Japanese Death Poems

Japanese Death Poems

Gesshu Soko, died January 10, 1696, at age 79:


Inhale, exhale

Forward, back

Living, dying:

Arrows, let flown each to each

Meet midway and slice

The void in aimless flight --

Thus I return to the source.



Goku Kyonen, died October 8, 1272, at age 56:



The truth embodied in the Buddhas

Of the future, present, past;

The teaching we received from the

Fathers of our faith

Can be found at the tip of my stick.