Spring year after year, year after year Spring,
A spray of plum blossoms break out of chilly winter.
Walking confidently wide, walking confidently wide,
Breakthrough human and heaven realms,
Go forward all the way.
Silent moving, moving awakening,
Universal gate appears to liberate sentient beings.
Sentient in non-sentient, non-sentient in sentient,
Obtain complete wisdom to achieve Buddha-hood.
The sound of firecrackers heralds the Spring. How does this relate to the mundane days? Every year at this time, people celebrate family reunions. It’s hard for travelers far away from home to return. They have a home but cannot return. How miserable! When seeing the moon, they miss their hometown, and cannot help feeling a heartfelt sadness. Scholars and poets with ink and brushes, how to describe the image of parents? Thousands and thousands of words, how cannot confuse the original path? At the point of Huatou, raise doubts firmly to the way, suddenly break through three gates, and all the way reach Tathagata’s state. At this time, human and heavenly beings run quickly to tell each other this great news—the initiation of the true Tathagata nature. From this time on, one’s Mind is in the harmonious state like a king in harmony with his courtiers, free and at ease was a wild old man sings, a liberated ordinary person who looks foolish and vulgar.
Chan Master Baiyun Shouduan says, “I don’t dwell where others dwell. I don’t go where others go. It is not that I have difficulty getting along with others, but it is important to be clear of the distinction between the awakened and the mundane.” Ancient virtue’s words are still ringing in our ears. Living beings in the Dharma Ending Era turn a deaf ear. What a pity! What a pity! Mountain monk preaches but has no choice and can only stop talking and sigh! The finger pointing to the moon cannot substitute your own efforts to go home.
At this time of New Year, travelers do not go back home. If you all are eager to immediately return to your hometown for the family reunion, you just need to close the door to visitors and search for the origin until there is nothing to search. Suddenly break through the cave of ignorance, overcome thousands of barriers and obstacles and look back to recognize the origin. In a moment, you meet the original parents. Then at this time, you realize everywhere is home and travelers are always at home. Isn’t that joyful? Today, what to say for New Year celebration and praise?
Buddha celebrates New Year; Patriarchs are busy writing New Year couplets; mountain monk strikes the gong and sets off firecrackers. You all kill chickens and sheep, slaughter cattle, cook horses, and leave no livestock. Together, we celebrate the beginning of Spring. Human and heavenly beings praise and toss flowers to celebrate New Year together. In this way, we won’t pass the time in vain! Listen to mountain monk’s verse saying:
Spring sunshine appears suddenly,
Melting ice and breaking tiles.
Red plum blossoms in chilly winter,
South opens North withers.
Ten directions all look,
See the moon swiftly fly to it.
In a snap of fingers,
Travelers return home suddenly.
New Spring celebrate and praise,
Kill all, begin to return.