Editor's Choice
Theme: Mysticism

Nang Nak

Last night I watched the movie “Nang Nak”
The hero returns home after a war
Lives with the ghosts of his wife and baby
Unaware they died while he fought far away

And then when I turned around
I saw only ghosts abound
Non-real beings, planets, stars
All that my universe bore
And at last, my body and thoughts
Dancing apparitions in swirls
Frenzied dervishes in whirls

I prayed at the feet of the Buddha
Bewildered by spectral  s a msaara   
Did He smile at last?
Or a non-real thought that was?

Or does it matter at all?
That I know is proof after all
That I exist to validate
Real, unreal, non-real
Like a glow that reveals
Self-iridescence concealed

And here I lie now erased
Of body, mind and the seen
A void that has everything
Sans forms and names
And yet the fullest thing
A Buddha living in everything

IMG_5072.JPG
Image © Madathil Rajendran Nair

19-Jul-2013

More By  :  Madathil Rajendran Nair

Views: 1523     Comments: 5

Comments on this Poem

Comment I loved the play of words... Though I am at discord with the philosophy here, I could easily connect to the wonderful concept of nothingness. I thought about the insignificance of human life in the larger scheme of things, for a minute! Keep writing... :)

Amith PK
26-Jul-2013 14:54 PM

Comment Advaita and buddhism state the same highest truth of the unreality of this world, which is termed as void in Buddhism, which is given a positive affirmation, being denoted as Brahman. But, since Brhman in its essential inherent nature does not belong to the realm of things it is synonymous with the terminology of Nagarjuna, that is Sunyata, which the late J.Krishnamurthi referred to as the immeasurable, the sacred ground, beyond which there is nothing, that is not a thing.

G.Sankarraman
20-Jul-2013 11:29 AM

Comment Very nice Madathil ji,

'void' which is 'shUnya', is certainly not advaita-unfriendly. That which is void of all names and forms, without any identity, is the Supreme Void, Brahman of Advaita.

A crisp expression of a profound truth...

regards
subbu

v.subrahmanian.
20-Jul-2013 02:15 AM

Comment Buddha is not a person ! Buddhahood is a philosophy .

A fanrtastic poem where you have captured the essence of Buddhism very well .

vinatha kumar
19-Jul-2013 16:53 PM

Comment The mystic of Buddha well brought out in this finely written poem. Thanks for sharing Mr. Nair.

Padmaja Iyengar
19-Jul-2013 13:49 PM


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