RINGING THE UMPAN

They ask me to ring the umpan

What is the umpan

Is it like a garden bell in the early morning

Is it like a temple bell at the end of zazen

Is it like a rippling stream

Emerald green and silent as the Bodhi Tree?

In winter - the rains

In spring - the flowers

Year round - the bell rings

Where is the umpan

That hangs from an arch of wisteria

Reflecting the rising sun

And the flickering lantern

Hidden by red maple leaves

And bamboo?

I light the lamp

I ring the umpan

I put out the lamp

They ask me to ring the umpan

I've never done it before

I hold the striker, center myself

Take a deep breath and bow

I could hear the sound before the bell even rang

Can you hear it?

Bell rings

Bell stops

Did the bell ever ring?

What is this sound that calls the mind to attention

Stills the crowd

And clears the air

Forgotten footsteps of ancestors

Who have crossed the bridge

And disappeared behind the mountain?

What is the meaning of this sound

What is the nature of mind

Monkey swings by his tail through the trees

- Paresh


				*--------------* *RINGING THE UMPAN*



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