Observations placeholder

The Lotus sutra – translated by Burton Watson
Shariputra, you should understand
that I view things through the Buddha eye,
I see the living beings in the six paths'
how poor and-distressed they are, without merit or wisdom,
how they enter the perilous road of birth and death,
their sufferings continuing with never a break,
how deeply they are attached to the five desires,
like a yak enamored of its tail,
blinding themselves with greed and infatuation,
their vision so impaired they can see nothing.

They do not seek the Buddha, with his great might,
Or the Law that can end their sufferings,
but enter deeply into erroneous views,
hoping to shed suffering through greater suffering.

For the sake of these living beings
I summon up a mind of great compassion.

When I first sat in the place of practice
and gazed at the tree and walked around it,
for the space of three times seven days
I pondered the matter in this way.

The wisdom I have attained, I thought,
is subtle, wonderful, the foremost,
But living beings, dull in capacity,
are addicted to pleasure and blinded by stupidity,
With persons such as this,
what can I say, how can I save them?......