The sky is so clear
It is a shade of blue
That appears almost black.
Flowing in the valley between the mountains,
The water in the stone-bedded stream is inexpressibly clear,
And in it, nameless fish dart here and there, playing.
The mountains are high,
And here and there flowers are in bloom.
New leaves are budding on treetops,
In the mountains, wild herbs are sprouting,
And many fresh shoots can be seen on the hardy kiwi trees.
Following the mountain valley,
I stumble on a patch of wild mountain vegetables.
As I forage for mountain herbs
Seeking out spots yet untouched by people,
The warm sun, the clear air and water
Refreshes my body, worn and stained by the city.
My body feels as light as a feather.
Taking after the surroundings, my whole body is so clean,
And thanks to all the hiking I did in my youth,
I do not tire despite walking up many hills.
I sit on a large rock near the water to eat my packed lunch.
There is a small waterfall close by
And on a slope near the cascade, a bird I cannot identify
Quietly chatters as it flits back and forth.
In spring, there are so many things in the mountainside
Too beautiful to enjoy alone;
The day is warm,
And I begin to wonder how long it has been
Since someone last came by the places I have been.
These high mountains and secluded valleys are hard to get to,
And I wonder whether anyone has ever been here.
Climbing higher up the mountain,
I can see there are less leaves growing on the trees,
And a startled mountain deer runs away,
Casting back sidelong looks as it runs.
The animals and vegetation here in the mountains
Live generation after generation, just like people.
Without homes, with only their naked selves,
Facing the winds if the winds are blowing,
The rain if the rain is falling,
And the snow if it is snowing;
In the cold if it is cold,
And in the heat if it is hot,
They live without words.
Everything that exists disappears,
Comes again, then again disappears.
But only I know the principle
That the place they have returned to is the origin,
And it is the origin from whence they came.
Trying to seek and attain something from this transient world,
So many people fight, kill and thieve;
In my eyes, they are truly foolish.
When one has become the mind of nature
When he is without the mind of blame,
Without envy, jealousy or conceit,
Without judgment of right and wrong,
Discernment of this and that;
When all human minds have disappeared,
His mind is the mind of nature.
-Woo Myung
