In this world
If there were no ox-cart
How should we escape
From the burning mansion of our thoughts--Anonymous
※拾遺（1005‐07頃か）哀傷・一三三一「世の中に牛の車のなかりせば思ひの家をいかでいでまし〈よみ人しらず〉」
From the Shūi Wakashū (拾遺和歌集, "Collection of Gleanings"), often abbreviated as Shūishū, is the third imperial anthology of waka from Heian period Japan. It was compiled by Emperor Kazan in about 1005.
Maybe the first-person pronoun is better? And maybe ox-cart should be plural?
In this world
If there were no ox-carts
How could I ever escape
The burning mansion of my thoughts--Anonymous
This waka has long been very dear to me. One of my favorites. The poet is anonymous but the voice is so reminiscent of Izumi Shikibu.
In the Lotus Sutra, one of the most famous stories— or parables— depicts a wealthy man desperately calling out to his three sons to run. The house is on fire! But the children are so absorbed in their play that they fail to heed their father. He considers carrying them out by force—but that would take too long —and so he shouts: “Come outside and receive a great gift!” Outside the gate of their house, he tells them, awaits a goat-drawn carriage, a deer-drawn carriage, and an ox-drawn carriage. These are rare treasures and so the children come running out demanding their promised presents.
The father, who is overjoyed at their safety, decides to give them the fanciest gift of all: carriages drawn by a great white ox.
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To be honest, I never really liked this parable of a wealthy man rewarding his children who did not listen to him. It was only in reading the Japanese poem that I fell in love with it.
Where are the “ways” and “means” for transcending the burning world of our thoughts? From deers to goats to oxes… Expedient and skillful means are various. The real danger is thinking oneself not in need of such means.
Ooh, sublime parable! Thanks for sharing! (And posts back-to-back. Yay!)