Poems
Poems
Life
Life is about riches and prosperity
I can accumulate them all
Then what is the profit, after all?
I do not know; Is life then of no use at all?
Life is about wisdom and knowledge
I can acquire them all
Then what is the difference, after all?
I also die; Is life then vanity of vanities?
Life is about pleasure and gratification
I can satisfy all my lusts
Then what is the end-result, after all?
I still feel empty; Is life then truly meaningless?
Life ‘under the heaven’ is but vanity
When only its parts are correctly viewed
Life ‘under the hand of God’ is a gift
When the whole sum of life is viewed
Jesus the Vine
Israel the God-cultivated vine
But turning traitorous and wild
Becoming a degenerate plant
Bearing no fruit in the end
Israel has failed the God its Lord
Jesus the God’s true vine
Thus identifying himself with Israel
Becoming one of us human beings
Bearing our sins on the Cross
Jesus has become the people indeed
Jesus the life giving vine
Turning us into branches
Making us bear fruit in Him
Telling us, He is the ‘I AM’
Jesus is indeed the Yahweh in Flesh
We both the chosen and the grafted
Yielding fruit in abundance
Abiding in Him for nurturing
This we do as one people of God
Sin And I
I lived like a saint self-deceived
Sin was dormant within me
I knew not what sin was like
Until I was taught in the law
I acted like a beast at bay
Sin made me a monster untamed
I crawled hidden to please myself
Until I was taught in the Lord
I struggle like a sheep ensnared
I do what I should not do
I fail to do what I must do
Until I am freed in the end
I pray like a monk on his death bed
That I may be pure like a child
Free of charges of sins of all three kans
Until I am arhat in Christ
I cry like a helpless tramp
“O wretched person that I am”
“Jesus, help me that I may choose You”
Until I am home in Paradise
Glossary
Three kans = kaya-kan(physical acts),wesi-kan(oral acts), and manaw-kan(mental or heart-related
acts)
Arhat = worthy one
TRUE NIBBANA
Rest! God rested on the Sabbath
He is the God of rest
Treasuring and preparing it for us all
Work! Jesus works even on the Sabbath
He is the Lord of Sabbath
Laboring and embodying Divine rest on earth
See! Gotama is not silent
One must see all is empty
Removing and banishing one’s view of self
Toil! Nibbana is within one’s reach
One must become selfless
Abandoning and renouncing all, nibbana is attained
Hear! God speaks to us today
Let us not harden our hearts
Giving up and letting go all our life and selfs
Trust! Jesus gives Himself for us
He truly is our sole Nibbana
Trusting and obeying, we find our life rested in Him
Glossary
Nibbana = extinction of all sufferings)
Jesus and Sunnata
Sunnata is anything
Sunnata is neither a thing nor a condition
But the ultimate potentiality; thus, begetting and restoring all
Sunnata transcends all
Sunnata is both samsara and nibbana
For the transcendent reality; hence, embracing and filling all
God is sunnataic
God is neither a being nor a non-being
But the ultimate Source of all; thus, begetting and creating all
God is Self-emptying
God is both a three and a one
For the triune God in history; thus, revealing as Father, Son, and Spirit
Jesus empties Himself
Jesus can be neither defined nor formulated
But He is the God Emptied; thus, reconciling and enlightening all
Jesus is sunnataic
Jesus is both divine and human
For He is the God Emptied; hence, embracing and saving all
Glossary
Sunnata = emptiness/void
Samsara = circle of births and rebirths
Nibbana = extinction of birth (and thus of suffering)
Job and Anatta
Did Job love God for nothing? He did; God knew so well.
Though tried hard, Job would not give in to temptations, or blame others;
But he would keep hanging on to God even in moments of despair.
For he knew he and his possessions were gifts of God;
He did not conceive himself apart from God the Source.
And thus went praying, “Naked I came; naked I go!”
Did God prove Satan wrong at all? He did; Satan was silenced.
While on trials, no cursing of God, no blaming of God, on Job’s lips;
But only a hesitant raising of a hand to God asking ‘why?’
For he was aware neither he nor God had wronged the other;
He saw no match between his kamma and his losses.
And thus continued testifying, “God is right; God is gracious!”
Must all love God for nothing? Yea; This, God expects of us all.
Sincerely one may ask, “How could I truly love God for nothing at all?”
As both Jesus and Gautama affirm atta by abnegating atta,
So I also must seek to abide by their words of wisdom,
Accepting that I am anatta apart from God the Self,
And thus keep loving, “Anatta I was; Divine I become!”
Glossary
Annata = no-self/non-self
Kamma = deeds
Atta = self/soul