“As Soon as the Morning Star Appeared . . ."
A Dōgen Verse Each Day of Rōhatsu to Commemorate Buddha's Enlightenment
“As soon as the morning star appeared, the Buddha attained the Way,
A single branch of plum blossoms opened in the midst of snow.
Everywhere, sentient beings join in harmony with grasses and trees,
Feeling a sense of true joy for the very first time.”1
1
Heine, Steven. Wisdom Within Words. Oxford University Press, 2022. (Verse 110, p. 175)
For me, this is without a doubt one of Dōgen’s most wistfully poignant bits of writing. Thanks for having posted it.