A Mortal Life, Born of One Thought · Stubborn and Foolish by Nature · 40 / 102
Lian Bo Ming · Passing the Tribulation
At Naihe Bridge the wind lifts all at once — I know it is Granny Meng sighing. Ill-fated mandarin ducks, we forsake the Hall of Rebirth. On the bank of the River of Forgetting we linger, fireflies point by point, the Buddhist chanting a clamour — a hundred years, vast and far.
The six paths of rebirth — we whip the horses through the dark peril. Wading on through a red rain of petals, through Yama's thronging ranks, the fire-crows wan and dim. Beyond this place, the udumbara's fragrance spreads long.
Glosses—
梵呗 [fàn bài]: in Buddhism, the sound of singing and hymns of praise performed at a rite;
Wading on: to walk along steeped in (muddy water);
Fire-crows: crows of legend that can carry fire in their beaks.
*This piece is an original work. If you repost it, please credit the original author Guang Zhi Shiyi; any infringement, once discovered, will be pursued for legal liability. In addition, the accompanying illustration comes from the internet and belongs to its original artist, Hehewu.