Poem Without An English Version 1 Poem by Denis Mair

As an occasional EXOPHONIC poet, I have written a few poems in my second language. I've been too lazy to rewrite this one in English. There are several Buddhist terms that don't translate easily. The poem describes an enormous bronze statue of Earth Store Buddha (Ksitagharba) being erected at Jiuhua Temple Complex and Scenic Area in Anhui. As the large bronze pieces were welded and riveted into place, the construction site was like a foundry jutting vertically into the air. The scaffolding around that statue looked like lines of radiant force. The workers wearing blue helmets streamed in and out of the vertical foundry...I likened them to ants and preying mantises, but I praised their antlike organization and effort: that kind of karmic affinity is necessary to bring such a remarkable buddha-image into this world. I gazed at the spacious garden at the statue's feet. In the future, this expanse would give approaching visitors an open perspective and plenty of time to see how small their personal desires are in relation to the "big issue" of finding enlightenment. One who truly situates oneself in such a space won't fall into a mentality of preying and being preyed upon. If only more people could give up "hunting" and "being hunted"... so that they can seek out beautiful views, like the people taking photos in this park. As the old Zen Buddhist saying goes, "Put down that butcher knife, and you immediately become a Buddha." A modernday version of this saying would be: "Put down your slingshot, and you immediately become a shutterbug."
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访九华山"地藏王文化园"的大铜像

梅丹理

4月8日到九华山，参访"地藏王文化园"
瞻仰即将竣工的铜佛像
菩萨企立在山岚间，以达摩峰为后山
俨然一股自然之力所形造
空心的躯干不断传出敲打声
仿佛一座挺立在半空中的锻冶厂
里里外外正锻造着"相好光明"的色身
带着蓝色安全帽的工人在脚手架上走动
请不要把他们比喻成某一种"蚁科"的昆虫
因为他们的血汗是菩萨在此降临的因缘
鹰架的线条呈现一层一层的同心圆
用后工业的笔触描绘圣体周围的光环
法杖的顶端也突出弧形的对称结构
一望而知是穿越虚空的能量束
还是插过队的陆健具有劳动者的眼光
说"这个脚手架拆下来至少要一个月"
我想匍匐菩萨的脚下好好地拜三拜
但工地有工地的规矩，等下次来再爬吧！

这里的工作队伍属于"金螳螂集团"
看到此名，菩萨赐给我一个调皮的念头：
但愿金螳螂前面趴着一只钻石的蟋蟀
后面站着一只银色麻雀，而更后面
顽童已放下弹弓，立地成为摄影迷
全都凝结在那里，自然界的鸢飞鱼跃
全都成为庄严佛土的珍禽、异兽、瑞人

走近菩萨需要足够的时间
因此把铜像设在风景区
走近菩萨需要坦荡的心境
因此造出这么宽敞的文化园
把游赏与朝圣融为一体

我对游伴发表了一段谬论
"在红尘看到这么大的空间
往往会奉献给超级的大商场
而商场代表的是人欲的堆积
因此我穿过时，会感到压抑
到了这里，觉得空间的意义不一样"
还是陆健能把煞风景的话题转开
说："这个空间是让你发现
自己在宇宙中的位置"


2012年4月20日于燕郊