BASO'S SUN-FACED BUDDHA, MOON-FACED BUDDHA

碧巌録  三

Life is joy and illness

two sides, one coin

death is caused by birth

stop and consider this.

Look into the face

of the evening sun,

will it retreat

from your eyes

or linger in memory?

Look into the face

of the full midnight moon,

does she have

the sun’s face

only until morning?