
But I am still a mortal human
going up his Holy mountain.
That task isn’t easy for me,
for I’m close to eighty-three
And came to Buddhism just lately.
And though my mind is now more open,
though Buddhism helps me cope and
be a bit more compassionate,
I am still so passionate
That I’m still learning to “let go”.
Still I’m attached to all of you
Buddhists.
We are all in Oneness.
Fred Babbin