Originally life itself has no meaning
Because of human needs
Meaning is added to it
Originally life itself has no purpose
Because of human wants
Purpose is established
.
With meaning life is now meaningful
With purpose life now has a destination
Created by human mind
Such creation became a reality
.
Practice to realize truth
Seeing the reality of what is
With a mind of unification
Perceiving what is as meaningless
.
Seeking meaning in the meaningless
Pursuing reality in significance
Attaining ultimate truth in the end
Meaninglessness there is
.
Practice to realize reality
Seeing the truth of what is
With a mind of clarity
Knowing truth itself has no purpose
.
Raising purpose in the purposeless
Searching truth in purposefulness
Attaining the truth ultimately
Purposeless still there is
.
Meaningless yet meaningful
Meaningful yet meaningless
Purposeless yet purposeful
Purposeful yet purposeless
.
Originally there is no distinction
The mind of impurity discriminates
Should the mind become clear and clean
Neither same nor different
.
Appending meaning when there are needs
Lending purpose while there are demands
Understand the meaningless in absolute truth
Realizing the purposeless in totality
.
The nature of life has no meaning originally
Meaning is in the appearance
The essence of life has no purpose originally
Purpose appears in manifestation
.
The mind of Emptiness cut through all meanings
Practice accordingly is the purpose
Enlightened in emptiness directly
One shall know the true reality
Whether meaningful or meaningless
Whether purposeful or purposeless
.
(2014/8/23 written in the Seven-day Chan Retreat at Buckden Towers, London, England)