Sorrow of One Six-billionth

Yutang Lin

Sentient beings in the Three Realms of transmigration
Formless ones cannot be counted
Ones with forms can hardly be all counted
And yet each and every one has sorrows
That is all the same

For people aspiring toward full enlightenment
'Tis difficult to reach the openness of Buddha's mind
And hence often not all sentient beings are in their sights
But as human, naturally 'tis easier to think about their kind
Right now on this earth
There are already over six point six billion human beings

When we are engulfed in sorrows
For ourselves or others in our small circles
If we could realize that
All these sorrows are simply
One six-billionth of the ocean of human sorrows
This might help to awaken us from sorrows
So that we would release grasping on personal minute sorrows
And instead, whole-heartedly and fully devoted
To pray, to practice, and to propagate Dharma
For all human beings' and even all sentient beings' enlightenment

Written in Chinese February 8, 2008
Translated on February 11, 2008
El Cerrito, California

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